Julian Leeser has weighed in on who his potential frontbench replacement could be after he resigned from the shadow Indigenous Australians ministry due to his position on the Voice to Parliament.
Mr Leeser, who was also the shadow attorney-general, quit the opposition cabinet on Tuesday due to having irreconcilable differences with his party on the Voice.
The member for Berowra said he resigned “without rancour or bitterness” and added he remained a “loyal Liberal”.
He will need to be replaced shortly, and Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been touted as the most likely candidate.
She has been an outspoken and vocal opponent of the Voice to Parliament proposal.
Speaking to Sky News Australia’s Peter Stefanovic, Mr Leeser said the decision about his replacement was ultimately “a matter for Peter (Dutton).”
“I think Jacinta is incredibly talented, there isn’t a single job she couldn’t do in the Parliament,” he said on Wednesday.
“But I don’t want to give the kiss of death to any of my colleagues.”
Senator Price has remained quiet on whether she would put her hand up for the role, telling Sky News host Andrew Bolt on Tuesday night she was remaining focused on the no campaign.
“I am appreciating the position I am in now, appreciating being able to do what I need to do and be an effective voice going towards this referendum at the moment,” Senator Price said.
The party’s frontbench is tied to the no vote after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton last week announced the federal Liberal Party would formally oppose the Voice to Parliament.
Mr Leeser’s resignation comes just days after his predecessor in the Coalition, former Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt, quit the Liberal Party in protest against the decision to rail against the Voice.
Source: skynews.com.au
