Release the hound
Jim Chalmers is acting as the government's attack dog against Peter Dutton. Whether the strategy will pay off is an open question.
Jim Chalmers is well known for his lengthy monologues on the economy and scathing criticism of the economic plans of his competitors. But he hasn’t typically used his platform to viciously attack opponents on their personal characteristics.
That tactic has clearly changed. The shift could not have been more obvious when the federal treasurer delivered the John Curtin Oration in Melbourne on Monday evening. He dedicated the first chunk of his speech to deferential reflections on Curtin and his usual stirring views on where the Australian economy is going, including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, renewable energy and the challenge of an ageing population.
But he spent a solid amount of his time hitting back at not just Liberal economic credentials but also Peter Dutton’s character. This followed the opposition leader’s calls over the last two sitting weeks for a pause on visas from war-torn Gaza.
“He is the most divisive leader of a major political party in Australia’s modern history – and not by accident, by choice,” Chalmers said.
