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Quick Read In short The head of the Lowitja Institute says he is concerned that some campaigners are deliberately misleading the public. The head of the Lowitja Institute says he is concerned that some No campaigners are deliberately misleading the public. An Indigenous-controlled health research institute has raised concerns over “misleading” claims about Indigenous funding being circulated ahead of the national Voice of Parliament referendum. Earlier this month, singer Kamahl claimed $40 billion a year was being donated to indigenous people in an interview with Channel 10's The Project. This is a figure that appears on the website of the No campaign's Fair Australia organisation, which describes it as "direct government funding for Aboriginal Australians". RMIT ABC Fact Check found the estimate was based on a similar claim from former prime minister Tony Abbott, who said $30 billion was going directly to "various Indigenous programmes". Its analysis found the figure likely came from a 2017 Productivity Commission review that found nearly $33 billion was spent on First Nations workers in 2015-16; but the vast majority of that was general spending on things like schools, hospitals, etc. prosperity and defense. By comparison, around $556 billion was spent on non-indigenous Australians under the same criteria. Writing The Conversation about a related claim 2016, ANU's Professor Nicholas Biddle also noted that "nearly one five Indigenous Australians live remote areas where the cost of providing many services is significantly higher." “Therefore, most of the spending is to achieve the level of services that others are accustomed to,” he said. Selwyn Button, president of Lowitja Institute, said he was disturbed by the $40bn claim of funding, which he believed was used "to deliberately mislead community". Funding for First Nations people represents only 6 per cent of total government spending, Selwyn Button said. “Because what they want do is ensure that there is continued misinformation distrust, and constantly paint a picture that Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people have been given billions of dollars improve outcomes but they have failed do so.” said Mr. Button. “The public dialogue around this piece was focused on fact that this money was in the hands of Indigenous people, and that is simply not case.” Fair Australia stands tall in numbers When contacted to respond to Mr Button's concerns, Fair Australia accused him of "talking divisive nonsense". "He knows full well that $40 billion is true and his report confirms that," a spokesman said. He said Fair Australia had never claimed the funding was specific to Indigenous people and that the figure included individual welfare payments, government programs and other donations to Indigenous groups. Health group argues audio could help identify better solutions to close gap A Lowitja Institute policy paper published this week o