Australian news and politics recap March 27: Peter Dutton outlines election pitch in Budget reply

This concludes our live news and politics coverage for the day.

Scroll back through for all of the highlights in Opposition Peter Dutton’s Budget reply speech and more from earlier today.

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In closing, Dutton called on Aussies to “make the right choice” at the polls.

“We’re ready to govern, we’re ready to deliver, a stronger economy with lower inflation, cheaper energy, affordable homes, quality healthcare and safer communities, and we will govern with respect for the views, values and vision of everyday Australians,” he said.

“Australians are worse off under the Albanese government and Australians cannot afford three more years of this bad Labor Government.

“I say to Australians tonight, at this election you can make the right choice. A better choice for you, a better choice for your family, and a better choice for your country.

“Together, let’s build a stronger, safer and better Australia, and let’s together get our country back on track.”

“This election is as much about leadership as it is about policy and the choice is clear at the next election,” Dutton said.

“I will be a strong leader with a steady hand. I will make the tough decisions, not shirk them. I will put the national interests first. I will lead with conviction, not walk both sides of the street, and I’ll have real-life experience to demonstrate it.

“As a veteran of the police force who dedicated nine years to protecting Australians, especially women and children. A small business owner who started and successfully ran businesses, someone who came from a working class background and knows the value of hard work, and the aspiration that drives Australians.

“A parent, along with my wife, who understands the family is the most important unit in our society.”

Dutton then went on to talk about anti-Semitism, defence, safety and immigration.

“Under the Coalition, we will provide the moral and political leadership needed to restore law, order and justice,” he said.

“We will establish a dedicated anti-Semitism task force to turn the tide of this scourge of hatred. Every Australian should be equally treated. We will work with states and territories to develop national uniform knife laws. We will toughen bail laws to stop domestic violence offenders.”

He added, “We will, again, stop the boats, just as we did in 2013, and we will again deport dangerous non-citizen criminals, just as I did as Home Affairs Minister in cancelling 6,300 visas of murderers, of sex offenders, and drug traffickers - something this government hasn’t continued.”

Dutton said a Coalition Government would invest in defence to play our part as a credible partner to deter aggression and to maintain peace.

“Our plan is to energise our domestic defence industry, and to retool the ADF with asymmetric capabilities to deter a larger adversary. During the election campaign, we will announce our significant funding commitment to Defence.”

Dutton said a Coalition Government would invest $9.4 billion into health.

“That includes incentivising junior doctors as I announced last year to work as GPs to address the current shortages at your local clinic,” he said.

“We will boost Medicare bulk-billing, we will invest in hospitals especially in high population growth areas where there’s the biggest strain on services.

“We will guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment to $25 and will invest $500 million into women’s health. And we’ll double the subsidised mental health sessions from 10 to 20 and make this arrangement permanent.

He added an additional $400 million would be invested into youth mental health services.

Dutton boasted the Coalition would cut the migration intake to free up housing and restore the great Australian dream of homeownership.

“We will cut the permanent migration program by 25%, we will ban foreign investors and temporary residents from purchasing existing Australian home force a period of two years,” he said.

“We will set stricter caps on foreign students to relieve stress on rental markets and we will invest $5 billion in essential infrastructure to get stalled housing projects up and going and it’s going to create 500,000 new homes. We’ll allow for first home buyers to access up to $50,000 of their super for a home deposit because it’s better to get into a home sooner.”

Dutton spruiked his plan to back small businesses.

“We’ve got tax relief coming for small business. We will increase the instant asset write-off from $1,000 under this government to $30,000 and we’re going to make that arrangement ongoing.

“We’ll provide a deduction up to $20,000 per year for small businesses, for business-related meal expenses which is also a much-needed shot in the arm for struggling cafes, restaurants and pubs.”

Dutton also committed to deregistering the CFMEU.

“The corrupt and disgraced CFMEU which has donated $11 million to the Labor Party that in turn has seen the Labor Party turn a blind eye to them and their illegal conduct. It will be deregistered.

“And the construction industry watchdog will be restored so that we can have safety again on big building sites.”

He added that anti-racketeering laws will be legislated and a dedicated Australian Federal Police-led task force will tackle criminal elements in the building sector.

Dutton also had a go at Albo for not commenting on a woman being injured by a CFMEU member.

“Prime Minister, I would never tolerate seeing a member of a union or any person for that matter kicking a woman on camera and not even commenting in relation to it. It was a disgrace and it was a disgrace that this government allowed it to happen. And it’s a common practice from the CFMEU.”

Dutton then hit out at Labor’s excessive regulation and interference in the economy, saying it had put pressure on industry and business.

“Sectors critical for our economy like mining, manufacture, forestry, fishing and agriculture have been crippled by Labor’s weaponisation of environment industry IR and cultural heritage laws,” he said.

“We’re seeing industries simply pack up and go offshore and international partners withdraw investment from our country.

“For all of Anthony Albanese’s walk and talk of a Future Made in Australia, the opposite is actually the fact. Less is being made in Australia under this government’s watch and more is being made abroad.”

He added the last three years were “a lesson, no government can subsidise the economy to success”.

“Under the Coalition we will build a stronger economy,” Dutton said. “Not only by getting power prices down but also by ripping up as much red and green tape as possible.

“Tonight, I commit to removing the regulatory burdens.

“My intention is to make Australia a mining, agricultural, construction and manufacturing powerhouse once again.”

In his speech, Dutton announced the Coalition’s national gas plan.

“Under the Coalition, energy will become affordable and reliable,” he said.

“We will immediately introduce an east coast gas reservation. This will require a portion between 50 to 100 petajoules for spot cargo exports to be delivered to the domestic market. This will secure an additional 10 to 20% of the east coast demand, gas which would otherwise be exported for use in other markets by consumers in those countries.

“But our gas needs to be first and foremost for our people.”

He said the Coalition would also protect Australia from international price shocks and drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from around $14 per gigajoule to under $10 per gigajoule.

“This is just the start,” Dutton said.

He added a Coalition Government would:

• Immediately audit development ready projects with a focus on the southern states.
• Fast track a decision on Western Australia’s north-west shelf project.
• Halve approval times.
• Defund the activist led environmental defenders office.
• Accelerate new investment into gas projects by reinstating a $300 million strategic basin plan and include gas in the capacity investment scheme.
• Invest $1 billion into a critical gas infrastructure fund and increase gas pipeline and storage capacity.

Dutton said this plan, would lower wholesale gas prices which will flow across the economy.

“The Coalition government will also secure our nation’s energy security for decades to come and over the longer term we will join the other 19 top economies in the world in adopting proven zero emissions nuclear power.”