Labor campaign chief: Why we won

Labor’s campaign chief pointed to Albo being in “red hot form” and some serious failings from the Coalition.

Labor’s campaign chief has put the Liberal Party’s embrace of nuclear power at the centre of the government’s seismic victory, warning the conservatives will stick with the policy at their peril.

In a speech to the national press club outlining why Labor won, the ALP’s campaign chief Paul Erickson will argue the Coalition’s chaotic approach to energy policy was a major factor.

As the Liberal Party wrestles with a fresh climate change war, Mr Erickson will argue the lack of coherent policy was a big issue.

“After a chaotic decade pushing 23 different energy policies without landing one, Peter Dutton, David Littleproud and Ted O’Brien spent the last three years plugging nuclear energy and then running away,’’ he said.

“As exemplified by Mr Dutton’s failure to visit any of his proposed sites during the campaign.”

Labor national secretary and campaign director Paul Erickson. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

The Nationals have cited the Liberal Party’s refusal to guarantee nuclear power reform as a policy option as one of the reasons for the decision to dump the Coalition agreement.

Overnight, Liberal leader Sussan Ley has revealed she fears one of the real reasons the Coalition split was over the Nationals wanting to cross the floor on climate change, including net zero targets.

Asked why the Nationals were seeking to not have to maintain Cabinet solidarity, Ms Ley said, “Well, that’s a question for them.”

“But, obviously, the concern would be that it might relate to climate policy and it might relate to other policies, where we should present a united front to the Australian people.”

Mr Erickson has been widely hailed by the ALP for running a faultless campaign after experiencing the highs and lows of the 2022 election as ALP national secretary and the 2019 defeat as assistant secretary.

He argued that Labor’s record and Anthony Albanese’s campaigning prowess was undervalued.

“Coming into 2025, the conventional wisdom undervalued Labor’s capacity to use our record as the foundation for our second term policy offer,’’ he said.

“And it underestimated the capacity of the Australian electorate to assess how their leaders were responding to changing circumstances.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with the Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong. Picture: PMO

Mr Erickson said to understand why, it was worth considering the four features of the 47th parliament.

“First – for three years one issue – the cost of living – was dominant to an extent that doesn’t normally happen outside of wartime and pandemic,’’’ he said.

“It is impossible for any government to completely satisfy the demand for cost-of-living relief during an inflation surge. Governments as ideologically diverse as the Biden-Harris administration, the UK Conservatives, the Japanese LDP, the Indian BJP and the Portuguese Socialists went backwards at elections during 2024.

“But in the face of the cost of living challenge, Labor did everything we could. Tax cuts for every taxpayer. Energy bill relief. Cheaper Medicines.”

“These measures had another thing in common: Peter Dutton and the Coalition opposed every single one.”

Over three long years, he argued that Labor’s record and Peter Dutton’s opposition built up an advantage for Labor as the best party to provide cost-of-living relief.

“Second – the government’s economic strategy got inflation down without paying for it with a recession and higher unemployment,’ he said.

“There is no more important achievement for a Labor government.”

Medicare a significant factor

Labor’s comeback was predicated on big announcements around Medicare.

“Bulk billing is on the way back, and more than 1.2 million Australians have already been treated at a Medicare urgent care clinic,’’ Mr Erickson said.

“To address a housing crisis that has been decades in the making, Labor has started the largest housing build in Australian history.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds up a Medicare card. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

“In response to this agenda, the Coalition wanted to have it both – to claim they would have done a better job, but to hide the detail of their alternative plans.

“They opposed Labor’s Medicare urgent care clinics, calling them “wasteful spending.”

Despite criticism of Mr Albanese’s performance in the 2022 election, Mr Erickson said the PM was in top form in 2025.

“From the first Monday of January through to election day, the Prime Minister was in the form of a lifetime,’’ he said.

“The street walks, the school visits and the shifts on pre-poll. The debates, which every sensible observer scored four-nil.

“Albo was in his element, connecting with everyday people and enjoying it.

“Peter Dutton was gloomy about the country, downcast about the future, and most animated when magnifying the problems facing Australia.”

Originally published as Labor campaign chief: Why we won