The Albanese (center left ‘Labor’) Party had a stunning win in the Australian election on May 3, 2025, over the Coalition (center right) parties. Though not to the extent seen in Canada’s recent election, President Trump was an important factor. And for its next term in office, the Albanese Government will face considerable challenges in working with the Trump administration.
Before exploring the issues surrounding the U.S. and the Trump administration, it is worth explaining Australia’s unique political system and its considerable strengths.
The 1901 Constitution blends the British Westminster parliamentary system and the U.S. federal system. Subsequently, Australia added its own institutional arrangements.
Compulsory voting reflects the view that citizens have both responsibilities as well as rights. This also constrains polarisation as the major parties usually focus on gaining support from the center and don’t need to get their supporters to vote.
Preferential voting, where voters identify not only their preferred candidate, but their second (and subsequent) choices should the preferred candidate not win, is another important feature. This provides minor parties with opportunities to have an influence.
The election system is managed by the independent Australian Electoral Commission which has the authority to set electoral boundaries as well as to run elections and regulate the rules.
There is also a unique Australian culture about elections – our ‘democracy sausage’. Elections are conveniently held on a Saturday; also, voters can (and many do) vote earlier. The polling booths are in local primary schools which raise funds by selling sausage sandwiches to those in the queues (along with cakes and soft drinks). It is a friendly, celebratory event for local communities no matter how fractious the electioneering. The attached photos are from my local school.
Notwithstanding the system’s encouragement to focus on the center, Australia has in recent years experienced some of the populist polarising trends seen elsewhere, the Coalition drifting more to the right than the Labor Party to the left.
While there are many factors behind the Coalition’s dramatic loss, without doubt its mimicking of some Trumpian policies and rhetoric played a part (big cuts to immigration and the public service, reversing work-from-home, attacking DEI). The chaos of Trump’s protectionist measures, his attacks on the civil service and other institutions and his betrayal of Ukraine suddenly made those policies far less attractive to Australian voters, despite dissatisfaction with the Government over cost of living.
As the Coalition has drifted to the right, the emerging gap in the middle has been filled by independents, particularly professional women in electorates traditionally won by the Coalition. The majority of new Labor Party members are also professional women.
President Trump’s international stance still presents enormous challenges to the re-elected Albanese Government. The US is our main security partner, but how much reliance can we now place on its support? China is by far our main trading partner, but the US approach threatens that trade and may aggravate already difficult diplomatic relations with China.
The author is an Academy Fellow and former public servant, currently a Professor of Public Policy at the Australian National University.
