‘The face of hard-right hate': Peter Dutton smashed as the Greens launch campaign
Adam Bandt has launched at the two major parties in an impassioned speech to kick off the Greens' campaign tonight.
Standing in front of a backdrop that read 'Keep Dutton out' and 'Get Labor to act', Mr Bandt accused the Liberals of 'picking up the calls of neo-Nazis' and giving a platform to racism.
The national conversation shifted back to the Voice this week after Senator Penny Wong hinted that it's not all over for the movement, despite the Prime Minister insisting it was 'gone'. That and the furore over Welcome to Country ceremonies at Dawn Services for Anzac Day has riled up racial debates leading into the final week of campaigning.
Peter Dutton has called for a scaling back of the ceremonies, saying they are appropriate when opening official proceedings in parliament, but not at 'the start of a football match' or meetings at work.
During his live address, Mr Bandt took aim at the discourse between the two major parties, but took particular aim at the Liberals claiming its 'mask' was slipping as new polling data suggested the Coalition is behind with just three days to go.
'As the wheels start falling off Peter Dutton's campaign and the mask starts to slip to reveal the face of hard-right hate … we reaffirm our support for First Nation's justice in this country, and say to every person who is hurting seeing this debate play out, we are with you,' he said.
'We will not throw the Uluru Statement from the Heart overboard like the government does. 'We stand for truth, treaty, voice and justice. Because we know we have unfinished business in this country.'
Mr Bandt also pledged to bring to parliament a bill that would begin a 'national process of truth-telling', claiming 'misinformation' about the Voice was a major factor in its failure.
Mr Bandt also criticised both major parties' approach to their campaigns, labelling it a 'battle of the Bandaids' for the current ills plaguing Australians rather than promoting an inspiring vision for the future.
Additionally, Mr Bandt called for the inclusion of dental into Medicare to help the cost of living crisis, blasting the current government's inaction on implementing real change that benefits every Australian.
Australia heads to the polls this Saturday May 3.
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"It is because of the extraordinary support that I have received from rank-and-file members that I make this offer with the intention that the funds they have raised to fight the Labor Party remain solely directed to that important objective," she wrote. She demanded Mr Pesutto pay the roughly $760,000 he has raised so far, while the rest of the debt would be put on ice until 2027. Mrs Deeming's other requests included that the party release an unreserved apology to her. "I have suffered through a gruelling two and half years where almost every offer I made to negotiate a settlement was rejected," she wrote. "This is my final attempt to spare the Liberal Party further harm and to afford Mr Pesutto, and his family, the dignity that was denied to me, my husband and my children." A special resolution would have had to be passed to endorse preselection for her upper house seat. Traditionally, Liberal preselection is finalised through a vote of rank-and-file members. Mrs Deeming has been contacted for comment.
