The ‘Trump effect’ has had little effect on Peter Dutton.
Families will continue to pay the Paris premium on their electricity bills under a Coalition government.
And Dutton has dodged a question about committing to two genders.
Asked if he would follow the US out of the Paris Net Zero climate accords, Peter Dutton sadly said he remained committed to Net Zero.
Here’s what happened in an interview on Tuesday with Sky News Australia journalist Shari Markson.
MARKSON: ‘As opposed to the path that the Prime Minister’s (Anthony Albanese) had us on, would you consider withdrawing from Paris?’
DUTTON: ‘I think we’ve (the Coalition) been pretty firm in our commitment to Net Zero by 2050 and that’s a commitment that that we take seriously and that we’ll honour.’
Then on Wednesday Dutton was asked the same question at a press conference at Goulburn, NSW.
JOURNALIST: ‘Will a Coalition government remain in the Paris Accord?’
DUTTON: ‘Yes we will and I’ve made that clear before.’
Clearly, Donald Trump’s common sense revolution has not influenced the Coalition, despite the pain Paris-induced high electricity prices inflict upon families.
The Trump Administration believes US taxpayers will save a whopping $1 trillion.
Surely ditching Paris and its insistence we in turn ditch cheap and reliable sources of electricity would put billions in the pockets of Australian mums and dads?
In contrast to his leader, ‘rebel’ Coalition Senator Matt Canavan responded to Trump’s Paris pullout saying on X, ‘There is no reason Australia should remain in Paris when China, India, Indonesia, and now the US, are not.’
Family First agrees.
Then there’s the issue of two genders.
When Markson asked Dutton about Trump’s announcement that US government policy was now to recognise only two genders – male and female – Dutton again squibbed an opportunity to show the bold leadership Australia needs.
MARKSON: ‘Trump has announced a range of executive orders, including that there’s only two genders, a man and a woman. He also has pledged to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. Does it seem to you that the age of Woke ideology is now coming to an end? And there’s this sense globally that people have just had enough.’
DUTTON: ‘I think there is. And I think particularly when people are struggling to pay their bills, they can’t pay their mortgage, their insurance has gone up, their grocery bills gone up … they just see a government with the wrong priorities. And I think people are sick of being ostracised and sick of being vilified.’
Again, in contrast, Canavan told the Australian Financial Review on Wednesday that Australia should follow the US on gender.
But again sadly, it was not enough to convince Dutton.
‘I think the thrust is to protect young women in sports, and I think we should take a leaf out of that part of Trump’s book as well,’ Canavan said.
‘It is completely unfair and unsafe to make young biological women compete against biological males. It is absolutely ridiculous and defies all common sense.
‘The only place it seems to make any sense is Canberra where common sense goes to die. Everywhere else in the country can see this is ridiculous and really unsafe.’
Family First again of course agrees and has been saying this for years.
The Coalition takes as much notice of Senator Canavan as it does of Family First, although Family First is working hard to take Upper House seats off the Coalition.
Family First candidates are running at the federal election on a platform of cutting power prices, protecting faith-based schools, and protecting kids from harmful gender ideology.
While Dutton’s instincts seem good and he rails against Woke, he is non-committal. This is not the sign of good leadership or the strong leadership US voters have rewarded so magnificently.
He could cut cost of living quickly by ditching Paris.
He could win mainstream votes by restoring male and female as the only gender categories as they exist in biology, saving girls and women’s sports in the process.
Why he won’t be clear can only be explained by the existence of the so-called ‘moderate’ wing of the Liberals who are closer to Labor, the Greens, and Teals on energy and gender policy.
Family First’s Senate team of Katie Lush (Qld), Lyle Shelton (NSW), Bernie Finn (Vic), and Christopher Brohier (SA) are fighting for cheaper power and a return to common sense on gender.
Protect your family at this election, vote 1 Family First.
Lyle Shelton is National Director and NSW lead Senate candidate for Family First.