‘We can win’: Tim Wilson says there’s one key reason voters will punish Albanese |
‘We can win’: Tim Wilson says there’s one key reason voters will punish Albanese
May 29, 2026 — 5:00am
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There is nothing more valuable in politics than trust.
Trust is what handed John Howard a third election win in 2001, it’s why Bob Hawke won in 1987, and it’s why Labor lost in 2013, after Tony Abbott spent three years campaigning against Julia Gillard for breaking her promise on the carbon tax.
Last week, this column explained why Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans to make the 2028 election a referendum on trust, and why he expects to win that election – despite having broken promises not to change tax breaks on negative gearing and capital gains.
Barring a disaster, regional war or some other unforeseen act of God, the 2026 federal budget has already defined the terms of the 2028 election campaign. It has energised and united the Coalition to an extent that seemed impossible just three months ago, when Sussan Ley lost her job to Angus Taylor.
The next election will be a referendum on trust.
Voters have marked down the government for its most recent budget, according to the most recent Resolve Political Monitor, even though many more people support than oppose individual measures including the tax changes, taxing trusts and more.
Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson says the opposition can be victorious in 2028, despite the fact it holds a record low 41 seats and Labor has 94.
“I absolutely believe this next election, we can win,” Wilson tells me. “The last election was an overstatement, I think, of public sentiment. It’s one thing to borrow people’s trust, it’s another thing to borrow it and drop a giant dung patty on........