As Liberal party fractures over the voice, Peter Dutton turns to Alice Springs – and a dog-whistle

‘The Alice Springs tour produced terrible optics for Peter Dutton, ignoring local Indigenous groups in favour of listening to mystery shoppers.’ Photograph: Darren England/AAP

“I don’t think that you should go off and do this every day. This is not a decision I took lightly,” Julian Leeser remarked to Guardian Australia after pulling the pin over the Liberals’ stance on the Indigenous voice.

Leeser’s principled position came hot on the heels of the former minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt quitting the party – two decisions that front-loaded the pain for Peter Dutton for his call to push the Liberals to oppose the voice.