Dutton was never a Trump clone. But he fell for the trap of MAGA-style politics
Anthony Albanese has two cyclones to thank for his historic trouncing of the Coalition.
Cyclone Alfred’s arrival off the Queensland coast delayed plans for an April election and allowed Labor to use the budget to launch into the election campaign. Even more important was the hurricane-like return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Cyclone Donald made landfall in Canada last week, delivering the centre-left Liberal Party a fourth-term victory that seemed impossible at the start of this year. Then he crashed through Australia’s electoral map, demolishing the Coalition’s hopes of victory. The parallels between the two countries, both close American allies, are unmistakable. Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre lost not just the election but his own seat, as did Peter Dutton.
Local factors at play in this election – Dutton’s woeful campaign, Albanese’s astuteness, interest rates beginning to fall – were all crucial. But around the world, Albanese’s victory will be interpreted as a repudiation of Trumpism and the latest sign of a revival of social democratic politics.
More: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/first-it-was-canada-then-cyclone-donald-crashed-through-australia-s-election-20250503-p5lwbt.html
Archive: https://archive.md/hHu00