Jeff Kennett: The four simple pledges Peter Dutton should have campaigned on

This federal election campaign has stood out for its lack of vision and character — here are four simple pledges Peter Dutton should have made to Australia.

Last Friday we commemorated Anzac Day around Australia.

Moving events where we remembered the 60,000 young Australians who died in the First World War and the thousands who died physically or mentally soon after returning home.

As an ex-serviceman, as I stood at my RSL on Friday morning, and was moved to ask the question yet again, what would those who have served think about their sacrifice given Australia today?

There are so many answers one could give.

Perhaps the three most important are: Australia still exists as an independent country, democracy is still the basis of our private and commercial existence, and there have been no military conflicts within our borders.

Therefore, we should be forever very grateful for those Australians who served and fought overseas on our behalf, at the direction of the politicians of the day.

This election campaign has lacked any long-term vision. Pictures Adam Head

That said, have we maximised the opportunities we have inherited?

Clearly not, as witnessed by the election campaign now concluding.

It lacks vision and courage by those who seek to govern our affairs.

The campaign has no personality.

There is no stake in the ground for articulating what we have to do to get Australia somewhere in five or 10 years, with the exception of one, the introduction of nuclear power to supplement our energy supply.

Otherwise, it is more about the same old same old.

Regardless of Australia’s deteriorating financial position, politicians are just throwing billions of dollars at the community in order to buy the support of those voting.

No fundamental reforms correcting existing policies that are no longer appropriate for the future and no new policies.

No real acknowledgment of younger Australians who at this election will make up the majority of voters.

If housing policies were meant to do the trick, they are only about incentives to purchase, they do not focus on how a large number of houses will be built.

No effort to attract the tradesmen and women we need from overseas, to make a genuine impact on building housing and providing rental accommodation.

No genuine effort to reduce the costs of building inflicted by governments federal and state.

Dutton’s nuclear pledge has been one of the few long-term stakes put in the ground. Picture: Sameer Al-Doumy

A couple of business leaders came out over the weekend raising some very real concerns about a tax being proposed by the government that will heavily undermine investment in new ventures while costing superannuants millions in unrealised gains on their assets.

The introduction of a death tax by another name! But Saturday! After a million votes have been cast? Too late, too little.

Where was their voice, their courage in the weeks leading up to the election?

When I have attended pre-polling booths over the last week most people only wanted to talk football.

They were not excited about the election offerings, in fact quite the reverse — they just wanted to get their vote out of the way.

The debates were boring, and revealed really nothing new, and one came after millions had voted.

Yes, this has been the most disrupted election, state or federal, I have ever observed.

The Queensland cyclone, Donald Trump’s actions getting so much consistent publicity, Easter, the Pope’s passing and Anzac Day, all interrupting the flow of the campaign.

Too many policies being announced every day as opposed to a few fundamental issues being hammered home.

The death of Pope Francis was one of many global interruptions to the election campaign. Picture: Alessandro Di Meo

For starters, I would have gone with:

• Freezing generalised immigration for three years and giving preference to those skills Australia needs, teachers, nurses, doctors and tradies.

• Cost of living, and all that encompasses.

• Fixing the appalling deterioration of Victorian roads which are increasingly an expensive health hazard.

• Looking after our senior citizens by in part guaranteeing the government will no longer attack their superannuation, while providing our young Australians with an aspirational environment, where their efforts are encouraged, respected and will be rewarded.

This election will be won and lost by seat-by-seat competitions.

As always there will be some surprises.

One in particular here in Victoria. I doubt there will be a large national swing.

Second, after watching the last debate, I asked myself if Australia’s security was threatened, which of the leaders would I have most confidence in representing Australia’s interests?

That was clearly Peter Dutton.

Of course I will accept the decision whatever it is, but I have concluded the majority of Australians are attending the polling booths because they have to, not because they want to.

Further, that we are just sliding into an increasingly complacent position, where we might be asking ourselves in a couple of years, how did we allow this to happen?

As Victorians are increasingly asking about the management of our affairs in our state.

I fear if we elect a minority government, at a time of great challenge, as a result of the Trump actions, Australia will not be in the best position to respond positively to those challenges.

Stay well.

Jeff Kennett is a former Premier of Victoria

Originally published as Jeff Kennett: The four simple pledges Peter Dutton should have campaigned on