{
  "id": 20034303,
  "title": "In an age of grievance politics, Australia’s politicians should heed the lessons from US and New Zealand and rise above mediocrity | Zoe Daniel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/in-an-age-of-grievance-politics-australias-politicians-should-heed",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T19:00:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian Australia",
    "slug": "the-guardian-australia",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/15/australian-politics-should-heed-lessons-from-us-and-nz-elections"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The recent US midterm elections and New Zealand's election outcome demonstrate that voters are increasingly turning to grievances rather than seeking kindness from their elected representatives. In the US, President Donald Trump and his Republican backers were voted out by Americans who felt the negative impacts of his economic and foreign policies. In New Zealand, the incumbent center-right government faced a significant challenge from centrist and libertarian parties, resulting in neither major party securing a majority.\n\nAustralia's political landscape is no stranger to grievances, as evidenced by the rise of One Nation and the National party's attempts to distance themselves from extremist positions. The upcoming elections will be a test of whether politicians can rise above the mediocrity and address the concerns of their constituents, particularly in light of the aging crisis and the need for economic and social policy reform.\n\nFor Labor to regain trust, a courageous reset of economic and social policies is needed, with the prime minister, treasurer, and finance minister working together to create a plan that prioritizes the hip pocket alongside other considerations. New Zealand's centrist Opportunity party and New Zealand First have shown that there is room for alternative political voices, while the US reminds us that ignoring voters' economic concerns can lead to significant electoral setbacks.\n\nIn a time when Australia is showing the power of grievance, it is crucial for the nation's leaders to step up and provide a more accountable and responsible government, moving away from the current lack of mojo exhibited by the major parties.",
  "summary": "We’ve learned that ignoring the hip pocket is a grievous mistake. Australia could benefit from a courageous reset of economic and social policy Wouldn’t it be nice, as the Beach Boys sang, if the US midterm election results represented a return to kindness? It would be a fitting closing of the circle, given that Hillary Clinton campaigned on a “love Trumps hate” platform in 2016. It certainly…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}