Peter Dutton has branded planned vehicle fuel efficiency standards as a “ute tax”, injecting the issue into the Dunkley byelection, an outer suburban seat where commuters are highly reliant on cars.

Mr Dutton linked the government’s fuel standards push to cost-of-living but denied the March 2 byelection would be a vote on his leadership, while Anthony Albanese insisted Labor was not taking its hold on the seat for granted despite changes to stage three tax cuts going down well with voters.