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Rolling out Peter Dutton’s son as an example of a young Australian’s struggle with the housing market, then conceding he’ll get a leg up is the latest weird development in a campaign getting weirder by the day, says Joe Hildebrand.
View in browser 15th April 2025
 

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Joe Hildebrand
Federal election correspondent

The problem with ordinary people is that they are extraordinarily hard to find. They’re out there — they’re everywhere — but just reaching them is hard enough, let alone trying to rope them into a public event or political campaign or media appearance.

Normal, sane people want nothing to do with that sort of kerfuffle.

And so the “ordinary people” rolled out as case studies in election campaigns often turn out to be paid actors in ads or undecided voters who are actually party members or battling mum and dad investors who turn out to have a property portfolio the size of Harry Triguboff’s.

But never before have I seen a politician roll out his own son.

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image‘The Block’ by Mark Knight

And this is the latest weird development in an election campaign that is getting weirder by the day.

Peter Dutton today brought his son Harry on the campaign trail for the second day in a row, which is hardly unusual. Politicians often have their families with them for the cameras.

What is downright odd, however, is the fact that Harry was yesterday showcased as an example of a young Australian who couldn’t get into the housing market, telling reporters he had been saving like mad but “it doesn’t look like we’ll get there”.

CLICK HERE FOR JOE HILDEBRAND'S FULL ANALYSIS

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

imageLiberal Party drop a bizarre attack on Labor

The Liberal Party has dropped a bizarre attack on Labor releasing studio-produced rap diss tracks aimed at the prime minister and Labor’s “cost of living failures”.

The first diss track was released at the Opposition’s campaign launch in Western Sydney on Sunday, which a party spokesman said used a format popularised by feuding rappers Nas and Jay-Z, but was about groceries and rent.

A music video “Leaving Labor” was released by the party today aimed at the high cost of groceries and rent, and Labor’s failed promises to bring down electricity prices.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

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