‘Reckless’: Warning on Dutton in Trump era

Jim Chalmers has dished out a scathing assessment of Peter Dutton’s statesmanship, saying the Opposition Leader’s “reckless arrogance” could jeopardise Australia’s international relationships.

Following Donald Trump’s election victory earlier this month, the Albanese government has been trying to figure out where Australia fits into the US president-elect’s America first agenda.

The Treasurer on Sunday dismissed a poll that found voters felt Mr Dutton would have better chemistry with Mr Trump than Anthony Albanese.

“I think more broadly, the government under Anthony Albanese has got an excellent record of managing relationships around the world, making genuine progress, whether it’s with China, whether it’s with American friends or others,” Mr Chalmers told Nine’s Today.

“Anthony Albanese has already had a very productive conversation with President Trump.

“And I think when it comes to Peter Dutton, I think he has a kind of a reckless arrogance which doesn’t lend itself to foreign policy and maintaining and managing some of these complex relationships.

“I think he would be a risk to our economy and that’s because that reckless arrogance, which has been a defining feature of his time as a politician over a long period of time now … that kind of reckless arrogance doesn’t lend itself to managing these relationships, which are so important to us.”

With Mr Trump’s threat of blanket tariffs on all foreign imports looming large, Mr Chalmers has been central to the government’s efforts to position Australia for the incoming US administration.

The weekend poll published by the Australian Financial Review found 47 per cent of voters thought Mr Dutton was “better placed to engage and negotiate with President-elect Donald Trump, in Australia’s best interests”.

36 per cent said Mr Albanese was better placed.

Mr Dutton has weighed in on the results, saying he was “better equipped” to lead Australia than the man he hopes to unseat.

“I think in terms of our most important ally, the United States, and president Trump, I can work very effectively with him and with other world leaders, and I think I’ve demonstrated that in senior portfolios over a long period of time,” he told Sky News.

Commenting on the poll, Nationals frontbencher Barnaby Joyce earlier said that maybe voters saw similarities between Mr Dutton and Mr Trump.

“They might believe he has similarities in that he will put aside some of the rhetoric, put aside some of the noble causes that lead to destitution, and really concentrate on the Australian people,” Mr Joyce told Seven’s Sunrise.

But the senior Coalition MP said the opposition would not adopt a Trump-like election campaign.

“We are not that naive to believe we are the United States and start emulating them,” Mr Joyce said.

More to come.