As the Prime Minister plays an exclusively defensive game trying to save the furniture, there are growing concerns in government ranks that Labor is on track for a disastrous election result fuelled by their leader’s poor decision-making.
Albanese has shown limited agility or populist instinct to turn the ship around when things get tough. And things have been very tough for Labor since the 61-year-old’s doomed Indigenous voice referendum in October 2023.
The situation is dire when Labor figures struggle to name seats around the country they can win and only seats they will likely lose. Despite low morale and polls indicating a minority government for Labor or the Coalition, the Prime Minister continues to project the view that Labor can win majority government.
Albanese is struggling to cut through in selling Labor’s childcare, Medicare and economic policies. Even trying to buy himself out of trouble with tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded announcements since January hasn’t worked.
Dutton’s decision to immediately match Labor’s $8.5bn Medicare pledge (intended as a centrepiece of Albanese’s re-election campaign), the government’s failure to secure a bounce from last week’s rate cut, and China’s intimidatory naval exercises have forced an early activation of the ALP “dirt unit”.
With policy, economic narrative and bucketloads of cash not working, Labor has fallen back on its “get Dutton” plan.
All sides of politics have dirt units. But it is almost unheard of for the major parties to dish dirt before an election is called. Surely, if you’re going to run a full-court press attacking Dutton, you would wait until the first week of the campaign?
Dutton, who could have blown up about the personal hit jobs targeting his finances, was purposefully calm as he addressed the issues on Wednesday, determined not to take the bait and show voters he remains focused.
It was another backfire for the ALP, with Dutton using the moment to talk up his life story as he wooed voters in the marginal Labor-held seat of Parramatta.
“The Prime Minister’s Office is shopping around dirt sheets at the moment. I have conducted myself with integrity at every moment of my life, including as a police officer, and since I’ve been in politics. If the Prime Minister has some claim to make, don’t get his lackeys to push it out there, get up and make the claim yourself. I think it reflects poorly on the Prime Minister and the desperation that he’s in at the moment.”
Albanese also set Coalition tongues wagging on Wednesday after he turned-up in Sam Rae’s notionally safe Melbourne seat of Hawke, held on a 7.6 per cent margin. The seat is close to the state electorate of Werribee, which Victorian Labor came within a whisker of losing earlier this month. Labor predictions that Victorians would automatically reject Dutton and the Liberals may be proven wildly wrong on election day.
It’s not a Seinfeld election … but it is one without courage
With Labor and the Coalition risk-averse and reform-shy, no wonder voters are looking to minor parties and independents.
Liberals ‘anxious’ of losing key state seat
The Liberals have held the West Australian seat of Forrest for more than 50 years. This year it could fall to a teal independent.
Anthony Albanese’s election train has left the station and Labor MPs believe there is no turning back, amid fears that waiting until May could deliver Peter Dutton the keys to The Lodge.