John Pesutto in ‘an awkward position’, with MPs torn on whether or not to support the Voice

Opposition leader John Pesutto is yet to outline the Victorian Liberal Party’s position on the upcoming vote but MPs are already publicly sharing opposing views on the issue.

It is understood John Pesutto is personally in favour of a free vote on the Voice to parliament. Picture: Luis Ascui

The Victorian Liberal Party is publicly split over whether or not to support the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum.

Opposition leader John Pesutto is yet to formally outline a party position on the upcoming vote, with the issue still to be put to his shadow cabinet.

But individual MPs are starting to make their personal views public, with member for Kew Jess Wilson the first to flag her intention to back the referendum.

Now conservative MP Renee Heath has outlined her ideological and practical opposition to the Voice.

Liberal MP Renee Heath is opposed to the Voice. Picture: Facebook

“While I wholeheartedly support Indigenous recognition in our Constitution, I do not believe the Voice is the answer for Indigenous Australia,” she said.

“Treating any ethnic group as a collective beholden to one opinion degrades and diminishes them.

“Indigenous people are individuals with diverse views and opinions, philosophies and worldviews.

“We do them a great disservice by allowing their individualism to be swallowed up in a multibillion-dollar, unelected bureaucracy that claims to speak on their behalf.”

The question on whether or not to support the Voice is still to be put to the shadow cabinet. Picture: Luis Ascui

The Eastern Victoria Region upper house MP, said more could be done to improve Indigenous engagement with the 3500 already established Aboriginal corporations and 80 peak Indigenous bodies.

Federally, the Liberal Party will actively campaign against the Indigenous Voice To Parliament.

The decision prompted the resignation of shadow Attorney-General and shadow Indigenous Australians minister Julian Leeser who is backing the referendum.

Victorian Liberal Party sources said whatever the party decided, it would be unlikely that dissenting shadow ministers would be forced to the backbench.

Several sources said the party would likely back a free vote over a binding vote.

It is understood Mr Pesutto is personally in favour of a free vote.

However some MPs have privately raised concerns that supporting a “yes” vote, or even offering a conscience vote, could prove difficulty for Mr Pesutto.

“It would put him at odds with some of his staunchest allies at the Samuel Griffith Society, the constitutionally conservative organisation at the helm of the ‘No’ campaign, that he once led,” one source said.

“He’s in an awkward position given he can’t survive internally in the Party without their backing.

“After losing the support of many other groups by his actions recently, he can hardly afford to lose another organisation’s backing.

“We all know what happened last time when he followed the advice of his staffers rather than his close allies.”

Mr Pesutto campaign to expel controversial MP Moira Deeming from the party room last month but later agreed to an 11th hour compromise that saw her accept a nine-month suspension.

Internal critics say the move showed a lack of political judgment and failure to read the mood of his party room.

Mr Pesutto has said he will outline the party’s position in coming weeks.