Peter Dutton’s ‘anti-woke’ campaign echoes Trump’s rhetoric in Australia

Peter Dutton’s strategy targets cultural issues and economic concerns as he challenges Anthony Albanese in the upcoming election.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Australian Parliament House on August 22, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

By Clarisa Sendy and Widya Putri

With Australia’s election season in full swing, opposition leader Peter Dutton has drawn comparisons to former U.S. President Donald Trump with his aggressive rhetoric and focus on cultural grievances. He has attacked what he calls the “woke brigade” of banks, grocery stores, and even pub chains for addressing environmental and Indigenous issues. He has also voiced concerns about young men feeling “disenfranchised and ostracized” by diversity initiatives and appointed a shadow minister for government efficiency.

Dutton, who leads Australia’s main center-right party, hopes to unseat Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in an election that must be held by May 17. With inflation concerns dominating public discourse, he has accused Albanese of being too distracted by progressive issues—such as Indigenous rights—to effectively address rising costs and the housing crisis.

Albanese has responded with economic measures, including tax cuts, and claims that inflation is now under control, dropping to a three-year low of 3.2%. However, a recent NewsPoll survey revealed that 57% of respondents disapproved of his performance, marking his lowest approval rating since taking office in 2022. The poll also showed Dutton closing in on Albanese in a direct leadership comparison, signaling that his campaign message is resonating with some voters.

Voter reactions to Dutton’s messaging

For many voters, Dutton’s blunt rhetoric is appealing. Louise Pridham, a retired nurse from Sydney’s Cronulla suburb, said she appreciates his directness. “He says it as it is. There’s no wokeness in it,” she stated. Her husband, Nigel Pridham, a builder, agreed, noting that while they are not Trump supporters, they find Dutton’s messaging validating.

Dutton, a 57-year-old former policeman, has built a reputation for his hardline stance on immigration and asylum seekers. His critics and supporters alike have noted parallels between him and Trump. On Friday, he doubled down on his criticisms of diversity and inclusion policies, just hours after Trump blamed such policies—without evidence—for a deadly plane-helicopter collision in the U.S.

“Positions advertised have included culture, diversity and inclusion advisers, change managers, and internal communication specialists,” Dutton said, referencing government job openings. “Such positions do nothing to improve the lives of everyday Australians.” His office did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump’s influence on global right-wing politics

Trump’s return to political prominence has emboldened right-wing figures across Europe, reinforcing nationalist and conservative agendas. In Australia, however, the ideological landscape is more complex. A 2019 survey found that the country’s conservative base aligned more closely with Hillary Clinton supporters in the U.S. than with Trump’s voter base. Last year, a poll indicated that only about 20% of Australians would have chosen Trump over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical U.S. election.

Dutton has long signaled his opposition to progressive social policies. In 2021, while serving as defense minister, he banned rainbow-colored clothing at military events supporting LGBTQ+ awareness. Two years later, his party gained momentum when a referendum to establish an Indigenous advisory body in Parliament was soundly defeated—despite being a key initiative of Albanese’s government. Opponents framed the proposal as divisive, arguing that it placed undue emphasis on colonial injustices.

Australia Day and the culture wars

One of Dutton’s most vocal positions has been his defense of Australia Day, celebrated on January 26 to mark the arrival of British settlers in 1788. Many Indigenous Australians view the holiday as a painful reminder of colonial oppression and have called for it to be abolished or moved. However, public sentiment appears to be shifting in favor of keeping the holiday. A Sydney Morning Herald poll last month found that 61% of Australians supported maintaining Australia Day in its current form, a significant increase from 47% the previous year.

Mark Kenny, director of the Australian Studies Institute at Australian National University, argues that Dutton’s rhetoric appeals to disillusioned working-class voters. “There’s a long-simmering sense of dissatisfaction, of being ignored, of not being heard,” Kenny said. “When Dutton says ‘woke,’ it’s vague and imprecise, but that doesn’t matter—people interpret it in a way that aligns with their frustrations.”

Despite Dutton’s rising popularity, Australia’s electoral system poses challenges for candidates relying on single-issue voter mobilization. Voting is compulsory, with noncompliance resulting in fines, and turnout regularly exceeds 90%. Unlike in the U.S., where voter turnout can dramatically shape election outcomes, Australian elections are decided by a broad cross-section of the population.

While Dutton has embraced elements of Trump’s political style, he has avoided some of the more extreme positions associated with the former U.S. president. He has resisted pressure from coalition partners to make transgender issues a campaign focus and has indicated that he would not withdraw Australia from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Opportunistic rhetoric or genuine ideology?

Graeme Turner, emeritus professor of cultural studies at the University of Queensland, believes Dutton’s use of Trump-style rhetoric is more about political expediency than deep ideological commitment. “I doubt you could find a politician who could clearly define ‘woke,’” Turner said. “It’s become a convenient slogan—a way to dismiss any idea they don’t like without engaging in substantive debate.”

Dutton’s deputy, Sussan Ley, reignited controversy last week by comparing British colonization to Elon Musk’s ambitions to settle Mars. “They did not come to destroy or to pillage,” she said, prompting widespread criticism and mockery.

Despite the political posturing, some Australians remain indifferent to the cultural debates dominating headlines. John Gallop, a Sydney resident visiting the site where Captain James Cook first landed in 1770, shrugged off the controversy. “It wouldn’t matter to me if they changed the date,” he said. “There’s so much more we need to fix in Australia.”

As the election approaches, Dutton’s strategy of invoking cultural grievances while positioning himself as a champion of economic concerns will be tested at the ballot box. While his rhetoric has energized segments of the electorate, it remains unclear whether it will be enough to unseat Albanese in a high-turnout election system. Regardless of the outcome, Dutton’s approach reflects the growing global influence of Trump’s political style, reshaped for Australia’s unique political landscape.