As Labor parliamentarians fled Canberra late this week for their long winter break, they could reassure themselves the bruises sustained in a difficult budget session were fading.
Broken promises might inflict some long-term damage on the prime minister, and the jury's still out on the effect of the controversial tax changes. But Anthony Albanese is confident his belated embrace of boldness has paid off, as he moves on to the next big thing which, in party terms, is Labor's national conference in Adelaide on July 23-25.
