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Trump victory forces federal election rethink

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is on track to ease cost-of-living pressures. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

By Andrew Brown in Canberra

The political comeback of incoming US President Donald Trump has given major parties in Australia pause for thought ahead of the federal election.

With cost-of-living concerns and economic woes driving votes towards the Republicans, some within the coalition believe a similar strategy will pay off when Australian voters head to the polls.

But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists the government was on the right track to help hip-pocket concerns, downplaying calls for Labor to change its election approach after results in the US saw Mr Trump return.

“We’re in difficult global economic times. Interest rates are higher in the United States, New Zealand, the UK than they are here. This has been a global inflationary impact,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“My government’s been determined to deal with that in a way that’s practical, to deal with it in a way where we emphasise … an economy that works for people, not the other way around.”

The next federal election needs to be held by May.

Incumbent governments in western countries have faced difficulty in their re-election bids in recent years, following from levels of high inflation and cost-of-living challenges.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he was confident of results in the US being replicated.

“When (voters) see a government that is more interested in pronouns than they are people, it starts to become a real problem,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“If you can’t pay your mortgage and you can’t pay your electricity bill and there’s uncertainty at work … and you hear the government talking about the voice and all of these sorts of issues, well you get angry and you respond.

“That has happened in the United States and I think there’s a big likelihood that it happens here in Australia as well.”

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said it would be no surprise if Mr Dutton borrows from the Trump playbook.

“Dutton’s  approach will be to project himself as a Trump, like strong man and present Albanese, as he’s seeking to do, as weak,” he told ABC Radio.

“He will be making the same case Trump did, which is, in difficult times, you need a strong man.”

Mr Turnbull said Labor would also be closely watching the fallout of the US election result to see if its own strategy would need to change.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said cost-of-living issues would be front and centre for Labor’s campaign.

“We understand people are feeling pain, which is why we’ve made it such a priority in our budgets, delivering surpluses, seeking to put downward pressure on inflation,” she told Nine’s Today program.

“We know we need to do more, but please remember Mr Dutton has opposed the cost-of-living measures which have made a difference to Australian families.”

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4 Responses to Trump victory forces federal election rethink

cbrapsycho says: 7 November 2024 at 2:25 pm

The Trump victory is a result of too many people being left behind, ignored and not helped, along with low levels of information and education. The coalition has long promoted policies that exacerbate these issues here, just as ‘conservative’ parties have in many other countries. This leads to high rates of resentment and dissatisfaction with a desperate need for an instant solution and a desire to believe anyone who offers the promise of one. It does not lead to well-informed decision-making with an understanding of the long term consequences of those short term actions.

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David says: 7 November 2024 at 4:59 pm

Huh ? “Too many people left behind, ignore and not helped” nice description of Albo’s approach to the housing crisis. “low levels of information and education”, I guess that’s an indirect description of Albo’s indirect cuts to education. How in anyone’s name did you weave the coalition into Albo’s policies ? A major contributor to the US result was one side pursued of policy path it knew the majority didn’t support, spent too much time preaching to it’s own diminishing choir, and was caught with it’s pants down. If you want an Australian comparison look at the Voice referendum. The bits of your comment that may make any sense seem to follow the line of blaming the other side for one sides poor performance. People don’t necessarily need instant solutions, but they do want solutions with more basis than “the other side smells!”

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M. Storry says: 10 November 2024 at 11:36 am

Only a “Dyed in the wool Labor voter” would write the things you do. Every political party needs to look after the people they represent or they will get voted out. Yes – ignore them and they will kick you in the backside. The current Federal Govt. are pretending to know the pain of the people which is a complete joke. Every politician is living off the fat of the land while the rest are facing an uphill battle. Who can believe a PM that buys mansions on the beach yet says he understands those that are nearing being homeless or that have managed to get there. Living in a tent is a far cry from a mansion/beach house and going to Food Bank for supplies is not on Albo’s shopping list. He understands nothing. Has anyone seen a politician helping out the homeless? Not likely.

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David says: 7 November 2024 at 2:55 pm

So all you CityNews journalists leading the way in reporting in Canberra, anyone bothered to get a comment from Albo or Chalmers about the damage they’ve knowingly down to the two ACT universities ? Interesting how (lack of) Chalmers announced the establishment of a Center for Disease Control in Canberra while overseeing cuts to ANU’s medical capabilities.

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