Full Story Tom McIlroy: Will Albanese capitalise on the Coalition’s chaos?
Feb 3, 2026
Tom McIlroy, political editor and commentator, breaks down the Coalition split and its rare parliamentary consequences. He maps the Nationals’ internal talks and leadership tensions. He explores whether this chaos gives Labor room to pass big reforms and flags rising One Nation support and the key policy challenges now in focus.
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Historic Coalition Realignment
- The Liberals and Nationals are sitting separately, realigning parliamentary dynamics after a historic coalition split.
- That division leaves Labor comfortably dominant and weakens formal opposition scrutiny of the government.
Seize The Window, But Don’t Get Complacent
- Use the coalition's distraction as a window to advance tough policy while managing political risk.
- But avoid complacency because voters won't reward 'cruising' and big reforms need careful political management.
Reforms Require Homework And Political Finesse
- Labor claims it's prepared to tackle big economic reforms like tax and the structural deficit.
- McIlroy warns these reforms destabilise politics and require heavy homework and political management.