For voters economics is queen

Third, the Gillard government also sought to counter perceived media bias, but failed to win parliamentary support for its media law reform bill.

Fourth, Gillard described Abbott as ‘sexist and misogynist’, which, at best, only temporary boosted her approval ratings (Essential Report, Essential Research 15 October 2012).

In the end, Australians were fed up with Labor: it won just 33.9 per cent of the primary vote at the 2013 federal election (its lowest level since 1903).

The Coalition was judged by the Australian electorate to be more capable of future economic management. As indicated by Newspoll, whereas Labor during August 2010 trailed the Coalition slightly (43% to 44%) as the party most capable of addressing Australia’s economic needs, by late February 2013 Labor was behind 28% to 50%.  

It did not matter that most Australians still preferred Labor as the best party to handle health, education, industrial relations or even climate change, as indicated by another Newspoll (9-11 August 2013). 

And contrary to those who suggest spend, spend and spend is the way to go, the Australian Election Report prepared by the Australian Development Strategies company, provides interesting evidence within Labor’s loss. Labor voters living on transfer payments did not remain loyal; self-drive suburban commuters moved back to the Coalition, perhaps influenced by the carbon tax; Labor lost votes in the manufacturing seats of Melbourne and Adelaide, despite promising to spend more; Labor lost support from typical families in three-bedroom houses, albeit it picked up ‘some support from the wealthier family homes with four or more bedrooms’; and there was little proof that big spending towards the NBN, DisabilityCare, education and health made that much difference.

To conclude, if Labor is to win back support to compete effectively with the Coalition, then it needs to carefully implement policies that actually deliver and/or create confidence, thus improving its opportunity to deliver its social welfare and environmental credentials.

If a future Labor party is to return to the carbon and mining taxes, assuming that the Coalition now removes them, then Labor should not rush policy in the future just to been seen as innovative. Labor needs to work closely with business, the public and other relevant players, yet build consensus for necessary reform that actually delivers results.  

Labor must now rise to the occasion within an electorate that has little time for rhetoric and poor economic management.