Ken Wyatt warns Liberals that opposing Indigenous voice could add to ‘perceptions’ party is ‘racist’

The former Coalition minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, says he has not spoken to the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, about his views on the Indigenous voice to parliament. Photograph: David Dare Parker/The Guardian

Ken Wyatt, the former Coalition Indigenous Australians minister, has warned the Liberals that not backing the Indigenous voice to parliament could add to a “global perception” they are a “racist party”.

Ken Wyatt urged the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, to allow the Liberals a conscience vote on the referendum, saying he knew of many who would back it “if given the chance”.