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The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Coalition gives a masterclass on the dangers of overreach – and both sides of politics are warned
Towards the end of his at-capacity speech to the National Press Club this week, the architect of Labor's landslide victory, Paul Erickson, delivered a warning to both sides of parliament. Better versed in political history than most, the ALP's national secretary noted that Melbourne University was preparing a new history of Robert Menzies' life and career. Erickson observed that the second volume concludes Menzies had the good fortune of not being subject to a rightwing echo chamber during his nearly 20 years in The Lodge. The clear air helped him become the country's longest-serving prime minister and mostly avoid overreach, with the notable exception of his 1951 referendum on banning the Communist party. The speech was delivered on Wednesday afternoon, the point which might be looked back on as a historic bottoming-out of the political stocks of the Liberal and National parties. Smashed on 3 May by voters, the Nationals blew up the decades-long Coalition in an act of bovine stubbornness on Tuesday. Just 48 hours later, the Nationals awkwardly tried to put the show back together, after Sussan Ley made back-channel approaches to senior party figures. Journalists ran down the hallways of the press gallery as David Littleproud, his deputy, Kevin Hogan, and Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, announced the course correction. Both parties hit pause on plans to name frontbench line-ups to help the reconciliation along, amid consideration of four policy demands from the junior partner to Ley and her Liberal colleagues. While she had promised a full review of the policies rejected by voters, Littleproud, egged on by internal and media echo chambers, insisted the Coalition stick with the Peter Dutton plan for nuclear power, along with big-stick breakup powers to target supermarkets and other 'big box' retailers. He also wanted a $20bn regional Australia fund maintained and minimum service standards guaranteed for telecommunications in the bush. Liberals objected to the beefed up divestment policy, despite a similar plan being accepted under Dutton in the last parliament. Menzies himself believed it was better to keep the Nationals at the table, even when he didn't need their numbers. 'Better to keep them beside you where you can keep an eye on them,' he told one of his ministers. Luckily for the Nationals, an in-principle agreement was reached on Friday. Liberals had warned it was unprecedented that they would be required to accede to Nationals' demands, especially so soon after the election. In turn, Nationals accused Ley of her own overreach. 'She's not allowed to piss around in our pond,' one told this column. While McKenzie and the New South Wales senator Ross Cadell would have been at risk of losing their seats at the 2028 election because of the split, Littleproud himself could be the biggest loser from the spat. Challenged in a leadership vote by Queenslander Matt Canavan days before, Littleproud's leadership is always under pressure because of the presence of former leader Barnaby Joyce in the party room. Joyce and McKenzie are favourites of Sky News, a forum where nuclear power is right and net zero policy is wrong. Its commentators have advocated for the Coalition to go further to the right in defeat. Michael McCormack, another ex leader still in parliament, told ABC radio he was 'ambitious' for Littleproud after a messy week. Echoing Scott Morrison's hollow support for Malcolm Turnbull at the height of the 2018 leadership drama, the comments were viewed as a kiss of death. Talkback radio has been clearly baffled by Littleproud's timing. Ley's mother died days after she was elected opposition leader and a funeral is planned for 30 May. Instead of being able to grieve with her family, Ley was forced to try to hold off an existential threat to her leadership. Some Nationals privately acknowledge it was insensitive overreach to force the crisis on Ley when they did. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Littleproud might not have lost votes in the mess, but he has lost skin. He is likely to fall back on the fact MPs in the party room voted for a split. He has – unintentionally – managed to bring about a reunion between longtime rivals Joyce and McCormack. McKenzie also played a role in the breakup, demanding the Liberals hand over a senior economic portfolio and egging things along. Calmer heads prevailed once some of her colleagues realised just how unelectable both parties would be apart, with the Nationals relegated to crossbench status and unlikely to have much influence. Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Nationals MPs would take pay cuts and sack staff, and just sit alongside the Greens, likely for at least two more terms as Labor cemented its policy goals and built a long term governing legacy. 'Never get between a National and a white car,' one observer said, a reference to the perks Nationals MPs will enjoy when they eventually make it back to government. The culture of the Nationals has been politically askew since Joyce was the leader, cheered on by the party's equivocation and denial of climate change by the rightwing media echo chamber. Joyce has maintained an outsized media profile and was prepared to fight internal fights in plain view of voters. Malcolm Turnbull viewed the Nationals as being all hat, no cattle during his time as leader, and sensationally split with Joyce over his affair with a ministerial staffer. Labor has watched the drama unfold, unable to believe its political luck. Anthony Albanese spent the week meeting with Pope Leo XIV and the leaders of Canada and the European Union while the Coalition tore itself to pieces. He made preparations for parliament to return on 22 July, the first time the full depth of Labor's dominance will be on show. Some crossbenchers are concerned Albanese could reduce their staffing allocations for the new parliament, potentially letting experienced employees go. Back at the Press Club, Erickson stressed the Coalition would continue to lose elections until it faced up to the lessons of defeat, including overreach. Labor wasn't spared his gentle warning either. Erickson said the party won big under John Curtin in 1943 and Ben Chifley in 1946, but its own overreach on government intervention into the economy let the Liberals back in 1949. Albanese was in the room for the speech, along with some of his most senior cabinet ministers. If the Coalition remained split, the main opposition to Labor's likely 94-seat majority would be the Liberals alone, with fewer than 30 MPs. Labor's dominance might fuel a little hubris in the long term ahead. Tom McIlroy is Guardian Australia's chief political correspondent
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Federal politics: Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack delivers ominous statement on David Littleproud
Former Nationals boss Michael McCormack has delivered an ominous statement about leader David Littleproud as chaos and confusion continues to roil conservative politics in the wake of Labor's stomping May 3 election victory. Mr McCormack, speaking on Friday morning, said he was 'ambitious' for Mr Littleproud. While ostensibly a statement of support, the words echo those used by Scott Morrison before he moved on Malcolm Turnbull to snatch the Liberal leadership. Mr Morrison delivered the now-famous line during an August 21 press conference with then-prime minister Turnbull as leadership speculation mounted over the Liberal Party's future. Mr Morrison hugged Mr Turnbull and said 'this is my leader and I'm ambitious for him'. Mr Morrison became prime minister on August 24. Mr McCormack declined to state clearly whether he supported Mr Littleproud as leader into the future. 'He's been messy, he's been really messy and for people on the outside looking in they just wonder what the hell is going on,' Mr McCormack said. The Liberals and Nationals split on Tuesday, ending a decades-long Coalition designed to present a united front against Labor. The decision to walk away, pushed by Mr Littleproud, was controversial and does not hold unanimous support among Nationals. But the shock break-up could be suspended, with both party rooms meeting on Friday to discuss a possible patch-up. Mr Turnbull has weighed in on the split, calling the move 'stupid'. 'This holding a gun to the Liberal Party's head, which is what the Nats are doing, is really, really unwise, stupid politically,' he told the ABC. 'This is just so bad politically for them, so unwise.' Why the Coalition split Mr Littleproud abandoned the Coalition over four policies: divestiture powers for supermarkets, support for nuclear power, a proposed $20bn regional Australia fund and greater telecommunications coverage. He wanted guarantees from newly elected Liberal leader Sussan Ley that she would support the measures. But his demands clashed with Ms Ley's vision of a 'nothing adopted and nothing abandoned' approach to reviewing policies in the wake of the Coalition's decimation at the federal election. On Thursday, Ms Ley said Mr Littleproud had re-entered 'good faith negotiations'. 'Earlier today I wrote to, and met with, David inviting him to re-enter good-faith negotiations. I am pleased he has accepted,' she said in a statement. 'In relation to the policy positions proposed by the Nationals party room, consistent with my consultation commitment, the Liberal Party will consider these, utilising our party room processes. 'It has always been the Liberal Party's objective to form a Coalition and we welcome the Nationals' decision to re-enter negotiations.' There is broad support among Liberals for stitching back a Coalition with the Nationals. Senior Liberal Dan Tehan, speaking to ABC Radio on Friday morning, said he was focused on 'making sure that we come together and we get outcome that is in the best interests of this nation'. 'We all have deep concerns that we're going to see an arrogance out of the prime minister, given the size of the election result,' he said. 'We have a big job on behalf of the Australian people in making sure that we hold the Albanese Labor government to need a proper functioning opposition.' Labor now holds at least 93 seats in parliament, while the Liberal Party has just 28 and the Nationals 15 in the 150-seat parliament. Parliament returns in late July.
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Anthony Albanese attends ALP national secretary Paul Erickson address at the National Press Club
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. '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. '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.'
SBS Australia
10-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Amid an 'unprecedented' count, these are the seats that have flipped — and those in doubt
Labor claimed a decisive victory in the 2025 federal election, picking up several key electorates, including some long-held Coalition seats in a significant shift of power. In a media call on Thursday, Australian Electoral commissioner Jeff Pope said: "We are in unprecedented times." He said the delivered the largest number of ballot papers and close contests the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has ever handled. With 98,000 counts across 150 divisions and the most three-candidate-preferred races on record, several seats remain undecided, and Australians may not know the final outcome for weeks. One of the biggest counts is in the Victorian seat of Calwell, where 13 candidates are contesting the seat. Here's a breakdown of the seats that flipped, those still in question and what it all means for the political landscape. Brisbane: Labor's Madonna Jarrett defeated Greens MP Stephen Bates. Dickson: Labor's defeated Liberal Peter Dutton, leaving the Coalition without a leader . Forde: Labor's Rowan Holzberger has picked this seat up from Liberal National Party's (LNP) Bert Van Manen. Bonner: Previously held by Ross Vasta from the LNP, Labor's Kara Cook has secured the seat. Leichhardt: Following Warren Entsch's retirement, LNP's Jeremy Neal failed to secure the seat and lost to Labor's Matt Smith. Griffith: Labor's Renee Coffey defeated Greens MP — the party's housing spokesperson. Petrie : Labor's Emma Comer claimed the seat from the LNP's Luke Howarth. Banks: Labor's Zhi Soon defeated Liberal MP David Coleman — the Coalition's foreign affairs spokesperson. Calare: Andrew Gee retained the seat for the Nationals at the 2022 federal election. He then to sit as an independent. He recontested in 2025 as an independent and won, defeating Nationals candidate Sam Farraway. Hughes: Labor's David Moncrieff defeated Liberal MP Jenny Ware. Melbourne: Labor's Sarah Witty unseated Greens leader Adam Bandt . Goldstein: The Liberals' Tim Wilson defeated independent MP Zoe Daniel to reclaim the seat after losing it to her at the 2022 federal election. Deakin: Labor's Matt Gregg defeated Liberal MP Michael Sukkar — the Coalition's housing spokesperson. Menzies: Labor's Gabriel Ng defeated Liberal MP Keith Wolahan. Braddon: Labor's Anne Urquhart claimed the seat from the Liberals. The Liberal candidate was Mal Hingston, who had hoped to succeed Gavin Pearce following his retirement. Bass: Labor's Jess Teesdale defeated Liberal MP Bridget Archer. Sturt: Labor's Claire Clutterham has won the seat, which was previously held by the Liberal Party's James Stevens. Moore: Labor's Tom French has claimed the seat from the Liberals. Ian Goodenough retained the seat at the 2022 federal election but resigned to sit as an independent after losing preselection to Vince Connelly, who was ultimately unsuccessful in the 2025 poll. Bean: Currently a contest between Labor MP David Smith and independent Jessie Price. Pollster Redbridge says the race is still too close predict an outcome. Bradfield: The Liberals' Gisele Kapterian is running to succeed Paul Fletcher, the Coalition's government services spokesperson, following his retirement. She is in a contest with independent Nicolette Boele. Kooyong: Incumbent teal independent Monique Ryan is in a contest with Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer. Flinders: Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie is in a contest with indepedent Ben Smith. Calwell: With 13 candidates in the race, the seat remains undecided as preferences are yet to be distributed. Monash: Liberal candidate Mary Aldred is in a contest with Labor's Tully Fletcher. Russell Broadbent retained this seat for the Liberals at the 2022 federal election but resigned to sit as an independent. Longman: LNP MP Terry Young is in a contest with Labor's Rhiannyn Douglas. Ryan: Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown is in a contest with LNP candidate Maggie Forrest. Bullwinkel: Labor's Trish Cook is in a contest with Liberal Matt Moran in the .
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Women to outnumber men in Anthony Albanese's government as record number elected to Parliament
New faces will be welcomed to the fold as Labor politicians come together for the first time since their emphatic victory at the federal election. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will address the caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday after his party's landslide win. The scale of the success has taken even senior Labor ministers by surprise, lending to a buoyant feeling among the party's members. A record number of women will be taking their seats in parliament, with women to outnumber men in the Labor partyroom. At least 46 seats will be held by women in the Labor government out of a total of 150 in the House of Representatives. More than a dozen new MPs will join the ranks after Labor increased its seats from 77 to at least 90 as the count continues. Australian National University political historian Frank Bongiorno said Labor hadn't had a victory this size since 1943. 'It's a remarkable opportunity for the government to craft a legacy, which could extend even beyond this term,' he said. 'Governments don't normally extend their majorities ... you normally win your first election reasonably comfortably, and then you begin burning political capital straight away in that first term, and then often have to scrape a win the second time round.' New Dickson MP Ali France has been hailed a 'Labor legend' after she became the first person to unseat an opposition leader at an election with her defeat of Peter Dutton. Former Tasmanian state opposition leader Rebecca White's victory in Lyons has her among the contenders to be elevated to the ministry, expected to be unveiled on Monday ahead of a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday. The depleted Liberals will hold a partyroom meeting on Tuesday to pick their new leader with Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley looming as the leading candidates. Attracting women voters and candidates has been a major issue for the coalition. The new women joining Labor's ranks were to the party's 'major political advantage', Professor Bongiorno said. 'We know that there will be women at the table, at the cabinet table, there'll be women there in caucus when issues come up that are of particular interest to women,' he said. 'We know that women's voices and women's agency will be there.' Meanwhile, Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has officially announced her tilt at the leadership, confirming she will put herself forward to refresh a decimated party. The Liberals will meet in Canberra on Tuesday to choose a new leader, with shadow treasurer Angus Taylor also courting colleagues for the top job. 'I'm determined and convinced that I am the right person to lead the party forward at this time and I think my appointment would send a strong signal to the women of Australia,' Ms Ley told Seven's Sunrise on Friday. Ms Ley acknowledged the Liberals suffered a significant defeat and needed to 'meet the Australian people where they are, because clearly we didn't do that at the last election'. The bloodletting continues ahead of Tuesday's meeting as the coalition's Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defected from sitting with the National Party to the Liberals. As a Country Liberal Party senator from the Northern Territory, she can choose to sit in either partyroom but the spot has historically sided with the Nationals. Her colleagues have expressed disappointment as it means the loss of a Nationals senator takes the party below the five needed in the Senate to receive entitlements offered to larger parties. Queensland MP Michelle Landry branded it disloyal.
