Political missteps are nothing new, but few have managed to torpedo public sentiment as swiftly as Mr Dutton and the LNP did this past week. 

Mr. Dutton’s promise to cut government jobs and implement a so-called “DOGE-style” expense crackdown backfired, and Mr Dutton was forced to walk back his controversial work-from-home stance after backlash from public servants and the wider community. Originally stating that a Coalition government would force public sector workers back into the office, Dutton later apologised to voters, claiming his position had been “twisted” by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 

On Sunday, the education sector was shocked by a proposal to reduce the number of international students, impose a non-refundable $5,000 application fee, and cap university enrolments. Australia’s international education industry is a $40+ billion export—crippling it for political gain is not just reckless, it’s economically suicidal.

Furthermore, Mr. Dutton’s recent post claimed that international students occupy up to 40% of Sydney’s accommodation, which was not only wildly inaccurate—it was flat-out wrong. According to the Property Council of Australia, international students make up only about 5% of housing demand. There may be as many as 42% of residents in Sydney’s CBD international students, but they often live in shared housing arrangements, typically with 3 to 6 people per dwelling. Blaming a minority group for a national housing crisis isn’t just lazy and unfounded. 

In a single day, Mr. Dutton managed to alienate students, universities, public servants, renters, and anyone who supports a modern work culture. If you were wondering how to lose an election in record time, this might just be the blueprint.

Unfortunately for the Coalition, opportunistic politics without any long-term plan, relying heavily on populist soundbites to sway discontented voters, may not be enough to win an election. Australians want vision, not just a knee-jerk reaction. 

Unless we expand our talent pool through innovation, education, and technology, Australia risks becoming irrelevant. Limiting immigration, discouraging international students, and cutting public investment is a path towards decline, not growth.

#InternationalStudents #EducationMatters #AustraliaEducation #EdTech #StudyAustralia #Election2025 #PoliticalLeadership  #Populism #HousingCrisis #AustralianEconomy #FactCheckAustralia #educli