Here we are now, entertain us: Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore introduces Peter Dutton at Leadership Matters

Here we are 14 days into this election campaign. Another three weeks to go. And right now too many Australians couldn’t give two stuffs who will run the country after May 3.

They may not know what they like, but they know what they don’t like. And – according to research – that’s best captured in 5 simple words: Peter. Dutton. And. Anthony. Albanese.

In fairness, most Australians don’t really have a clue who Peter Dutton is at this point.

However, in the true style of modern election campaigns.

We have learnt an awful lot about him the past fortnight ... thanks mostly to Anthony Albanese.

Peter Dutton is going to steal my Medicare card.

And make us pay - for the first time ever - to see a doctor.

But there will be fewer doctors - so we will have to wait.

And then pay.

He is going to make me work in the office.

And he will sack anyone who self-identifies as a public servant.

- police and firefighters and nurses and your mum.

And anyone else who wants to work from home.

Even if he can’t get rid of them. He will try.

He will make us all respond to emails from the boss on weekends.

He will unleash a nuclear wasteland in Collie, creating ponds full of three-eyed fish.

At the same time he will make electricity much more expensive than it is today.

And by using clean carbon-free nuclear energy he will also increase emissions.

He will most likely make Gina Rinehart governor general.

He will hike our taxes.

He will not only slash government spending and cut essential services.

But also at the same time blow the budget - by spending at record levels.

He will close schools.

And hospitals.

He will drive up inflation and kill off the economy.

Force Interest rates up again, and grocery prices.

He will send the nation into recession and make everyone feel a lot worse off than they do today.

We will lose our jobs.

But if we don’t - Peter Dutton will cut all of our wages anyway.

He will definitely bring back climate change.

He will divide Australia by slashing migration.

And shut down unis.

He will start talking to the US president.

So much so that he will become Donald Trump … and also be his puppet.

He will make us less safe by spending less on defence and destroy Aukus.

But also – he will be a war monger.

And plunge us into another cold war with China. Like his mate Scomo did last time.

Before this election campaign, I did not know any of that about Peter Dutton.

In fact Mr Albanese and his quirky sidekick Jim Chalmers last week further enlightened us about who this bloke actually is, revealing that Mr Dutton is not even a Queenslander.

To me, he looks like one. Talks like one. Acts like one. Dresses like one.

But apparently not. He’s a fake.

According to the Mr Albanese, he – yes Albo himself - is more of a Queenslander than Peter Dutton is.

Albo’s been there 30 times and no fair dinkum Queenslander would ever leave the state for a couple of hours like Mr Dutton did, three days before a storm.

He might as well have gone to Hawaii.

Or an Airbnb in Copacobana.

Not a Queenslander and Unaustralian.

This is prime ministerial politics in 2025.

Feel free to reach for the tissues on our table to weep, it gets worse.

Peter Dutton is here today and will try to convince us he understands WA.

I’ve also learnt this past fortnight that Mr Dutton has not been here 30 times.

He does not know WA like Anthony Albanese does. How could he?

On the other hand Albo is one of us.

Nothing screams Perthonality like a rugby league-loving bloke from the inner-city slums of Sydney.

Throughout this campaign, Anthony Albanese relentlessly, religiously renders this image of Peter Dutton.

It’s any wonder most Australians prefer not to listen to politicians.

And it’s obvious why they have lost all faith in the political process.

Australians have a great bullshit detector. But it’s harder to spot when you’re drowning in it and the stench follows you around.

It’s silly but stunningly effective.

Truth, honesty, conviction, trust. Shamefully, these words have no meaning in politics today.

But here we are. Time to choose a government

Peter Dutton has had three years to rehearse for this campaign, to prepare for these 33 odd days.

But so far it’s hard not to think he has been caught in quicksand since it kicked off.

Anthony Albanese is match fit, super confident, and shameless.

In mocking and monstering his opponent, he is brutal and ballistic.

And frankly, Peter Dutton has at times looked a bit punch drunk.

Mesmerised by Labor’s mind games and mired in their mendacity.

Luckily for him, voters are yet to fully engage.

Today will be the beginning of the final stretch.

Mr Dutton must start landing his punches, nailing the message and capturing the attention of the masses.

We are living in wild times.

The world is not what it used to be, politics certainly isn’t either.

Right now we have mainstream candidates, who are actively courting the Hamas vote.

The same lot who will most likely hold the balance of power in the next parliament.

The crazy doesn’t just live in the White House.

Our Prime Minister must be tested every day of this campaign, he should be savaged by the press, so that he can prove to Australians that he can be a better leader than he has been the past three years.

And Peter Dutton must rise to the occasion to give voters a legitimate alternative.

Is he a contender? Or will he be consigned to history like Peacock, Hewson and the others who were given a chance and fell short?

If he wants to be prime minister – Mr Dutton must make it happen. It won’t be handed to him.

Today and this weekend the election campaign is all about WA.

Mr Dutton here this morning. And Mr Albanese launching his campaign in Perth on Sunday.

We are skeptical at the best of times about east coast imposters.

Any love in WA for Albanese is tepid. But Peter Dutton has so far failed to inspire this state to turn against the first term PM.

Maybe we will. Maybe we won’t.

If he is to become PM, he must turn this state back to blue.

In the words of the great 90s philosopher Kurt Cobain, Mr Dutton.

Here we are now, entertain us.