The violent pro-Palestinian protests have not changed since 2023. What has changed is political support for violence has demonstrably failed and Labor’s general political support has survived a challenge.
Anthony Albanese has been asked to intervene in a decade-old $400m compensation claim for Australian and US investors as part of an upcoming deal with Donald Trump on trade tariffs.
The voter turnout in the 2025 federal election at 90.67 per cent is the second lowest in 100 years with 1.6 million eligible voters opting not to vote.
At the start of his second term Albanese is arguably in a better position than Robert Menzies, the nation’s longest-serving prime minister, and Bob Hawke, Labor’s longest-serving prime minister.
A popular narrative has taken hold: as the influence of social media grows, major media companies have been left to bellow from the sidelines. But that argument lacks nuance.
Former Morrison government minister Matt Canavan is challenging David Littleproud for the Nationals leadership, as senior members accuse the Liberals of not behaving like true partners and blaming the party for the extent of the election loss.
There is a clear sign of structural, strategic failure that could be the beginning of the end for the Greens as they follow the historical trajectory of other minor parties and independent groupings that have overreached, faltered, failed and disappeared. Who remembers the Australian Democrats?
Despite Adam Bandt’s declaration of how well the Greens vote has held up in the ‘most progressive Senate’ on record, the brutal reality of the vote is that his own seat could be lost, automatically losing his party leadership.
Forget talk of retirement, a win of this magnitude gives Albanese unquestioned authority over personnel, politics and policy. Now he needs to take a lead from Hawke and Keating in shaping Labor policy to the nation’s needs.
At least for Dutton there is no agonising over whether he should remain as leader or some dreadful fight among the Liberals as to who would take over. The Liberals must now regroup around a new leader.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/dennis-shanahan