Peter Dutton accuses PM of evading questions on whether Labor would legislate voice to parliament if vote fails

Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the prime minister can legislate the Indigenous voice to parliament ‘in a heartbeat’ if the referendum fails. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Peter Dutton has accused Anthony Albanese of being “very tricky” for dead-batting questions about whether Labor might legislate the Indigenous voice to parliament in the event the referendum to constitutionally entrench it fails.

The prime minister told Sky News on Tuesday evening and 2GB Radio on Wednesday that he is doing what First Nations people have requested, is “optimistic” the referendum will succeed and is not countenancing what the government would do in the event of a loss.