Election 2022: Albo’s biggest hurdle revealed in focus group research

Secret focus group research conducted by the Liberal Party has exposed what’s holding key voters back from backing Anthony Albanese.

EXCLUSIVE

Focus group research conducted for the Liberal Party reveals Anthony Albanese’s character remains an issue for the Opposition Leader with questions over whether he is “up to it” likely to result in a tight election outcome.

The research obtained by news.com.au suggests that many voters in Western Sydney still have big concerns.

The Labor leader’s lack of mastery of the detail was high on voters list of concerns, issues the Scott Morrison has hammered calling the Labor leader a “loose unit”.

“You want your prime minister to know what’s going on with the country, he just doesn’t know, and he looks awkward, what else doesn’t he know the answer to?’’ one voter said.

“He hasn’t got the personality to lead the country,’’ said another.

“He’s asking us to trust him with the most important job in the country, but it just feels to me that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. If I go into the supermarket, I need to know how much things cost and what my household budget is. I need to know what’s in my bank account and my super. We’ve got mortgages and bills to pay. It’s not right that he doesn’t know.”

While the Prime Minister has admitted he can be “a bulldozer” and faced criticism over his trip to Hawaii, the vaccine rollout and RAT test shortages over Christmas, there’s still voter hesitation over the Labor leader’s credentials.

The research reveals a key character question around Anthony Albanese. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Voters participating in the focus groups came from Western Sydney, including the Labor-held seat of Werriwa, where the Mr Morrison made a surprise stop this week as the Coalition tries to flip seats in the outer suburbs to offset losses elsewhere.

Polled voters were also concerned that Mr Albanese’s early stumbles over detail suggested he wasn’t ready for the top job.

“He needs to do his homework,’’ said a voter.

“It affects all of us, millions (of people). If he is going to make decisions about economic policy, and he doesn’t know what these figures are that everyone has mortgages against…we all have mortgages, we could lose our jobs, if he doesn’t know what that is then it’s going to affect me and my family.

“You don’t just make a policy once you become prime minister, that should be in the plan. Albo is making all these big promises, but he hasn’t costed them, he’s just putting these things up to try and get elected.

“They don’t just go overseas just to shake hands and take photos, they negotiate big deals, and if you don’t know what you are negotiating, it affects your country, if he stuffs up with billions of dollars, we pay for it in taxes

“Albanese would be coming in at exactly the wrong time for the economy”

In relation to a hung parliament, one voter raised concerns about how Labor would manage the crossbench.

“I don’t think he’s strong enough to handle that — he’d settle for anything just to get it (policy) through. He’s just too weak,’’ one voter told the focus group.

Peter Dutton said Aussies were ‘not ready’ for Albo. Picture: Jane Dempster/The Australian

Julia Gillard made a plea to women to vote Labor. Picture: Wendell Teodoro/AFP

Liberal frontbencher Peter Dutton, who may emerge as opposition leader after the election, said there was not doubt the result would be “tight” and it was the wrong time for install Mr Albanese as prime minister.

“I think Australians realise that he’s just not ready to be prime minister of our country,” Mr Dutton said.

Mr Albanese declared today he planned to have “nothing left in the tank” ahead of the federal election on Saturday and that he had given the six-week election campaign “absolutely everything”.

“I’ve got nothing left in the tank today I’ve been to four states commencing here in Sydney, going to Adelaide and then travelling to two more states and I’ll keep going until 6pm on Saturday because I absolutely believe that Australia needs a better future and you can only have that if we have a better government,’’ he said.

Asked if he would stand down as leader if he falls short, Mr Albanese said he had not contemplated that outcome.

Speaking in Adelaide, Australia’s first female prime minister Julia Gillard said the Labor leader was ready.

“We have known each other for more than 40 years right back to when we were university students. And with the authority that the more than 40 years of friendship gives me, I can certainly say the following about Albo. He is ready to be the Prime Minister, he will be a great Prime Minister,’’ she said.

Originally published as Election 2022: Albo’s biggest hurdle revealed in focus group research