If the Albanese government wants to cheat the populist death spiral, it needs to go to the barricades with the rest of us | Peter Lewis
News Source
β’Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:00:34 GMT
π° What Happened
Peter Lewis, head of Essential Media, argues the Albanese government is close to a populist death spiral. Writing in the Guardian, he says Labor's primary vote is stuck below 30%, disapproval of the prime minister is at a record high, and voters are gloomy about the country's direction.
He says the government must present itself as a force for change, not as the defender of a system people are rejecting. The article follows this week's Essential poll, which put One Nation level with Labor.
π The Backstory
Populist surges have hit many democracies in recent years. Parties that once sat on the fringe, often with hard lines on immigration and elites, now win large shares of the vote. Lewis says Australia's two-party contest is cracking in a similar way.
He points to economic pressure as a driver. Rising costs are not only hurting household budgets but also people's physical and emotional wellbeing. The piece is an opinion column, so it reflects the author's view rather than a news report.
π― Why It Matters
If trust in the major parties keeps falling, policy can swing sharply. That affects wages, housing, climate rules and services people rely on every day.
Peter Lewis, head of Essential Media, argues the Albanese government is close to a populist death spiral. Writing in the Guardian, he says Labor's primary vote is stuck below 30%, disapproval of the prime minister is at a record high, and voters are gloomy about the country's direction.
He says the government must present itself as a force for change, not as the defender of a system people are rejecting. The article follows this week's Essential poll, which put One Nation level with Labor.
Populist surges have hit many democracies in recent years. Parties that once sat on the fringe, often with hard lines on immigration and elites, now win large shares of the vote. Lewis says Australia's two-party contest is cracking in a similar way.
He points to economic pressure as a driver. Rising costs are not only hurting household budgets but also people's physical and emotional wellbeing. The piece is an opinion column, so it reflects the author's view rather than a news report.
If trust in the major parties keeps falling, policy can swing sharply. That affects wages, housing, climate rules and services people rely on every day.