Peter Dutton, we should remember, isn’t actually a Liberal — even if he heads the Liberal Party. He’s a Liberal National, that peculiar right-wing confection of the Nationals and Liberals from Queensland, one dominated by the pro-fossil fuels, pro-pork-barrelling, anti-integrity National Party.
That’s not inappropriate, given the LNP didn’t have anywhere near as bad an election as the NSW, Victorian or West Australian Liberal Parties. Tragically for Dutton, however, you can’t win government with Queensland seats alone.
The remaining moderates within Liberal ranks think they’re not going to win back seats from the teals and Labor except by moving back to the centre, especially on climate and integrity. But there are plenty within the hard right of the Liberals who think they lost the election because they were too left-wing. Courtesy of News Corp, they have their own broadcaster to disseminate that argument, for which the term “bullshit” is overly generous.
Then there are the Nationals, a sectional interest with fringe-party levels of electoral support that remain defiantly anti-climate action and pro-rorting.
Meanwhile, courtesy of the election, and Scott Morrison’s remarkable capacity to drive anyone of talent out of the party, Dutton’s frontbench is one of the worst in living memory. Some of the shadow ministers holding relatively senior positions are spectacularly poor: Sarah Henderson in communications, Alan Tudge in education, noted rorter Bridget McKenzie in infrastructure. And then there’s Angus Taylor as shadow treasurer.
Conscious that he’s in charge of a bitterly divided Liberal Party, let alone Coalition, Dutton has adopted a sensible strategy: he’s kept his mouth shut and kept his head down. While the Coalition remaining a policy-free zone for much of this parliamentary term is entirely appropriate, we haven’t even heard from Dutton on what kind of Australia he wants, what vision he has (if any), what he’d like to achieve if he became prime minister.
Getting an episode of Four Corners to himself will help with the profile among the great disengaged mass of the electorate, many of whom wouldn’t have a clue who he is. But the fact that his colleagues are still talking about what Dutton would be like ideologically is a tell-tale sign that he’s made no effort to even show them where he’d like to go as leader. The policy stuff is secondary to what the policy would be aimed at achieving, the detail that can come later; it’s more important to find out what kind of country Dutton thinks we should be.
If we’re any the wiser after tonight, that would be a surprise. Dutton appears content to avoid making waves so his fragile coalition stays afloat.
Just like his predecessors (Morrison, Abbot), Mr Dutton has never expressed a vision for our country and probably never will. He will wait for a Labor policy position that he perceives will be a good vote winner for him, then with the support from News Corp, go for the jugular.
The LNP, and Dutton, dont have a vision for Australia. They are there to deliver favourable legislation to billionaires for a couple of thousand in party donations and a whole bunch of secret stuff we never hear about. Promises of, or temptingly dangled, directorships post politics, assets in secret shelf companies in tax shelters somewhere, who knows? I wish we did. Too many odd decisions being made that can only be explained if you are prepared to assume corruption.
Thanks to Crikey we’re starting to hear about some it at least. The half million dollar a year plus perks jobs afterwards. That kind of beats a paltry initial bribe.
Spud is between a rock and a hard place. He must know first time opposition leaders have only once become Prime Minister in our history, and the feat is rarely achieved at a State level with hardly any first time state opposition leaders becoming Premier as well. He’s seeking to do the almost unprecedented and to do that he needs a strong united team. Given the disparate views of much of his team he needs to have as little policy as possible to avoid spooking any of the horses and keep them onside. But he also needs to be out there staking a claim to The Lodge if he wants to beat history. Bit of a Hobson’s Choice. He must rue the fact that Frydenberg lost, he would have been far better letting Josh fall over then step up as the Great White Hope of the conservative side of politics, instead of inheriting the poison chalice that is first term opposition leader. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.
We know exactly what kind of an Australia Dutton wants – we only have to look at his empire building of Home Affairs and the feeling of doom that was building in us until he lost it.
What question is that? What sort of society do you think Voldemort wants to create. A hateful one of course, just like his mean spirited nasty personality. One where right-wing religious fanatics feel cosseted and evangelical fruitcakes and paedophiles can thrive.