Keen to see newcomer James Brown get-on-up, Opposition leader Peter Dutton has returned to the Northern Beaches seat of Mackellar today, highlighting the importance of the once safe seat to their campaign….
Australian Associated Press reports.
Flagging in the polls, Peter Dutton has urged party supporters to ignore the “hate media” and believe the election is still there for the coalition’s taking.
The opposition leader addressed back-to-back campaign rallies in Mona Vale and in Melbourne today, Sunday 27 April.
He said his team was in the fight of their lives over the next six days.
The opposition leader has kicked off a campaign blitz in the final stretch of the race with plans to visit up to 28 key seats across the country.
Mr Dutton was on a plane to Sydney shortly after an event in Melbourne – where the front row was filled with Liberal frontbenchers – accompanied by party elders in the seat of Mackellar, held by independent Sophie Scamps.
Driving through the teal-held electorate, corflutes depicting both Anthony Albanese on a backdrop of red and Mr Dutton on blue carry the tagline: “The parties are the problem.”
The Liberals are desperate to win the seat back after losing it at the 2022 election.
Speaking at a rally at Mona Vale Bowling Club, Mr Dutton joked about being egged on to drink from his shoe at Townsville RSL on Anzac Day.
“I resisted and I think I was wise to do so – it would have been wildly popular at the time in the crowd and I got a boo because I wasn’t prepared to do it,” he said.
“I just think it wouldn’t have played out so well around the rest of the country and I may well be in hospital now as a result of having done that.”
Former prime minister John Howard was on hand to introduce Liberal candidate James Brown, lauding his service to the nation through the military and now politics.
He described Mr Brown as a “quintessential decent Australian bloke”.
“Good luck mate, you’re going to win,” Mr Howard added.
Mr Brown, an ex-army officer, was previously married to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s daughter Daisy.
The latest data from the Australian Electoral Commission shows 2.4 million voters had already cast a ballot as of Saturday, while another 500,000 people had returned a postal vote.
Meet the candidates in this year’s federal election.
