Why Anthony Albanese and Kevin Rudd ‘ought to feel nervous’ by Donald Trump’s landslide win

Donald Trump has won the US election in a landslide – and there are two Australians who should be feeling very nervous about it.

OPINION

No matter how much Kamala Harris tried to cast herself as the new face of the Democrats, she was, as his vice president, inextricably linked to Joe Biden.

How are you meant to “turn the page” to a better day when you’ve been running the show for the past three-and-a-half years?

Trump’s emphatic victory – winning not only the electoral college but the popular vote, which he did not do in 2016 – was a clear repudiation of Bidenomics.

There are two Australians who ought to feel nervous following this result.

The first is US Ambassador Kevin Rudd, who has rushed to delete social media posts critical of Trump.

An ambassador’s job is to schmooze and wheel and deal on behalf of his country. But how do you do that with someone you’ve described as “not the brightest bulb”? Mr Trump does not forgive nor forget.

As much as I’d prefer Mr Rudd to stay in the United States and away from Australia, I think it would be best for the country if he returned home.

Poor old Kevin Rudd must feel aggrieved that Mr Trump managed to pull off re-election after being punted from the top job, unlike his attempt in 2013.

The other man who should be shaking is the one who sent Mr Rudd to the US – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

People compared their economic circumstances under Mr Trump and Mr Biden and clearly decided who had provided a better standard of living.

And Mr Albanese should be worried about that happening here.

It has been a clear trend among our allies.

New Zealand turfed the Jacinda Ardern-Chris Hipkins government. The United Kingdom replaced Rishi Sunak with Sir Keir Starmer. Europe has elected right-wing candidates en masse. And now the United States has dumped Ms Harris for Mr Trump.

Two Aussies who should be nervous by Donald Trump’s landslide win are Anthony Albanese... Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

...and Kevin Rudd. Picture: Benedict Brook/News.com.au

The New Zealand and UK governments may have been long-serving, but Mr Biden was elected with the highest vote in American history and his vice president couldn’t manage to deliver the Democrats a second term.

Governments across the western world that have presided over cost of living crises have been punished.

Mr Albanese would be foolish to think the same fate might not befall him – and yet he is so delusional he seems to think he’ll be returned with an increased majority.

He told the Labor caucus this week that “we want to be here with more members and senators” after the next election and he was confident of achieving that aim.

I understand the need to rally the troops … but seriously?

Optimism is one thing – believing your own bulls**t is another.

The road to government for Peter Dutton and the Coalition is a hard one but not impossible. They would need to win 21 extra seats to form a majority government.

The voters delivered a clear message to Kamala Harris. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

According to Caleb Bond, there’s a clear trend happening across the world. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Labor would need to lose only three to face the possibility of minority government.

People across the world are unhappy with their living standards. Australia is no exception.

Power bills have increased as much as 40 per cent in the past two years. Spending on food has decreased despite prices increasing, because people have had to scrimp and save to meet other costs.

Real wages have gone backwards. Interest rates, and consequently mortgages, have soared.

People are feeling the pain and have seen very little from the Albanese government to change that. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock has repeatedly warned that high government spending is a driver of inflation and Mr Albanese has repeatedly denied it.

And just to put the cherry on top, the Prime Minister has been caught out allegedly soliciting – and at the very least accepting – upgrades worth tens of thousands of dollars from Qantas while he was Transport Minister.

As if we didn’t already think Mr Albanese, who likes to remind us that he grew up in a housing commission, was in it for the perks while the rest of us struggle along.

The tide is turning against high-cost western leaders and it will continue to turn.