The 2019 federal election was the 46th since federation. Labor has won 14 of those elections and the Liberal party and its direct ancestors have now won 32. Such a lopsided scoreboard is unusual in modern democracies. Over the same period there have been 29 US presidential elections. Republicans have won 15 and Democrats 14. The UK record is identical – 29 general elections since 1901 with the Conservatives winning 15 and Labour/Liberal winning 14.
Disappointingly for the ALP, Liberal party dominance is strengthening. In the last nine elections the Liberals have won seven. The two the ALP did win have an asterisk. In 2007 Kevin Rudd convinced Australia his policy agenda was broadly similar to John Howard’s and in 2010 Tony Abbott was robbed when two former National MPs cum independents sided with the ALP.
Why do Australians so prefer Liberal federal government?
