Australian insurance stocks slide after opposition leader's breakup threat
Australian insurance companies fell sharply on Monday after opposition leader Peter Dutton threatened to break them up, accusing them of exploiting customers, as the country prepares for federal elections due by May. In an interview with Sky News, Dutton, leader of the Liberal Party, said that if elected in the federal election, his government would scrutinise insurance industry practices. "In the insurance market, we will intervene to make sure that consumers get a fair go because at the moment people are paying too much for their insurance and what's resulting is that people aren't taking out insurance," Dutton said in the broadcast on Sunday.