Australian lawmaker breaks ranks to support Indigenous Voice

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A senior lawmaker has split from Australia’s opposition party leadership by supporting a proposal to create a so-called Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Australians are expected to vote in a referendum this year on whether to create the elected group to advocate Indigenous interests to Parliament. Julian Leeser resigned as the conservative Liberal Party’s shadow attorney-general and shadow minister for Indigenous Australians on Tuesday so he could advocate for creating the Voice. As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, Leeser had been obliged to oppose the constitutional change. He said he still supports his party and its leaders.