Scott Morrison’s unpopularity was the main reason Anthony Albanese won the federal election, an internal Labor review has found.
But the decision by the Labor campaign to focus on the former prime minister’s shortcomings as a leader contributed to a decline in the party’s primary vote.
The Labor review of the 2022 federal election, conducted by Greg Combet, Lenda Oshalem, Craig Emerson and Linda White, acknowledged the party’s primary vote fell on May 21 to its lowest level since 1934.
While Labor gained three seats in NSW, two in Victoria, one in South Australia and four in Western Australia, fewer Australians named the party as their number one preference at the ballot box.
The review, released on Monday, found Labor’s primary vote also suffered because of its strategy to offer “more tightly targeted” policies rather than a broad agenda which may have energised “soft” Labor voters.
Nevertheless, the report says the election victory “conclusively affirmed” the Labor campaign’s strategic judgment to focus on the Morrison government and to present a more targeted set of policies, even if it may have affected the primary vote.
The Prime Minister campaigned hard on cheaper childcare, gender equity, wages, and emissions reduction but he ditched ambitious reforms Labor took to the 2019 election such as overhauling tax concessions for homeowners.
Labor’s review of this year’s election is intended to outline a “framework” for Mr Albanese and his possible successors to win future elections and establish a “long-term progressive Labor government”.
With Mr Morrison out of the picture, Labor will need to come up with some alternative strategies.
In their 62-page report, the reviewers warn the loss of support for Labor in heartland seats is “cause for significant concern”.
“Demonstrating the folly of assuming that some seats are safe were the results achieved by the Greens and the Teal independents in Liberal heartland seats, Coalition losses in Western Australia and the loss of the Labor-held seat of Fowler to an independent,” the report says.
“The unusually disparate results in individual seats, regions and states reflect the political turbulence of recent years and the frustrations of many voters.”
The report calls for Labor to begin rebuilding voter trust in the western Sydney seat of Fowler and to choose a “strong” new candidate after high-profile Labor identity Kristina Keneally lost the seat to independent Dai Le.
The reviewers have said Labor should focus on the needs and concerns of Australians, including wages and the cost of living, housing availability and affordability, childcare and education, Medicare and health, jobs and economic growth as well as infrastructure.
A focus on these key areas of concern will contribute to lifting Labor’s primary vote and reinforce its standing as the party which best manages the economy in the interests of families and working people, the review found.
The report also says both major parties should avoid “unnecessarily divisive and aggressive” rhetoric towards China while continuing to put Australia’s interests first.
The reviewers said it was reasonable to conclude Labor’s 2022 election victory was one against the odds, which included “partisan media advocacy favouring the Coalition”.
The release of the review comes as the final Newspoll for the year delivers good news for Mr Albanese and federal Labor.
Mr Albanese posted his highest approval rating since taking office, according to the poll conducted for The Australian newspaper.
Labor’s primary vote has also lifted a point to 39 per cent, while the Coalition’s remains unchanged on 35 per cent.