KEY POINTS:
- Julian Leeser steps down as the Opposition's Indigenous Australians spokesperson.
- The resignation comes months before Voice to Parliament referendum.
- The Liberal Party confirmed last week it will campaign against the Voice.
Opposition Indigenous Australians spokesperson Julian Leeser has sensationally stepped down just months out from the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Mr Leeser revealed on Tuesday he will move to the backbench because he intends to campaign in favour of the Voice, a stance which puts him at odds with the party.
“I'm resigning without rancour, but on a point of principle. What I want to be able to say to my children in the future is: your father stood up for something he believes in,” he said.
He accepted he and Opposition leader Peter Dutton found themselves “in different places” over the referendum, but insisted Mr Dutton retained his support as leader.
"I have listened to [my colleagues'] views and they have heard mine, but ultimately I have not been able to persuade them," he said.
"Our tradition in the Liberal Party is grounded in a belief in conscience and freedom."
Mr Leeser was a notable absence when Peter Dutton (left) announced the Liberal Party's opposition to the Voice, but says the leader retains his support. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
The decision prompted former Liberal
Speaking just days before Mr Dutton , Mr Leeser spoke positively about allowing a free vote for senior Liberal figures. He did not join Mr Dutton for the press conference announcing the decision.
Julian Leeser says the 'time has come' for a Voice to Parliament
The Liberals have rejected what Mr Dutton described as the “Canberra Voice” pushed by Labor, instead announcing they will campaign for regional and rural equivalents.
But under the party's rules, backbenchers are entitled to vote against the party's position.
“I believe the time for the Voice has come. I believe in local and regional voices. I believe in a national Voice … and I will support the referendum being put this year,” Mr Leeser said.
Former Indigenous Affairs Minsiter Ken Wyatt quit the Liberal Party last week. Source: AAP
"They've been respectful conversations. Peter did everything he could to keep me. I respect that and I respect him very much," he said.
Mr Leeser, who is also the Oppositon's legal affairs spokesman, insisted his resignation was not about “personality”.
“It’s about keeping faith with an issue that I have been working on for almost a decade, [and] keeping faith with the First Peoples of this land ” he said.
Peter Dutton claims Julian Leeser is owed apology from Anthony Albanese
Asked whether Labor's criticisms of his stance had taken a toll on him, Mr Leeser said: "Absolutely not".
But Mr Dutton, who described Mr Leeser as “a man of great character of strength”, claimed the outgoing frontbencher was owed an apology from the Labor Party for “personal attacks” levelled at him.
“He does not leave with bitterness. He has gone through a process in our party, and his position is at odds with the overwhelming majority of the Liberal Party members,” he said on Tuesday.
Pressed on whether he feared further resignations over the issue, Mr Dutton said Mr Leeser’s position was “pretty unique”.
The resignation of Mr Leeser leaves Mr Dutton with two frontbench roles to fill.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wants Nationals senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured) to take up the Indigenous Australians portfolio. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
“I'll give [the reshuffle] some consideration over the next few days, or next week, or so,” Mr Dutton said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is on leave, took to Twitter to laud Mr Leeser's decision.
"Julian Leeser has made a principled decision to campaign for a Yes vote at the referendum, like so many people from all sides of politics who are approaching this process in good faith," he said on Tuesday.
But Mr Leeser maintained his criticism of Mr Albanese’s handling of the referendum, saying Labor had abandoned what he described as a “bipartisan” process before the May federal election.
“We worked through things together, but that changed in 2022,” he said.
Mr Leeser said he will lay out proposed changes to Labor’s suggested wording, revealed last month, in the coming weeks and cited increased funding for local and regional bodies.
“It improves the model put forward ... [and] will also improve its chances for success at the ballot box," he said.
Referendum working group member Thomas Mayo praised Mr Leeser for showing "integrity", saying his decision would help Indigenous Australians "achieve the aspirations that we have set for ourselves".
"It indicates that he wants to be on the right side of history, that this is something that has been driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Mr Mayo told SBS News.
Karen Andrews 'sorry' to see Julian Leeser quit
Moderate Liberal frontbencher Karen Andrews said she was sorry to see Mr Leeser go but she “understood” his decision, given the years he has spent working on Indigenous matters.
Ms Andrews told ABC News on Tuesday that there was “no way” she could support the proposed wording as it stood.
“[But] I am unlikely to go out with the word ‘no’ emblazoned on a shirt, to be advocating in that way,” she said.
Karen Andrews said colleagues tried to 'wrap our arms' around Mr Leeser. Source: AAP / Trevor Collens
Fellow moderate Andrew Bragg, who can campaign freely because he is on the backbench, said Mr Leeser had "done more than any other constitutional conservative" to advance the Voice.
Senator Bragg said his colleague had "engaged deeply" with the Indigenous community on an issue he described as "too important to play politics" with.
"It is not good enough to oppose the referendum on process grounds. I want the referendum to be successful and I believe a Yes vote is now more likely because of Julian's conviction," he said in a statement.
