Voters want strong leadership

Peter Dutton has made the right decision elevating Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to take on more responsibility and tackle “government efficiency”. The move will allow Senator Nampijinpa Price more freedom to demonstrate to a wider audience the character and determination she is able to bring to politics. The move has echoes of what is happening in the US, where Donald Trump has set his sights on big savings in government spending through a process overseen by billionaire Elon Musk.

The federal government no doubt will seize upon Senator Nampijinpa Price’s new role to bolster its narrative against the Opposition Leader that he will cut back on services and spending.

The fact is there will always be value in putting what government spends taxpayers’ money on to a rigorous cost-benefit test. This is particularly so in Senator Nampijinpa Price’s area of expertise, Indigenous affairs. One of the big revelations from the voice referendum was how could taxpayers and Indigenous Australians get so little return from the billions of dollars spent annually on programs designed to improve the outcomes for Indigenous Australians. Senator Nampijinpa Price’s new remit must be bigger than Indigenous welfare. It is an opportunity to forcefully inject the core Liberal values of aspiration and self-reliance into the political equation. This is the opposite of the message being sent by Anthony Albanese, who remains focused on increasing spending, particularly in the care economy, to the detriment of those trying to operate and compete in the private sector. At this stage, voters appear to appreciate the difference. The latest Newspoll figures show that with an election due within months, Labor’s primary vote is two points behind its last election result, and the Prime Minister has a net approval rating of minus 20. A majority of voters expect a Coalition victory is the most likely election outcome.

Mr Dutton is being forced to tread a narrow path but his latest reshuffle is a sign he is prepared to take risks and make his decisions on merit. The elevation of home affairs spokesman James Paterson and housing spokesman Michael Sukkar to the Coalition leadership group reflects the success they have had in getting the Liberal message across on what will continue to be key issues for the community throughout the election campaign. The challenge for Mr Dutton is to explain to voters why good economic management matters. This includes encouraging small businesses with genuine reforms tax and regulation. Labor wants to focus its campaign on Mr Dutton’s character but voters want strong leadership and substance, and at this point are prepared to give Mr Dutton the benefit of the doubt.