Dutton ducks question on Liberal party vetting amid concerns over charge against Melbourne candidate

Opposition leader remains quiet on how Coalition will achieve promise to save $7bn through public service cuts

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Peter Dutton has ducked questions about the quality of the Liberal party's vetting processes after concerns were raised about a 2024 charge against a Melbourne candidate in the latest saga surrounding the party's candidates.

The opposition leader, who visited a metalworks factory in the Labor-held seat of Aston in Melbourne's eastern suburbs on Thursday, would also not divulge details about how his promise to achieve $7bn in savings by cutting 41,000 public service jobs by 2030 could match Labor's plans to dramatically lift bulk-billing rates.

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