The ‘double haters’ who could decide Australia’s next Prime Minister – as Peter Dutton edges ahead of Albo in the polls, sparking election fever

‘Double haters’ could spell trouble for both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as the race tightens ahead of the next election.

Polling conducted by Redbridge has determined Australians are uninspired by the two leaders vying for the prime ministership and turning away from the major parties.

Mr Dutton edged slightly ahead of Mr Albanese according to a Resolve poll for the Sydney Morning Herald at the weekend, backed by 36 per cent of voters. 

RedBridge director Tony Barry said voters want a leader with integrity, empathy, strength and vision, and that they’re not currently seeing that.

‘In our research, voters don’t recognise these attributes in either major party candidate and instead what we are seeing is the emergence and rise of the ‘double haters’ across the Australian political landscape,’ Mr Barry said.

The term ‘double haters’ has been imported from US politics, and refers to voters who have developed a deep dislike of both major candidates.

In this circumstance, Mr Albanese has failed to deliver in key areas such as the cost of living crisis. As a result, voters are struggling to pay their bills and afford groceries. 

Mr Dutton noted during an interview with Sky News on Sunday that there are ‘pensioners this weekend who are eating or heating, but not both’. 

‘This is contributing to further agony for Australians that the Prime Minister is imposing on them at the moment, and that’ll be a big difference between the two parties as we go into the next election,’ he said.

But for most of his time in Opposition, Mr Dutton has been burdened by a presumption that he is ‘unelectable’.  

Young people are leading the charge and feel the lowest levels of loyalty to any party

But the latest poll for the first time show he’s now leading Mr Albanese on key measures, including the most important one as preferred PM.

However neither leader is making an impact with voters, with personal support in the wallowing in the mid 30 per cent range, as a youthful, large proportion of the population turns away from the main parties.

Mr Barry noted: ‘Like their American counterparts, this Australian cohort feel alienated and dissatisfied with both Labor and the Coalition.

‘Typically, [they] have no brand loyalty to either major party.’

He warned both parties will be seeking to make the next election a ‘referendum on the other candidate’ rather than a debate on key policy issues.

Redbridge director Kos Samaras said ‘double haters’ are a glaring reality the government and opposition will face in the next election.

He said young people are leading the charge and feel the lowest levels of loyalty to any party. 

Young people drove the vote toward Greens and independents in the last election, and Mr Samaras told the ABC they will likely continue to ‘destabilise this country’s political two-party system in a very big way’.

Mr Dutton edged slightly ahead of Mr Albanese according to a Resolve poll testing Australians’ preferred PM

The warning comes as whispers grow louder that the PM may call an election in 2024.

A vote must be held by May 2025, but the Stage Three tax cuts, due to come into effect in July, have prompted speculation of an earlier call to the ballot box.

Now Mr Dutton has also weighed in on whether a federal election is likely sooner rather than later, with concerning economic conditions on the horizon, he said.

‘There is a chance that we go into recession, which is why I think there is talk of an early election,’ he said.

‘The Prime Minister will want to go before that.’ 

He blamed the current government for ‘slowly grinding the economy to a halt’.

But Mr Albanese will still be holding out hope that the tide could change on the back of Labor’s latest tax cuts and Budget sweeteners.

May’s Budget included a $300 energy bill credit for every household, increased rent assistance and waiving $3billion in student debt indexation.

These measures are in addition to the tax cuts – which benefit all taxpayers except high income earners.

The average household will receive an annual tax cut of $1,888, or $36 a week.

Mr Dutton has now also weighed in on whether a 2024 election is likely