The Coalition election campaign in Australia is entering its final weeks in disarray. Polls continue to slide, and the Liberals and Nationals appear directionless. Their approach has been marked by policy reversals, unclear leadership, and public backlash.
A Party Without a Plan
The Coalition’s approach to policy has been nothing short of chaotic. Take their stance on public sector work-from-home arrangements. First, they vowed to strip remote work rights from all public servants. Then, they narrowed it to just Canberra. Finally, after realizing how unpopular the idea was, they backtracked entirely. This isn’t leadership—it’s policy-making by panic.
Then there’s Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s ill-fated role as shadow minister for “government efficiency”—a euphemism for slashing public sector jobs. Initially, the plan was aggressive cuts. But when backlash hit, they softened it to “natural attrition” (not replacing workers who leave). The problem? Their entire budget relied on those phantom savings to fund reckless promises, like fuel excise cuts. Now, the numbers don’t add up.
Nuclear Fantasy and Fossil Fuel Handouts
The Coalition’s energy policy is another mess. They’re pushing nuclear power as a solution to high energy prices, despite expert analysis showing their plan would cost $600 billion and take 20 years to deliver. The real agenda? Stall renewable investment and keep funneling billions to coal and gas giants. Peter Dutton has openly pledged to be the mining industry’s “best friend”—hardly a surprise, given his financial backers like Gina Rinehart, a vocal Trump ally.
Dutton’s Failed Trump Impression
Speaking of Trump, Dutton began the year cosplaying as Australia’s answer to the former U.S. president—right down to the right-wing populism and divisive rhetoric. But Trump’s brand of chaos has little appeal here, and Dutton’s “Trump-Lite” act has fallen flat. His shadow cabinet has gone missing in action, avoiding scrutiny while policies unravel.
A New Low: Manufacturing a National Security Scare
Now, in a sign of sheer desperation, the Coalition and its media allies are hyping a dubious story about Russia possibly asking Indonesia for access to an airbase—a request Indonesia immediately and categorically rejected. There’s no evidence Albanese was weak here, but that hasn’t stopped the right-wing press (overwhelmingly owned by Liberal supporters) from spinning it as a leadership test.
The irony? Dutton spent months aligning himself with Trump—a man who openly admires Putin. If anyone’s weak on national security, it’s the leader who models himself on a Putin apologist.
Leadership vs. Spin
Albanese is far from perfect. His policies on inequality, climate, and tax reform often favor the wealthy over working Australians. But at least he has policies—and a team willing to defend them. He’s consistent, while Dutton flip-flops, hides, and hopes voters won’t notice.
Dutton bet on right-wing populism to carry him to power. But as his campaign implodes, one thing is certain: Australia deserves better than policy chaos, fossil fuel handouts, and cheap Trumpian theatrics.
The verdict? We’ll know in three weeks.
