Lech Blaine - Bad Cop: Peter Dutton’s Strongman Politics | Australia's Biggest Book Club

The latest Quarterly Essay by Lech Blaine is Australia’s Biggest Book Club book for April 2024, presented by the Australia Institute.
Who is Peter Dutton, and what happened to the Liberal Party? In Bad Cop, Lech Blaine traces the making of a hardman - from Queensland detective to leader of the Opposition, from property investor to minister for Home Affairs. This is a story of ambition, race and power, and a politician with a plan.
Dutton became Liberal leader with a strategy to win outer-suburban and regional seats from Labor. Since then we have seen his demolition of the Voice and a rolling campaign of culture wars.
What does Peter Dutton know about the Australian electorate? Has he updated Menzies’ Forgotten People pitch for the age of anxiety, or will he collapse the Liberals’ broad church? This revelatory portrait is sardonic, perceptive and altogether compelling.
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[@davidwilkie9551]

Contempt for honesty is characteristic of the prevailing attitudes that caused the decline of the political parties.

[@nottenvironmental6208]

Why are personal traits that are considered weak and without courage called strong? Attacking the unfortunate and lies in leadership is weak

[@zappy7393]

The irony about Dutton portraying he is not inner city is that his seat is right above Brisbane and as close as you can get without being in the city. He seems dense, unwilling to negotiate and lacking any kind of policy for the people he exerts he represents. Basically, he is the other side of Labor and nothing more.

[@stanstreatfield3485]

Yeah, i'd maybe say arsehole rather than strong man.Calling him a strong man is a positive thing for a lot of people , do we need to pander to this view.

[@jinnantonix4570]

Is he wearing a toupe'? The moustache looks suspicious too.