Accusing others of a woke agenda, Peter Dutton became a victim of his own culture war
In the first week of the federal election campaign, Peter Dutton flagged a crackdown on "woke" culture in schools. Accent Research principal Shaun Ratcliff said he thought Dutton's culture war comments "hurt them everywhere". Redbridge Group director Simon Welsh agrees with Ratcliff and said the comments took the Coalition off-message and away from what most conservative voters cared about, such as the economy and cost of living. "It didn't ... speak to them in a meaningful way," he said. Welsh said that, if outer suburban/regional areas were the target audience for that type of messaging, the suburban areas aren't what the Liberals imagine them to be. "They are young, they are diverse [and] they are increasingly progressive," he said. He said the culture war message would be a "clear values disconnect" for those in outer suburban areas, if not also in regional areas.
"[It] created a fear of the chaos and uncertainty that could present because that's Trump's core brand — and that's definitely what economically stressed voters in Australia did not want," Welsh said. While there were plenty of Coalition policies — such as the plan for seven nuclear power plants — to worry voters, Welsh said adding Trump into the mix also brought fears of chaos, risk and uncertainty. "That's not what these voters were looking for; they were looking for a positive message," he said. Welsh said that outer suburban voters, as well as those in inner seat seats, also didn't like "punching down". "There was a sort of meanness or a nastiness to what the Libs were proposing that fed into that."
Ratcliff agreed and said the anti-woke message only really help to stop voters on the right flank of the Coalition from jumping to parties like . "But the issue is then, you're trying to out-compete One Nation on being anti-woke," he said. "So you get drawn into this battle — [and] it's almost impossible for the Coalition to win." He said the Coalition had to appeal to a wider range of voters than One Nation so chasing voters on the right meant they were ceding ground to Labor in the centre. "The danger of doing so means you're giving up the middle class nurse married to a teacher in Chisholm who might be open to voting for the Coalition — they may even believe you've got to reduce the immigration rate, and that taxes are too high — but once you start going too far ... chasing the One Nation voter, you start to turn off some of those voters." In comparison, Ratcliff said Accent's research showed cost of living, housing and health care were the three most important issues to voters and Labor just "hammered" on those issues the entire campaign.
On Monday, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg told ABC's Radio National the Coalition didn't have enough strong policies on the economy and the party should avoid the culture wars and other less central issues in the future. "I think we have a healthy live and let live ethos in this country and we have diversity and, generally speaking, that's what most Australians are comfortable with," he said. "They don't want to see division and so I think it's very important that we focus on the economic issues and that we avoid these culture war issues at all costs."
But billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart has blamed the "left media" for "frightening many in the Liberal Party from anything Trump and away from any Trump-like policies". "No doubt the left media will now try to claim that the Liberal loss was because the Liberal Party followed Trump and became too right!" she wrote in a post on her website. "The two simply don't add up!" At the start of the campaign, Zareh Ghazarian, a political scientist from Monash University, warned that embarking on a Trump-style campaign would be "politically dangerous" for a leader in Australia. He said Australia's political system is not reliant on energising people to vote because it's already compulsory, unlike in the US, and this means leaders have to address a wide range of issues affecting voters across capital cities, rural regional areas and in different states. "Thanks to compulsory voting ... the task for the [Australian] leader is to appeal to a really wide range [of voters] and not to speak to a very specific group of voters," he told SBS News. Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Ex-premier tips Liberal leadership change to avoid poll
Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it." Embattled premier Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win a snap election, but speculation is growing his Tasmanian Liberal colleagues will deny him the chance. Tasmania's lower house passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rockliff on Thursday, just 15 months into the minority government's four-year term. The vote was an episode in spiralling political brinkmanship, with the premier warning opposition leader Dean Winter he would advise for an early election if his motion succeeded. The prevailing political wisdom is the Rockliff government will lose an election, with veteran Liberal political operative Brad Stansfield saying they would be "annihilated" in a winter campaign. However, parliament's dissolution is not due until after Tuesday, given the need to pass a stop-gap budget bill before the election campaign. The delay across the King's Birthday long weekend gives the 17 members of the Liberal party room - including 14 who will put their seats at risk in a campaign - plenty of time to rethink their support for Mr Rockliff. "It's probably 70 to 80 per cent likely that either over the weekend or following the appropriation bill going through on Tuesday, Jeremy won't be leader," former premier David Bartlett told AAP. "It won't be a coup. It will be a smooth transition of power to a new leader and Jeremy will be under all sorts of pressure from internal Liberal party people to make that happen. "I'm not even convinced Jeremy Rockliff wants to go to another election. He'd probably rather retire to the farm." Mr Bartlett led a Labor government between 2008-2011, including the 2010 election which required him - like Mr Rockliff after the 2024 poll - to govern in minority. He said there were no shortage of options for a new leader, who would need to organise support from enough crossbenchers to stave off an election. "Eric Abetz is ambitious, Michael Ferguson still has a baton in the knapsack, Guy Barnett is ambitious and Madeleine Ogilvie is ambitious," he said. Mr Stansfield, who has advised the Liberals to four straight election wins, said the Liberals' charge to an election was "lemming-like behaviour". "They have willingly chosen to go to their own political execution rather than change their policies or change their leader in order to stay in power," he told the FontCast podcast. Former Liberal Premier Will Hodgman attacked the vote of no confidence, saying it was "politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation" on social media. AAP has spoken with multiple past and present MPs and advisers, who have confirmed Liberal MPs are privately canvassing options to topple Mr Rockliff and avoid an election. Mr Stansfield - who confirmed dissenting voices in the partyroom over the election position - said Mr Rockliff's position was secure. "The die is cast. They have chosen to follow their leader to an election that they will lose," he said. Liberal senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam was incredulous about the leadership speculation. "They could choose to change leader - I'm not a part of that party room, I'm not going to tell them what to do," he told the ABC. "This is nuts that we're going to an election." Mr Rockliff on Friday travelled to his home region of the north-west coast, the same community which experienced the deaths of six children in a 2021 bouncy castle tragedy. He opted against a public appearance, given it came on the same day a verdict was finally reached on workplace health and safety failings behind the incident. "Today politics must be put aside. Another heart wrenching day, as we relive the trauma of the Hillcrest tragedy," he posted on social media. After losing the no-confidence vote, Mr Rockliff gave an emotional address to parliament where he revealed he fought off internal opponents to stand by the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium which would house a Tasmanian AFL team - but is unpopular with voters. "I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said. "Well, I've always said 'stuff votes' ... I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Labor defends Western Sydney Airport after shadow transport minister accuses them of targeting Liberal electorates with jet noise
Transport minister Catherine King has hit back at the Opposition after Labor was accused of concentrating jet noise over Liberal-held electorates. Ms King announced a ministerial directive for Airservices Australia to make 'Reciprocal Runway Operations' (RRO) the default at night at WSIA. RRO requires aircraft to take off and land facing the same direction—towards the southwest—but using opposite ends of the single runway. Ms King claimed the directive was to 'achieve the overall lowest possible impact on surrounding communities'. Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie claimed to Sky News on Thursday Labor was "attempting to concentrate nighttime aircraft noise over Liberal held electorates of Lindsay and Hume". But Ms King hit back on Friday, arguing Senator McKenzie "should be ashamed" for turning the new airport into a political dispute. "Senator McKenzie should be ashamed of herself for attempting to politicise Western Sydney International's flight paths, which are a highly technical and complex process that has taken years to get right," Ms King told "Let's not forget, it was the Coalition Government who selected the orientation of the runway and airspace design in the first place– the two most significant determinants of flight path design. "We've been working hard to fix their mess, including undertaking the most comprehensive community consultation program for any airspace development in Australian history, and we've found alternatives that could be safely implemented within the bounds of what we inherited, the biggest beneficiary of which is in fact Wallacia – which you'll find is not in a Labor electorate. "Perhaps Senator McKenzie should suggest what changes the Coalition would make and how they will impact communities across Western Sydney." Labor holds 11 of the 14 seats in the broader Western Sydney region, and Ms McKenzie said the Minister's directive would disproportionately impact the few Liberal seats in the area. 'Part of Labor's noise mitigation strategy is a risky ministerial direction to have planes fly head-on towards each other for take-offs and landings at night," she said. 'The government waited until after the election before finalising flight paths and attempted to hide the announcements behind the completion of runway construction.' Ms King's direction to Air Services Australia was to make reciprocal runway operations the "default operating mode" between 11pm and 5.30am. Western Sydney International Airport is expected to begin operations in 2026.
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
Australia reacts to Tasmanian political upheaval throwing AFL team, stadium, budget into doubt
The toppling of Tasmania's premier has drawn strong reactions from across Australia. Some are calling it a "fiasco" while others say the turmoil has turned the state into the nation's "laughing stock". "Tasmania is always a controversial state, immature politicians, not well-informed people," one observer wrote as the no-confidence motion in Jeremy Rockliff played out live on Thursday. "We left Tasmania 12 months ago just because of the incompetent bunch of people running the state," another said. With Tasmanians now facing the prospect of an election being called as early as next week — despite electing the Rockliff Liberals as recently as March last year — the upheaval has shone an unforgiving spotlight on the smallest state. Here is what members of the public and political experts have made of what has unfolded. The spectre of yet another trip to the ballot box — the fourth in seven years — has not been welcomed by many observers, with one describing it as "a clown show". "An utter garbage abuse of power from Labor and the Greens … the last thing anyone wants is another costly election," PoliticalNuffy wrote. "You would think that many of these elected folk are anti their own state," said Clive. "The no-alition soon found out that this type of rubbish is not in Australia's best interests. Landslide loss. So the wise ones in Tasmania are perpetuating the same mistakes." "A lot of what is going on here would be resolved if Tasmania had a more normal structure with a majoritarian lower house and a proportional upper house," Nicholas offered. Tasmanian Policy Exchange director Richard Eccleston said Labor may have misjudged Mr Rockliff's willingness to fight on. "I think Labor was hoping that it would lead to a change in leadership of the Liberal party," Dr Ecclestone said. "Perhaps the most significant thing that became crystal clear yesterday was the premier's commitment to stay on as leader of the Liberal party and to fight an election campaign. Mr Rockliff may be well known to voters — but, in the minds of some, for the wrong reasons. "Rockliff is holding the state to ransom for a vanity project that will cost us all in the long run," Jason said. Opposition Leader Dean Winter and Labor did not escape the vitriol either. "All Labor seem to be doing is proving they would be no better than the current degenerate rabble," Tim said. "Where is Labor's alternative budget? How can they say with a straight face that the Liberals are bringing Tasmania to financial ruin when they have not produced an alternative," asked Tracy. Kevin invoked the Game of Thrones terminology: Bob was similarly unimpressed: "Not entirely sure what Winter is doing here. Does he seriously believe Labor would win a majority on its own if another election is held? Even the Liberals couldn't do that," he said. "Seems a bit delusional." Former Liberal premier Will Hodgman, was scathing in a post to X: Mr Winter's assertion he did what he did because the premier had "wrecked" the state's debt position did not fly with many. "We are a laughing stock of our country, all because of a budget?" asked Jez. Others wondered what alternatives Labor would have presented. "Can somebody please share the alternate plan and budget that should have been presented this week by the opposition?" queried Phil. "There's no question the Rockliff govt's 2025-26 budget is an epic mess, but to throw the state into an unprecedented depth of uncertainty is not smart. I fear Winter has spectacularly miscalculated," said Ryan. Niko wanted to know "how on earth is blowing a billion dollars on a stadium supposed to make young people want to stay in the state"? Speaking of the stadium, the looming election has resulted in speculation the state's AFL team — the existence of which is conditional on the building of the arena at Macquarie Point — won't happen. That has not gone down well at all. "For too long Tasmania has been treated like poor cousins and now we are being treated like complete fools," said Chris. "If this stadium fails there will be an exodus of young people … Tassie loses the young already due to bigger opportunities elsewhere, this will change little," wrote Garry. And then there is the Spirit of Tasmania "fiasco", as Graeme pointed out. "Rockliff has shown how incompetent he is, as demonstrated by the TT Line and TasPorts fiascos." Oliver also used the F-word: Ruth asked, "can we stop amplifying the importance of the stadium?" "A whole state's future is at stake here, for example, how we afford to deliver the education and health services needed. Former premier Peter Gutwein yesterday told ABC Radio Mornings removing Mr Rockliff as premier could lead to "catastrophic outcomes" such as investments stalling. "That uncertainty, especially if the stadium and the team don't go ahead, will lead to a view from the mainland and investors within Tasmania that you just simply cannot trust the state of Tasmania to carry through on decisions," Mr Gutwein said. One ABC audience member agreed, saying projects like the stadium were "vital to the future economic growth of Tasmania" and would "unlock massive opportunities not just for the AFL team but for business, tourism, hospitality and beyond". "That said, this current parliament couldn't organise its way out of a paper bag."
