Peter Dutton has been accused by Labor of being too “aggro” to become prime minister, after the coalition leader clashed with Anthony Albanese in the final debate of the election campaign.
The prime minister and opposition leader went head-to-head over energy, housing and dealing with US President Donald Trump in a wide-ranging fourth and final leaders’ debate last night before the May 3 election.
Senior ministers were quick out of the blocks after the debate to accuse Mr Dutton of being overly aggressive as they sought to paint the opposition leader as too risky to lead Australia in uncertain times.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher accused him of having “a fair bit of aggro”, while Education Minister Jason Clare said he had anger-management issues and was too negative.
“What you saw from Peter Dutton last night was the optimism of an undertaker,” Mr Clare told ABC TV on Monday.
“Australians want more from their leaders than that, they want hope.”
Labor has sharpened its attack on Mr Dutton’s character as it compares him with Mr Trump as the opposition’s campaign hit a literal bump at the start of the final campaign week.
The Liberals’ election media bus was temporarily beached on a median strip in Sydney before planks of wood were employed to help the stranded vehicle.
While Labor’s campaign – and bus – pressed ahead on Monday, Mr Albanese didn’t escape a revved-up attack against his Indigenous policies.
Two days after far-right agitators heckled a Welcome to Country ceremony at an Anzac Day dawn service, Mr Dutton condemned the interruptions but said there was “a sense across the community that (the ceremony) is overdone”.
Mr Albanese said the Welcome to Country was a matter of respect, but conceded the voice to parliament was “gone” from his agenda after the failed referendum and another way towards reconciliation had to be found.
Coalition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the ceremonies were appropriate at significant events, but she added: “When it becomes performative, I think it loses its meaning.”
It wasn’t clear if Labor was still committed to treaty and truth-telling, the two remaining parts of the Uluru statement after the voice, coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson said.
He added it was “bizarre” the prime minister contended during the debate that he wasn’t sure if Mr Trump had a mobile phone when asked if he texted the US president.
“Does he seriously believe that or is this just another desperate attempt to avoid answering questions?” Senator Paterson said.
Both the prime minister and Mr Dutton agreed the US could still be trusted on matters of national security, but they differed on their rhetoric towards China.
The opposition leader said the biggest concern for Australia’s defence and intelligence agencies was “the communist party of China” while Mr Albanese was more restrained.
He acknowledged China’s efforts to grow its influence in the region as well as its closely-intertwined trading relationship with Australia.
A panel of 60 undecided voters gave the contest to Mr Albanese, with half backing the prime minister, a quarter in favour of Mr Dutton and the remainder still unconvinced by either man.
Almost 2.4 million Australians had already voted at pre-polling centres before Monday, while a similar number are registered to lodge postal votes.
Polls have been pointing towards a Labor victory, with the latest Newspoll showing the government leading the coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis.
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