Dutton’s huge move ahead of election

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has become the latest politician to join TikTok as political parties ramp up their strategies to appeal to young voters ahead of next year’s federal election.

While Mr Dutton called for the platform to be banned in Australia in March, he shared his first post on Monday, criticising Labor’s roadblocked housing bills, which are set to dominate the political agenda this week.

“TikTok is supposed to be something fun, and I probably should say something that is or isn’t demure, but I really joined TikTok for one reason,” he said.

“It’s to tell you that we do not have to live in a country where you spend your whole life renting. Owning a home is not just financially a smart decision but also a truly foundational part of life.

“I get it, there are more exciting things on TikTok than listening to me talking about housing, but Labor’s inability to balance migration and build enough homes is killing the Australian dream for an entire generation.”

This week, Labor’s Help to Buy and Build to Rent bills will face fierce debate in the Senate, with neither piece of legislation garnering support from the Greens and Coalition.

The Help to Buy scheme would allow first-home buyers to purchase a property under a shared equity scheme with the government of up to 40 per cent for a new home and 30 per cent for an existing home.

The Build to Rent Bill offers developers tax incentives in order to increase rent-only developments.

In 2023, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus banned politicians and public servants from using TikTok on their government-issued devices; however, MPs and senators can still use the app through their personal phones.

While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese does not have a TikTok, senior ministers including Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil are both active users, as are Greens and Teal MPs.

The push onto TikTok comes as politicians are chasing the youth vote before Australians go to the polls by May at the latest.

Last week, former Labor senator Fatima Payman dedicated a speech to generation Z (1997-2012) and generation Alpha (2012-now), getting six new words into Hansard – the official record of everything that is said in parliament.

In her short speech, she accused the government of being “capaholics” and “yapaholics” and said she’d be “taking an L (loss) if I did not mention the opps who want to cut WA’s gyatts and services tax”.

“The decision voters will be making in a few months time will be between a mid government, a dog water opposition or a crossbench that will mog both of them,” she said to mixed reaction on social media.

“Though some of you cannot yet vote, I hope that, when you do, it will be in a more goated (greatest of all time) Australia for a government with more aura. Skibidi!”