Labor’s dropping its clearest signs yet on next Australian federal election call
Labor’s moves in the media this week could signal the date everyone is waiting to be revealed could be very close.
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COMMENT
Treasurer Jim Chalmers understood the assignment when Sunrise’s Natalie Barr asked him if he was having a “champagne breakfast” after the first interest-rate cut in four long years.
“Definitely not, Nat,’’ he replied.
It was welcome news, he soberly explained, for millions of Australians.
“It means that people will get the rate relief that they need and deserve,” the Treasurer said.
“We know that it won’t make all of the cost of living pressures in our economy disappear overnight, but it will help. And that’s a good thing.”
In other words, while the Labor Party might be cautiously hopeful and hugely relieved at the potential impact of interest rate reductions on their re-election hopes, the last thing they are about to do is party hard about $100 a month – or less – of relief for homeowners.
The Treasurer then added, when asked on Sunrise about the prospect of organising a bucks party for the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of his spring wedding to Jodie Haydon, that he was “more of a cup of tea and an early night kind of guy these days”.
OK Jim, if you say so.
Nobody in the Labor Party is dumb enough to think a $100-a-month cut to interest rates is going to reverse the electoral impact of 13 rate rises, the cancer of inflation and the corrosive effect of Anthony Albanese’s lacklustre performance.
Nevertheless, it is good news for the ALP and families. Good news for homeowners and for small businesses hoping that families will start spending again.
Perhaps that was why the Liberal Party’s treasury spokesman Angus Taylor looked slightly glum this week as he responded to the RBA’s big move.
Mr Albanese was exaggerating a tad when he suggested the following day that Mr Taylor looked like someone had just killed his pet in a driveway.
“Angus Taylor yesterday looked like someone had run over his cat,” the Prime Minister said.
“He was so disappointed with the Reserve Bank decision.”
Indeed, the PM was so stoked by this line he gave it a second go at a press conference.
“I don’t know what Peter Dutton thinks, because no one’s seen him since the announcement, but Angus Taylor looked like someone had run over his cat in the driveway yesterday,’’ he said again.
Yes, Albo, we heard you the first time. And also what the hell have you got against cats? These laboured lines are paw-full.
Still, it’s better than a poke in the eye, a 25 basis point cut, even if the RBA is hinting that homeowners shouldn’t expect back-to-back relief at the April 1 meeting, which could be a downer ahead of Mr Albanese’s predicted April 12 election.
Meanwhile, tap dancing onto the stage left and right was a gaggle of sure signs the election wasn’t far off.
First up, a glossy spread in Women’s Weekly with the Prime Minister and his bride-to-be saying not much at all but talking about their wedding and wandering around The Lodge gardens in nice clothes with their dog Toto.
Next was the Mr Albanese tying himself up in rhetorical knots over his refusal to say there would be a budget on March 25. Note, there won’t be if he calls the election straight after the WA poll on March 8 and announces an April election.
And then there was Clive Palmer.
The millionaire popped into Canberra on Wednesday to blue with journalists, which presumably was exactly what he was looking for.
He’s smarter than some people give him credit for, the old Big Palmer. Despite spending more than $120 million at the last election to secure just one seat in parliament.
Everyone enjoys politicians biffing with journalists and putting them back in their box.
When Channel 9’s Andrew Probyn correctly suggested that the idea that his new party would win enough seats to form government was “plainly potty”, the mining magnate monstered the little media pipsqueak.
“That’s because it’s a very low entry for journalists in this country and they don’t really have the proper analytic skills,’’ Mr Palmer replied.
“If we have a look about, you’ll find in the coming days that President Trump’s policy in Australia has the support of more than 30 per cent of Australians, and you’d see a party taking that same support up against the Coalition.”
No mention of the fact that Trump’s tariff madness could screw the Australian economy, start a trade war and send up the prices of new cars.
Incidentally, while Special Minister of State Don Farrell’s new limits on rich-lister donors like Clive Palmer spending up big in federal election campaigns are a done deal, they won’t come into effect until after the 2025 election.
That’s a shame for the Labor Party because Mr Palmer’s new group that he’s dubbed the Trump-et of Patriots could really hurt the Labor Party at the election and create more chaos on election night.
Just remember we have a preferential voting system. It’s not first past the post voting. It’s not over until it’s over. The preferences need to be distributed.
Just remember that when you’re watching the count on election night if there’s anyone broadcasting who can’t count.
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