PM's surprise move for election guru
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is sitting in the front row of the National Press Club as his campaign guru Paul Erickson delivers a behind-the-scenes look at how Labor secured its stomping victory in the 2025 election.
The campaign architect and ALP national secretary spoke for the first time on Wednesday about why he thinks the campaign ended with Mr Albanese in a position of historic power and left the conservative side of Australian politics in what has been dubbed a 'smoking ruin'.
Mr Erickson credited the Prime Minister's 'exemplary' campaigning and leadership at three crucial moments for his massive win over rival Peter Dutton.
'From the first Monday of January through to election day, the Prime Minister was in the form of a lifetime,' Mr Erickson said on Wednesday to a packed room of reporters and political leaders, including Mr Albanese.
'And while the Prime Minister was telling a positive story about who we are and where we're going, Peter Dutton was gloomy about the country, downcast about the future, and most animated when magnifying the problems facing Australia … The prime minister and the opposition leader were confronted by some critical leadership tests … Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Liberation Day. The disruption of Anzac Day commemorations by a neo-Nazi. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
'The contrast was as clear as night and day. The Prime Minister offered authentic, measured and firm leadership and Peter Dutton never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.'
Labor now holds 93 seats in parliament, while the Liberal Party has dropped from 57 seats to just 28 and the Nationals hold 15.
Tuesday's shock Coalition blow-up means the two conservative parties are now splintered and will not form a combined opposition to Labor's wall of red seats.
Mr Erickson then cited the government's cost-of-living policies, its strategy to reduce inflation without triggering a recession or sharp jump in unemployment, Labor's embrace of renewable energy over nuclear power and reform in healthcare and housing for the triumphant election win. Paul Erickson (centre) helped orchestrate Labor's May victory. Jason Edwards / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
'Labor has one energy policy and we're delivering it – driving private sector investment in renewables, backed by gas, hydro and batteries,' Mr Erickson said.
'This policy is working. Australia is producing record renewable energy, our emissions are lower than when Labor was elected, and we're on track to achieve our emissions reduction goals.
'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 from any detail, as exemplified by Mr Dutton's failure to visit any of his proposed sites during the campaign.'
More to come .
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