Dutton Unveils Tax Plans Amid Shifting Election Dynamics

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has proposed a tiered tax offset system for small businesses and reiterated his intent to eventually index personal income tax to inflation to address bracket creep, though he has not set a timeline and emphasized the need to first repair budget deficits. The announcement comes amid declining Coalition poll numbers and has been criticized as overdue. In the same period, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to protect penalty rates for three million workers, intensifying the industrial relations debate. Recent polls suggest the election may result in a minority Labor government, highlighting the race's competitiveness. During the leaders' debate, Dutton admitted to a foreign policy error and his deputy acknowledged misinformation on foreign interference, while climate change questions were sidestepped. Housing affordability remains a major issue, with Adelaide joining other Australian capitals in surpassing a $1 million median house price.