Voters have a poor view of Labor on cost-of-living relief, but Peter Dutton keeps letting them off the hook

‘Albanese’s approval is down, and only one-third of respondents think the country is going in the right direction under Labor, but Peter Dutton can’t take a trick.’ Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

When Labor is asked by the opposition why Australians are struggling to pay their power bills despite its aim to cut them by $275 by 2025, there is an easy retort to hand.

“Well, I hope [the member asking the question] tells [constituent cited as source of complaint] that we passed a plan to reduce power bills and the Coalition voted against it” is the formulation Anthony Albanese and his ministers have used in question time for months now.