This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/06/former-indigenous-affairs-minister-ken-wyatt-quits-liberals-over-partys-voice-opposition
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Former Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt quits Liberals over party’s voice opposition | Former Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt quits Liberals over party’s voice opposition |
(4 months later) | |
Resignation the latest protest at federal party room’s decision to campaign against referendum | Resignation the latest protest at federal party room’s decision to campaign against referendum |
Ken Wyatt, the former Coalition minister for Indigenous affairs, has quit the Liberal party after its federal party room decided to campaign against the Indigenous voice to parliament. | Ken Wyatt, the former Coalition minister for Indigenous affairs, has quit the Liberal party after its federal party room decided to campaign against the Indigenous voice to parliament. |
The first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives, Wyatt is the latest Coalition member to register his concern over Peter Dutton’s decision to actively campaign against the voice and bind his frontbench to oppose the referendum. | The first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives, Wyatt is the latest Coalition member to register his concern over Peter Dutton’s decision to actively campaign against the voice and bind his frontbench to oppose the referendum. |
“The decision was tough” Former Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt has quit the Liberal party over its opposition to The Voice referendum @7NewsPerth pic.twitter.com/4FRWOfanDY | “The decision was tough” Former Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt has quit the Liberal party over its opposition to The Voice referendum @7NewsPerth pic.twitter.com/4FRWOfanDY |
Former Coalition senator Sam McMahon has called her former colleagues’ decision “stupid” and claimed Dutton had been “misled”, while Malcolm Turnbull has again stated he will back the referendum. | Former Coalition senator Sam McMahon has called her former colleagues’ decision “stupid” and claimed Dutton had been “misled”, while Malcolm Turnbull has again stated he will back the referendum. |
Liberal backbenchers Bridget Archer and Andrew Bragg have already registered concerns over their party’s decision to formally oppose the referendum. Dutton said yesterday that the Liberals would instead propose symbolic constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people, alongside a legislated framework for local and regional voices. | Liberal backbenchers Bridget Archer and Andrew Bragg have already registered concerns over their party’s decision to formally oppose the referendum. Dutton said yesterday that the Liberals would instead propose symbolic constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people, alongside a legislated framework for local and regional voices. |
That is in contrast to the government’s proposal for a constitutionally enshrined voice on the national level, in keeping with the requests in the Uluru statement from the heart. | That is in contrast to the government’s proposal for a constitutionally enshrined voice on the national level, in keeping with the requests in the Uluru statement from the heart. |
The West Australian newspaper reported on Thursday afternoon that the Liberal party had accepted Wyatt’s resignation. Guardian Australia has contacted Wyatt for comment. | The West Australian newspaper reported on Thursday afternoon that the Liberal party had accepted Wyatt’s resignation. Guardian Australia has contacted Wyatt for comment. |
“I still believe in the Liberal party values but I don’t believe in what the Liberals have become,” Wyatt said, according to the West Australian. | “I still believe in the Liberal party values but I don’t believe in what the Liberals have become,” Wyatt said, according to the West Australian. |
“Aboriginal people are reaching out to be heard but the Liberals have rejected their invitation.” | “Aboriginal people are reaching out to be heard but the Liberals have rejected their invitation.” |
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup |
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup |
Guardian Australia understands the WA Liberal party has accepted his resignation. A party spokesperson said: “We wish Mr Wyatt well for the future.” | Guardian Australia understands the WA Liberal party has accepted his resignation. A party spokesperson said: “We wish Mr Wyatt well for the future.” |
Wyatt is on the government’s referendum working group, which has been advancing the voice proposal. He also unsuccessfully tried to get his party to advance the referendum prospect during his time in office, which ended after the 2022 election. | Wyatt is on the government’s referendum working group, which has been advancing the voice proposal. He also unsuccessfully tried to get his party to advance the referendum prospect during his time in office, which ended after the 2022 election. |
After the Albanese government revealed the wording of the referendum question, Wyatt publicly urged Dutton to back the creation of the voice, warning not doing so could add to the perceptions the Liberals were a “racist party”. | After the Albanese government revealed the wording of the referendum question, Wyatt publicly urged Dutton to back the creation of the voice, warning not doing so could add to the perceptions the Liberals were a “racist party”. |
Numerous state branches of the Liberal party have stopped short of backing the federal party room’s decision. The Victorian party said it had “an open mind” on the referendum, while the WA branch said it would campaign for the voice. | Numerous state branches of the Liberal party have stopped short of backing the federal party room’s decision. The Victorian party said it had “an open mind” on the referendum, while the WA branch said it would campaign for the voice. |
Guardian Australia understands that moderate Liberals in New South Wales also have concerns with the federal position. | Guardian Australia understands that moderate Liberals in New South Wales also have concerns with the federal position. |
McMahon was scathing of the Liberals’ decision. | McMahon was scathing of the Liberals’ decision. |
“I thought it was politically stupid,” she told Guardian Australia. “But not as politically stupid as what the Nationals did. At least the Liberals considered what the proposal was before saying no to it.” | “I thought it was politically stupid,” she told Guardian Australia. “But not as politically stupid as what the Nationals did. At least the Liberals considered what the proposal was before saying no to it.” |
McMahon, a Country Liberal party member who sat with the Nationals party room, lost a heated preselection battle for her Northern Territory Senate seat in 2021 to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, now a leader of the no campaign. In 2022, McMahon quit the Coalition to sit as an independent and later joined the Liberal Democrats. | McMahon, a Country Liberal party member who sat with the Nationals party room, lost a heated preselection battle for her Northern Territory Senate seat in 2021 to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, now a leader of the no campaign. In 2022, McMahon quit the Coalition to sit as an independent and later joined the Liberal Democrats. |
Sign up to Morning Mail | |
Start your day with our Australian curated news roundup, straight to your inbox | |
after newsletter promotion | after newsletter promotion |
Last year, after the Nationals’ opposition to the voice, she called her former colleagues’ decision “regrettable” and “very surprising”. | Last year, after the Nationals’ opposition to the voice, she called her former colleagues’ decision “regrettable” and “very surprising”. |
I understand, probably more than most, how difficult the decision would have been for Andrew Gee to leave the Nats.I do support his comments on "the voice", I find it regrettable that the party has taken a hard NO stance this early on, instead of trying to work on a +ve outcome. pic.twitter.com/KTszRATs0j | I understand, probably more than most, how difficult the decision would have been for Andrew Gee to leave the Nats.I do support his comments on "the voice", I find it regrettable that the party has taken a hard NO stance this early on, instead of trying to work on a +ve outcome. pic.twitter.com/KTszRATs0j |
McMahon said she backed the voice concept in theory but did not support the proposal advanced by Labor. However, she believed the Coalition was wrong to oppose the referendum, pointing to a recent byelection in the NT parliament for the seat of Arafura, where the CLP suffered a 15% swing against it. | McMahon said she backed the voice concept in theory but did not support the proposal advanced by Labor. However, she believed the Coalition was wrong to oppose the referendum, pointing to a recent byelection in the NT parliament for the seat of Arafura, where the CLP suffered a 15% swing against it. |
“The CLP should have won that but they also came out and took a very strong no stance on the voice. A few weeks later, they were smashed,” she said. | “The CLP should have won that but they also came out and took a very strong no stance on the voice. A few weeks later, they were smashed,” she said. |
McMahon said she had spent decades working and living in Indigenous communities in the NT and believed Dutton was wrong when he claimed Aboriginal people in rural and remote areas were opposed to the voice. | McMahon said she had spent decades working and living in Indigenous communities in the NT and believed Dutton was wrong when he claimed Aboriginal people in rural and remote areas were opposed to the voice. |
“Maybe he’s been a little bit misled,” she said. “If you go out to any community right now and say, ‘what do you think about the voice’, they’ll probably say they’ve never heard of it, but as soon as they hear about it, that they hear Mr Albanese will give you a direct voice into parliament, they say, ‘that’s fantastic and we want that’. | “Maybe he’s been a little bit misled,” she said. “If you go out to any community right now and say, ‘what do you think about the voice’, they’ll probably say they’ve never heard of it, but as soon as they hear about it, that they hear Mr Albanese will give you a direct voice into parliament, they say, ‘that’s fantastic and we want that’. |
Turnbull, a former Liberal prime minister, described Wyatt as “a wise history making leader” after news of his resignation began circulating. He said “we will be voting yes”. | Turnbull, a former Liberal prime minister, described Wyatt as “a wise history making leader” after news of his resignation began circulating. He said “we will be voting yes”. |
And a big hug for Ken from me too. He is a wise history making leader and now with a referendum to win. We will be voting YES with millions of Australians. https://t.co/HAavx3T6kn | And a big hug for Ken from me too. He is a wise history making leader and now with a referendum to win. We will be voting YES with millions of Australians. https://t.co/HAavx3T6kn |
Turnbull’s wife, Lucy, tweeted: “This would not have been an easy decision for [Wyatt] to make. He must be heartbroken. Big hugs.” | Turnbull’s wife, Lucy, tweeted: “This would not have been an easy decision for [Wyatt] to make. He must be heartbroken. Big hugs.” |
Asked about Wyatt’s advocacy for the voice in his press conference yesterday, Dutton said: “I have the greatest respect for Ken Wyatt. I’ve listened to his voice. | Asked about Wyatt’s advocacy for the voice in his press conference yesterday, Dutton said: “I have the greatest respect for Ken Wyatt. I’ve listened to his voice. |
“I’ve listened to [Liberal senator] Kerrynne Liddle. I’ve listened to many Indigenous leaders for whom I have a great deal of respect otherwise. They have a contrary view to Ken’s view and we live in a democracy where we can consider the views of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.” | “I’ve listened to [Liberal senator] Kerrynne Liddle. I’ve listened to many Indigenous leaders for whom I have a great deal of respect otherwise. They have a contrary view to Ken’s view and we live in a democracy where we can consider the views of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.” |
The news came hours after Archer said she had considered quitting the party and while she had decided to stay in the tent, she admitted her party was at a “crossroads”. | The news came hours after Archer said she had considered quitting the party and while she had decided to stay in the tent, she admitted her party was at a “crossroads”. |