Pointers for NZ from Australian election
IT is so long ScoMo and gidday Albo, after Labor’s victory in the Australian election on Saturday.
With several seats still too close to call it is uncertain whether Labor will have a clear majority in its own right or be forced to run a minority government.
But it was clear on Saturday night that the Coalition was in no position to form a government and that its decadelong grasp on power in Australia was over.
As always when it comes to an election across the Tasman, New Zealand’s politicians would have been watching closely, and there was something for all our main parties in the Labor win.
For Prime Minister Jacinda government.
Mr Albanese campaigned on issues very similar to those which National is now attacking Labour on: Covid19 management and the cost of living, and Mr Luxon — and Act New Zealand leader David Seymour for that matter — will be pleased to see those resonated with Australia voters.
They will also have been heartened to see that a government which led through the Covid19 pandemic can be overturned.
The Green Party’s Australian colleagues enjoyed great success on Saturday, being one of the major beneficiaries of Australian disillusionment with both its main parties.
Climate change was a central issue in the Australian election and New Zealand Greens will hope it can be made central to next year’s ballot in this country, too.
However, they will also be wary of the rise of socalled ‘‘Teal independents’’ in Australia, a movement which has similarities to National’s BlueGreen faction, and will hope not to be flanked on its right.
There was even something for the Maori Party: Mr Albanese’s election night commitment to the Uluru Statement will have been noted and approved of.
Ms Ardern is likely to schedule the next New Zealand election for about October next year.
A lot can change between now and then, and Australian politics are different enough from ours for there to be danger in drawing firm conclusions.
But there are certainly lessons to be learned from this campaign and its result to influence our politics a year hence.