Peter Dutton to delay revealing his position on the voice until after Aston by-election

Peter Dutton is now likely to defer a decision this week on the Liberal Party’s position on the voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

One of the few certainties to have flowed from Anthony Albanese’s preferred referendum question on the Indigenous voice to parliament so far is that Peter Dutton can’t back it.

The political effect of what the Prime Minister is offering is virtually assured.

The issue now is one of timing. When does the Opposition Leader pull the trigger and lock the Liberal Party into a declared position against the voice?

The only other sure bet is that it won’t be this week.

Peter Dutton during question time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Senior Liberal sources have confirmed this pivotal decision will be deferred beyond the current parliamentary sitting week to avoid a breakout of internal hostilities ahead of this weekend’s Aston by-election.

That means a special partyroom meeting some time in the next few weeks.

Dutton is desperate to avoid any controversy that would pollute the Coalition’s campaign to retain the suburban Melbourne seat recently vacated by former frontbencher Alan Tudge.

Declaring a position this week, as some had anticipated would occur at Tuesday’s partyroom meeting, poses an obvious risks for Aston.

There will be moderate MPs unlikely to be happy with the outcome. And the last thing Dutton wants is for the Liberal Party to be talking about itself in the days ahead of a by-election that it must win if stability is to be retained.

Dutton wants to keep the focus ahead of the local poll on cost-of-living issues.

As one Liberal insider said: “Would declaring a position on the voice this week be beneficial to the campaign? Probably not.”

Aston Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

The government will introduce the bill to parliament on Thursday before it being referred to a committee.

The optics of the Liberal Party not having a declared position will appear messy, and Albanese will make the most of the prolonged equivocation.

But Dutton will weigh the odds.

And it’s not essential for the Liberal Party to have a position this week, as the bill won’t be voted on until June.

Yet a decision will have to be made soon. Dutton can’t afford to leave the issue hanging.

Now that Albanese has drawn the battlelines with a bill to parliament expected on Thursday, the party’s base will be demanding Dutton commit the troops to battle.

Dutton’s only option now is to convene a special partyroom meeting outside the parliamentary sitting weeks, once the dust has settled on Aston.