Peter Dutton has warned that young men are ‘fed up’ of being painted like ogres in a post #MeToo world, as he claims the ‘woke agenda’ has gone too far.

The Opposition Leader said the domination of ‘woke’ diversity and inclusion policies in government, universities and big business was crumbling in Western democracies. 

In Australia, he said the failure of the Voice referendum had allowed many people the ‘breathing space’ to realise their views were in the majority. 

Mr Dutton made the comments in a wide-ranging 90-minute interview with mortgage millionaire Mark Bouris on his Straight Talk podcast.

He was also quizzed about his childhood working in a butcher shop, his daily routine involving 4.30am rises and gym sessions, how he responds to nasty ‘Mr Potato Head’ sledging, as well as how he likes to unwind with a steak and glass of wine. 

But his comments about the ‘woke agenda’ will no doubt strike a chord with the millions of young men who he said feel ‘disenfranchised and ostracised’. 

‘There’s also an element of society in universities and others in big business, industry super funds, who make their money out of a woke agenda. That’s their business right,’ Mr Dutton said. 

‘It’s a global movement. It’s starting to wane now I think… it will be advanced now with President Trump being elected, if there’s a change of leadership in Canada and Jacinda Ardern is gone in New Zealand. 

‘I think Anthony Albanese is trying to grasp on to it but I just think most Australians have moved on.’

Mr Dutton said many Australians had realised their anti-woke views were in the majority after the failed Voice referendum in late 2023. 

‘(It) allowed people to say “thank goodness, I thought I was the only one who thought that this wasn’t necessary, wasn’t good for our country, who wanted to help Indigenous people but just didn’t think this was the way to do it”,’ he added.

The Liberal leader said the ‘woke agenda’ had originated in left-wing universities before being adopted by big business – but everyday Aussies were fighting back.   

‘I just don’t believe that we should discriminate on the basis of gender or race or on any basis,’ he said.

He added: ‘I think a lot of young males feel disenfranchised and feel ostracised, and they’re saying, “Well, hang on, I have nothing but respect for women, and I would never treat my female friends differently than my male friends”.  

‘”But I’m being told that I’m some sort of ogre, or I have some belief structure which is true to that, which I know is, is, you know, what I hold in my heart”. 

‘I think there’s just a point where people are fed up and they’re pushing back.’

He said that many men felt they were being ‘overlooked at work’ because of affirmative hiring policies. 

Mr Dutton said the situation was made worse because CEOs were too afraid to speak up on controversial issues.

‘A lot of CEOs of publicly listed companies, who have got HR and marketing people saying to them, “don’t enter into these debates, don’t say anything”,” Mr Dutton said.

‘Whereas a generation ago, the CEOs of BHP or Coles or Myers or, you know, the big sort of iconic brands felt an obligation to be on the front page of the fin (The Australian Financial Review) advocating for tax change or for industrial relations reform.

He added: ‘Now they only feel that they can comment on or be in support of some of the woke causes because their marketing people are telling them that will get them greater popularity online again.

‘I just think it’s a level of weakness that doesn’t serve our country, our country’s best interests.’

Mr Dutton revealed he helps clear his mind through daily meditation and by prioritising family time and likes to indulge in a steak and a glass of wine. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to do his own interview with Mr Bouris’ Straight talk podcast next week.