Exclusive: Two Liberal MPs have spoken out to demand the party’s MPs be free to support or oppose the proposed Voice to parliament, ahead of a formal decision on the party’s stance on constitutional recognition early in 2023
– noted the referendum was not going to be ultimately decided by politicians.
“For something like the Voice … it shouldn’t be a matter of there’s more people in the party room that think this way, so we should do that. There has to be a degree of compromise and consensus.Julian Leeser had “made public statements in support of an Indigenous Voice” and would be left in an invidious position if the party room decided to formally oppose it.
Leeser has to date been tactically quiet about what the party’s position on the Voice is likely to be, but has outlined seven questions the Labor government needs to answer on the issue.Those questions include who will be a member of the Voice, will members be elected or chosen, what powers the body would have, how will it make a difference to people’s lives, how will it represent diverse communities and whether regional and local bodies will also exist.