2025 – The year of surprises

As Australia headed into Christmas 12 months ago, the political consensus was that the Albanese Government was in trouble, and would likely fall into a minority position at the upcoming election. Jump forward just five months, and Albo enjoyed one of the most stunning electoral victories in our nation’s history.  The magnitude of Labor’s win caught even its most ardent supporters off guard, and clearly takes the gold medal in what has been a year of political surprises.

More recently, the Crisafulli Government in Queensland surprised itself with its come-from-the-clouds victory in the Hinchinbrook by-election, recording the largest swing to an incumbent government in more than 100 years. The result was a resounding affirmation that the Premier’s focus on crime, housing and health during his first 12 months in office is hitting the mark with the community, particularly in regional areas. 

In one of the more audacious political surprises of the year, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has photocopied Crisafulli’s Adult Crime, Adult Time laws, and implemented them holus-bolus as she heads to an election year. The Queensland Government could not ask for a better endorsement of its crime-fighting focus and – coupled with the by-election result – it might lead to a decidedly unwanted surprise for Opposition Leader Steven Miles in 2026.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our work at the SAS Group is supporting clients as they respond to unexpected events in their businesses – some positive, but others less so. Helping our friends adjust quickly to changing circumstances gives us a great deal of professional satisfaction. And while we only want good things for our clients, hopefully they know that we are here for them when unwelcome surprises appear.

This will be our final edition of The Inside Word for 2025. Thank-you to everyone who reads and interacts with our newsletters, and those who write back with feedback. Thank-you especially to our valued clients – you are, of course, the reason we are able to do what we do. We look forward to working with you again in 2026. In the meantime, have a restful summer. May your Christmas surprises only be good ones.