Victorian Liberals at odds with Dutton over free vote

Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto is yet to declare his own position on an Indigenous voice to parliament, after his front bench voted unanimously to allow MPs a free vote.

Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto says his front bench has unanimously supported a free vote for MPs on the indigenous voice to parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Victoria’s Liberal frontbench has voted unanimously to allow Coalition MPs a free vote on the Indigenous voice to parliament, placing the state party at odds with its federal counterparts.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto is yet to declare his personal view on the referendum, and the state party leadership’s stand contrasts with that of Peter Dutton, who has compelled his federal frontbench to champion the No case.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who leads Australia’s only Liberal government, has opted to campaign in favour of the voice, as did former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet.

Mr Pesutto said the decision would mean MPs were not bound by the party in taking a position on the referendum.

“That (decision) will go to the partyroom tomorrow, and I can only say with a lot of encouragement that there was a lot of support for that position this morning [at shadow cabinet meeting],” he said on Monday.

“This is a very important issue for our nation, and I certainly believe as leader of the opposition here in Victoria that it’s important for the members of the Coalition to have a non-binding position so they’re free to approach that issue and determine it for themselves.”

Asked for his views on Mr Dutton’s refusal to allow federal frontbenchers a free vote, Mr Pesutto said: “I’ll leave how the federal opposition approaches this issue to them, but we certainly believe in a different approach.”