Anthony Albanese has a question time party as lackadaisical Sussan Ley leads an almost invisible Coalition
Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces as the government cruised through its first question time since Labor’s landslide election victory.
As Sussan Ley and Coalition frontbenchers struggled to lay blows on the Prime Minister, the optics of 94 Labor MPs versus 43 Coalition MPs in the chamber was a stark reminder of the long road back for the Liberals and Nationals. They say three years is a long time in politics but many Coalition MPs believe a return to power is unattainable for at least six years.
Ley’s new shadow ministerial line-up, dominated by allies and rookies, will take time to find their feet. The Opposition Leader did not engage directly with Albanese across the dispatch box, was glued to her phone and rarely turned around to engage with her frontbench team.
Alex Hawke, the controversial centre-right factional warlord rewarded by Ley with the critical job of opposition manager of business, didn’t jump to his feet once.
Coalition insiders were underwhelmed by Hawke’s tepid performance. It’s his job to disrupt Labor ministers, demand documents be tabled and test the boundaries of Speaker Milton Dick. One Liberal MP described the first question time of the 48th parliament as “grim”. “I reckon I had a few microsleeps during that one,” the MP said.
While Ley’s first question about Labor’s super tax failed to mention the super tax and allowed Albanese off the hook, sticking on one theme was the right strategy. The problem with elevating super tax attacks over the economy and productivity was that Peter Dutton’s opposition virtually ignored Chalmers’ tax slug ahead of the May 3 election.
Snubbing Chalmers and asking newly-minted Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino and the PM about the super tax impacts and hit on unrealised capital gains attracted a few smirks from Labor and Coalition MPs.
Albanese predictably mocked Ley, Ted O’Brien, Tim Wilson and David Littleproud for waging a super tax scare campaign … for the 2028 election.
Labor’s heroes who ousted Coalition and Greens leaders and MPs, including Ali France (Dickson), Sarah Witty (Melbourne), Renee Coffey (Griffith), Madonna Jarrett (Brisbane), Claire Clutterham (Sturt), Emma Comer (Petrie), Zhi Soon (Banks), Gabriel Ng (Menzies), David Moncrieff (Hughes) and Jess Teesdale (Bass), were handed Dorothy Dixers and praise for their victories and maiden speeches.
As the Liberals and Nationals review their policies and manage splits over net zero, Albanese and Bowen had plenty of material to play with.
O’Brien, who replaced Angus Taylor as opposition Treasury spokesman, was singled out by Labor ministers over his role in leading Dutton’s nuclear energy policy, which Albanese quipped helped to re-elect his government.
Bowen also poked fun at former Nationals’ leaders Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce over their bromance and opposition to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Putting the jokes aside, Albanese has a big task ahead keeping his enormous caucus in line, delivering on election promises and targets, and strengthening Australia’s productivity, economic growth and national security.
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