In this extended episode of New Politics, we analyse week three of the 2025 federal election campaign, where Peter Dutton’s Coalition campaign continues to unravel under the weight of misinformation, international blunders, and internal chaos.
From fabricating statements allegedly made by Indonesian President Prabowo about a mythical Russian airbase in Papua, to dragging his own 20-year-old son into a housing crisis stunt gone wrong, Dutton’s gaffes have turned into a credibility crisis. Meanwhile, Senator Jacinta Price’s growing prominence in the Liberal campaign – complete with bizarre policy announcements and Trump-style slogans – highlights just how disorganised the Coalition has become.
We also look at both major party campaign launches – Anthony Albanese’s upbeat Labor Party event in Perth focused on economic progress, wages and Medicare, while the Liberal launch in Western Sydney doubled down on fear, nuclear energy, Indigenous spending cuts, and culture war rhetoric. What a difference! As the housing crisis becomes a major election issue, both Labor and Liberal policies fall short of tackling the real problem: housing as a commodity rather than a basic right. We break down how decades of neoliberal housing policy, fuelled by tax incentives and artificial demand, have distorted the market and worsened affordability for most Australians.
Foreign policy also became a campaign football, with Coalition figures like Dutton and Bridget McKenzie verballing world leaders and pushing xenophobic scare campaigns about Russia, China and Indonesia – all based on flimsy or non-existent evidence. We explore how these fear campaigns reflect a Coalition bereft of ideas and addicted to Sky News talking points.
The second leaders’ debate – hosted on the ABC – added little to the campaign narrative, as both leaders stuck to their scripts. Dutton again appeared underprepared, raising questions about his capacity to lead. A separate economic debate between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor hinted at future leadership dynamics, but also highlighted how policy substance is being lost in the noise. Why not include Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt or other voices such as the Socialists or the Communist Party? That would make the campaign a lot more interesting.
And then there’s the media circus: Albanese shaking Tanya Plibersek’s hand instead of a kiss sparked juvenile speculation about her future as a senior minister, and journalists wasted time with gotcha questions instead of focusing on real issues. Opinion polls now show the Coalition slipping further behind, confirming the weak trajectory of Dutton’s campaign. As pre-polling begins, we consider whether this election is already lost for the opposition, or if there’s any chance of a turnaround. We argue that Dutton never used his time in opposition to build credibility or develop a compelling platform – spending it instead on anti-woke rants and avoiding scrutiny – and he’s being really exposed on the campaign trail.
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Song listing:
- ‘Good Stuff’, The B-52s.
- ‘Mysterious Ways’, U2 (cover version by In Sympathy).
- ‘La femme d’Argent, AIR.
- ‘Wild’, Spoon.
- ‘Humiliation’, The National.
Music interludes:
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The post Loose units and losing momentum: Dutton’s campaign continues to go downhill appeared first on New Politics.