Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton has revealed the decision-making process he has been using to determine his position on key political issues including his stated opposition to the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum.

“Long before I became Opposition Leader following the May 2022 federal election, I have been sounding out my ideas and getting advice and feedback from a group of ordinary Australians,” Mr Dutton explained.

“I have held many unpublicised and informal chats with those same average voters (main picture) rather than have my positions shaped by any out-of-touch, politically biased, inner-city elites.

“It has been very handy having a sounding board to bounce off my ideas and to hear their views in return.

“They have been a type of so-called ‘kitchen cabinet’ or to put it another way, they have been my own personal focus group giving me the benefit of their wisdom with many of them accurately reflecting the views of the Australian population.

“Sorry, I should have said ‘reflecting the views of The Australian population’.

“Nevertheless, my discussions mean I am very confident that, in colloquial terms, I have ‘read the room’ correctly on the issue of the Voice to Parliament.”

Mr Dutton revealed his “kitchen cabinet” discussions had shaped his position opposing and attacking every initiative of the Albanese Government.

“I was taking their advice even while in government,” he said. “For instance they encouraged me to go hard on China in the lead-up to the 2022 election.

“They have also generally encouraged me to steer the Liberal Party further to the Right.

“While so far there have been what I would describe as ‘mixed results’, as evidence by the loss of the Chinese vote in May last year and the Aston by-election outcome, I’m sure that in the long run their advice will continue to be right. Sorry, I should have said ‘continue to be Right’,” he said.