https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2023/apr/12/australia-news-live-china-vows-to-reestablish-trust-barley-tariffs-john-olsen-tax-indigenous-voice-parliament-budget-climateKen Wyatt says Peter Dutton may allow Liberal party conscience vote on voiceThe former Liberal minister for Indigenous Australians, has said he hopes many of MPs from his former party come out in support of the Indigenous voice to parliament.
Wyatt was speaking in Perth with Linda Burney, the minister for Indigenous Australians in the Albanese government, after Wyatt resigned from his party in response to Peter Dutton announcing he would campaign for the no vote.
Wyatt said:
What we should do is allow my former colleagues to work through the issues and make their own decisions and I think Peter Dutton will give them a conscience vote and they will then express the way they want to vote, but I do hope that many more come across.”Wyatt also said he was open to Liberal MPs contacting him to discuss their position on the voice. “My phone’s always on and I will talk to anybody who wants to have a discussion.”
Asked if the Liberal party’s conscience was being tested at the moment, Wyatt said:
I think there are individuals who are being tested and they will make up their mind. We’ve seen Julian (Leeser) make a tough decision and those decisions are not easy when you step away from whatever structure or organisation you belong to, whether it’s political or social, but it’s something that they will make in their time when they’re ready, because we’ve still got time yet.”
