On the first parliamentary sitting day of 2021 this week, Scott Morrison told his Liberal colleagues that to win the next election the Coalition had to “win” every day since the last election and every day until the next election.
Well, after the first three days of parliament, the Prime Minister is achieving his aim.
Morrison was paraphrasing John Howard’s undeniable election advice that you “can’t fatten the pig on market day” as he urged all Coalition MPs to keep their eyes on the job at hand and not be distracted or attracted by opinion polls.
Anthony Albanese said this week that Labor’s task was to “not talk about ourselves”, to talk about Labor’s alternative plan, and to hold the Coalition government to account.
Labor was aiming at holding the government to account on the release of the coronavirus vaccines, including “dangerous” behaviour by Liberal MP Craig Kelly, new industrial relations laws the unions oppose, Morrison’s “partisan” relationship with Donald Trump, hotel quarantine failures, Australians stranded overseas, and a failure to agree to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Yet, after three sitting days, Morrison has had a “win” each day and the Opposition Leader can’t seem to stop his colleagues — or the government — talking about Labor’s leadership, strategy and division.
Labor did have a “win” over Kelly’s views on vaccines on Wednesday when Morrison pulled him into line. It was embarrassing for Kelly but the day was another overall win for the Coalition.
On Thursday, Morrison demonstrated the strength of incumbency while Albanese continued to suffer from internal sniping and a growing complaint that Labor’s tactics are indulgent, flawed and failing. Strategically, Labor has opposed the IR laws completely, and tactically has been unable to get beyond details.
Before question time on Thursday, Morrison was able to unveil 10 million more vaccine shots, reveal a “warm and engaging” conversation with US President Joe Biden on climate change and the alliance, declare he was getting people back to jobs, and continue to argue for technological answers to climate change, not taxes.
In question time, Albanese came under further fire as minister after minister used the telling line that Labor was only interested in “one job” — the Opposition Leader’s.
Labor and Albanese can, and probably will, lift their game, but at the end of the first week of parliament in 2021, which may become an election year, the Coalition remains well in front.
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