Peter Dutton is stuck in no-man’s land on the voice – and he risks cementing his reputation as a wrecker

The danger for the Liberals is that without proper deliberation they will be locked into opposition for its own sake on big calls that could damage their leader, Peter Dutton, and their brand. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Before prime minister Anthony Albanese revealed the proposed constitutional change to enshrine an Indigenous voice this week, something remarkable happened in the Coalition.

After first signalling that they would oppose the referendum machinery bill, the road rules for this and future referendums, the Coalition surprised many – including some in its own ranks – by overturning that call after a healthy internal debate.