Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has launched his election campaign in Melbourne, promising to reduce cost-of-living pressures and taking aim at the Albanese government. Reporter Leanne Wong is in Mount Waverley, in the Victorian seat of Chisholm, and has more on what happened at today’s rally.
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00:00Well, opposition leader Peter Dutton today was met with a rousing reception by about
00:06150 Liberal Party faithful who packed the Mount Waverley Centre behind me in order to
00:12witness his campaign launch.
00:14Now, today the Coalition launched a new slogan called Get Australia Back on Track, where
00:20the primary focus really was the cost of living.
00:23In his speech today, Peter Dutton really outlined and reiterated many of his existing priorities
00:29and policies, such as reducing the cost of living, curtailing the nation's migration
00:34program, having a tough approach to crime, addressing housing affordability, as well
00:40as delivering nuclear power.
00:42Now that last pledge in particular has been quite controversial in some sectors.
00:47Today a modest group of about two dozen gathered outside this centre to object Peter Dutton's
00:52promise to introduce nuclear energy.
00:54They urged him instead to consider renewables.
00:57Inside he wasn't swayed, notably as part of his pitch to become the next Prime Minister.
01:04Mr Dutton sought to, in his words, remind Australians of who he was, speaking about
01:09his background and his childhood.
01:11Let's take a listen to what he had to say today.
01:14I was born into an outer suburbs working class family.
01:18Mum and Dad, a secretary in Bricklayer, didn't have much money but they worked every day
01:22of their life.
01:23From grade 7, many many years ago, through to university, I threw newspapers, had a lawn
01:28mower run.
01:29I worked in a butcher shop after school and on Saturdays, from grade 7 until I started
01:35uni.
01:36I have saved diligently over those years and it allowed me to put together a deposit for
01:43a house.
01:44And I bought my first home at age 19, one of my proudest achievements.
01:50And Leanne, explain the significance of the Coalition picking Chisholm as the place to
01:54launch its campaign.
01:55Yeah, Peter Dutton choosing Victoria as a whole to launch his first election-style campaign
02:02is quite a clear indication of just how crucial this state is in order for the Coalition to
02:08form government.
02:09Currently, the Coalition holds just 10 out of 38 federal seats in Victoria, so clearly
02:14picking up more seats is crucial.
02:17Seats like Chisholm, which is where today's rally was held.
02:21Currently, Chisholm was previously held by the Liberal government.
02:25Labor picked it up at the last federal election with a margin of about 6.4%.
02:29However, that margin is now estimated to have been halved, weakening Labor's position after
02:35the Australian Electoral Commission abolished the nearby seat of Higgins.
02:40Now Katie Allen, who was the former member for Higgins and lost it at the last federal
02:44election, is now running to be the next member of Chisholm.
02:48Today, she described Chisholm as absolutely winnable for the Coalition and key to their
02:53hopes of forming the next government.
02:55The Coalition is hoping that the Albanese government will be the first one-term government
03:00in almost a century.