By Rachael Ward and Paul Osborne

THE federal government has been urged to move on from the failure of the Voice referendum and directly address challenges in indigenous communities.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who championed a “no” vote, said it was “good for our country” that Saturday’s referendum failed.

“At all times in this debate, I have levelled my criticism at what I consider to have been a bad idea – to divide Australians based on their heritage or the time at which they came to our country,” he told reporters in Brisbane.

“The coalition, like all Australians, wants to see indigenous disadvantage addressed. We just disagree on the Voice being the solution.”

Mr Dutton again urged the government to initiate a royal commission into the sexual abuse of children in indigenous communities and an audit of indigenous spending programs.

“We must redouble our efforts to improve outcomes for indigenous Australians in those disadvantaged communities and to close the gap.”

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe said the referendum had exposed elements of racism on both sides of the campaign and caused trauma.

“This referendum has done nothing but hurt people, divide communities, divide families,” Senator Thorpe told reporters at a polling station in Melbourne while wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Vote No”.

Senator Thorpe has been pushing for a treaty over an enshrined advisory body but indicated she was open to supporting a legislated voice if it had grassroots representation.

“This country is not ready to decide on our destiny, it never has been,” she said.

“We have to self determine our own destiny and the only way we can do that is through truth telling in this country.”

Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the government had failed to provide detail about the operation of the Voice or shown how it would benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“The Australian people have said ‘no’ to this. The Australian people want practical outcomes, a unified country where we can move forward together.”