Former prime minister Scott Morrison (main picture) says he is willing to face a parliamentary censure motion provided he is granted an additional five votes on top of his vote as Member for Cook.

“The people of Australia will support my request because they know the level of respect I have for our democratic parliamentary process,” Mr Morrison said. “I think my career speaks for itself in that regard.”

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Following the National Party’s announcement that it will oppose the proposed voice to Federal Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he expects the Liberal Party to take an entirely different approach.

“The National Party’s decision has been taken well before any details of how a voice would actually be structured or work have been agreed to,” Mr Dutton said.

“By contrast I can assure Australians that the Liberal Party under my leadership will wait until full details of the proposed voice have been revealed before I announce our decision to oppose it outright,” he said.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has clarified a statement issued in his name about the spate of vocal anti-lockdown protests that have broken out in recent days in major cities as a new COVID wave hits the nation.

In an initial statement issued last night through Chinese state media outlets, Xi said: “I recognise the frustrations of people affected by  the necessary COVID restrictions and want to send my thanks to the so-far non-violent protesters behind the unrest.”

But this morning a spokesperson for the supreme Chinese leader said: “An unfortunate transcription error occurred in the original statement. President Xi had meant to say he wanted to send his tanks to the so-far non-violent protesters behind the unrest.”