Albanese might be revelling in the politics, but Labor’s pushed to the wall on policy

July 2, 2026 — 6:03pm

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Anthony Albanese loves winning, whether it be elections or tennis. As poll after poll this week showed Labor regaining ground, One Nation faltering, and the Coalition’s backslide continuing, the prime minister exits parliament on its final sitting day before winter as winner of the match.

But the government lost a few games this week. On policy – particularly social policy, an area that is conventionally Labor’s strength – it is being tested by the unholy alliance of the Coalition and the Greens.

Thursday’s question time, the day after parliament’s mid-winter ball, and following weeks of debate over the federal budget, was the final hour of sport in parliament before tired MPs go home for five weeks over the winter break.

It was a slow and tense start but took a rambunctious turn when the prime minister was asked a question about the previous night’s event, when a tech founder won the charity auction of a tennis session with the prime minister. The winner intends to rally against the budget’s tax changes.

Albanese wasn’t ruffled. “If I was someone on that side, led by this leader of the opposition, I wouldn’t be mentioning last night,” he mocked, a thinly veiled reference to........

© The Age