Sydney Morning Herald also backs Labor in the election for just the sixth time since federation

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Sydney Morning Herald, now owned by Nine Entertainment, has joined sister paper The Age in endorsing Bill Shorten in its pre-election editorial.

It is only the sixth time since federation the paper has endorsed the ALP, according to editor Lisa Davies.

The Age (@theage) 'A compelling case for change': Why we are backing Bill Shorten | EDITORIAL https://t.co/fKtMYSA51j #auspol #ausvotes2019 pic.twitter.com/Mazi9bzZ0Y

“The Herald believes that above all else voters must use this election as a chance to put an end to that cycle of instability and with that in mind there is no choice but to endorse Bill Shorten and the ALP,” the former Fairfax newspaper said on Friday.

Unsurprisingly, all Rupert Murdoch’s metropolitan newspapers, with the notable exception of the crocodile-obsessed NT News, have endorsed Scott Morrison for prime minister.

The NT News (@TheNTNews) OUR ELECTION EDITORIAL: TERRITORIANS WOULD BE WISE TO VOTE LABOR TOMORROW #auspol #AUSVote2019 https://t.co/zeJI8vc5lW

Newspapers have a long history of editorialising on the eve of an election, giving readers the view of the editor-in-chief on which party would be best to lead the country. The editorial view is not supposed to influence a masthead’s coverage of the news.

The other publications which endorsed Labor include Guardian Australia, because of the climate emergency, and the NT News, because of the crisis in Aboriginal affairs. In the 2016 federal election Guardian Australia did not express a view.

“With just 12 years to limit the global climate catastrophe, citizens here and around the world are demanding governments stand up to vested interests and act,” Guardian Australia wrote. “The UK parliament has declared a climate emergency, the idea of a Green New Deal is gaining traction in the US and beyond, and students around the world are engaging in spontaneous activism to force change.”

The NT News published a strong editorial arguing that the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government had “largely failed to deliver for the Territory” and urging people to vote for Labor’s Luke Gosling and Warren Snowdon to retain their seats of Solomon and Lingiari.

What Guardian readers wanted from the election (spoiler: climate action) Read more

“The shocking levels of abuse and neglect of Aboriginal children wasn’t even on their radar until this newspaper led a relentless campaign on the issue, eventually leading to then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visiting Tennant Creek,” the NT News said.

“Since he has taken over as PM, Morrison has shown little to no interest in this issue which seriously threatens the future prosperity of the Northern Territory and Australia.”

The Australian, and stablemates the Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun, the Courier Mail and the Advertiser all back the Coalition, as they have done in their coverage during the election campaign. Every single News Corp Sunday paper backed the Coalition.

The national broadsheet, which once backed Labor under Kevin Rudd in 2007, said the gap between the two world views of the parties is “real and substantial”.

“Mr Morrison’s plan errs on the side of being safe but deliverable; his policies, consistent with traditional values, do not unduly raise expectations as Mr Shorten has done,” the Australian editorial said.

“The Coalition offers prudent fiscal consolidation and debt reduction, a mechanism to reduce tax and control spending, a plan to ease cost-of-living pressures on families, modest and costed emissions cuts in line with global deals, successful border protection and a disciplined approach to our foreign relations.”

Alice Workman (@workmanalice) Ever wondered how a newspaper decides which leader to endorse for the election?



In the latest ep of The Scrutineers I chat to editors @wrongdorey, @lehmannatlarge, @MichelleGunn & @tomdusevic about the @australian's decision making process. #ausvotes19 https://t.co/6G27Z7ksYf

The Telegraph’s editor Ben English kept it simple, telling readers: “The Coalition saves money. Labor spends it”.

The Australian Financial Review, also in the Nine stable now, has endorsed the Coalition, again unsurprisingly given the conservative stance of editor-in-chief Michael Stutchbury.

“Yet for all its faults, and without great enthusiasm, the Financial Review believes that a returned Coalition government with a clear parliamentary majority would be in Australia’s best interests. The Coalition does at least grasp that Australia needs a growth policy in order to lift incomes and sustainably pay for the services government provides. The notable exception is any credible stance on energy and climate change.”

In 2016 every metropolitan masthead except The Age endorsed Tony Abbott’s Coalition for government.