ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Peter Dutton has today confirmed he will no longer be wearing the lame, Malcolm Turnbull-style glasses he began sporting shortly after becoming Opposition Leader in 2022.
Speaking from his home in the northern suburbs of Brisbane after formally conceding defeat in his electorate of Dickson, the former Liberal leader told reporters that the non-prescription glasses had served their purpose and would now be discarded.
“Finally, I can get rid of these things,” said Mr Dutton.
Journalists watched as he lifted the lid on his red wheelie bin and chucked them in.
“They were a prop. A political decision my advisors told me to do. I did not enjoy them and I no longer need them. They reminded me of Malcom [Turnbull] anyway.”
It is understood the glasses were introduced by Liberal campaign staff following internal polling that suggested Mr Dutton needed to soften his image and appear more intellectual. At the time he was being compared to a non-Spanish speaking, Queensland version of Franco. The campaign team reportedly referenced the visually inoffensive appeal of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a guide.
One staffer involved in the decision said the fake glasses were chosen from an eyewear boutique in Kelvin Grove known for its association with inner-city professionals. Mr Dutton reportedly referred to the frames as “my poof goggles” and insisted they never leave his office when not in use.
Now that his time as Opposition Leader has ended and he is no longer a sitting member of parliament, Mr Dutton says he is relieved to be able to present himself as he truly is.
“I’m just some cunt you’d see up the shops now,” he said.
More to come.
