Clear battle lines drawn over New Zealand politicians' interpretations of Australian election
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese waves beside his partner Jodie Haydon after winning the general election at the Labor Party election night event in Sydney on 3 May, 2025.
Photo:
SAEED KHAN / AFP
Clear battle lines have been drawn in New Zealand politics when it comes to the interpretation of the Australian election.
The Australian Labor Party's Anthony Albanese's landslide victory on the weekend saw him become the first Australian prime minister to be re-elected in 20 years.
His opponent Peter Dutton, who leads the Liberal-Nationals coalition was ahead in the polls as recently as February, but on election day Labor had 82 seats to the coalition's 36.
Many commentators compared Dutton's policies and campaign to that of US President Donald Trump, concluding the victory was a rejection of that style of politics on trend with the Canadian election.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this week rejected that.
"I think that's really about strong economic management," he said.
"When you see the parties that have lost it's because they've been focused on things that haven't actually mattered to the population. You've got to be able to be focused ruthlessly on lowering the cost of living, that's what people care about."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says strong economic management is what mattered to Australians.
Photo:
RNZ / Marika Khabazi
He rejected the suggestion this meant the left-leaning Australian Labor Party were the stronger economic managers compared to the right-leaning, broad-church coalition.
"I'm not commenting on the individual elections ... you could argue a centre-right government in Singapore that increased its vote because it's got strong economic management in very uncertain times."
ACT leader David Seymour took a similar tack.
"You've got to have a message of hope that has wide appeal, and that means a coherent vision of a country where people are equal and have opportunity, and have equal opportunity. Seems to me like a lot of parties in the election over there got sidetracked."
ACT leader David Seymour said the key was a message with wide appeal and hope.
Photo:
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
He said some voters seemed to make up their mind based on Trump, but "because everything Donald Trump seems to be in vogue for media reporting, that effect may have been exaggerated".
"When there is uncertainty beyond our borders, New Zealanders look for stability. In happier times, we look for growth. In my view, New Zealand's at a point where we must do both.
"We respect foreigners' rights to have their elections, good on them, we're glad they do - but we're focused on our own people."
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters had two words to explain his view on the Trump effect: Nigel Farage, whose right-wing populist party Reform UK secured five seats last July, with more than 14 percent of the vote.
"You saw what happened in England, didn't you, and he has a close connection with Donald Trump, and so all those who are giving that cheap, uneducated explanation have been proven wrong," he said.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said he was not surprised by the results.
Photo:
RNZ / Calvin Samuel
The Australian election result was no surprise to him, he said.
Across the aisle, Labour's Chris Hipkins could not resist turning Luxon's words against him.
"I'm glad the prime minister seems to have had a road-to-Damascus conversion and now believes that Labor Party approaches to economic management are responsible economic management, I happen to agree with that."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says there's been backlash to divisive populism internationally.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
From there, the agreement ended.
"I also do think there's an international backlash to the sort of nasty, divisive populism that we've seen from centre-right parties around the world."
The Greens' Chlöe Swarbrick also said it was "a pretty resounding rejection of a Trumpian-style of politics".
"I think that the current actions from our very own coalition government - to, for example, make moves towards defining what a woman is in legislation, not actually meaningfully caring about policies that progress women's rights, and then on the other hand deciding to wage a bit of cultural warfare by taking away the votes of approximately 10,000 prisoners while the cost of living crisis rages on - to me, indicate that this government hasn't really and isn't taking those lessons."
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the current government isn't taking lessons from an overseas rejection of "Trumpian-style" politics.
Photo:
RNZ / Reece Baker
Asked if the prime minister was right that people wanted stability and a focus on the economy, she said New Zealanders were concerned about cost of living and climate - but that the coalition was focused on other things.
"I think that we can see very clearly across the world that we are currently experiencing a rate of wealth inequality that rivals the aristocracy. That inequality is precisely what breeds poverty and homelessness and many of the social ills that are then being weaponised under the guise of cultural warfare."
Te Pāti Māori's co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he "absolutely" believed Australia's election showed the Trump effect.
"I think the Australian election was a last ditch effort of the boomer generation to hold on to any kind of political power and control. I absolutely believe that.
"They're anti everything and you can see it in this government. Backfired in Australia, backfired in Canada, and no doubt it will backfire here in New Zealand, I have total confidence in that."
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he was expecting a dirty election campaign next year.
Photo:
RNZ / REECE BAKER
Expecting a dirty election campaign next year, he said New Zealand First needed a political football to rile up voters.
"But we're not the enemy. Their enemy is ACT because they will be fighting over the same voters and so what ACT and New Zealand First will have to do is see who can kick the 'Maoris' the hardest in order to please their voters ... absolutely it will be a dirty campaign."
The context in Australia is not the same, with a different parliamentary system, state governments, a transferable vote system, mandatory voting, and a different media landscape.
New Zealand's MMP system means parties only need 5 percent of the total party vote to get into Parliament - and the numbers and negotiating skills to gain the government benches.
And with plenty of time before New Zealanders go to the polls next year, the US President will undoubtedly make countless new headlines, it's anyone's guess what will be weighing on the polls then.
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