ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has cut short a Sydney getaway and is returning to his Queensland electorate as Tropical Cyclone Alfred bears down on the Queensland’s southeast corner.
Dutton, who has spent the past few days relaxing in Sydney’s east, was spotted at the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge on Thursday afternoon, still dressed in the all-white linen outfit he had been wearing while socialising with high-profile friends in Vaucluse and Bondi. The ensemble, reportedly borrowed from hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes’ wardrobe, included a wide-brimmed straw hat, gold bangles, and woven leather sandals, also allegedly lifted from Hemmes’ collection.
Sources say Dutton had been enjoying private dinners at waterfront mansions and catching up with Sydney radio host Ben Fordham when the reality of the approaching cyclone set in. With criticism mounting over his absence from Dickson, he opted to board a late flight back to Brisbane, where he is expected to stand in front of flood-affected businesses holding a broom.
“I’m here to help,” Dutton told reporters at the airport.
The move has drawn comparisons to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who famously defended his decision to holiday in Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires by saying, “I don’t hold a hose, man.” While Dutton has not directly referenced the backlash over Morrison’s trip, he appears determined to be seen engaging in at least some form of post-disaster optics.
Residents in Brisbane’s north remain skeptical about what Dutton’s return will achieve.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” said one local.
“Maybe he’ll give a press conference in his linen suit and hope people forget where he’s been.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest Hemmes has noticed a sudden gap in his wardrobe and is considering a polite text to retrieve his stolen attire.
More to come.
