Mudslinging from party leaders has intensified on the hustings as the federal election campaign enters its home stretch.
And experts say it’s only set to increase as one of the most powerful tools parties have left in their arsenal to swing support.
Lagging in the polls before campaigns pause for Anzac Day, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has ramped up personal attacks on Anthony Albanese, labelling him “weak” and a frequent liar.
The prime minister has also gone on the offensive, warning the coalition will unleash secret cuts if it wins government.
Politics professor at La Trobe University Andrea Carson said attacks were frequently seen in the last stages of a campaign.
“Studies show that negative campaigning works to some extent as it builds on people’s fears, and fear is a powerful emotion to initiate action,” she told AAP.
“Campaign coverage becomes more negative, perhaps reflecting the campaign, the closer we get to polling day.”
While there could be many aspects to negative campaigning, Prof Carson said it traditionally centred on law and order and migration issues – areas the coalition frequently targeted when attacking Labor.
“How much they move votes is hard to measure, but politicians and parties enact these messages because they think it works,” she said.
“There is some evidence that negative campaigns play well to the base and reinforce weak partisan voters’ support, rather than getting people to change political teams.”
Mr Albanese brushed aside concerns negative campaigning during the election would disillusion voters.
“What we’re doing is putting forward serious policies,” he told reporters in Collie, south of Perth.
“It’s right there. You can touch it, you can see it, and people will have their homes powered by it.
“This is an opposition that, if they have any policies, they’re either taken from overseas or they are taken from the reversal of reforms that we have put in place.”
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