Peter Dutton defended his decision to attend a lavish fundraiser in Sydney despite the approach of Cyclone Alfred in Queensland last week, dismissing critics as seeking “political advantage.” Labor’s Queensland Senator Murray Watt accused Dutton of abandoning his constituents by not staying in his Dickson electorate. The Australian Financial Review reported Dutton was in Brisbane, describing the imminent cyclone as a “very serious” situation, before flying to Sydney for a fundraising event at Justin Hemmes’s harborside home. Other planned fundraising events in Melbourne, including one at Macquarie Bank and a lunch hosted by the Pharmacy Guild, were canceled due to the cyclone. Dutton argued the Hemmes event was a fundraising dinner, not a party, and claimed critics, particularly from Labor, were exploiting the issue during a natural disaster. He stated he returned to his electorate before the cyclone hit and emphasized the importance of governing rather than campaigning during such times.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/10/peter-dutton-justin-hemmes-fundraiser-sydney-cyclone-alfred-queensland-ntwnfb