Australia’s Senate has voted to hold a referendum this year on creating an Indigenous Voice to Parliament – an advocate aiming to give the nation’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority more say on government policy.

Dozens of mainly Indigenous people stood and applauded in the public galleries when senators passed the referendum bill 52 votes to 19, meaning the referendum must be held in a two-to-six-month window.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman to hold the job, described Monday’s vote as the “final hurdle” toward the referendum.

“Today the political debate ends,” she said. “Today we can start a national conversation at the community level about what a Voice is, why it’s needed and how it will make a practical difference.”

If it becomes Australia’s first successful referendum since 1977. The Voice would not have a vote on laws and debate for and against the elected body has become increasingly heated and divisive.

Proponents hope the Voice will improve living standards for Indigenous Australians, who account for 3.2% of Australia’s population.

Opposition spokesperson Michaelia Cash told the Senate most of her colleagues would vote to hold the referendum “because we believe in the people of this nation and their right to have a say.”

“This is not because we agree with what this bill ultimately sets out to achieve, which is of course to irrevocably change this nation’s constitution in a way that will destroy one of our most fundamental values: equality of citizenship,” she said before the vote.

Indigenous opposition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the Voice proposal was dividing Australia along racial lines.

“If the ‘yes’ vote is successful, we will be divided forever,” she said. “I want to see Australia move forward as one, not two divided. That’s why I will be voting no.”

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, who is also Indigenous, said she opposed the Voice because it was powerless and was “appeasing white guilt”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who committed his government to holding the referendum during his election night victory speech, said the fact some critics argued the Voice was too weak and others that it was too powerful indicated “we’ve got the balance right.”

“The truth is that, for most people… it will have no direct impact on their lives, but it just might make lives better of the most disadvantaged group in Australia today,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to do things better. Instead of doing things for Indigenous Australians, make change with Indigenous Australians.”

He said he would hold discussions with Indigenous leaders before setting a date for the referendum

The Liberal Party and Nationals party, which formed a conservative coalition government for nine years before the centre-left Labor Party was elected last year, both oppose the Voice.