Taking a moment to thank the brilliant David Crowe as voters head to the polls

After five weeks of political twists and turns, ups and downs and claims and counter-claims, the federal election campaign is drawing to a close. Most voters probably can’t wait for it to be over, and who can blame them?

As the Herald’s election-eve editorial observed today, neither Labor nor the Coalition has done much to inspire, with the Australian public subjected to a political tussle devoid of a compelling vision for the future at a time of great domestic and global challenges.

Whatever the outcome, both major parties acknowledge this will be a messy and complicated contest.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen, James Brickwood

The election editorial is a tradition of newspapers around the globe. I don’t think they shift any votes and nor should that be their purpose. The election editorial is simply letting readers know where our masthead stands on something as big and consequential as who should lead our nation for the next three years. How you vote is entirely up to you.

As you may have read, today’s editorial is critical of the Coalition’s policy offering, and of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his lacklustre frontbench team. “Ultimately, the Herald believes Dutton has not done enough to tell us who he is, what he believes in and what sort of leader he would be,” we wrote. “We are not convinced he is ready to be prime minister, and do not believe the Coalition is fit to return to office after just three years in opposition.”

On Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor, we said that the government has been competent but lacked ideas and reforming zeal, and at times dithered in the crouch position as the world crashed around us.

We gave Labor ticks for working with the Reserve Bank of Australia to bring down inflation, and endorsed its policies on Medicare and other health services. But we also urged more action on Australia’s surging debt, and for a stronger focus on the domestic violence crisis and the fate of Indigenous Australians.

“A win should not be seen as a victory,” we warned. “Labor would be wise to consider it a lucky second shot at government rather than a glowing endorsement of the previous three years. They should not waste the chance to be bigger, braver and bolder.”

Opinion polls point to a Labor minority or majority government as the most likely outcome on Saturday, but both major parties acknowledge this will be a messy and complicated contest where individual seat results will not necessarily reflect the national outcome.

I want to thank our federal politics team, led by Canberra bureau chief Michelle Griffin, for their sensational work throughout the campaign. The team are firing and ready to bring you all the thrills and spills of the weekend.

I also want to recognise chief political correspondent David Crowe, who will become the Herald’s new Europe correspondent in a matter of weeks. David joined our Parliament House team in 2018, and I was lucky to work closely with him in the press gallery for several years. He is a treasured colleague and friend.

David Crowe represents the best of Australian journalism.Credit:

A consummate professional, David represents the very best of Australian journalism. He is diligent, intelligent, fair and determined. His commitment to accuracy is legendary.

I know our readers will miss his reporting from Canberra, but I can’t wait to see what he does in Europe for the Herald.

Thanks for everything, Crowie, and have a ball over there.

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