Ken Wyatt believes Peter Dutton will allow conscience vote on Voice

The former Indigenous affairs minister who quit the Liberal Party over their position on the Voice says he believes there’s still time to change tack.

Liberal Party renegade Ken Wyatt says he believes Peter Dutton will ultimately give his frontbenchers a conscience vote over the Voice to Parliament referendum.

The former Indigenous affairs minister and “yes” voter – who quit the Liberal Party last week over the party room’s decision not to support the Voice – said he still had hope more of his former colleagues would join his side of the campaign.

It comes a day after Julian Leeser resigned from shadow cabinet and his shadow Indigenous affairs and attorney-general portfolios over differences of opinion.

Mr Leeser said he could not support the Liberal Party’s decision to campaign against the Voice – which is binding for frontbenchers but not so for backbenchers.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Simon Birmingham on Wednesday said while he had no plans “at this stage” to step down from the front bench, he would not be actively campaigning “no”.

Liberal sources say it would be highly unlikely for the party room to change its position.

Former Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt said he hoped more Liberals moved to the ‘yes’ campaign. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Speaking from Perth with Labor’s Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney in Perth on Wednesday, Mr Wyatt heralded Mr Leeser’s “tough decision”, and said he hoped more Liberals would join the “yes” side.

Mr Wyatt – the first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives – said he hoped Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would give his former colleagues “time to work through the issues and make their own decisions”.

“I think Mr Dutton will give them a conscience vote,” he said.

“They will then express the way they want to vote. I do hope that many more come over.

“My phone is always on and I will talk to anybody who wants to have a discussion.”

Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer and NSW Senator Andrew Bragg have already indicated they will be supporting the “yes” campaign.

The most senior Liberal in Australia, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, will also campaign for the “yes” vote.

Originally published as Ken Wyatt believes Peter Dutton will allow conscience vote on Voice