PM can look to his team for a re-election path

Anthony Albanese could do a lot worse than work with others on his frontbench who are doing their jobs, not just talking the talk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Albanese government’s first six months in office is drawing to a close as parliament prepares for the final two sitting weeks of the year. It’s now fewer than 30 months until the next federal election when voters will pass their judgment.

Voters will no doubt look back on the carnage inflation has had on their day-to-day lives. Groceries bills noticeably up, power prices at least 56 per cent higher, interest on mortgage repayments triple what it was just three short years earlier. A national debt of $1 trillion to pay back.

Peter Dutton will rightly reprise Ronald Reagan’s line as he put an end to the one-term Jimmy Carter administration and ask: “Are you better off today than you were three years ago?”

It’s not a question that’s going to be answered by the tortuous “conversation we have to have”, of limp first budgets and stage-three-tax-cut debates that end in a whimper, not a bang.

Given the past six months, the Albanese government won’t win re-election on the performance of managing the economy. Talking about introducing super profits taxes and verballing Treasury advice to fight an ideological war on wealth won’t help punters in Parramatta make ends meet. It certainly won’t deliver $275 off their power bills.

So, what’s the plan for a second term? Anthony Albanese could do a lot worse than work with others on his frontbench who are doing their jobs, not just talking the talk. There are plenty of ministers getting on with the job of delivering a Labor government.

Labor’s cabinet bristles with talent, not just naked ambition. You have Tony Burke delivering real wages growth – which will have kicked in by the next election – by genuinely reforming the bargaining environment for workers, not just dismantling Work Choices like the last Labor government.

Clare O’Neil is doing a fantastic job of taking on cyber criminals and protecting millions of Australians failed by Optus and Medibank. Her straight-talking take­downs of the hackers and cri­minals is refreshing to see.

The opportunity for delivering a practical response to climate change is led by three of the brightest Labor minds from NSW: Chris Bowen is promoting renewable energy, Ed Husic the new industries and jobs that come from the sector, while Tanya Plibersek is driving better outcomes for the environment by promoting reuse and remanufacturing rather than materials going to landfill.

Although Jim Chalmers has been quick to brief against the “rising costs of aged care, childcare, healthcare and the NDIS” as his mantra for breaking solemn election commitments and taxing success, Labor wouldn’t be a Labor government without delivering for those most in need in our community.

These are also the sectors that have depth of experience in ministers Mark Butler and Bill Shorten and two of the brightest and most talented women in newly minted ministers Anika Wells and Amanda Rishworth.

Wells, far from just being the leader of the Chalmers cheer squad, has taken to the challenge of fixing aged care with multiple media engagements. Of the few election commitments that made it out of the small-target policy politburo, Labor’s commitment to improved wages and skills in the sector deserve commendation.

Rishworth’s childcare changes will not only improve early childhood education and prepare children for the school system, they have the potential to be truly transformative for the careers of women in the workforce.

Butler is presiding over a healthcare system that is defending Medicare and improving the lives of Australians getting access to the best medical care in the public and private sectors as we emerge from the pandemic.

Shorten introduced the NDIS under Kevin Rudd and is delivering it under Albanese. He’s making sure individuals get their personalised packages while cracking down on the thieves and rorters who try to steal from some of the most vulnerable in society.

These ministers aren’t taking time out of their busy diaries to take selfies with sleazy lobbyist mates; they are getting into delivering a Labor agenda and governing for the many, not the few.

While Albanese gets on yet ­another plane to walk the international stage, standing up to Chinese imperialist ambitions in the near Pacific and supporting the brave citizens of Ukraine with Aussie Bushmasters, coal and generators, he should take time at 40,000 feet to reflect on the performance of his team.

Labor can make people’s lives better than they were by the time of the next election. People’s relatives can have the aged care they deserve, the childcare their children, nephews and nieces need.

We can be a proud nation with the world’s best healthcare system as well as world first and best NDIS.

We can drive new economies and new green-collar jobs while getting corporate Australia to better guard our most personal data. There will be real wage increases because of the work of Burke.

Bill Clinton had a famous saying, “It’s the economy, stupid”, and while it’s right that cost of living and the government’s lack of response to crippling inflation will be on voters’ minds at the next election, perhaps it will be the strong record of Albanese’s other ministers, delivering a Labor government for working families, that can be the legacy on which re-election is built.