Peter Dutton exploded after being asked a simple question about Australia Day, criticizing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “unhinged” and “weak”.
Asked if he would attend a national Australia Day event in Canberra, the furious opposition leader unequivocally ruled it out.
‘No, I won’t. “No,” he said, seeming exasperated by the question.
When asked why not, Mr Dutton explained: “Well, first of all, it’s not tradition. And I know the Prime Minister is going on about this, but, frankly, I think he’s quite unhinged at the moment in some of his comments.
And not much of it is based on facts. So I wouldn’t look at the political tricks, I would look at the values that he presides over, because he looks for distractions.
‘He divided the country with The Voice and spent half a billion dollars that was wasted. It has divided our country ever since.
“The Australia Day episode and the way he tried to walk on both sides of the road is another example of that.”
The annual debate over the January 26 date for Australia Day, which some indigenous people call “Invasion Day”, is once again reaching a boiling point.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) exploded with anger when asked a question about Australia Day, criticizing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “unhinged” and “weak”.
The annual debate over the January 26 date for Australia Day, which some indigenous people call ‘Invasion Day’, is again reaching a boiling point (pictured, Australia Day on the Gold Coast)
Dutton said if the Coalition wins the next federal election, he would consider legislation to permanently recognize January 26 as Australia Day.
“I’m happy to see the suggestion and happy to make sure we continue to be proud of who we are as a country,” he said.
‘If people don’t want to celebrate Australia Day, that’s entirely their choice. I feel comfortable with it and relaxed with it. That’s your decision.
“But I don’t want woke CEOs and a weak Prime Minister telling me I can’t celebrate Australia Day.”
Dutton also wants to rescind the government’s policy of allowing councils to opt out of holding citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.
That policy was changed by the Albanese government in 2022, leading to 81 councils refusing to hold official Australia Day ceremonies in 2024.
Albanese said his local council holds citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day and confirmed he will attend National Australia Day commemorations this year.
‘I hope Peter Dutton this year decides to join the National Australia Day celebrations in Canberra. “That’s what I did as opposition leader,” he said.
Albanese (pictured) said his local council holds citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day and confirmed he will attend National Australia Day commemorations this year.
But Dutton said Albanese pandered to woke urban voters on Australia Day.
“The Prime Minister… has made decisions that he believes will be popular with inner-city left-wing Green voters because in his seat he is at greater risk from the Greens,” he said.
‘That is what seems to dominate the Prime Minister’s every thought.
“But unfortunately for people in Ipswich and across Blair, across the Somerset region and in outer metropolitan areas across the country, they have been forgotten by this Prime Minister.”
Dutton also spoke about why he believes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags should be removed from press conferences held by Coalition MPs.
“I have great respect for the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, but they are not the national flags,” he said.
The election, expected to be held in April or May, is on a knife’s edge, with Labor and the Coalition tied 50-50 on a two-party preference basis in the latest polls.