Noel Pearson says ‘kindergarten kid’ David Littleproud capitulated on Voice to Parliament in blistering rebuke of Nationals

One of Australia’s most prominent Indigenous voices has offered a scathing assessment of “kindergarten kid” David Littleproud, accusing the Nationals leader of backflipping on support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament being written into the constitution. 

Mr Pearson, who served as a member of the expert panel on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, said the Nationals were previously supportive of the Voice in his conversations with them.

He accused Mr Littleproud of “capitulating” to newly-elected senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price — a vocal opponent of the body.

“I am very surprised, because I have spoken to almost every National senator and MP over recent years, and of all the political parties the Nationals were the most supportive of the Voice,” Mr Pearson said.

“It’s obviously Jacinta Price’s entry into the parliament that has turned everything around, but it is also this leader, this supposed leader Littleproud, little pride.

“He’s like a kindergarten kid, not a leader, the Nationals have foisted the mantle of leadership on a boy.”

Labor says Nationals made premature call

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says he hopes to win back the support of the Nationals for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, after the party stepped out yesterday to say it would oppose the body in a referendum.

Nationals leader David Littleproud this morning said his party had consulted widely and determined that enshrining the Voice into the constitution would not benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“We genuinely looked at this — and it was a difficult decision for us to get to,” Mr Littleproud said.

“But we went back to the core tenant. The core tenant was: Will this close the gap and continue to close the gap? And will this make sure, particularly for those in regional, rural and remote Australia, will this make sure that it closes the gap for them quicker?

“We felt that locking it into the constitution also locks in future generations if it’s not successful.”

Mr Dreyfus said the Nationals have made a decision before the referendum campaign has even begun, and that he hoped it would not be their final position.

“I think it’s very disappointing to hear one of the major parties in Australia deciding before really the campaign has even started,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“They can still change their minds. We will be hoping they will.”

However, Mr Dreyfus said, the Nationals’ move to oppose did not deal the referendum a “death blow”.

“I don’t think that’s the end of the matter. We haven’t started the campaign yet. We haven’t even got to a stage where people are familiar with what’s needed to change the constitution,” Mr Dreyfus said.

He denied that a lack of detail led to the Nationals opposing the Voice.

“The prime minister gave the clearest possible description of what’s needed, it’s a short question … and some short sentences to go into the constitution,” Mr Dreyfus said.

From the Heart director Dean Parkin said work on a model for the Voice was still being done, and that the Liberals were taking a “sensible position” by waiting for more information, but that the Nationals had made a premature call.

“The Liberal Party position is the same as what it was announced at the election. And we think that’s a sensible position, that there needs to be more information. Put that in stark contrast to the decision today by the Nationals, which just jumps ahead of any of that detail being presented,” Mr Parkin said.

Labor has promised to hold the referendum in the next financial year.

The only successful referendums in Australian history have had bipartisan support.