New low for adversarial politics

Anthony Albanese came to office 18 months ago promising to “change the way that politics operates in this country”. His goal, welcomed by many people who had had enough of hostile, personal muck-throwing across the political aisle, was to “rebuild respect’’ for politics. Such promises, easily made at the outset by a new government, are harder to put into practice mid-term, when many parties in government find themselves under serious pressure on several fronts.

For the Albanese government, its bungled response to the High Court’s ruling against indefinite detention, which has led to the release of 141 people – including murderers, rapists, child sex offenders and other criminals – from immigration detention is such an issue. The government was caught flat-footed by the decision, opening the way for the opposition to press home its advantage and push for legislation.

But political debate, unfortunately, has just got a whole lot grubbier. On Thursday, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells took adversarial politics to extremes. Asked on breakfast television whether Peter Dutton was a protector of pedophiles, she agreed.

It would be difficult to think of a more contemptible smear. Made without parliamentary privilege, it was amateurish and smacked of political desperation.

Mr Dutton, who set up the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, drew strong support from those familiar with his work in the sphere. “I’ve arrested sex offenders before; it’s one of my life’s passions to make sure that women and kids are safe, and I feel very genuinely and deeply about it,’’ he said. Ms Wells should offer the apology he has asked for.