Opposition leaders hinted that the coalition would consider if they embarked on major government cost reductions.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton doubled budget cuts across Health, Education and Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC).
Specifically about ABC, Dutton said the stations are not devoted much of its resources to local services.
“ABC has a lot of local services, and I think this is unsettling,” he said.
He cited a flood-hit visit in West Queensland, arguing that ABC should play a more crucial role in such communities.
“Being based in Sydney or Melbourne isn’t supporting the community or people outside of the Metro,” Dutton told Sky News.
Dutton argued that while ABC does “a lot of very good work,” taxpayers expect the funds to be conditioned on efficiency.
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“If it’s not being done efficiently and there’s waste, taxpayers will hope that those who are paying it and working hard to move forward more than ever before will not support waste.”
On September 27, 2018, we pass the headquarters building of Australia’s public broadcaster ABC in Sydney, Australia. Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Dutton reaffirms NDIS commitment and targets fraud
At the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Dutton pledged to crack down on Rorts and organized crime and maintain its sustainability.
He acknowledged the importance of the scheme, but cited concerns about alleged control under labor and referred to government reports on fraudulent claims.
A task force was established to tackle these issues, but Dutton said he had not been explained about its progress.
“I see money go to frontline services and help those in the most needy,” he said.
The state operates hospitals and schools rather than federal government: Dutton
Dutton also addressed concerns about funding health and education and reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment to these sectors. However, he pointed out that the federal government does not own hospitals and does not directly run schools.
“We have a fundraising agreement managed by the (federal education) department, and that department has grown by literally thousands of people,” he said.
He questioned whether hiring more civil servants in Canberra would make concrete differences in the classroom.
“Does it help with additional support for children with disabilities and learning difficulties? I’m happy to be certain, but I think the Prime Minister handed over to the union. It’s not about providing services.
Dutton’s attack on ideological education causes repulsion
Dutton previously said that some teachers are pushing ideological agendas in schools, and then ignited a strong response and suggested that federal funds should be tied together to how schools provide curriculum.
“We should tell those who receive the funds that they want their children to teach their curriculum,” he said. “We want our children to learn what they need to face life challenges, rather than being led by the agenda that comes out of college.”
He argued that the “quiet majority” of Australians shared concerns about classroom teaching.
However, Minister of Labor and Education Jason Claire dismissed Dutton’s remarks as being engaged in the “culture war” and emphasized that the national curriculum was approved under the former Union government.
“I’m focusing on making kids read and write, not Peter Dutton’s extreme agenda,” Claire said.
“The fact that Peter Dutton is not focused on the foundations shows that he is distracted by these culture wars.”
Comparison with Trump’s education policy
The Greens accused Dutton of borrowing from the 2025 Playbook, a project linked to Trump, aimed at restructuring the school’s curriculum in favor of conservative ideology.
Sen. Penny Allman Payne, a spokesman for Greens Education, said: “Dutton is fantastically offering a robotic delivery of a strictly controlled right-wing curriculum that praises neoliberalism and colonialism, whilst denounces collective action and diversity.”
Australian Education Federation President Korena Haythorpe described Dutton’s remarks as “anxious” and warned them that they were indicating a shift towards American-style interference in education.
“He’s taking a leaf from the Trump playbook, cutting back on thousands of jobs, controlling what teachers are teaching, and threatening to withdraw funds if they don’t follow his ideology,” she said. “The Dutton curriculum management proposals are cold, especially when we see the book ban and the erosion of teacher autonomy in the US.”
Opposition parties have confirmed plans to cut 41,000 public service jobs if the coalition wins the May 3 election, but have not specified which sectors will be affected.
