The truth behind Peter Dutton’s ‘strongman’ persona

Peter Dutton is a lot of things: a right-wing firebrand, a former Queensland cop and a champion of what he believes are simple Australian values. But he’s also a multi-millionaire who colleagues describe as pleasant, shy, but fiercely ambitious. Lech Blaine spent months studying Peter Dutton’s past and political ascendency to discover who the leader of the opposition really is and what’s underneath his “bad cop” exterior. Today, the author of the latest Quarterly Essay: Bad Cop, Lech Blaine, on what’s driving Peter Dutton’s strongman politics. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Author of the latest Quarterly Essay, Lech Blaine