Former Liberal premier Peter Gutwein slams Peter Dutton for ‘dividing Australia’ over Indigenous voice to parliament

Peter Gutwein has savaged his party federally, ­accusing Peter Dutton of dividing Australians over the Indigenous voice to parliament and Liberal MPs of undermining Tasmania’s premier.

Peter Gutwein says ‘what I see from the federal Liberal Party at the moment is that they seem determined to keep the country apart’. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Former Tasmanian Liberal premier Peter Gutwein has ­savaged his party federally, ­accusing Peter Dutton of dividing Australians and federal ­Liberal MPs of “atrocious” ­undermining of the state’s ­current premier.

Mr Gutwein, who passed the reins to Jeremy Rockliff a year ago, told The Australian the ­Liberals had held government successfully in Tasmania for ­almost a decade by “governing from the centre”.

The popular leader, who steered the state through the worst of the pandemic, said ­federal Liberals had made the wrong call in opposing the Indigenous voice to parliament and under the Opposition Leader were ­failing to learn the lessons of last year’s election defeat.

“Unfortunately, it (opposing the voice) will be a decision that the federal Liberal Party is going to rue for some time now that Peter Dutton has so openly ­opposed it,” Mr Gutwein said.

Peter Dutton. Picture: Martin Ollman

“The federal Liberal Party ­appears to have learned very ­little since its election loss. The voice was an opportunity to take a bipartisan approach and at the same time exercise their right, in the parliament when the legislation was introduced, to argue very passionately about the things they believe in.

“The voice was an ­oppor­tunity that could have brought the country together.

“What I see from the federal Liberal Party at the moment is that they seem determined to keep the country apart.”

Mr Gutwein backed Mr Rockliff’s ­decision to campaign for a Yes vote alongside Anthony Albanese.

“I think Jeremy has taken a very sensible approach,” he said.

He said the federal Liberal Party needed to “take some time and have some deep contemplation about the position they find themselves in”, and could look across Bass Strait for ­inspiration.

Tasmania is the only jurisdiction to remain under Liberal government in the nation, ­returning a record three consecutive majority Liberal state governments.

It has done so with three ­successive moderate Liberal leaders, who have emphasised economic growth but also ­embraced “progressive” issues, from constitutional recognition of Aborigines to voluntary ­euthanasia and banning transgender “conversion practices”.

Mr Gutwein said he, his ­predecessor Will Hodgman and Mr Rockliff had all “led from the centre”, while simultaneously emphasising economic growth and sound fiscal management.

“It’s been a successful model,” he said.

“We have won three consecutive elections and held government post those elections with a majority, so quite clearly that style of leadership works.”

Mr Rockliff faces some internal rumblings ahead of a difficult election due within 24 months, particularly from conservatives demanding a stronger focus on “bread and butter” issues.

Even supporters within the party believe he has allowed a perception to develop that the state government is focused on non-core issues, such as a new AFL stadium and the voice, ­rather than cost of living and ­energy prices.

There has been frustration among the party’s federal representatives that Mr Rockliff, and his staff in particular, have not consulted them or the broader party membership ahead of policy announcements.

However, Mr Gutwein slapped down the party’s federal MPs and senators for failing to back in Mr Rockliff on issues, ­including the stadium plans.

“I think the federal representatives of the Liberal Party in this state have been atrocious in their support of the Premier,” he said.

“To be frank, they have demonstrated time and again since the federal election that they have learnt nothing by that loss.

“In terms of the stadium, to be arguing against an infrastructure project that will deliver ­thousands of jobs, the opportunity of an AFL team and a much wider arts and entertainment (precinct) … shows once again the Liberal Party at a federal level have got their position wrong.”

Mr Rockliff has risked public ire by increasing the size of the state’s lower house from 25 to 35 MPs, a move some believe increases the prospects of minority government, given Tasmania’s Hare Clark quota-based voting system.

However, Mr Gutwein said he believed his successor was “tracking well” and strongly placed to secure another majority government.

“The Liberal Party has a ­leader in Jeremy who is in touch with the broader Tasmanian electorate and ministers such as Michael Ferguson capable of providing sensible economic management as well,” he said.

He played down the prospects of a leadership change, ­although he conceded some Liberal MPs might grow nervous closer to the election.

“There will always be times in the cycle where some within ­political parties … will consider change,” he said.

“My sense would be that in terms of Jeremy, the Liberal Party would be on a fool’s errand if were to look elsewhere.”

The latest polling, by pollster EMRS in March, showed the Liberals were steady on 42 per cent, with Labor on 30 per cent, the Greens on 15 per cent and ­others/independents on 13 per cent.