Opinion: Dutton has proven he’s a contender for top job

Dutton is shaping to be the country’s best Defence Minister since Kim Beazley and could be the best future contender for The Lodge, writes Peter Gleeson.

When Peter Dutton was making his ill-fated tilt at the Prime Ministership, there were many conservatives who doubted that a Queensland ex-cop could carry states such as Victoria and NSW.

Sure, he had done a stellar job in Home Affairs, was seen as a first-class media performer and had the respect of his colleagues.

But could Dutton translate that raw appeal into votes in those key states? It was the big unknown that ultimately swayed the vote to Scott Morrison.

As it turned out, Dutton became the stalking horse to remove the recalcitrant Malcolm Turnbull and Morrison took a glorious run up the rails to secure victory.

Morrison then went on to win the election, proving his supporters right and while many Tories suggest Morrison’s natural successor should be Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Dutton has emerged as the Coalition’s star performer.

In Dutton, you have a no nonsense guy who is cutting through the bureaucracy to close those yawning deficiencies in our defence, writes Peter

His handling of Defence, quite simply, has been superb. While excelling in Home Affairs, Dutton is shaping to be the country’s best Defence Minister since Kim Beazley.

This week’s historic US-UK-Australia deal on nuclear powered submarines cements Dutton’s extraordinary role within the portfolio.

He led the mission and executed perfectly. He is regarded within the senior echelons of Defence as decisive and strategic.

The decision to scrap the $90 billion program to build French designed subs is overdue, while there will be an increased presence of American nuclear subs in the region.

By beefing up our military strength, Australia has signalled to China that if they want to try something on, they will have to deal with a US-UK-Australia alliance.

This is significant. Talk to Australia’s captains of industry and ask them what is our biggest challenge going forward and they won’t nominate Covid-19 or climate change, but it is the trade and military threat of China.

Australia must get fair dinkum about our military capability. Right now, it is sadly falling behind other major countries, and we are a poorer nation for it.

In Dutton, you have a no nonsense guy who is cutting through the bureaucracy to close those yawning deficiencies in our defence.

PM Scott Morrison and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture Kym Smith

But he has inherited a problem that he now needs to tackle before it gets out of hand. Canberra insiders suggest Chief of Defence Force Angus Campbell is being pressured to leave before the end of his “contract”.

A number of people within Defence believe Campbell’s reputation is tarnished, particularly after the ill-fated decision to strip Afghan heroes of their meritorious unit citations, and indeed their identity, which Dutton subsequently overturned.

That was a genuine blow for Campbell, who does not inspire the troops.

Senior ADF leadership has been badly served in recent years. Former Australian of the Year David Morrison floated to the top without serious command experience between lieutenant colonel and chief of army.

Dutton now needs to look outside the normal line of succession and quickly appoint Campbell’s successor, and it can’t be one of Campbell’s acolytes.

In relation to succession planning going on in the LNP, Frydenberg and Dutton would easily and seamlessly handle The Lodge.

Unlike another Queensland ex-cop who never made it to Kirribilli House, Labor’s Bill Hayden, Dutton is ready-made for the job. His time may well come.

Ends