For those who work in politics, every campaign matters - there is no such thing as a “dead rubber”. But the opportunity to work on an election with the capacity to permanently shift the dial internationally and domestically comes along once in a lifetime if you’re lucky.
Anthony Albanese’s confirmation as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister this week was one such election. Though the result saw a splintering of two party politics and the birth of the Teal independent movement, Labor’s victory was a true red letter day on climate, equality and cost of living. As Deputy Chief of Staff at Australian Labor’s Campaign HQ, I was able to play my part in helping to deliver this victory, and to see the workings of an extraordinary campaigning machine from the inside.
Political campaigns here are a mixture of the familiar and the alien, an unusual blend of the British and American combining to produce something uniquely Australian. Perhaps the biggest point of difference to the UK - other than compulsory and preferential voting - is television advertising. Lightly regulated in its content and uncapped in its financial reach, ad breaks on all commercial stations are filled with campaign spots for political parties.
