Australia’s left-wing government won a decisive re-election over the weekend. US media outlets blamed the conservative opposition’s defeat on antipathy towards Donald Trump and U.S. tariffs.

That’s partly true, but Trump was a minor issue in the race, and the 10% tariffs imposed on Australia were the lowest of any country. The real reason for the defeat of the rightist Liberal Party was that it stopped being conservative.

The Labour government ran on a cut in the lowest tax rate from 16% to 14%. It was denounced by Liberal (conservative) leader Peter Dutton as a “cruel hoax,” and he promised to repeal it if elected Prime Minister. Raise taxes on the poor is hardly a winning message.

The Liberal alternative was a temporary cut in the nation’s gasoline tax and a one-time “cost of living” rebate. No pro-growth income tax cuts were offered! Pitiful.

On other issues including radical climate change, the Liberals also abandoned the field. They wouldn’t even denounce “net zero” lunacy.

James Allan, a law professor at Queensland University, said their attitude on the major issues of the day was: “We abjectly and permanently surrender.”

On Net Zero carbon emissions he summed up their view as: “We’ll also genuflect to the impoverishing renewables gods, just a couple of decades slower and less sincerely.”

This mamby pamby agenda was so uninspiring that even Peter Dutton, the Liberal Party leader, lost his own seat. And deservedly so.

Australia needs an “Australia First” candidate.