Testing the waters
Anthony Albanese campaigned on stability, but with a reform summit on the horizon and Jim Chalmers talking ambition, Labor could be preparing to shift gears.
Anthony Albanese has always been seen as a cautious leader. The perception of the prime minister as a safe pair of hands in uncertain times was no doubt key to Labor’s historic election win in May 2022.
But the size of the victory raised questions about whether he might pursue a more ambitious agenda.
Until recently, there was significant scepticism that Albanese was willing to consider anything more than what he had told voters he planned to do.
As early as election night itself, as the scale of the win became clear, Treasurer Jim Chalmers was asked whether Labor’s thumping win was a green light to go further.
