December 23rd 2024.
As the year comes to a close, Labor leader Anthony Albanese made sure to remind us that a federal election is fast approaching. In one of his final major speeches for the year, Albanese made a grand entrance with Labor-red billboards and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters. It almost felt like a campaign event, despite the fact that an election date has yet to be set. It could be as far as five months away, but it's clear that federal politicians are already getting ready for the big day.
In early November, Albanese announced two candidates for Tasmanian seats, setting the ball rolling for the opposition's campaign. This was followed by a flurry of activity in the Senate on the final sitting day of the year, with several key government policies being passed into law. These included the social media ban for under-16s, Reserve Bank reforms, and bills related to housing and migration. Prime Minister Scott Morrison saw this as his government's way of helping Australian families, but unfortunately, the love hasn't been reciprocated.
Opinion polls throughout the year have consistently shown a decline in support for Albanese and Labor, raising the possibility that they could be the first government in almost a century to be voted out after just one term. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has even expressed confidence in his chances of winning the next election. Like Albanese, he has also been ramping up his media appearances in December, using his platform to criticize the government on issues such as antisemitism and cost-of-living pressures. In fact, Dutton has taken a page out of Trump's playbook, asking voters the same question the former US president did before his re-election: "Are you better off today than you were two and a half years ago?"
But despite his confident stance, Dutton has also acknowledged that the Coalition is the underdog in next year's vote. This is partly due to simple electoral math - Labor would need to win 21 seats to form government on their own, a feat that has rarely been achieved in the past. Dutton has been highly effective in campaigning against the government's policies, but has yet to present any concrete alternatives of his own. He has promised to reduce migration levels, but the exact number won't be revealed until after the election. And while there were talks of revising the government's stage 3 tax cuts, this idea was ultimately abandoned in November.
Other policies, such as the highly-publicized push for nuclear power, have only recently released their costings, which have been heavily disputed by experts. The government will surely use these discrepancies to attack the opposition, just as they have been criticized for their plans to wind back some workplace laws introduced this term.
During his unofficial campaign speech, Albanese made a significant announcement regarding a childcare policy worth $1.5 billion. But it wasn't just the policy that caught people's attention - it was also the attack lines he used against the government. Just like how Dutton has relentlessly criticized the cost of living, the prime minister was quick to return the favor, stating that "every Australian would have been worse off if Peter Dutton had blocked our tax cuts, cut people's wages, stopped energy bill relief and made it harder and more expensive for people to see a doctor."
As we enter the new year, we can expect to hear more of these political jabs and promises from both sides. And while the election date still remains a mystery, one thing is for sure - the 9News app will keep you updated on all the latest breaking news, sports, politics, and weather. So be sure to download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play and stay informed!
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