The vote to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the Constitution is set to become a proxy battle between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton, after the Liberal Party pledged to oppose the looming referendum.
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton will fight a bitter battle over the vote to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the Constitution will after the Liberal Party pledged to oppose a referendum and push for a watered-down and symbolic model.
“It should be very clear to Australians by now that the Prime Minister is dividing the country, and the Liberal Party seeks to unite the country.” Offering to sit down with Mr Albanese on the rival proposal, Mr Dutton said bipartisanship on Indigenous policy was needed. Despite the structure of the expert working group and plans for a nationally representative Voice body, the Liberals insist remote and regional communities won’t be heard.
Liberal frontbenchers will be bound to the party’s position, with Mr Dutton saying Indigenous recognition was not a conscience issue worthy of a free vote.The position is not without risk for Mr Dutton and the Liberals: a Newspoll conducted forshowed on Wednesday support for the Voice could meet the required double majority threshold. A majority of voters and a majority of states are required to change the Constitution.
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Albanese has ‘changed the wording’ of the Voice to Parliament three times’: DuttonPrime Minster Anthony Albanese has already “changed the wording” of the Voice to Parliament “on three occasions,” according to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. “The latest version, against the advice of the solicitor general and the attorney general – it's clear he is not going to be changing the wording of that proposal,” Mr Dutton told a media conference on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Dutton has promised his Coalition will still work “constructively” with the Albanese government.
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Liberals pitch Voice overhaul as Dutton calls snap party meetingThe Liberal party has demanded Labor remove a clause for the Voice to advise the executive, as well as the parliament, arguing it was too broad and would spark a raft of High Court challenges.
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Prime Minister ‘wasn’t willing’ to listen to the Voice of Indigenous: DuttonOpposition Leader Peter Dutton says he is not supporting the Voice as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “wasn’t willing” to listen to the voice of Indigenous on the ground after he “refused to turn up” to Laverton. “I’ve gone out into the communities when the prime minister refused to turn up into Laverton… it was very clear he wasn’t willing to listen to the voice of those indigenous people on the ground,” Mr Dutton said. “That’s why we shouldn’t be voting for a divisive Canberra voice, that's the issue, we should be listening to what people say on the ground.”
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