A lone voice again, perhaps, but Katharine Murphy’s shift to politics adviser with the Albanese government is, for mine, a terrible, terrible mistake.

And the tragic loss for the nation’s mainstream mediocre as we see the departure of one of the few actual journalists still covering Canberra affairs is just one reason for that.

While I have no doubt Murphy can impart solid political advice and help write some wonderful sharp, cut-through, speeches for Albanese and Co. as they hurtle through what’s left of the second half of its term in office, here’s my beef: if Peter Dutton and Co. continue on their current strategic path, Beppo the Clown and Milo Kerrigan could just as easily write speech notes for Labor ministers and have major input into next year’s ALP campaign and advertising strategy.

For if Dutton stays on the course he seems totally devoted to, Labor will win a second term with or without Murphy’s help. Or Newscorpse’s livid and never-ending disapproval.

Doubt that? Dutton’s recent stupid, damaging attack on Woolworths and his wholehearted support for the faux-patriots, cookers and nutters out there on January 26 waving their Chinese-made Aussie flag kitsch leads down only one pathway: electoral slaughter mid next year.

To argue he is now anti-big business and is the working person’s true hero is such arrant nonsense and so easily disproved that Albanese will wipe the floor with him on the hustings next year, regardless of who makes up his advice team.

Dutton appears stupidly welded to a strategy that will not win back a single Teal seat if the existing members run again, and a bizarre belief not backed by history that 99.9 per cent unquestioning support from the MSM for his side of politics will give him victory next year. Maybe he’s just fucking dumb if he believes either of those things.

Dutton’s Noalition has not changed one iota since the last election campaign when it vehemently opposed Albanese’s one-dollar-an-hour rise to the basic wage. And please correct me if I’m wrong but, likewise, the LNP has railed against each and every Albanese government decision since the May 2022 poll to ease the cost of living burden being faced by far too many Australians.

Things are indeed grim out there, as indeed would be Labor’s chances of a second term if it weren’t for the fact that the Opposition is lead by a highly disliked person, for no better reason than he continues to show to the Australian electorate that he possesses no great visions for the country’s future and is convinced that shouting No! to everything will somehow get him into the Lodge.

If Dutton doesn’t change tack, or if the LNP isn’t smart enough to get rid of him before the 2024 election, I reckon I, individually or in cahoots with Beppo the Clown and Milo Kerrigan, could sit down and write the ALP’s election attack ads and Albanese’s debate notes right now.

And Katharine Murphy should have stayed in the MSM as one of the few moderate and reasoned voices still practising journalism there. She will be sadly, sadly missed.

Don Gordon-Brown

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