Peter Dutton and the Federal Liberal Party are now on the slide ahead of the upcoming Federal Election.
The RedBridge Group’s latest poll in The Daily Telegraph has Labor leading the Coalition 51-49 on two-party preferred.
Given the porous state of the current Labor administration, this poll should shock the Opposition back into consciousness, and get them back on message: Only the Coalition can fix Australia’s cost of living crisis.
But so far, it hasn’t.
Two weeks ago, the Australian Energy Regulator announced power prices will be shooting up again next year – by up to 9 per cent in New South Wales and 5 per cent in Victoria. This seemed like a rolled gold opportunity to twist the knife into Anthony Albanese’s 2022 broken promise of a $275 power bill cut by 2025.
Instead – last week Peter Dutton floated thought bubbles about holding referendums to deport dual citizens. An idea shot down by his own Shadow Attorney-General on the same day.
This convoluted messaging is even stranger when you consider that RedBridge and The Daily Telegraph revealed some 53 per cent of voters blame Anthony Albanese for pushing energy prices up. Yet Labor is still storming back in the polls.
So what is going on?
Peter Dutton has done a tremendous job as Opposition Leader, but now he’s playing for keeps.
What is his economic narrative?
If he had one that was cutting through, we would all know about it.
Save for nuclear and public service cuts, are the Liberals actually much different from Labor on the economy?
As far as can be deciphered – not really.
The big opportunity Dutton must capitalise on is tax reform. Save for some changes to Superannuation accounts over $3 million, Labor has no tax plans, and this is where the Opposition Leader can pick a fight and win.
The Liberal Party is the party of lower taxes, but they are going into the election with no plans to cut taxes.
Put simply, they need to cut spending where they can, announce tax cuts, and campaign on something to the effect of ‘less government in your lives means more of your own money in your pocket’.
A major declaration like tax cuts would cut-through with voters, and wrest back control of the cost of living debate.
When asked about his lack of tax cuts, Dutton says they may not be affordable – a valid argument, but it’s undermined by his actions; the Opposition Leader has vowed to more or less continue Labor’s spend-a-thon.
This column does not pretend to have all the answers, but politics is won by playing on home turf and controlling the message. Dutton has done this for 18 months to great effect, but with Labor’s negative campaign machine swinging into top gear, it’s high time for the Opposition Leader to pivot to a forward-looking and compelling economic message that puts Labor on the back foot.
Lower taxes are a good place to start.
Ned Green is a former Executive Producer at Sydney’s 2GB Radio. He is now a freelance journalist.
