When John Howard lost both his government and his seat on election night, it was credited to Kevin Rudd's wide suburban allure.

Cleverly, if paradoxically, Rudd melded change with continuity.

To middle-ground voters, he was fiscally tough and even churchy like Howard. But he was also forward-looking on global warming, reconciliation, and the digital transformation.

It shouldn't need saying, but broad constituencies are central to winning elections. Yet this iron law of Australian compulsory voting is inaudible in the shouty echo-chambers of right-wing media where nostalgia abounds and complaint is the currency.

Rudd might have widened Labor's electoral footprint, but some believe Howard's local demise was longer in the making.

Jason Falinski, himself a defeated Liberal MP in 2022 (Mac

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