Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is doubling-down on the Liberal party decision to oppose an Indigenous Voice to Parliament after frontbencher Julian Leeser broke ranks and quit his shadow portfolios to campaign for a "yes" vote.
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Mr Leeser is heading to the Liberal backbench where he will not be bound by shadow cabinet rules.
"I'm very happy with the position that we have and I believe it represents the overwhelming view of our party room," Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.
Mr Dutton described his former Shadow Indigenous Australians minister and Shadow Attorney-General as a "great advocate" for indigenous communities, and a man of "great character" and "strength".
He said he had visited Indigenous communities alongside Mr Leeser, who he said had an "incredible empathy, desire just to help people".
"He is a person that is our country's best interest at heart and as he pointed out, he doesn't leave with rancour or does not leave with bitterness," Mr Dutton said.
"He has gone through a process in our party and his position is at odds with the overwhelming majority of the Liberal Party members in our party room."
Mr Dutton instead pointed to the Liberals' policy to support local and regional Indigenous voices and champion a legislated Voice instead of what he has denigrated as a constitutional "Canberra voice" and another layer of bureaucracy.
He said he feared a constitutional Indigenous voice would "delve into issues like defence and like the Reserve Bank decisions around interest rates, like treasuries work in taxation policy and many other areas".
"I think it grinds the system of government as we know it to a halt," he said.
But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously assured that a Voice would not affect policies such as defence or foreign affairs, but was about matters directly affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Meanwhile, NSW Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg said he also wanted the referendum to be successful, with a "yes" vote now more likely with Mr Leeser's "conviction".
"Julian has always understood a successful referendum would be considerable more likely with liberal and conservative support," Senator Bragg said.
"The referendum is too important to play party politics and it is not good enough to oppose the referendum on process grounds."
Mr Leeser's decision comes after former Morrison government Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt quit the Liberals altogether over its opposition to the Voice.
Mr Leeser will be joining Tasmanian Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer, who has been outspoken in her support for an indigenous Voice.
Other high profile Liberal support for a Voice include Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff and former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Senior Labor MPs welcomed Mr Leeser's decision, but acting Prime Minister Penny Wong said she expects more Liberals to break ranks and follow Mr Leeser to the backbench.
"Julian Leeser has shown real strength today. He put his principles first. He put his principles ahead of partisan politics and we welcome that," Senator Wong said.
"I suspect these Liberals will not be the last to break from Mr Dutton's partisan narrow position, a narrow position which really flies in the face of the generosity and the decency of the Australian people.
"It can't have been easy for him to do. It can't have been easy for him to relinquish portfolios that he cares so deeply about."
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said Mr Leeser was joining a "growing chorus" of Liberals who will be campaigning for a Voice.
"His decision reflects his long-held commitment to constitutional recognition through a Voice, and an understanding that this year's referendum is a once-in-a-generation chance to make a real difference in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and help close the gap," Ms Burney said.
"He knows how much work has gone in to getting Australia this far on the journey to reconciliation."
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