‘Gloss has come off’ Albanese govt after ‘colossal blunders’ by his ministers in 2023

Bondi Partners Senior Advisor Peter McGauran says the “gloss has come off” the Albanese government after several “colossal blunders” by his ministers in 2023. Newspoll says Labor was leading the two-party preferred 56-44 in April before it fell to 50-50 in November, but it recovered slightly earlier this month, with Labor ahead at 52 to the Coalition’s 48. Similarly, Newspoll has the Albanese government’s primary vote falling from 38 per cent at the end of June falling to 33 per cent in December. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leader net satisfaction has fallen from 33 last December to minus eight this month. “The gloss has come off it politically, there’s no doubt about it,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “It was in a stellar, impregnable position at the start of 2023; it’s finishing 2023 level-pegging with the Dutton Opposition, marginally ahead, [but] would probably form government if an election was held today. “A lot of that is because cost of living has dented their political fortunes – Albanese was not seen to be empathetic enough or doing enough – he was too distracted by the Voice referendum. “Then there were some colossal blunders by ministers that just dragged on unnecessarily: the decision not to give Qatar extra flights; the release into the community of 120 potentially dangerous detainees – all of those issues weren’t politically managed by Albanese.”