Circus act
After a week of Coalition chaos, Labor is sharpening its attack lines as a resurgent One Nation recasts itself as the adult in the room.
In politics, a sharp line with which to wound an opponent is something of a Holy Grail.
Politicians devote enormous effort to crafting attack lines they believe will stick in the minds of voters — words intended to define both their opponent and the spirit of the age.
Back in 2019, Anthony Albanese began his sustained demolition of then prime minister Scott Morrison by seizing on Morrison’s remark that he “didn’t hold a hose” when asked about his actions during the bushfires. From that point on, Albanese repeated the quote relentlessly to portray Morrison as arrogant and unwilling to accept responsibility.
Fast forward to today and the chaos engulfing Opposition Leader Sussan Ley — her inability to control her own team and maintain relations with the Nationals — has triggered a search for a fresh, snappy line capable of inflicting maximum political damage on the Coalition.
