NSW Politics in Free Fall as Guilt by Association Takes Toll
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The Guilt by Association Game: NSW Politics in Free Fall
The latest Resolve Political Monitor reveals a stark reality for both major parties in New South Wales: voters are abandoning them in droves. A significant decline in primary votes since last year has left both Labor and the Coalition with a combined vote lower than it has been since tracking began in November 2021.
Premier Chris Minns enjoys a net likeability rating of +18, while opposition leader Kellie Sloane’s rating stands at +8. This disparity raises questions about why voters are losing faith in these parties as a whole, yet the leaders remain relatively popular.
The answer lies in the way both parties have chosen to campaign. By condemning their federal colleagues’ policies and associating themselves with more palatable alternatives, they’re hoping to salvage what’s left of their voter base. Labor has been quick to pounce on recent controversy surrounding Federal Coalition frontbencher Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, condemning her inflammatory social media post as a prime example of Canberra’s failures.
However, the omission of Price’s role in the Northern Territory federal Senate is telling, speaking volumes about Labor’s attempt to sidestep any association with Canberra’s troubles. Meanwhile, the Liberals under Sloane have been busy tarring Minns with the brush of Anthony Albanese’s government, painting him as complicit in the Prime Minister’s alleged failures.
Both parties are desperate to shift attention away from their own performance. The data suggests that their primary votes began plummeting around the same time their federal colleagues’ troubles intensified. For Labor, it was during the federal election campaign last year when Anthony Albanese’s government rebounded in popularity, lifting Labor’s primary vote in NSW to a record 38%. However, since then, Minns has been unable to shake off the taint of his federal party.
The same pattern is evident for the Coalition. When their federal colleagues’ fortunes were riding high, so too was their NSW counterpart’s vote. But once Dutton’s disastrous campaign ended in defeat, the state’s Coalition vote began to slide precipitously. Now, both parties are struggling to hold onto what little they have left.
It’s no secret that voters often don’t pay much attention to state politics until something goes wrong. With the March election fast approaching, it’s clear that both major parties will need to do more than just try and distance themselves from Canberra if they want to turn things around. They’ll need to address the fundamental issues plaguing their voter base: a lack of faith in their leadership and policy decisions.
Given the parlous state of these polls, it’s hard not to wonder whether either party is up to this challenge. For now, it seems we’re stuck in a vicious cycle of guilt by association, where politicians are more concerned with pinning blame on others than taking responsibility for their own failures.
Reader Views
- CSCorrespondent S. Tan · field correspondent
The Resolve Political Monitor reveals what's been blindingly obvious: NSW voters are losing faith in both major parties due to their desperate attempts to disassociate themselves from federal politics. But what's less clear is whether this guilt-by-association tactic will ultimately backfire. By condemning Canberra's policies and associating themselves with more palatable alternatives, Labor and the Coalition risk alienating moderate voters who crave solutions over simplistic blame-shifting. Can either party effectively walk the tightrope between condemning their federal colleagues' transgressions without appearing complicit in their own woes?
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
The Guilt by Association Game is a flawed strategy that ultimately boomerangs on NSW politicians. By scapegoating their federal counterparts, Labor and the Liberals distract from their own policy shortcomings but also risk alienating voters who genuinely admire state leaders like Chris Minns and Kellie Sloane. The parties' obsession with Canberra's controversies highlights the void in meaningful local policies, leaving voters to wonder if any real change is possible without a fresh, issue-driven agenda from either party.
- EKEditor K. Wells · editor
The guilt by association game is indeed a dirty one, but perhaps both parties have been playing with fire for too long. One aspect missing from this analysis is the role of social media in amplifying and exploiting these controversies. The instant gratification of Twitter and Facebook has created an environment where leaders can pounce on criticism while conveniently glossing over their own policies' shortcomings. It's no coincidence that voters are disenchanted with both parties when the narrative surrounding them is constantly muddied by inflammatory rhetoric rather than substance.