‘Absolutely loyal’: Julian Leeser denies he’s fractured Liberals over Voice

The MP who sensationally ditched Peter Dutton’s leadership team over a major disagreement has revealed what he plans to do next.

The man who quit the Liberal frontbench over the Voice has denied he’s left the party in tatters and fatally damaged Peter Dutton’s leadership.

Julian Leeser, former opposition legal affairs and Indigenous Australians spokesman, said he had no choice but to quit in order to campaign for a “yes” vote.

But he does not suspect his return to the backbench would spur on others.

“I felt as a matter of conscience, as a matter of my own ethics, as a matter of saying to my children that you’ve got to stand for something even when it costs you, I needed to resign to take a different position,” he told Nine.

Mr Leeser sensationally resigned from his position on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ben Symons

Mr Leeser stood down on Tuesday after the opposition leader announced the Liberals would actively campaign “no” in the upcoming referendum to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body in the Constitution.

The Berowra MP’s departure followed former Indigenous Australians minister Ken Wyatt sensationally quitting the party just 24 hours after Mr Dutton’s announcement.

Shadow ministers are bound by the Liberal position but backbench MPs are able to campaign in line with their views.

While Mr Leeser said he did not believe the Labor government had the model right, he would campaign for it should his proposed amendments to clear the so-called “barnacles” fail.

The string of high-profile resignations and confirmation backbenchers Bridget Archer and Andrew Bragg would also support a “yes” campaign sparked speculation over Mr Dutton’s hold on the party.

Ms Ley said the overwhelming majority of the party room did not support Mr Leeser’s view. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

But Mr Leeser stressed he remained “absolutely loyal” to both the party and his leader.

Deputy leader Sussan Ley defended the Liberals’ approach when asked on Wednesday, insisting a majority of the party room opposed the Voice in its current form.

“We do believe in constitutional recognition, but we don’t believe in the divisive model that Anthony Albanese has put forward,” she told Seven.

Ms Ley would not speculate on who would replace Mr Leeser but said she expected him to return to the frontbench to become a minister in a future Coalition government.

It comes as former prime minister John Howard praised Mr Dutton’s “calm, sensible” handling of the matter.

“I think he is expressing the views of a growing number of Australians who have doubts about the wisdom about Mr Albanese’s proposal,” he told Sky News.

Originally published as ‘Absolutely loyal’: Julian Leeser denies he’s fractured Liberals over Voice