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One Down, Four to Go!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This week started with the first Newspoll of the campaign showing Labor maintaining its lead 52 to 48 on a two-party preferred basis – Labor’s 53rd favourable poll in row.

However, in a boost for the Government, polls are now showing them level pegging with the Opposition, with both parties on a primary vote of 39.

This week has seen the campaign played out over both sides’ preferred turf; For the Liberals it’s all about economic management, tax cuts and ‘who do you trust on the economy?’ And for Labor, it’s been health and their follow-up announcements for their Cancer Care Plan that included $200 million for pathology bulk billing and $20 million to allow patients to have access to cancer drugs that are still in clinical trials.

It is fair to say that at the end of week one, the Government has come out on top.  The Prime Minister was on the front foot on his preferred issue of tax cuts and the economy, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was under pressure over his ‘no more taxes on superannuation’ gaffe as well as his struggle to explain how much Labor’s climate change policy will cost.

All in all, a good week for the Government. Labor will welcome the Easter weekend and a short reprieve so they can regroup and iron out their messaging.

Labor want to fight this election on health, and not questions about taxation, and in particular their proposed taxation changes.

In other developments, Clive Palmer, who has been blasting our TV screens with ads for the last couple of months at a claimed cost of a $1 million a week, has announced he is running for the Senate.

Palmer has also promised to pay to outstanding worker entitlements from his failed nickel refinery of $7 million, although this has nothing to do with the fact that there is an election happening.

Is Anybody Listening?

While not a great week for Bill Shorten and Labor, they will be thankful it was week one and not the last week of the campaign.

Campaigns are always about issues, policies and personalities but they are also about momentum.

If a campaign is to have bad week, the earlier the better.  Labor will not want a repeat of the week just gone.

As they say, you want to be heading into election day with a wet sail and not a head wind!!  Just ask Michael Daley, former leader of the NSW Labor Party.

From a campaign perspective, other than those that the Prime Minister would refer to as ‘being in the bubble’, the vast bulk of the electorate are probably not even tuned-into the election yet.

In all likelihood, the electorate probably won’t begin to tune-in until after ANZAC Day – week 3 of the campaign.

At that point, the advertising carpet bombing I suspect will begin.

Happy Easter All![/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has served as a strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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