In a scathing election review, the Labor Party has revealed how the Coalition’s ill-conceived policies and Peter Dutton’s “arrogant and aggressive” approach alienated voters, ultimately contributing to the opposition’s landslide victory in last year’s federal election.
The review, released on Friday as opposition leader Susan Ley fought off a leadership challenge, found that Anthony Albanese’s positive message and policies aimed at improving voters’ lives resonated with the electorate. In contrast, Dutton’s “negative, arrogant and aggressive” campaign, which drew comparisons to the political playbook of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, was a major barrier to the Coalition’s support.
The report highlighted the Coalition’s headline policy proposals, including a plan for government-owned nuclear power and restrictive work-from-home rules for public servants, as turning off voters. It also noted Dutton’s “inconsistency and missteps, including policy backflips, poorly coordinated announcements, and a lack of message discipline.”
The review found that the Coalition’s efforts to make the campaign a referendum on Albanese’s first term failed, as Labor successfully framed the debate as a choice between Albanese and Dutton. It warned that the increasingly complex national political landscape, with “150 by-elections with unique local dynamics,” poses a challenge for Labor, and urged the party to modernise and rebuild its grassroots membership.
The report did not mention former US President Donald Trump, despite voters reportedly rejecting the Coalition in part due to perceived similarities in policy and style between the US president and the Liberal leader.
The Labor review comes as the Liberal Party’s own election postmortem has been delayed amid legal threats, with Dutton and members of his campaign team, including his former chief of staff, Alex Dalgliesh, reportedly receiving the review but not being given a right of reply to key findings.
In response, Labor’s national president, former treasurer Wayne Swan, said the party must continue to grow and modernise its campaign machinery, emphasising the importance of a stronger and larger membership base. He stressed that Labor’s second term must focus on delivering tangible improvements to people’s lives and maintaining consistent and effective engagement with local communities.
