Peter Dutton has made a last-ditch effort to shift the focus of the federal election to crime, unveiling a $750 million policy package just a day before early voting begins.
The Opposition Leader announced plans to introduce a UK-style child sex offender register, allowing parents to check if individuals in contact with their children have a history of crimes against minors,9 news report.
“This register is an idea whose time has come – and it is now time to put it into force to protect our kids,” Dutton said.
“The scheme will serve as a powerful deterrent to offenders and importantly will enable parents to be fully informed about their child’s safety.”
A similar pilot program is currently being trialled in Western Australia.
Nearly half of the $750 million package will be directed towards a dedicated taskforce aimed at cracking down on illicit drug activity.
In response to the Coalition’s announcement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out that his government had already taken action in this space.
“I do find it rather perplexing that the Coalition seems unaware of the National Child Offender System, the $350 million crackdown on illegal tobacco, and the work of the Australian Border Force,” he said.
The announcement comes as early voting is set to begin tomorrow, with the latest polling painting a challenging picture for the Coalition.
According to the latest Newspoll published in The Australian, Labor maintains a 52-48 two-party preferred lead. The party’s first-preference vote has risen to 34 per cent – an improvement on the 32.58 per cent secured at the last election.
Albanese also extended his lead as preferred prime minister, now ahead of Dutton 52-36, marking his strongest performance in nearly a year. The Coalition’s first preference support remains steady at 35 per cent, roughly matching its 2022 result.
A separate Redbridge and Accent Research poll surveying 20 marginal seats found Labor now holds a 54.5-45.5 two-party lead – a swing of 3.5 percentage points since the last election.
Despite the favorable numbers, Albanese said Labor would not be complacent.