Labor operative reveals real reason ScoMo lost the election

The man responsible for Anthony Albanese’s big victory on May 21 has revealed the real reason Labor won the election.

A deeply unpopular Scott Morrison and the Coalition’s “irresponsible and immature” response to China helped Labor win the election, the man responsible for its campaign has revealed.

Labor’s national secretary Paul Erickson outlined his election post-mortem in an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday.

The campaign director credited Anthony Albanese’s offer of a “better future” in contrast to sticking with “the devil you know” in Mr Morrison as the major argument that shifted votes.

Scott Morrison helped sway undecided voters to elect Labor, the campaign chief says. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tracey Nearmy

Mr Erickson said the victory was helped by Mr Morrison’s lack of fresh ideas, a campaign dominated by the cost of living and the Coalition’s failure on China.

“The biggest barrier Labor had to overcome was not voters’ evaluation of our proposition or a counteroffer from the Coalition,” Mr Erickson said.

“It was a widespread and deep sense of fatigue, anxiety and aversion to risk after some of the most difficult years we’ve endured.

“Normally, these sentiments would drive fence-sitters decisively back to the government of the day and weigh heavily against an effort to build a majority for change. Yet we had a powerful argument.

“We asserted that the alternatives at this election were not ‘the devil you know’ or ‘a leap into the unknown’. Instead, it was a clear choice between a better future under Anthony Albanese and three more years of Scott Morrison.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s promise of a better future was also a key driver. Picture: Tim Hunter.

It is only the fourth time since World War II that Labor has been able to win government from opposition, securing a majority with 77 MPs and booting the Coalition after nine years in office.

Mr Erickson’s assessment named housing and wages as key issues where Labor gained ground over the Coalition.

“We campaigned consistently on the need to boost wages growth – it was in our TV ads. And we pointed out there were plenty of things the federal government could do,” he said.

Claims the “sky would fall in” if the government backed the idea of raising the minimum wage in line with inflation of 5.1 “undercut” the Coalition’s campaign of a strong recovery, Mr Erickson said.

“This wasn’t just incompetent, it was incoherent.”

Mr Morrison’s final week surprise policy — the plan to allow first home buyers to access their superannuation for a deposit — also fell flat.

A plan to have first time homebuyers access their super for a deposit also fell flat. Picture: Nikki Short

Mr Erickson said voters “saw it for what it was – bad policy that would undermine the superannuation system and push up house prices”.

China’s security deal with the Solomon Islands was also a factor for voters, Mr Erickson said, insisting Coalition’s response backfired on them.

Instead, he claims, Labor’s detailed Pacific plan, released within a week after the ink dried on Beijing's deal with Honiara, had crystallised the idea “the Coalition had completely dropped the ball.”

Mr Erickson said problems within the Coalition were “institutional and collective” and doubted new leader Peter Dutton had the credentials to fix it.

“Scott Morrison may have come to personify these failures but they are institutional and collective, not individual,” he said.

“At the next election, we won't be fighting Scott Morrison, although we will be up against some of his nastier and more incompetent enablers.”

Mr Erickson said Mr Morrison personified the issues with the Coalition. Picture: Jason Edwards

But the election result was not all positive for Labor, with lessons to be learned.

Its primary vote dropped and the party faced a fierce fight from the Greens in inner-city electorates.

The campaign chief denied his assessment suggested Labor did not win the election, but rather Mr Morrison lost it.

“Anthony’s leadership style is to bring people together and work hard to fix problems and create opportunities,” Mr Erickson said.

“Over the last four weeks, I think people have already seen that in action and I think the Australian public have really warmed to that as a new approach.”

Of concern for Labor is the low primary vote, especially in Queensland and Tasmania. Picture: Tim Hunter.

However, Mr Erickson acknowledged the party had work to do, especially in Queensland and Tasmania, especially around its low primary vote.

“We face a major challenge to rebuild trust in our political institutions and restore confidence in the parliament,” he said.

A review of the election campaign, conducted by former senator Greg Combet and former WA assistant secretary Lenda Oshalem. will be undertaken over the coming weeks.

“Just as we did after 2019, we will listen to the message from the voters, learn the lessons, and apply them over the next three years.”