A week after WA rejected the Anthony Albanese-championed Voice to Parliament, Peter Dutton has fired a broadside at the Prime Minister, claiming it was Mark McGowan’s popularity that won the west.
Ahead of the WA Liberal State conference next weekend, the Opposition Leader said the 2025 Federal election would be an entirely different ball game to 2022 when a swag of Liberal seats fell to Labor.
“Part of my message at a conference next weekend is that the Liberal Party is well and truly back in town,” an upbeat Mr Dutton said.
He said the next election would be won in WA on broader issues, such as the cost of living, rather than hinging on Mr McGowan’s unprecedented popularity after the COVID pandemic.
“Anthony Albanese had appeal in Western Australia when he was holding hands with Mark McGowan,” Mr Dutton said.
“Now that he has come out from under the shade of Mark McGowan, people have seen the real Anthony Albanese and they are realising it is not the bloke they voted for in 2022. I think even the Labor Party people talk openly about that.
“He basked in the McGowan sunshine and now that it’s gone, he is somebody who is of the Left. He is talking out of both sides of his mouth on (issues such as) mining.”
At the last Federal election, Mr McGowan was Australia’s most popular political leader and just a year before had led State Labor to a crushing victory in the WA election, winning 53 of 59 seats.
Such was Mr McGowan’s popularity that Mr Albanese chose to launch his election campaign in Perth, with the then-premier front and centre.
He had Mr McGowan by his side at every opportunity during the Federal campaign in Perth. And it worked, with Labor winning Pearce, Hasluck, Swan and Tangney.
The Liberal stronghold of Curtin also fell, to teal independent Kate Chaney.
Mr McGowan retired from politics in June and has now taken up a number of roles in the private sector.
“The seats (we lost in 2022) are must-win at the next election,” Mr Dutton said.
“We will dedicate ourselves to being in a strong position for people to support us and for us to win those seats.
“The economy and national security are going to be key issues at the time of the next election.
“The Labor Party has demonstrated itself to be weak on both. It’s clear that if interest rates remain high, things will tighten over the next 12 months.
“I don’t believe Labor will have the ability to offer those people hope and I believe we can.”
Mr Dutton said West Australians saw through last weekend’s referendum, which sought to introduce an Indigenous Voice to the Federal Parliament.
Almost two-thirds of West Aussies voted No and Mr Dutton said ill-fated changes to WA’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act had played a big part.
“I think that was a significant issue and a lack of ability to explain the logic or the benefit of such a law contributed (to its downfall) as well,” he said.