An unsettling feeling settles in the pit of my stomach – something is amiss, alarmingly so – but I struggle to articulate what it is. Each time I skim a passage from Australia’s leading right-wing newspaper, The Australian, I find myself in a state of sheer disbelief, grappling with confusion and astonishment at the words before me. The disconnect is palpable, leaving me flabbergasted and yearning for clarity.
Here is an example from Simon Benson, Political Editor of The Australian:
“If Anthony Albanese has realistic hopes of being returned to office with a majority, absolutely everything must go right for Labor. Everything must go wrong for the Coalition to pull off an upset victory.”
When Labor ascended to power, our hopes soared. We envisioned a revival of respect for our political institutions and a reinvigoration of Parliament. Change was not just desired; it was essential, especially after years of stagnation wrought by Abbott, Morrison and Dutton’s relentless negativity. The atmosphere has shifted; we are no longer mired in the daily crises and urgent challenges that consumed nearly a decade under Coalition rule. Instead, we can breathe easier and look to a future illuminated by the promise of reform and progress.
However, substantial shifts, such as the introduction of four-year parliamentary terms, have landed squarely in the path of Peter Dutton. Recently, we’ve witnessed a line-up that exhibits negativity even more pronounced than Tony Abbott’s era.
These situations often require collaboration, but when one side rigidly resolves to reject every proposal, meaningful transformation becomes an elusive dream.
What has Labor done?
It would be an oversimplification to suggest that no progress has been made; the situation is quite the opposite. Wages are on the upswing, reflecting workers’ renewed sense of optimism. The grip of inherited inflation is being steadily loosened, providing a sense of financial relief. Remarkably, two consecutive surpluses have been realised, underscoring the strength of our economic foundation and the fine work of Dr Chalmers. Meanwhile, unemployment has dipped to an encouraging 4%, indicating employment opportunities for many.
It has legislated the most substantial changes to IR laws in decades.
The Help to Buy program offers shared equity loans for 40,000 low-middle-income families.
A historic separation of the Reserve Bank of Australia board into two committees, one for interest rate setting and another for governance.
It’s not a bad first term in anyone’s language.
Interest rate relief has begun, and carer payments, pension increases, federal rent assistance, youth allowance, Jobseeker, and disability support will all rise in March.
But human nature is what it is and is never enough. Having been through many financial crises, including the loss of two business failures and a few recessions, I understand the cost-of-living crisis being debated. Labor has been trying to do something about it.
My comparative experience tells me this crisis isn’t nearly as bad as past ones. During Keating’s recession, interest rates were 19%; unemployment reached 11.4% at the end of 1992.
The government broke an election promise not to touch the stage three tax cuts. The prime minister defended the move as a necessary backflip to help struggling households.
These were the most significant overhauls to aged care since the 2021 response to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
In March 2024, the government legislated its heavy emissions cap-and-trade scheme with the help of the Greens.
A federal agency to investigate corruption (the NACC) by public servants was legislated.
Changes aimed at saving $15 billion from the NDIS scheme, which had been on track to overtake the age pension as the most expensive area of government spending within three years. Even with the changes, such as the crackdown on fraud and rorting, it will still overtake the pension in terms of cost within a decade.
The indexation of HECS debts will be changed to move in line with inflation or the wage price index, whichever is lower. Labor says it will wipe out 20 per cent of existing student debts.
Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16. Platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and Reddit will have a year to comply or face fines of up to $50 million. YouTube is omitted.
In a remarkable display of legislative efficiency, Anthony Albanese’s government deftly set the stage for an upcoming election by swiftly navigating the intricate pathways of Parliament. In a whirlwind session, they pushed through an impressive 31 bills in a single day, clearing the decks of their remaining legislative agenda and paving the way for a new political chapter.
Something is seriously wrong, but I can’t put my finger on it.
Any fair-minded person analysing who they should vote for would say that the Albanese Government has done a fair job in its first term. Its record speaks for itself. Of course, as usual, only 20% of voters will decide the outcome.
The conundrum I find myself grappling with is the striking portrayal of Dutton by the media, particularly outlets under Murdoch’s influence, which cast the Labor Party in the bleakest possible light. They parade one poll after another, each one seemingly championing the Coalition. Never a word about 9 years of Coalition catastrophes.
What accolades have they truly earned? After nearly a decade of deceit, corruption, and abysmal governance, how could anyone consider renewing their mandate three years later? Do you genuinely believe that with the same personal and merely two policies – a nuclear initiative lacking any solid credentials like how it will be paid for and by who, and the promise of free lunches for wealthy business tycoons – they deserve another chance? It’s utterly absurd.
One of the oddities of political polling is trying to understand how 50% of the voting public would willingly return a party that governed so abysmally for nearly ten years.
The Poll Bludger quotes the following:
- The more trustworthy polls, like the Essential fortnightly Essential Research poll, have Labor steady at 30%, the Coalition down one to 35%, the Greens steady at 12% and One Nation up one to 9%, with a constant 4% undecided. The 2PP+ measure has both Labor and the Coalition at 48%
- The weekly Roy Morgan poll has the Coalition with an unchanged two-party lead of 51.5-48.5 based on respondent-allocated preferences and a narrowing from 51.5-48.5 to 51-49 going off 2022 election preference flows.
- The regular Newspoll from The Australian finds the Coalition leading 51-49, unchanged on three weeks ago, from primary votes of Labor 31% (steady), Coalition 38% (down one), Greens 12% (constant) and One Nation 7% (undecided). Anthony Albanese is constant at 37% approval and up one on approval to 58%, while Peter Dutton is respectively up one to 41% and steady at 51%.
- The YouGov poll has predicted the Coalition will win 73 seats and that Labor will take 66 at the upcoming federal election, leaving both short of forming a majority government; = Peter Dutton will become Prime Minister with the assistance of a couple of independents.
What I think
Albanese’s lead as the preferred Prime Minister has increased from a narrow 44-41 to a more substantial 45-40. This gap is poised to expand further once the election is called. At that point, voters will be asked about their “voting intention” rather than “who they think will win,” a subtle but crucial distinction that could sway opinions. Beneath the surface lies a troubling alignment with the Trump-like factions among Australian conservatives, which presents a significant risk for those on the right side of Australian politics. Recent surveys reveal a stark reality: Trump is profoundly unpopular among Australians, highlighting a growing dissonance that could have far-reaching consequences.
How an Opposition who offers nothing but negativity and a firm NO to almost everything leaves me with a sceptical feeling of despondency.
Undoubtedly, a specific section of the Australian population is attracted to Trump/Dutton-style politics. What happens in America generally reinvents itself here, and the early signs of Trumpism are upon us. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan is being tailored for us with “Get Australia Back on Track.” The warning signs of Trump’s Authoritarian popularism are being supported by the extreme right of our politics. Former Prime Minister Turnbull once described Dutton as a thug. Like Abbott and Trump, he is only too willing to stoke the flames of political, sexual and religious division. Already, Dutton has praised Trump for his delirious thinking on Gaza.
The Office of the American President was once viewed by its people as an office of prestige and importance. Trump has reduced it to one of ridicule and contempt.
The Australian people will reject Trumpism and Dutton’s association with it. It should be enough to give Albanese a second term.
My thought for the day
We exercise our involvement in our democracy every three years by voting. After that, the vast majority take very little interest. Why is it so?
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To be blunt and nasty, Australia and its voters are uninformed, undereducated, unreliable, unaware and uncaring. A mere 50, 000 hours of teaching everyone and every type from the sublime to the ridiculous makes me make that declaration.., and I could be wrong.., and Trump could be honest.., and Peter Duckwit-Futton could be “gifted” and not merely maggoted, poxed and an object of futility. Who would be in favour of stupidity, lazy incompetence and negative nagging?? Who?? (maybe Joyce or Katter) Why POX your life, your future, your very planet by favouring a fistfondling foul fool?
Sadly, John, Albo, like Gillard’s misogyny, has only once attacked Dutton but has not connected the rabbott’s, the copper man’s nor the minister for everything’s and Dutton’s failures with Labor’s successes.
There is a little time to left to redress the situation for without it labor will mortally wounded by the bandit and his loonies.
Welcome back, Lord, and your ‘vast majority’ only take interest because of ‘compulsory’ voting. I think we oldies will live to see the end of compulsory voting and, possibly, the end of preferences. Good job?
One is less concerned of any potential government with Dutton and the LNP, since new year.
Previously anti-ALP agitprop by the RW MSM, now they are very coy, remiss and evasive on Musk, Trump and Putin, why?
Afraid of putting the frighteners on voters, inc conservatives, outraged by the behaviour of the LNP’s own US allies; now see Canada, Austria, UK, Hungary etc. and even many MAGA are wtf?!
Hopefully an attempt in vain to firewall and protect Dutton and the LNP campaign, especially potential attacks on the above from the centre and ALP…
John Lord, I don’t know if you were aware when you published this article but the latest Roy Morgan Poll that came out on the 24th has Labor leading 51% to 49% which is a complete reversal of the Morgan poll the previous week so it will be interesting to see if the other polls follow next week.
https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9821-federal-voting-intention-february-23-2025
At the present time in Queensland we are being assailed with television ads of Clive Palmer telling us how life should be and how his Trumpet of Patriots party [also known as the Bugles of flatulence] will fix everything because they care and there are enough silly people out there to believe and vote for him.
Oddly, Clive has yet to reveal a single candidate in any seat anywhere in the country.
As John has demonstrated, we have had three years of steady, hard-working, committed government with some very talented people doing what they are supposed to be doing and yet we are told that the electorate are turning to a lazy Dutton alternative who has one policy, something that will allow small businesses to claim a tax deduction for business lunches and another barely thought through policy on nuclear power that he won’t tell us about until after the election………..give me a break !
I live in the Qld electorate of Kennedy where, no matter what, Bob Katter will, I fear, be re-elected……………go figure !
The recent press call in the Oval Office should leave us in no doubt that a change to conservatives in our next election will align us with that malignant narcisist and at any point he will simply dump us. Dutton wants to be a mini Trump. His takeover of power will leave Australia floundering again. We cannot allow that to happen
T. Mills notes the obvious irrelevance of C Palmer and his party, the Arseful of Palmerfart, hot air of a most foul kind and no policy at all for an adult, or rat as well. Palmer is a political pervert of the disgusting monied type, perhaps trying to overcome his inner doubts about being repulsive, overlarge, unbelievable. What a BLOT. You’d do better to vote for a liver fluke rather than Clivey…
The answer to subjecting yourself to a slow torture by reading the lying, conniving, slanderous Murdoch rags including “The un-Australian”, “The Daily Terrorgraph” and any other internationally discredited rag published by that despicable, hateful old psychopath, Rupert Murdoch and his talentless, Z-rated hacks, is to STOP PURCHASING AND READING anything published by Murdoch and/or STOP LISTENING to the Murdoch-approved, openly biased LNP-supporting Sky (Lie) News! If ENOUGH Australians absolutely REFUSED to spend good money purchasing the filthy LNP-approved slanderous propaganda in every Murdoch rag and/or listening to the vindictive, inhumane and racist crap pushed out by the abhorrent right-wing extremists employed on Sky News, Channel 7 et al – which are nothing more than MEGAPHONES for the dangerously undemocratic, hateful, racist and misogynistic agenda of the LNP, then – eventually – Murdoch and his venomous rags will go out of business!
Yes John, Flabbergasted, dumbfounded, incredulous, stupefied , angry, depressed, alarmed and seemingly powerless to do anything worthwhile to turn voters indifference around! I first voted in 1972 and the one constant that has killed progressive political action time and time again is the corrupt media we have had to endure! The propaganda units of the rich and powerful are even more partisan, powerful and corrupt than ever before. How else can you explain Trump, and polls in Australia indicating close to 50% support for the LNP, with their recent record and a leadership of complete fools?
Robert. No l wasn’t aware. Thanks for that.
I am flabbergasted at prospect of Australians voting for LNP, ALP OR GREENS. LNP signed Australia up to Agenda 2030 in 2015 and forgot to tell us what it would mean – living under global government. They didn’t even bother giving us a mechanism to have our say. ALP AND GREENS just pretend it is nothing. Of course the failure of media to discuss the consequences of globalism reflects their support of elites in an oligarchy. The media can never present balanced reporting on anything.
Most Aussies want to live in a strong democracy with Australian values. ALP is committed to allowing the migration of those whose religious/cultural beliefs and practises are incompatible with Australians expectations. This is the expectation of global government to destroy nationalism. The result for Australia has been that most of us do not feel safe.
I am appalled at the suppression of dissenting voices by passing anti Vilification laws and social chosen laws. This has resulted in citizens expressing their faith being tangled up in expensive legal processes. Other Australians have been stood down from their jobs for speaking about the ethics of Government policies, the lack of scientific support for these policies, and the fact that certain legislation breaches our judeochristian beliefs.
Australia has a much smaller population compared to USA. But Australia has many people who do not want WEF machinations realised in Australia. They say ” we will own nothing but we will be happy. I want to own my house and contents. I do not want to live in a communist/socialist country. I want freedom to speak, to practise my faith and to assemble. I do not want the World Health Organisation telling me what injections I must have or deciding what lockdowns will be imposed. I am pretty sure Australian farmers do not want to be told what they can produce and how much.
In truth I would welcome politicians who would support a strong Australian democracy instead of politicians who have sold out to globalism.
After reading this article, for some reason, I wanted to know when 18yos were able to vote in Australia. It was 1973 which surprised me and introduced by the Labor government at the time. Perhaps it’s time another shift to lower the voting age to 16.
Anyone else find the save and delete positions for editing comments should be reversed? Too easy to accidentally delete.
Bev, I have just recently visited a suburb where I used to live. Passed by the church I attended and next to it now is a mosque. There are about a dozen Synagogues in the northern suburbs of perth, untold Christian churches, even in the newer suburbs where I now live, new churches are opening.
No one is not allowed to attend the church, mosque, synagogue of their choice. We have freedom of religion here.
Each morning on my beach walk and the bicycle ride to and from the beach I pass Jehovas witness people busily giving away their favourite Bible tracts and magazines.
We have freedom of religion here.
One aspect of ‘FREEDOM’ is that in having that freedom we need to ensure that others too have that freedom.
If I (an atheist) were to attack a person of faith because that person is a person of faith, I would be rightly in trouble for denying that person their freedom of religion, freedom of speech if you will.
Freedom is a double edged sword… those who have it a re duty bound to ensure that others are not denied it.
Bert Hetebry,
Why can’t the term ‘freedom of religion’ be invoked to demand the right to be free of religion? The word religion actually means bondage as pretty much all of the Roman Catholic Latin speaking clergy might be expected to know as it is derived from the Latin word for bonds or bindings – ligios. So the usual interpretation comes across as quite oxymoronic. Freedom is bondage? Freedom is slavery? The freedom to own slaves would be the freedom to deny freedom to slaves. There’s no duty in freedom, if freedom isn’t free of duty, responsibility, obligation or consequence then it wouldn’t be freedom.
Shouldn’t it be a basic human right to be free of this bondage of religion, and not be expected to be subject to the will of others’ differing beliefs in divine rule and law? Which would then permit the criticism of Zionism when it strays into the habit of genocide without being convicted under Albanese’s new legislations to stifle dissent.
I don’t have a religion. I have beliefs.
Where’s P Duddy? Oh, that’s right, he’s too macho to make an appearance.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/anthony-albanese-joins-revellers-at-the-2025-sydney-mardi-gras-as-election-looms-20250228-p5lfz4.html
That’s easily solved: They’ll get rid of 56,000 public servants instead to cover the Medicare bulk billing Clayton’s promise (and quietly sweep it under the under the carpet) and spend even more cash on jets and maybe more weapons and then lash out on rorts of all kinds. And spend a few million dollars on Trump Rectal Brown Lipstick, perfect for the sycophantic Donald admiring politician.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/02/defence-expert-criticises-coalitions-3bn-pledge-to-buy-more-fighter-jets-saying-there-are-higher-priorities
Is anyone really surprised by the ABC anymore? It’s just become another mouthpiece for Rupert. If Spudonald gets in I can almost picture it being privatised and flogged off to Murdoch for a bargain basement price.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/abc-news-continues-to-falsify-australias-strong-economic-recovery,19486
re. above, [GL @ 10:08 AM], with a plastinated & AI animated Ida Buttrose installed as the permanent head, rattling off talking points fed into her via the optical fibre link to NewCorpse HQ.