Liberal party facing AEC complaint from constitutional lawyer Greg Craven

Conservative constitutional lawyer Greg Craven is considering an AEC complaint against the Liberals for using his quotes in their No campaign.

Professor Greg Craven, vice-chancellor of Australian Catholic University supplied

Conservative constitutional lawyer Greg Craven is considering an Australian Electoral Commission complaint against the Liberal Party for using his quotes as part of its No campaign, when he favours the ­Indigenous voice to parliament.

The former Australian Catholic University vice-chancellor revealed many Liberals had tried to recruit him into the No campaign after he had raised concern over executive government remaining in the constitutional amendment.

“I have had face-to-face meetings with important Liberal figures where they have asked me to explain my position and sought to persuade me to No, and I have made my Yes position absolutely clear,” Professor Craven told The Australian.

But despite throwing his support behind the voice passing at the referendum, Professor Craven’s comments on potential risks posed by the body retaining the power to advise executive government are prominent on the Liberal website.

“The voice can comment on everything from submarines to parking tickets … we will have regular judicial interventions,” his quote reads.

Professor Craven’s comment is featured with those of prominent voice critics who are against the body being enshrined in the Constitution, including Coalition members Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Kerrynne Liddle.

“The quotes themselves are ­accurate. But the whole point of these pieces is to give the idea that I am actually opposed to the voice because of these quotes. (It) is completely untrue and misleading, and the Liberals know it,” he said.

“I have repeatedly written publicly that I totally support and will campaign for the voice.”

He slammed the Liberals’ use of words and pictures of people without their permission and “in a deliberately distorted context”.

“What I want done is one of two things: first, if they want to keep using the material I want it accompanied by a statement that ­Professor Craven supports and campaigns for the voice. That would at least be honest, but show up the material as deceptive and unreliable,” he said. “Alternatively, I want it taken down immediately.”

Professor Craven said intended to contact Peter Dutton on the issue and “insist he undertake to do one of these things”.

“If this does not happen, I will lodge a complaint with the AEC that the material is misleading and should be officially removed,” he said.

Mr Dutton was contacted for comment.

Conservatives have raised their own concerns with the AEC over the Yes campaign, with ­Advance Australia claiming the yes23 video promoting the body was “misleading” because it never mentioned the voice to parliament during the advertisement.

The Liberals announced their position on the voice in April, branding it as the “Canberra voice” or the “Labor voice”.

The website claims the proposal is “legally risky with unknown consequences and it will be permanent”.