The COVID Delta strain has made campaigns and elections a fraught exercise, with no simple pathway to victory, writes Ben Hindmarsh, Principal Consultant.

The Labor Caucus will meet on Tuesday 31/05 and select the Ministry which will be sworn-in on Wednesday 01/06.

The SAS Group was founded in 2009 as a cross-partisan advocacy firm, to give certainty and consistency to our clients in their engagement efforts as political tides come and go. In the 13 years since then, we’ve demonstrated the success of this model, across six Prime Ministers (three each from Labor and the Coalition) and multiple Labor and Liberal Premiers in various states.

Australia is heading into our seventh federal election in which climate policy is a key factor. In each case the debate is framed as a trade-off between jobs and the environment. The Coalition has won four of the previous six (2004, 2013, 2016 and 2019) by claiming it has the better policies for protecting jobs while also reducing emissions. Labor won in 2007 and 2010 by convincing voters it was better placed to reduce emissions while protecting jobs.

Malcolm Cole, Director – Media and Communications

My colleague and friend Larry Anthony shared a political analysis earlier this week posing the question whether Scott Morrison is – or might be – a political Houdini.

Tonight Labor Leader Anthony Albanese will deliver his Budget-in-Reply speech to the House of Representatives, and the work of the 46^th Parliament of Australia will - for all intents and purposes – come to a close.

Hon Bernie Ripoll, Director 

Congratulations to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor team, particularly Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and of course Treasurer Jim Chalmers from Queensland, for a great win and forming a majority government. Commiserations to all the hard working MPs who didn't make it back and thank them for their service to their constituents and our country.

‘Roll up your sleeves’ is the main message coming out of Canberra as the COVID skirmish continues. The last month has certainly seen the vaccine rollout speed up, with Australia now well ahead of the world average.

The start of 2022 has seen federal politicians hit the ground running, with an election just months away.

If a Federal Election were held today the Morrison Government would lose office. At least that’s what the polls indicate (and they’ve never been wrong!).

It’s been a tumultuous finish to the parliamentary year for the federal government. A backbench rebellion by several Coalition senators, an inability to pass key legislation, and continued hostilities with some state Premiers have all dominated the past month.

Written by Mitch Collier, Media and Communications Consultant

One of Australia’s longest running policy sagas has taken yet another dramatic twist this past month. Climate change policy has bedevilled each federal government since John Howard occupied the Prime Ministership. 

Written by Ben Hindmarsh, Principal Consultant

Amidst the rising rates of COVID vaccinations and talk of pathways out of lockdown that dominate our everyday political debate at home, the launch of the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States has catapulted our nation onto the centre of the world stage.

Shayne Sutton, Associate Director

When Scott Morrison won the 2019 election his win was dubbed “Morrison’s Miracle”.  Most people, regardless of political affiliation, had expected Bill Shorten to be sworn in as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister soon after polling day.  Few anticipated the result delivered by the people.

Hon. Larry Anthony, Chairman

Houdini, a magician famous for his ability to escape chains and handcuffs under water, is long gone. But can some of that amazing magic live on, politically speaking, to help Scott Morrison escape the train wreck coming?

 Written by Lisa Palu, Associate Director

Making sure Australia keeps making stuff has always been important but last Friday, when Prime Minister Scott Morrison handed the task to Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister, Angus Taylor, the Minister must have felt the weight of yet another enormous responsibility. 

Written by Peter Costantini OAM, Managing Director

The most common question I have been asked over the past six months when speaking with clients and friends of the SAS Group is “when will then election be held?”.

Peter Costantini OAM, Managing Director

After a budget full of goodies for almost everyone, the starting gun is about to fire for the 2022 May election.

Written by Hon. Larry Anthony, Chairman

Paul Keating once famously said ‘it was the recession we had to have’. That was back in 1990 when the Hawke-Keating partnership was at its zenith and prudent fiscal budgeting saved the day.

Hon. Larry Anthony, Chairman 

With the Federal Election only two weeks away, voting starts this Monday with pre-poll. Combine this with a record number of postal vote application received by the AEC (potentially up to 1.7 million), it could mean that up to 50 percent of eligible voters will have cast their ballot before Election Day.