‘Hollow man’s empty rhetoric’: Dutton’s budget reply speech offers hate, not hope

Richard Crofts writes: Peter Dutton’s budget reply was empty rhetoric from a hollow man who stands for nothing but his own vanity (“Dutton’s budget reply wasn’t a dog-whistle — it was more like a klaxon”). If it wasn’t so serious that this clown is the leader of a political party, it would be laughable.

Make no mistake, Dutton is sounding more and more like Pauline Hanson and the One Nation rabble with his dog-whistle politics of hate and division. His irrelevance is matched only by his blind ideology and only the rusted-on supporters who wallow in the wealth created by the flawed LNP policies love him — and always will. They are the naysayers and No voters who play politics with the Voice to Parliament and believe it is all about inflicting damage on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, not about opening the door to equality for our First Nations peoples.

The LNP under Dutton’s leadership is the politics of division, not unification and opportunity; it is a rerun of the 1950s “red under every bed” scare. As poor as the delivery of the budget reply was in its lack of content, empathy and leadership, it is still a danger to our democracy in its ideological content and racial overtones. Thank God we saw through the Morrison/Dutton politics of hate and got rid of them. Now we just need to make sure that what they stand for is dead and buried for good.

Steve Brennan writes: Dutton so lacks credibility and integrity, and is so distrusted, he will never be elected. He was voted the second-most distrusted politician in Australia behind Scott Morrison in a 2022 Roy Morgan poll. People don’t vote for media lies anymore.

Catherine Rossiter writes: I thought Dutton’s reply speech was boring and incoherent. I’m not sure who wrote it, but the speechwriter should find another job. It was full of contradictions, was totally uninspiring, and his main themes will sound very tired by the time the next election comes around. 

Linda Handley writes: I didn’t watch and I never want to see or hear from him or his cohort again. I’m glad his budget reply was a flop from Ben Eltham’s point of view in his article. 

Ben Gershon writes: If he is genuine, finally we might get something done about gambling ads.  

Sheridan Hopkins writes: While the Libs just don’t get it, we don’t have much of a democracy because they need to challenge Labor in debates. Not until the Libs embrace women and young people will that change. Their voters are dying each week.

I am part of the Keating generation of women who now have a good life. Although I’m rusted-on Labor, I would like the debates to be more robust to make Labor the best it can be. Without a challenge, it will get flabby. Angus “Well done” Taylor and Dutton need to be flicked fast.