It’s no longer news that Gen Z and Millennials now make up the biggest voting bloc in Australia – yet Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has declined interviews with nearly every major youth media outlet. As Labor and The Greens double down on their social strategies, Dutton’s silence raises a pressing question: Can you win an election without speaking to the generation that will decide it?
With the 2025 federal election looming, this generational shift isn’t just a demographic detail – it’s the political story. For the first time in Australian history, voters under 40 hold the power to decide who governs, but it’s becoming glaringly obvious that Dutton is nowhere to be seen on the platforms that matter most to them.
The Numbers Are There, So Why Is Dutton Staying Silent?
Back in September, social-first news outlet The Daily Aus pitched a ground-breaking idea to both major parties: the first-ever leaders’ debate hosted by a youth media company. The Labor Party agreed, but representatives from the Coalition never responded.
Since then, The Daily Aus says they’ve emailed, called, and texted “many, many times,” to no avail.
Turns out, they’re not alone. At Missing Perspectives, we’ve had a similar experience. After being invited by the Labor government to attend the budget, we reached out to Dutton’s office on February 6 to request an interview, and followed up again on 31 March. What we proposed was similarly simple: a dinner with a group of undecided young voters.
The result? Not even a read receipt.
The Coalition’s Missed Opportunity With A Generation That’s Watching
We’ve seen Labor, The Greens and the teals actively embrace platforms where young people get their news, including Instagram, TikTok and the world of podcasts. Meanwhile, Dutton seems to be sticking to a strategy that prioritises traditional media with its safer, more predictable audiences.
Sure, he hasn’t been entirely absent from interviews and podcasts, having appeared on on Mamamia’s No Filter, Straight Talk with Mark Bouris, and Diving Deep with Sam Fricker. But these outlets and newsrooms still skew older – and apart from No Filter – toward male-dominated audiences.
He hasn’t gone near The Daily Aus, Cheek Media, Junkee, Abbie Chatfield, or Hannah Ferguson’s Big Small Talk. In other words: he’s avoiding the very platforms that speak most directly to the generation that will shape this election, and the ones that come after it.
Dutton’s avoidance of youth media communicates that he is unwilling to sit across the table and tell us his plan for a future we will inherit
Hannah Ferguson
“Dutton’s avoidance of youth media communicates that he is unwilling to sit across the table and tell us his plan for a future we will inherit,” Hannah Ferguson, CEO of Cheek Media, tells marie claire. “At best, he isn’t interested. At worst, he doesn’t have one.”
“It’s worth noting that traditional media have framed new media and content creators as less critical in our approach to delivering information, yet Peter Dutton is far more willing to sit down with legacy media than with the young women behind platforms with the biggest reach in the country,” she adds, before offering a possible explanation. “I’d guess that Dutton knows if he were to debate us, he would lose.”
Why Avoiding Us Might Be Strategic – It’s Still A Mistake
From a campaign perspective, it’s easy to assume team Peter Dutton is attempting to avoid the perceived risks associated with new media. A podcast interview could be unpredictable. He could be asked challenging questions. The conversation could go viral – and for the wrong reasons.
But does dodging young audiences really offer more protection than engagement? According to Crystal Andrews, founder of Zee Feed and Crikey readers’ editor, it’s precisely this strategy they’re going for.
“Part of the nature of this new media landscape… is that a large deal of the audience reach for these outlets comes from the way the podcasts are clipped up and distributed on social channels,” says Andrews.
“It’s clear that both Dutton and his campaign managers know that appearing on podcasts in close proximity with young women journalists, where he is perhaps going to be asked, or required to be more candid, creates more chance for an awkward moment, that will likely be clipped and distributed on social media, potentially reaching a very large audience.”
It’s this potential virality, that Andrews adds, could “do far more damage to this campaign” than saying ‘no’ to a sit down with new media ever would.
Andrews points to the viral success of Abbie Chatfield’s interview with Anthony Albanese as a moment of contrast: “That made me realise how rarely Dutton is pictured with young women who aren’t aligned with the Liberal Party. The visual says it all.”
Out Of Sight, Out Of Touch?
In the short term, avoiding youth-led media may seem like a safe call. But in the long run, it risks reinforcing the perception that the Liberals are out of touch with the very demographic that holds the key to their survival.
If Peter Dutton continues to overlook these voices by staying silent now, how will that play out for the party when this generation becomes the country’s political and economic centre? When their votes – and trust – are even harder to win back?
Andrews and I agree on one point: in future elections – if Dutton retains his seat, and isn’t ousted by his own – avoidance of these platforms is not a reliable path to take. And I’m writing this as a genuine swinging voter and as a young person working in the media.
The clock is ticking. Polling day is almost here. And whether Peter Dutton and the Coalition choose to engage or not, one thing is clear: young people are the future of this country and they’re paying attention.
Related articles:
- How Gen Z & Millennial Voters Are Disrupting Australian Politics
- Feeling Disillusioned By Politics? Here’s How to Make Your Vote Count This Election
- Getting To Know The Greens: What They Stand For This Federal Election
