The No Campaign Redux: Dutton’s Failed Con and the Insult to Australians

Election 2025 – Unveiling Dutton’s Dodgy Strategy

By Sue Barrett

A Trick That Worked Once

In 2023, Peter Dutton and the Coalition ran a masterclass in political sleight of hand during the No Campaign for the Voice – a campaign so devoid of substance it could’ve doubled as a magic trick. Their strategy? Pure negativity, no alternatives, just a relentless barrage of fear and division. They outsourced the dirty work to their attack dogs at Advance Australia, who dutifully spread scare stories and tricked voters into ticking “No” with a cocktail of half-truths and dog-whistle politics. “The prime minister’s trying to divide us,” Dutton thundered back then, dodging any need to offer a plan of his own. It worked, and Dutton, puffed up with misplaced confidence, figured he’d cracked the code to electoral success. Fast forward to the 2025 election campaign, and he’s dusted off the same tired playbook. Spoiler alert: it’s bombing spectacularly.

The Flaw in the Encore

The No Campaign for the Voice was a con from the start. Dutton didn’t propose a single counter-idea – no vision, no blueprint, just a wrecking ball aimed at anything the government dared suggest. Advance Australia flooded the airwaves with ominous ads and slippery slogans, banking on confusion and paranoia to carry the day. It was a cheap trick, and it paid off. So smug was Dutton in that win that he’s now bet the house on the same gambit for 2025. Negative vibes, zero substance, and a reliance on shadowy allies like Australians for Prosperity – recently pinged by the AEC for flouting campaigning rules – and Advance Australia again to do the heavy lifting. “Anthony Albanese has made a mess of this,” he loves to say, as if that’s a substitute for policy. Sound familiar? He thought Australians wouldn’t clock the rerun. Funny about that.

Elections Demand More

Here’s where it unravels. An election isn’t a referendum. It’s not enough to tear down the other side when you’re vying to run the country. Voters want policies – real, tangible plans to tackle skyrocketing rents, cost of living pressures, unaffordable housing, and a warming planet just to name a few. Dutton’s mob, though, swaggered into this campaign like they could bluff through it with a scowl and a scare tactic.

Every Coalition MP and senator parrots the same hollow lines, while Dutton deflects with vague jabs like, “The government’s completely out of its depth.” But when journalists push for details – say, how he’d address housing affordability or energy prices – he sidesteps or bolts. Time and again, he’s been caught dodging the question entirely, offering nothing but a blank stare or a quick exit from the press conference. His team’s no better – Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor was grilled on tax policy last week and promptly ended the briefing when pressed for numbers. That says it all: no substance, just a rehearsed script and a swift retreat when the heat’s on. Many of the Liberal party candidates running at this election don’t even bother to turn up to local candidate debates to press their case because – let’s face it – they have nothing to offer. Zilch!

Kos Samaras, director at RedBridge Group, has noted a shift in the polling fortunes, with Australians wising up to the LNP’s scam. “The electorate’s had enough of the fear game,” Samaras observed recently. “Our data shows a clear trend – voters are swinging back to Labor at 52-48 because they’re seeing through Dutton’s lack of substance.” They figured the 2023 fear factory could churn out another win. But the arrogance – or sheer stupidity – of thinking that’s enough is crumbling fast.

This isn’t just a stumble; it’s a slap in the face. Dutton and his Coalition cronies have treated Australians like fools, betting we’re too thick to spot the rerun of their 2023 grift. They’ve played us for suckers, serving up the same fear-laced nonsense and expecting us to nod along without asking, “So, what’s your plan, mate?” After years of naysaying everything – never once making a case for something – they actually thought they could swagger into power on hot air and deflection. The gall is jaw-dropping. It’s a litmus test of their fitness to lead, and they’re flunking it hard.

Dutton’s Dodgy Mob Exposed

The 2025 Coalition campaign is imploding because Australians aren’t buying the encore. We’re not here for a repeat of the No Campaign for the Voice’s cheap tricks. We deserve better than a Coalition that thinks leadership is about scaring us into submission rather than inspiring us with a vision. Dutton’s confidence trickster routine – perfected in 2023 and trotted out again – has hit a wall. The insult of being taken for a ride isn’t lost on us. This nation needs leaders who deliver substance, not snake oil.

The Coalition’s shown its hand, and it’s empty. Time to call their bluff and move on.

Onward we press

This article was originally published on Sue Barrett

 

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