As the next federal election looms, Labor’s reliance on personal attacks against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is drawing sharp criticism, not only from political opponents but also from within their own party’s ranks. A recent meme mocking Dutton’s marriage, shared by the Victorian Labor Party, epitomises this misguided strategy. The post, condemned as ‘stupid’ and ‘mean’ by senior Labor ministers including Bill Shorten and Jason Clare, was eventually taken down on belated instructions from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.