Albanese’s response to Bondi shattered a central promise – and exposed familiar patterns |
Anthony Albanese’s handling of the Bondi terror attack has shattered a central promise of his prime ministership: that he could be trusted to lead when it mattered.
At moments of national trauma, leaders are judged less on ideology than on instinct, clarity over cleverness, authority over tactics. On that test, a majority of Australians now believe Albanese failed.
Pauline Hanson, Sussan Ley and Anthony Albanese.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen, Eamon Gallagher
More than half of respondents in the latest Resolve Monitor poll – 56 per cent – rate his response to Bondi as poor. Just 32 per cent say it was good. It is a savage assessment of a leader who, until recently, had prided himself on being trusted and steady.
The political consequences are immediate and severe. Labor’s primary vote has fallen five points in a month to 30 per cent – its lowest level since before it began clawing back support last February before a stunning May election win.
Albanese’s personal ratings have nosedived with it. His net performance is now minus 22, his net likeability minus 15, both the worst results in a year. On leadership, competence and communication, voters have marked him down across the board.
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