Here’s Who Australia’s Papers Are Endorsing This Election, If You Give A Shit

It’s the day before the election, and you know what that means: Australia’s newspapers have laid out their endorsements for who they reckon you should vote for. Of course, you shouldn’t do anything because a newspaper is telling you to, and these kind of election editorials are increasingly pointless.

But! It’s still a vaguely interesting barometer for how the big mastheads are thinking, and where they believe public opinion lies (or should lie).

First cab off the rank is The Australian, who – no surprises – backs the Coalition:

The Coalition offers prudent fiscal consolidation and debt reduction, a mechanism to reduce tax and control spending, a plan to ease cost-of-living pressures on families, modest and costed emissions cuts in line with global deals, successful border protection and a disciplined approach to our foreign relations. This newspaper recommends a vote for the Coalition because it has a better, more practical and affordable plan than Labor to address the nation’s future challenges.

So too does the Daily Telegraph. Again, this is entirely unsurprising from the News Corp tabloids:

This is no small matter, and points to an essential difference between the ­Coalition and Labor when it comes to economic responsibility. The Coalition saves money. Labor spends it.

And this time around, Labor won’t even say how much of your money they wish to spend. According to Labor ­leader Bill Shorten, even to ask how much Labor will splash out on its climate change policies is simply “dumb”.

The Herald Sun backs Labor. Just kidding! They, of course, back the Coalition:

The Morrison Government has much to do to repair the disunity of its recent past, to work cooperatively with the states on infrastructure and to set clear policies where it has stumbled, on energy prices and climate change. But it has earnt its stripes in record jobs creation and budget repair.

The Herald Sun advocates for a vote for the Coalition. Mr Morrison and his team deserve another term.

The NT News diverges from the rest of the News Corp stable in throwing their hat in with Labor – maybe because that famous croc did too:

Shorten and Labor deserve a chance to lead our nation for the next three years, giving the Territory the best chance to prosper at such a crucial time.

If you don’t want the next three years to be a lost opportunity for the Territory, it is important you vote Labor in Saturday’s Federal Election.

The Sydney Morning Herald has endorsed Labor. Despite what you might think, that’s actually kind of rare – in most elections, they have backed the Coalition:

Voters will be especially worried if Mr Shorten gives in to union pressure and moves too far to re-regulate the industrial relations system. His proposed tax changes to negative gearing, family trusts and unused franking credits will require careful scrutiny. If the Senate rejects these revenue-raising measures, Mr Shorten must ensure that he curbs his spending promises and honours his pledge to deliver a budget surplus.

These are the challenges. But, if Mr Shorten can deliver three years of normal government, he should be able to deal with them. It will be better than a continuation of instability under the Coalition.

So has The Age:

More so than in the vast majority of elections, this is a contest of ideas. Both sides have given voters detailed, divergent agendas to consider. This time, however, we believe Labor’s policies and ministerial line-up are more likely than the Coalition’s to make Australia better and fairer. Mr Shorten’s case for change merits support.

The Australian Financial Review has broken with the other Nine papers and backed the Coalition:

Yet for all its faults, and without great enthusiasm, the Financial Review believes that a returned Coalition government with a clear parliamentary majority would be in Australia’s best interests. The Coalition does at least grasp that Australia needs a growth policy in order to lift incomes and sustainably pay for the services government provides. The notable exception is any credible stance on energy and climate change. But, as Mr Shorten won’t even accept that there are legitimate questions on what Labor’s 45 per cent emissions target by 2030 will cost, climate continues to be a bipartisan failure that will dismay the energy industry.

And The Guardian has not so much backed Labor as opposed the Coalition:

We believe the Coalition’s indefensible attitude to climate change, its wafer-thin policy offering and the fact that it has not resolved the internal divisions that blighted its term in office mean it has forfeited the right to voters’ trust.

However you choose to exercise your democratic decision-making on Saturday, please consider your candidate’s position on climate and the rapidly shrinking timeframe for action. We have endured mindless scare campaigns and half-baked policy for too many decades. We don’t have three more years to waste.

Phew! Seeya at the polls tomorrow, losers!

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