‘Dividing the nation’: Liberal MP sides with Albo amid heated Voice debate

A Liberal MP known for crossing the floor has voted with the government amid a heated debate over the Voice. Who would get your vote?

A Liberal MP has voted with the government to quash a Coalition attack on Anthony Albanese, as the Prime Minister slammed opposition frontbenchers for refusing to attend the Garma Indigenous festival and attacked Peter Dutton for opposing the apology to the Stolen Generation.

In a fiery final day of the parliamentary sitting week, both sides exchanged heated barbs over the escalating divide on the Voice.

The Coalition failed to move a motion criticising Mr Albanese’s approach to the Voice, with Liberal MP Bridget Archer choosing to vote against it with the government.

After attacking the Coalition, Mr Albanese declared that Liberal MP Julian Leeser had “more honour in his little finger than the frontbench combined”.

Mr Leeser quit the Coalition frontbench in April to support the Yes vote for the Voice.

Indigenous activist Noel Pearson campaigning with Bridget Archer in Launceston. Picture: Supplied

“Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister, when he stood at this dispatch box and gave the apology to Stolen Generations, it was a proud moment to be in this parliament,” Mr Albanese said.

“And the then-leader of the Liberal Party Brendan Nelson had the courage of his conviction to do the right thing and stand at this dispatch box as well.

Anthony Albanese during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Martin Ollman

“The Leader of the Opposition (Dutton) not only opposed it, (he) threatened to resign from the front over it, and walked out.

“Walked out on that event.

“So terrible was it that in that moment of national unity there were only a few people who were so determined to sow division that they just couldn’t cop the concept of saying sorry for the wrong thing being done, for children being stolen from mothers, fathers and grandparents, families and communities.”

But the government did not escape without a bruising, with Mr Dutton and Nationals leader David Littleproud attacking Mr Albanese for dividing the nation with his push for the Voice.

“In two train wreck media interviews, the Prime Minister is telling different audiences different things on the treaty,” Mr Dutton said.

“For, despite the Prime Minister being shifty on whether a treaty is being worked on, (he) has already allocated $5.8 million for the Makarrata commission, the national treaty-making process.

“Does the Prime Minister have any coherent explanation to the Australian public as to how the Voice will work? What outcomes will deliver? The breadth?

“How will it change the system of government?”

Originally published as ‘Dividing the nation’: Liberal MP sides with Albo amid heated Voice debate