Then, in the last debate leading up to this weekend’s national election, Peter Dutton stepped aggressively onto the opposition Coalition’s turf. He engaged important issues like taxes, migration, housing, defense, and energy. Dutton’s called the Coalition’s $1,200 one-off tax rebate and cuts to migration plan. He made big news by touting his strong support for nuclear power.
In his speech, Dutton often compared his vision to the Howard government, particularly its fiscal discipline, as a template for future policies. He committed to releasing specific plans that will address the federal government’s debt. He is passionate about sound financial management, claiming it is the key to Australia’s strong economic future. He clearly and forcefully asserted his leadership potential all throughout the debate. He vigorously defended Australia’s national interest, pulling no punches to make his views known.
Key Policy Positions
Dutton opened by taking credit for the Coalition’s own 12-month fuel excise cut, trumpeted by Dutton as a ‘leading economic relief measure’. Then he was actually cut off by the moderator for using too many “talking points.”
Dutton repeatedly returned to his talking points about economic relief. “You can distil that to cut the tax, cut the fuel tax or however you want to present it, but it’s a 25 cent a litre reduction in fuel from day one,” he stated, reinforcing the Coalition’s commitment to easing financial burdens on Australians.
In a bid to preempt Albo’s moves on immigration policy, Dutton doubled down on his migration cuts. He accused Labor’s economic policy settings of driving Australia into structural deficits with decades-long consequences. He referenced past election policies from Labor to abolish negative gearing. He went on to blame them for always sabotaging the creation of home ownership opportunities.
“The Prime Minister has no idea in relation to those options, otherwise he would have explored them by now,” – Mr Dutton
Nuclear Power Commitment
Dutton’s support for the expanded use of nuclear energy became a key point of contention throughout the debate. He admitted this approach wouldn’t be politically palatable, but argued it was essential for the long-term energy future of Australia.
“No matter who wins the election, I will continue to advocate for a responsible nuclear power policy,” he said. More reliable than coal, nuclear power is the only option for him to meet Australia’s increasing energy needs. Simultaneously, it makes significant progress on addressing climate issues.
He depicted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a “concealed” and “weak” leader who does not stand up strongly enough for Australia’s national interests. Dutton further promised that he would be able to negotiate better terms from our foreign partners with absolute confidence. He even suggested building on an agreement with the Trump administration to mutually enforce rare earths.
“I’m very proud of the connections, globally, that I have. And I believe not just me, but our team is highly experienced and has the ability to bring together the best opportunity for us to stand proud on the world stage,” – Mr Dutton
Climate Change and Regional Relations
Dutton’s inflammatory remarks on climate change at the debate ignited outrage. He closed with a bad joke about water lapping at the doors of our neighbors in the Pacific Islands. This comment drew a lot of ire from Albanese and other climate changers out there.
In response to Dutton’s comments, Albanese made a point about the need for credibility in engaging with Pacific countries. Each of those Pacific leaders vividly remembers when Mr Dutton came up to our region to make a joke about water lapping at their doors, for our Pacific Island neighbors. Albanese was adamant—this is not a laughing matter. Climate change is the price of admission to regional credibility.
Dutton proved the point that climate has suddenly become the centering issue when pursuing energy policy. He made a compelling case that future generations deserve a better approach to electricity generation. He maintained that Labor’s approach requires an “overbuild” of resources while claiming that the Coalition’s policies would provide a more efficient model.
“Their policy requires an overbuild of the system, ours doesn’t. It’s a more efficient way to generate electricity,” – Mr Dutton
