Voice to Parliament: Dutton can’t afford to get this wrong | Samantha Maiden

Peter Dutton has already confessed to one historic error in his career. He can’t afford for the Voice to be another, writes Samantha Maiden.

Peter Dutton’s first act as opposition leader was to admit he was wrong to refuse to support the National Apology to survivors of the Stolen Generations and their families.

His atonement was designed to address strong criticism of his actions which included boycotting the day in parliament.

“I made a mistake in relation to the apology,” Mr Dutton said.

“At the time, I believed that the apology should be given when the problems were resolved and the problems are not resolved.”

He argued that while his reasons were sound – he wanted to deliver real outcomes – his decision was a mistake.

“I regarded it as something which was not going to deliver tangible outcomes to kids who are being raped and tortured in communities in the 21st century,” he said.

“Now, if I thought for a moment that it was going to deliver positive outcomes to those kids, to their families, to those communities, then I would support it in a heartbeat. But I thought it distracted us from that.”

The Liberal leader has also been clear – for years – on his position regarding the Voice to Parliament proposal for constitutional recognition describing it as a “third chamber” of parliament.

“We have been clear that we want to work with the people to provide recognition. We are not in favour of a third chamber or voice,” Mr Dutton said in 2019.

And on Wednesday he made good with that promise revealing Canberra’s worst kept secret – he will campaign for the “no” vote based on the current model.

Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley and Opposition leader Peter Dutton announce the Coalition will oppose the Voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The position, which was reached following a lengthy party room meeting, will require frontbenchers who support the proposal to resign or fall into line and back the Coalition position.

The position is party policy but will not bind backbenchers such as Bridget Archer and Andrew Bragg from campaigning for the “yes” vote.

In other words, in the year since he took over the top job it’s clear nothing really changed on that position despite the endless reporting of various meetings, talks and briefings.

Mr Dutton has arrived back at the beginning.

“I don’t think this is in our country’s best interest,” he said.

“I have spent literally months, like many Australians, trying to understand what the Prime Minister is proposing.

“We cannot get the basic details out of them. We think it is deliberate. We are waiting, waiting for advice.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley argues the Liberal Party’s stance rejecting the Voice was not a case of saying no, but the model that was being proposed.

“Today is not a no from the Liberal Party, it is a day of many ‘yeses’: yes to constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians, yes to local and regional voices, yes to better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, yes to Australians having their say,” she said.

Which does sound like something of a word blancmange, no matter how you cut and dice it.

“It’s a no for dividing Australians,’’ Ms Ley said.

It’s a criticism that echoes Scott Morrison’s warning to the party room that it would divide the nation and deliver two systems of government.

Five Liberals urged a conscience vote including Tasmanian Bridget Archer, NSW Senator Andrew Bragg, former Liberal frontbencher Richard Colbeck and Victorian MP Russell Broadbent.

But even in the depleted ranks of the Liberal Party that was nowhere near close enough to delivering a free vote for all.

Greens leader Adam Bandt accused the Liberals of being a “small racist rump sliding into irrelevance” following their announcement.

Needless to say he did not mention that Senator Lidia Thorpe – the Greens spokeswoman until she quit the party recently – is also an advocate for the no vote – for very different reasons.

“The rest of the country is starting to reckon with its past as we march towards a treaty, but Peter Dutton is trying to ignite a culture war,” Mr Bandt said.

“Peter Dutton sat out the apology, and under his leadership, the Liberals have found themselves on the wrong side of history yet again.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney. Picture: Martin Ollman

Greens leader Adam Bandt. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“The passage of the Voice referendum is a crucial pathway towards truth and treaty, and its failure would set back these important reforms by decades.”

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said Mr Dutton’s position was a bundle of contradictions.

“Unfortunately Mr Dutton doesn’t know where he stands. Mr Dutton is tying himself in knots. Apparently he is for a Voice, but against it.

“And his backbenchers won’t be bound by this position. That’s about as clear as mud.”

She also noted that Mr Dutton had met the Prime Minister seven times and at no time did he make suggestions about constitutional amendments.

Anthony Albanese gave a strong clue he knew where Mr Dutton was headed on the question of constitutional recognition when he dubbed him the Dr No of Australian politics over the weekend after the Aston by-election.

“After ten years of being part of the problem, Peter Dutton now fails to be a part of the solution,‘’ Mr Albanese said.

“He’s become an observer of Australian politics rather than a participant. He has said no to renewable energy and climate change action. On the Voice to Parliament and constitutional recognition, he’s not played a constructive role and everyone can see what is being played out there.”

In the wake of the Aston by-election the conventional wisdom in the Labor Party and the Greens is that the millennial vote will deliver the yes vote.

But the road to constitutional change is complex and uncertain. It remains possible that Mr Dutton’s opposition will give him a substantial platform.

It also remains possible – if he ends up on the wrong side of history – that it will write his political obituary