Liberals at the crossroads

Scott Morrison’s strategy of abandoning moderate heartland seats, spurning professional women, emphasising wedge issues and infuriating Western Australia has backfired spectacularly, leaving the Liberal party with fundamental questions about its identity after nine years of power.

The fine art and inexact science of Australian politics

After twenty years of squabbling and inaction by both sides of politics, the 2022 election has surely brought the ‘climate wars’ to a close, but both Labor and the Liberals will have new battles to fight in government and opposition.

Forward together

Anthony Albanese is poised to become Australia’s 31st prime minister, and he laid out his vision for his incoming administration in his victory speech on election night in his constituency.

How Albanese crept into power

Though it won just a third of first preference votes, Labor will form a minority government thanks to a strong showing by the teal independents and Greens and Western Australia’s wholesale rejection of Scott Morrison, so how will Albanese govern now?

All political careers end in failure

The former British liberal leader Paddy Ashdown once observed that all political careers end in failure, and the high hopes of at least one Australian leader are about to be dashed, so how to leaders come to terms with the end of their ambitions?

50 shades of teal

The independent “teal” candidates have shaken up the 2022 Australian election campaign, but there are plenty of idiosyncrasies among these blue-green candidates in socially progressive but liberal held seats.

Don’t be surprised if there’s no election surprise

The Coalition hopes that turning ‘undecided’ voters its way in the final few days of the campaign will pull a victory from the fire, but there is little history of this happening in the past.

Who is Scott Morrison?

Scott Morrison’s cynical, aggressive, self-serving leadership proved the Coalition’s secret weapon in the last election campaign, but the same qualities have made him a liability in this one.

Who is Anthony Albanese?

Anthony Albanese has spent a lifetime in politics without making an impression on the public, and if Labor wins the election, it will be despite his gaffes, rather than because of his low-profile leadership.

State of play

Six experts analyse the state of play between the two main parties across the country as the federal election campaign nears its climax this weekend.

Young Australian voters should care about foreign policy

Rather than being an afterthought at the ballot box, young voters should demand well-crafted foreign policy that’s fit for purpose in building a safe, prosperous and democratic world.

Why your vote matters

Australian citizens have to vote whether they like it or not, but just as little drops make a mighty ocean, every individual vote contributes a stronger democracy.