By Jim Hayes

Peter Dutton’s own budget alternatives released last night (27 February 22025) was marked by one overwhelming fact. There was almost nothing in it. H does not want to announce what would happen if his party became the government. This is ominous.

The strategy is obviously to keep a low profile, say the least possible and hope the electors forget Dutton’s recent push for expensive nuclear power, big cuts to income tax for the wealthy, and war against migrants. None of this has been ditched. These policies are still there, only kept under wraps for now. This is a kind of admittance that the campaign has been faltering.

Liberal strategists hope that the electorate can be hoodwinked into overlooking the real intentions and cash in on discontent with the Albanese government. What is intended can be delivered later.

There were still a few takeaways though. The big one, a Trumpanesque intention to gut 41,000 federal public service jobs. Doing this might save on the wages bill, but it will decimate government provided services, including health, education, and social services, all of which are already understaffed. The only reason to do this is as a package related to a new large-scale round of privatisation of government services. And this will have a negative impact on society and the economy. There was no mention of this second part in Dutton’s budget speech.

Dutton’s so-called “national gas plan” involves 10 to 20 percent of supplies diverted from export to domestic use. Few will argue against this. The sting is in support for the expansion of gas extraction and use when it would be more responsible to be on a path to reduction and eventual elimination. This would allow Australia to move towards cleaner and cheaper energy alternatives. But the Party funders must be made happy. It was said that the gas companies have promised to extract another 9 petajoules of gas.

Dutton did say there would be a significant expansion of spending on the military but failed to say what this meant. All he said is that it will be more than what Labor has announced. We know that he is particularly keen to beat the drums of war, alongside the urge to be the Donald Trump Mini-Me in Australia.

There was something about a target of new apprentices and trainees. This is not to be provided by government. It will come about through $12,000 per head to businesses to hire young Australians. We know form the history of this approach that it is open to abuse by employers looking for cheap labour and private training outfits looking to deliver phony training for cash.

By failing to be above board, Peter Dutton and the Coalition have revealed themselves as untrustworthy. They deserve that Australia turns its collective back against the threat that they pose.