Liberal Julian Leeser's position on voice disappoints

It's been more than a week since the Indigenous voice referendum working group stood beside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to announce the question being put to voters, and the Liberal Party is yet to respond.

Opposition spokesman for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser's position has left many working with the 'yes' campaign confused and disappointed.

Noel Pearson, one of the architects of the Uluru Statement, went even further, telling Sky News he was "absolutely heartbroken with Julian's behaviour over recent days and weeks".

"He's disowning an idea that was very much a product of my engagement with constitutional conservatives such as himself," Mr Pearson said.

Mr Leeser is due to address the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday, and is expected to speak about the voice to parliament referendum.

As a government backbencher in 2018, Mr Leeser co-chaired the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, with Senator Patrick Dodson.

When tabling the committee's final report that year, Mr Leeser said the "detail of the voice and related proposals" was included in the report and that he hoped to one day make his newborn son proud.

"I hope that, when he looks back on whatever his father achieves in this place, he will be proud of the efforts his dad made towards constitutional recognition of and reconciliation with our First Nations peoples," he said at the time.

"This remains one of Australia's great national goals."

However, since the change of Liberal leadership last year and the apparent ambivalence of his party about the referendum, Mr Leeser has appeared less committed to that goal.

In Question Time last Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Leeser "should have the courage to stand up for the principled position he has historically taken on this issue and to support it when it's put to the Australian people later this year".

Mr Leeser's office did not respond to requests for comment.

The prime minister has also attacked Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for "not playing a constructive role" on the voice, saying it cost him votes at the Aston by-election over the weekend. 

"Everyone can see what is being played out there. Australians deserve better," Mr Albanese said. 

But Mr Dutton maintained the prime minister couldn't answer basic questions on the voice, including who it would apply to and how it would operate. 

"You need to ensure that it will be for the best, not a layer of bureaucracy. That the voice will reflect the views of people on the ground so we can get the outcomes we are talking about," he told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.

"If you look at what is happening in Alice Springs now, the women up there are screaming out for support. They have a voice now and it is not being listened to."

Mr Dutton said the opposition would consider the voice wording put forward before coming to a definitive position, but added the coalition wouldn't stand in the way of the referendum proceeding.

"We are happy for Australians to have a say, we have been very clear about that."