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Vote teal, get another politician

The kinder, gentler style of politics championed by teal politicians doesn’t extend to criticising Anthony Albanese for his calculated personal attacks on Peter Dutton. It confirms a well-established trend for the protest party representatives who claim to be independent but co-operate on policy, fundraising and public sanctimony.

Since entering federal parliament, thanks in large measure to the deep pockets of business-savvy renewable energy supporters, the teals have failed to make a dent on real policy, given it is the Greens who hold the balance of power position in the federal Senate. Teal MPs have a record of voting mostly with the ALP and Greens, despite representing what were long-held conservative seats in the nation’s major cities. This is why the Coalition believes the best way to combat the threat of the teals is to let the public know about their deeds, not words.

The reaction of teal MPs to the Prime Minister’s latest attempts at smearing the character of an opponent who is stronger than expected smacks of hypocrisy. In a public outburst this week, Mr Albanese said the federal Opposition Leader was “cold-hearted, mean-spirited, sometimes just plain nasty”. He said Mr Dutton had built a career on “dividing people”. “He’s built a career on targeting people, particularly people who are vulnerable,” Mr Albanese said.

When questioned, teal MPs were reluctant to criticise the Prime Minister for what in any other context could be considered his un-PC and brutalist behaviour. For jaded voters, the old maxim rings true: vote teal and get just another politician.

Read related topics:Anthony AlbanesePeter Dutton

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/editorials/vote-teal-get-another-politician/news-story/ab10b9ee23f6af357b278e2afd099caf