7am How Advance ‘siphoned’ funds and helped the Liberals lose
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Jun 2, 2025 
Jason Koutsoukis, a national correspondent for The Saturday Paper, delves into the political fallout from the Coalition's recent electoral disaster, focusing on the controversial lobby group Advance. They invested heavily in a confrontational campaign, yet failed to sway voters as Labor gained 17 new seats. Koutsoukis discusses how Advance's aggressive tactics might have alienated undecided voters and led to internal tensions within the Liberal Party. Amid blame-shifting, the future of their partnership remains uncertain.
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Advance's Aggressive Campaign Approach
- Advance spent over $15 million targeting the Greens first, then the Albanese government with a harsh "weak, woke, sending us broke" slogan.
- Their campaign tried to link progressive policies with weakness and economic mismanagement, but lacked clarity in its economic accusations.
Referendum Success Didn't Translate
- Advance's success in the binary Voice referendum campaign did not translate to the complex federal election.
- They wrongly assumed that no-voters on the referendum would oppose Labor, confusing referendum dissent with party allegiance.
Liberals Critique Advance's Impact
- Liberal Party insiders blame Advance for siphoning funds and confusing voters with divisive messaging.
- The right-wing tone possibly pushed votes to more extreme right parties, hurting the Liberals' chances.