Cracks emerge in Nationals over opposition to Indigenous voice as Ken Wyatt blasts party’s ‘laziness’

Backbench MP Sam Birrell reserved his position on referendum while Michael McCormack says Nationals could revisit their opposition

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Nationals MP Sam Birrell stopped short of endorsing his party's decision to oppose the voice to parliament during its meeting this week, reserving his position on the referendum in another sign of diverging views on Indigenous constitutional recognition within the junior Coalition partner.

Former party leader Michael McCormack also said the Nationals could revisit their opposition to the voice if the Labor government gives more detail on the plan next year. Former Liberal minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt branded the junior Coalition party's decision disappointing", accusing them of laziness" in not considering reports on the voice created under their own government in recent years.