Peter Dutton warns men have ‘had enough’ of diversity hires

Both sides of politics has launched a battle for the blokes with Peter Dutton warning men have “had enough” of being painted as ogres.

Peter Dutton has warned young men “have had enough” of being painted as ogres and being passed over for promotion because of the rise of affirmative action policies that demand more women are promoted.

The Liberal leader issued the warning during an epic 90 minute sit down interview with self-made millionaire and TV star Mark Bouris on his podcast Straight Talk.

During the discussion, he also riffed on his 4.30am alarm and his meditation habits and how working in a butcher shop and as a cop shaped his outlook.

But he’s hinted the pendulum has swung too far on gender, insisting that nobody should be discriminated against on the basis of gender or race.

“Where does it come from? I think there are a lot of universities who have worked on this. I think it’s a movement of the left. And again, this is a business model for some people,’’ Mr Dutton said.

Peter Dutton (pictured with his wife Kirilly) is making his pitch to Australian voters. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Donald Trump has taken a stand against so-called “diversity hires”. Photo by Kevin Lamarque / AFP

“And I just don’t believe that we should discriminate on the basis of gender or race or on any basis.”

He then suggested that some young males in the US and overseas were angry and had “had enough” of diversity hiring.

“When they look at young males who are moving, I think a lot of young males feel disenfranchised and feel ostracised, and they’re saying, ‘Well, hang on, I have nothing but respect for women, and I would never treat my female friends differently than my male friends.’

The pair spoke for well over an hour, with Mr Dutton saying men are sick of being treated as “ogres”.

“But I’m being told that I’m some sort of ogre, or I have some belief structure which is true to that, which I know is, is, you know, what I hold in my heart.

“I think there’s just a point where people are fed up.

“They’re pushing back and saying, ‘well, why am I being overlooked at work for a job, you know, three jobs running when I’ve got, you know, a partner at home, and she’s decided to stay at home with three young kids, and I want a promotion at work so that I can help pay the bills at home’ and so I think all of that has morphed.”

Mr Dutton said many CEOs were now too scared to speak up.

Peter Dutton has lashed out against a male-bashing culture in Australia.

He was speaking on a podcast with Mark Bouris.

“I mean, a lot of CEOs who are public listed companies, who have got HR and marketing people saying to them, don’t enter into these debates,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“Don’t say anything. Whereas a generation ago, the CEOs of BHP or Coles or Myers or, you know, the big sort of iconic brands felt an obligation to be on the front page of the fin (Financial Review) advocating for tax change or for industrial relations reform.

“Or for, you know, workplace, whatever it might have been and now they’re they only feel that they can comment on in support of some of the work causes because their marketing people are telling them that will get them greater popularity online again.

“I just think it’s a level of weakness that doesn’t serve our country, our country’s best interests.”

US President Donald Trump and “two genders”

Mr Dutton was also asked about US President Donald Trump’s claim there are only two genders.

“There’s a big debate in the UK, where there’s a Labor government at the moment, there’s a big debate there about this issue and medications and what doctors are prescribing, and particularly for younger children who might identify in a way that we wouldn’t have seen a generation ago,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“Well, I default back to the position that I took before, and that is about, firstly, the innocence of childhood, I want to do everything I can to provide an environment where kids can be brought up in an environment where, frankly, they’re not being pressured one way or the other, that they can be themselves, that they can live a happy and peaceful existence.

“And that has come traditionally, in my case, from the perspective of, you know, making sure that children aren’t the subject of physical or sexual abuse.

“But it also extends into curriculum and into the education system, and I think, right with the whole influence of social media now, kids are being forced to grow up much more quickly than what they otherwise would have.

“I am also a strong believer in the individual, which is a core part of, you know, the liberal belief and the men’s tradition in our party.

“And I don’t, as a government, have a role to play in somebody’s private life or their sexual life and their identity and how they deal with that s an issue for them.

“Where it causes me concern is, if you’ve got an activist teacher talking to a year three class, or talking to, you know, seven or eight year olds or nine year olds, which is at odds with what their parents believe they should be taught.

“And I think it comes down to parental decision and parental discussion.”

Peter Dutton predicts anti-woke revolution

Peter Dutton recently declared he would be the better PM to deal with US President Donald Trump amid a worldwide political revolution as voters decide they have had enough of the “woke” agenda.

In an interview with Sky News’ Sharri Markson, the Liberal leader has predicted that political correctness “isn’t cutting it” anymore when people can’t afford to pay their bills and their mortgage.

“I think this is turning and I think there is going to be a near revolution that comes with the Trump administration,’’ Mr Dutton told Sky News.

“In relation to a lot of the woke issues that might be fashionable in universities and at the ABC that just aren’t cutting it around kitchen tables at the moment where people can’t pay their bills.

Peter Dutton will fight it out with Anthony Albanese at the election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“They can’t pay their mortgage, their insurance has gone up, their grocery bill has gone up, they just see a government with the wrong priorities.

“And I think people are sick of being ostracised and sick of being vilified.”

Mr Dutton said the referendum on the Voice was another turning point.

“And I think the Voice in our country, to be honest, allowed people an opportunity to be able to speak again about issues that they felt important to order, including Australia Day, which I think is an important debate for our country to have,’’ he said.

Mr Dutton has recently declared he will not display two flags at official press conferences if elected.

“We’re not going to have reconciliation when we have people living under three different flags,’’ Mr Dutton said.

“We have one national flag, and that’s incredibly important.”

Asked about the Paris agreement, Mr Dutton said, “I think we’ve been pretty firm in our commitment to net zero by 2050.”

“That’s a commitment that we take seriously and that we honour,’’ he said.

Originally published as Peter Dutton warns men have ‘had enough’ of diversity hires