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James Massola

James Massola

James Massola is chief political commentator. He was previously national affairs editor and South-East Asia correspondent. He has won Quill and Kennedy awards and been a Walkley finalist. Connect securely on Signal @jamesmassola.01

Illustration by Dionne Gain

The good, the bad and the ugly of the Liberal Party review

The party’s post-mortem of its disastrous federal election is far from pretty, but so has been its attempt to cover it up.

  • James Massola

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Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor during the 2025 election campaign.

‘Absence of reflection’: Senior Liberals blame each other for election disaster

The review also asserts that the “party’s capacity to thoughtlessly offend” migrant voters was potentially a bigger problem than the desertion of Liberals by women.

  • James Massola
Former Liberal leader Peter Dutton on election day in May. His unpopularity with voters was a major factor in the Coalition’s loss.

‘Unprofessional attempt at a hit job’: Dutton lets fly as Liberal review leaks

Former Coalition leader Peter Dutton has described the Liberal Party’s suppressed election review as a gratuitously personal hit job after the full report was leaked to this masthead.

  • James Massola and Paul Sakkal
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.

Explosive Liberal election review to be suppressed

The review has become mired in controversy since Peter Dutton raised serious concerns over its contents in December.

  • James Massola and Paul Sakkal

Australians have a good bulldust detector. It’s blaring at Albanese and Taylor

Voters want their political leaders to keep it real, but the PM and the opposition leader don’t always pass that test.

  • James Massola
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

Hanson is close to peak One Nation. The opposition must not follow her

For 30 years, Hanson has gone out of her way to divide Australians. The Coalition of 2026 are falling for it.

  • James Massola
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Liberal leader Angus Taylor and deputy leader Jane Hume speak during a press conference after a Liberal Party leadership spill.

Taylor may shoot for the summit. Even his backers will settle for base camp

Can Angus Taylor re-establish the Coalition’s credibility? He could start by turning the volume down and addressing the opposition’s failings.

  • James Massola
head to head index

The toughest head-to-head battles between Albanese’s ministry and Taylor’s new front bench

Here are the five key Labor-Liberal ministerial match-ups that will help determine the success or failure of Angus Taylor’s opposition.

  • James Massola
As Angus Taylor on Friday promised a tougher immigration policy, Pauline Hanson made the point that “no one will ever be as strong as One Nation on immigration”.

Dumping Ley may have been the answer, but One Nation has radically changed the question

The latest Resolve poll results offer a damning indictment on the final days of Sussan Ley’s leadership and vindication for the Liberal Party’s decision to sack her. 

  • James Massola
Taylor said he wanted the Coalition to be the party of lower taxes.

Taylor challenges Albanese to work together on big spending cuts

The opposition leader and his deputy Jane Hume have acknowledged they made mistakes as the party’s economic team at the last election.

  • Brittany Busch and James Massola