Opposition Leader Peter Dutton delivers blistering attack on Labor ahead of election

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has slammed Labor as “shameless” and a “bad government” as he declared LNP was headed for victory in coming elections.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has slammed the Labor party as “shameless” as he declared the LNP is in a strong position to win both the Queensland and federal elections.

Mr Dutton delivered a blistering speech at the annual LNP convention on Saturday, where he criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over his government’s track record.

He claimed federal Labor had left a trail of broken election promises in their wake after two years in government, including a pledge to reduce energy prices by $275 which has not materialised.

“And the prime minister now is telling us that there are better times ahead, even though every credible economic analyst in the country is saying interest rates are likely to go up again for the 13th and 14th time,’’ the Opposition Leader said.

“He can’t give you the details about how he will make things improve.”

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (right) has thrown his support behind Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

Mr Dutton claimed the Prime Minister had “no positive message” for Australians after two years in government, and argued the LNP was in a solid position to claim victory at the 2025 federal election .

“We are credible, we have momentum, we’re putting pressure onto a bad government, we are a united team,” he told the crowd.

LNP leadership would show Australians that “tough decisions have to be made” in the interests of the country, the Opposition Leader claimed.

“We need to make sure that we can make the tough economic decisions because Australian families deserve an opportunity to get our country back on track,” he said.

Also on Saturday, Queensland-based Nationals leader David Littleproud took to the stage to declare he has been “proud” to work alongside Mr Dutton in the opposition.

Federal Nationals Leader David Littleproud speaks during the LNP Convention in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

“I don’t believe that our two great parties have ever been as close as what they’re today. And that’s founded on one simple principle, trust,” he said.

“ I trust Peter Dutton. He’s a man of great integrity, of strength, of character and courage. And that is what we will go to the next election saying to the Australian people, looking them square in the eye, how it is and what we’re going to do to fix it.”

In the address to hundreds of LNP faithful, Mr Dutton also took aim at the “shameless” tactics of Queensland’s Labor party and Premier Steven Miles ahead of the state’s election on October 26.

Mr Dutton slammed Premier Steven Miles (pictured) for going on a spending spree. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

He charged the Premier with trying to buy votes with a one-off $1000 electricity rebate and 50 cent public transport fees in a “going-out-of-business sale”.

“This premier’s shameless vote-buying tactics can’t paper over Labor’s policy failures or conceal Queensland’s grim economic reality,” Mr Dutton said.

“It doesn’t get any more cynical than that.

He thinks Queenslanders are stupid and they’re not.“

The Opposition Leader threw his full support behind Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli before voters head to the polls in October.

He declared Mr Crisafulli would be an “outstanding Premier” who would “bring about change for the better”.

The Queensland Opposition Leader had formulated “a vision to revitalise the state” and “a plan to end (the) despair” felt by Queenslanders.

Recent polling indicates the LNP is set for victory in the upcoming Queensland election.

Mr Dutton’s endorsement comes despite Queensland LNP’s opposition to his nuclear energy plan, which proposes to build seven nuclear power plants if the Coalition wins the federal election.

Mr Dutton has declared his support for Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli during the LNP Convention in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

The Opposition Leader has so far refused to elaborate on the details of the plan, which experts estimate would cost at least $116bn.

Mr Crisafulli has previously said the nuclear energy proposal was not part of the Queensland LNP plan for the state.

The hot button issue was a noticeable omission from the list of 173 topics to be discussed during the three day convention.

But Mr Littleproud described nuclear energy as the future for regional Australia.

“Regional Australians in the seven locations have been very clear, they want a different future than that Anthony Albanese is posing in an all-renewables approach,” he said.

“Why shouldn’t we have a sensible approach of not having concentration risk in putting all our energy eggs in one basket?”

Mr Littleproud told the annual convention transitioning cold-fired stations to nuclear would result in a future regional Australia that isn’t “littered” with transmission lines, wind turbines and solar panels.

Members will debate a range of issues including declaring support for Israel and denouncing anti-Semitic attacks at home, making pepper spray legal for self-defence, and abolishing the eSafety Commission.

Nearly 1000 party faithful are expected to attend the annual convention in the largest turnout in more than a decade.

Queensland-based Nationals leader David Littleproud will also address the crowd on Saturday.

Originally published as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton delivers blistering attack on Labor ahead of election