An Aussie voter has taken a swipe at Peter Dutton’s election campaign, saying his campaign was off-putting to women voters.
Genevieve Neich, a communications staffer for toll-road operator Transurban, lashed the Liberal Party’s policies on ABC’s Q&A program on Monday.
‘We know that Peter Dutton visited 17 petrol stations along his campaign trail but at the same time did not release a single policy on women, specifically,’ she said.
The audience applauded Ms Neich – a resident of the Sydney North Shore suburb of Mosman – before she added that politicians needed to address policies that matter to to women.
‘I just don’t see Peter Dutton’s campaign touching on any of those at all,’ she said.
Ms Neich claimed young women had ‘got the ick’ from the Opposition’s campaign and asked panelists – Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Nationals’ Bridget McKenzie and former senior Liberal George Brandis – on what elected leaders were doing for women and girls.
Senator McKenzie replied that it would be a ‘step forward’ when women’s policy did not equal or equate to childcare policy in Australia.
‘Women need to be heard, they need to be able to see leaders that they can resonate with,’ she told Ms Neich and the audience.
ABC’s Q&A audience member Genevieve Neich (pictured on Monday) revealed why Australian women ‘got the ick’ from the Liberal party’s election campaign
Ms Neich called out Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for visiting 17 petrol stations (pictured) but failed to mention policy which benefited women specifically while on his campaign trail
‘Women need to be able to hear what we’ve got to say, that means speaking in a language and a way that resonates with women rather than how it’s typically been done.’
Senator McKenzie argued many of the Coalition’s policies benefitted both men and women, noting that women were on the ‘frontline of the cost of living crisis’.
‘Women also fill up the car, they also go to petrol stations,’ she said.
‘They’re the ones that are embarrassed usually, having to work two jobs to actually get the school fees or soccer fees paid.
‘They’re the ones having to put things back out of the shopping trolley in front of everyone because they can’t afford it.’
Ms McKenzie noted the Coalition was doing well in early polls but had lost a lot of female voters by saying it would end work-from-home, as women are disproportionately represented in WFH jobs.
Mr Dutton announced work from home would be scrapped for federal public servants and if he was elected, 80 per cent of Commonwealth employees would need to attend the office full-time.
Days after announcing the policy and receiving widespread backlash, the Coalition backflipped on the policy but the dye was cast from an electoral perspective.
Mr Dutton is seen after he conceded defeat to Anthony Albanese on Saturday night
‘[Women] were Dutton curious and if I’m really honest the work from home policy really made them turn off from being open,’ Senator McKenzie said.
‘Women were on the frontline, they were interested in what the Coalition had to say about addressing the cost of living.
‘Unfortunately, that particular policy made them think that we weren’t interested in flexible work places.’
A Redbridge poll, which surveyed 1,006 voters between March 8 and April 1, found Labor had taken back the lead over the Coalition.
The poll found Mr Dutton was struggling to secure women voters, and the WFH policy was a major factor.
The policy had a negative favourability rating among Australians of -5, while among female voters it was at -16.
Senator McKenzie (pictured) argued many of the Coalition’s policies benefited both men and women, claiming the latter was ‘on the front line’
Mr Dutton not only lost his election bid but his seat of Dickson, becoming the first Opposition leader in Australian history to lose their own seat at a federal election.
Former journalist Ali France toppled Mr Dutton in his long-held seat of Dickson, in Brisbane’s west, with an 8.2 per cent swing to Labor, greater even than the national swing.
Figures released on Tuesday from the Australian Electoral Commission showed Labor had won 86 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, and there were still 13 electorates where the result was too close or too early to call.
It means the Coalition could slump to its lowest percentage of seats in parliament since the formation of the Liberal Party in the 1940s.
Mr Dutton’s defeat leaves the Liberal Party now searching for a new leader, with Angus Taylor, Sussan Ley, Angus Hastie and Dan Tehan among the contenders.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Dutton’s office for comment.
