First Indigenous cabinet minister Ken Wyatt quits Libs in voice protest

Ken Wyatt has resigned saying he doesn’t ‘believe in what the Liberals have become’ following news the party would oppose the voice.

Ken Wyatt will leave the Liberal Party following its confirmation it will oppose the voice.

The Liberal Party has suffered a major blow over its position on the voice, with Ken Wyatt – Australia’s first Indigenous cabinet minister – quitting in protest and declaring he doesn’t “believe in what the Liberals have become”.

Mr Wyatt’s resignation, made in writing to the West Australian division on Thursday, comes as leading Liberal moderate Simon Birmingham said he remained hopeful the parliamentary committee process scrutinising the referendum question and constitutional amendment could “salvage” constitutional recognition.

Following a special two-hour Liberal party room meeting in ­Parliament House on Wednesday, which was called in the wake of its disastrous Aston by-election loss, the party endorsed constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians but opposed the government’s proposal to enshrine a national voice in the Constitution.

Instead, Liberals will advocate for regional and local voices to be established by legislation.

Mr Wyatt, who was the first Aboriginal person elected to the House of Representatives and to hold the Indigenous affairs portfolio, lashed the party for failing to accept the proposed model put by the Albanese government and referendum working group, of which he is a member.

The referendum working group has for months been formulating the wording of the question and constitutional amendment to put to Australians at the voice referendum, after the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart called for a voice enshrined in the Constitution.

“I still believe in the Liberal Party values but I don’t believe in what the Liberals have become,” Mr Wyatt told The West Australian.

“Aboriginal people are reaching out to be heard but the Liberals have rejected their invitation.”

Senator Patrick Dodson (L) and former Liberal MP Ken Wyatt. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer also declared on Thursday her party was “at a crossroads” but said she would remain a member because she knew she was not the only person who thought that way.

Ms Archer has vowed to campaign for the voice, despite her party’s position.

“For people like me, that means there’s a decision between either walking away and leaving them to it, or fighting for what I believe the Liberal Party used to be and should be in the future - a credible, alternative government,” she told ABC radio.

“We need to elevate (the voice) above divisive, nasty politics and walk together into the future with unity, with purpose, for a united Australia.”

Anthony Albanese, who is campaigning Yes, accused Peter Dutton of turning up “with a sledgehammer” after revealing he would actively campaign against the voice at the referendum. The Prime Minister said the Liberal Party’s position was confused.

“It said ‘we support constitutional recognition but not now. We support voices, but not a national Voice. We’re going to have these local voices but they’re not going to have any possibility of bringing it together’,” Mr Albanese said.

“And the disingenuous nature of this response is summed up by talking about a Canberra voice. This is anything but. This is an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a voice to Canberra. This is about doing things with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not to them and not for them, because we know that hasn’t worked for 120 years.”

Sally Scales, Uluru Dialogue member & APY Artist with Mr Wyatt at a voice referendum meeting. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Senator Birmingham indicated he would not actively campaign in the voice referendum, saying he would leave it to those with the strongest views.

While he said he wished constitutional recognition had already been achieved by the Rudd, Gillard or Abbott governments, Senator Birmingham said he hoped there could be a unifying outcome this year.

“I hope, (it) may well be a forlorn hope, it probably is, but I hope that in the remaining parliamentary committee processes that are running, perhaps there is still something that can be salvaged there that can give us a unifying moment of recognising our First Australians in the nation’s founding document, but resolving Voice by other means,” he told ABC radio.

“I hold out hope that people will think about how we can bring the nation together and take practical steps by pursuing a Voice through a legislative means because it doesn’t have to be in the Constitution, while having that unifying vote about recognition.”

The Opposition Leader insisted his party wasn’t split over the voice and that 99 per cent of his MPs backed the party room position, which would “unite the country”.

“I think two people have indicated that they don’t agree, and that they support the ‘yes’ campaign and that they would be doing that. They’re people on the backbench and they’re perfectly entitled to do that,” Mr Dutton told 3AW radio.

“It (the Liberal Party position) doesn’t disrupt our system of government. We live in one of the most stable democracies in the world. Why would we put that at risk?”