By opposing the Indigenous voice, Peter Dutton provides the yes campaign with a ready-made villain

‘As the putative leader of the no campaign [for the Indigenous voice to parliament], Dutton becomes an apologist for every libertarian lapdog and racist fringe dweller who will be drawn to the no banner,’ writes Peter Lewis. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

In choosing to campaign against the Indigenous voice, opposition leader Peter Dutton has not only done existential damage to the party he purports to lead, he has likely given the yes case its best chance of success.

Over recent months the momentum for constitutional change has stalled, the strong and instinctive public goodwill dissipated by internal negotiations in pursuit of a bipartisanship that is beyond the current federal Coalition.