Victorian coalition MPs will be free to openly support or oppose the Indigenous voice to federal parliament after shadow cabinet agreed to a non-binding vote.
Shadow cabinet discussed whether to bind Liberal and National MPs to its yet-to-be-determined position on the voice referendum on Monday and agreed to a free vote, a Liberal party spokesman confirmed.
The decision paves the way for all Victorian coalition MPs to freely campaign for either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ side, unlike Peter Dutton’s federal shadow cabinet which is bound to their official opposition to a constitutionally enshrined voice.
The granting of a free vote is expected to be ticked off when put to the Liberal and Nationals’ party rooms, ahead of the state parties formalising their stance on the voice by the end of the month.
Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto recently said he was keeping an “open mind”, while state Nationals leader Peter Walsh flagged last year his party would oppose the voice unless an exact model was put to the vote of Australians.
Newly elected NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman last week backed away from former premier Dominic Perrottet’s ‘yes’ position, reserving his stance until choosing and speaking with his shadow cabinet.
WA Nationals leader Shane Love supports a ‘yes’ vote, as does the country’s only Liberal premier, Tasmania’s Jeremy Rockliff.
The voice to parliament referendum will be held later this year.
Source: AAP
