Bad cop with Lech Blaine | Summer Book Club

·34 min·3 clips

Lech Blaine traces how Peter Dutton built a career on inflammatory statements with a method to the venom.

This episode features a conversation between Australia Institute Deputy Director Ebony Bennett and writer Lech Blaine about Blaine's 2024 Quarterly Essay 'Bad Cop', which profiles opposition leader Peter Dutton. Blaine explains how Dutton built his career on making inflammatory statements, with a 'method to the venom' that served internal political requirements. Dutton's background as a Queensland police officer in the 1990s is highlighted as formative, exposing him to traumatic experiences and a siege mentality that shaped his contempt for progressives like Paul Keating. The discussion compares Dutton to Tony Abbott, noting Abbott was more ideologically driven while Dutton is more practical and attuned to suburban concerns. Dutton's suburban strategy is analyzed, targeting outer suburban and regional seats, but Blaine questions its viability given the ethnic diversity of many such seats today. Dutton's history of controversial comments on issues like African gangs and Lebanese Muslims is examined as potentially alienating voters. Blaine contrasts Dutton with John Howard, arguing Howard had a clear economic vision while Dutton lacks gravitas on economics and retreats into culture wars. Dutton's ambition is noted as exceeding even Abbott's, with private behavior described as cautious and risk-averse, contradicting his public persona. The essay explores Dutton's wealth and property portfolio, which contrasts with his anti-elite rhetoric. Dutton's time as Home Affairs minister is discussed, focusing on his tunnel vision on punishment rather than effective program management. The episode considers Dutton's path to power, suggesting he may pursue a two-term strategy to drive Labor into minority government, but faces structural challenges within the Liberal Party. Blaine concludes that Dutton doesn't need to become prime minister to have a significant impact on Australian politics, potentially keeping it stuck in divisive patterns.

As heard by us

A sharp look at how culture-war politics can reveal doubts about economic credibility.

Follow The Money's summer book club takes up Bad Cop, Peter Dutton's strongman politics, and uses it to examine the shape of Dutton's political appeal.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a close look at Peter Dutton's political instincts when questions of economic credibility keep pulling him back toward cultural conflict.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Follow The Money