Liberal Party to oppose Voice to parliament

The Liberal Party will formally oppose the government’s model for a Voice to parliament.

After a two-hour meeting in Canberra on Wednesday the opposition instead voted to support legislated, rather than constitutionally enshrined, local and regional voices, according to three MPs who attended the meeting but were not authorised to speak publicly.

The party will support constitutional recognition of Indigenous people in the constitution, but not via the creation of a Voice.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will outline the party’s decision at a press conference later on Wednesday.

The party will also commit to working with the government to attempt to reach a compromise position on the wording of the constitutional amendment at the end of a parliamentary inquiry into the wording in May.

Shadow ministers will be bound to support the opposition’s new model.

“This is not a hard ‘no’, despite what Labor will say,” one Liberal MP said after the meeting.

One conservative backbencher who opposes the Voice said the party’s position was based on principle.

“It’s the fundamental belief in equality for Australians,” the MP, who asked not to be named, said.