Cost-of-living punishment a warning for all leaders

Australia’s economic pain at the pump is expected to persist even after Republicans lost in the US midterms and despite US Democrats’ promises to curb conflicts. Analysts urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to treat the voter backlash against Donald Trump as a warning: with Democrats controlling Congress from January, foreign-policy levers still largely rest with the president, limiting what legislation can realistically change. David Smith of the United States Studies Centre said any action on the Iran war would be largely symbolic and that tariffs introduced under Trump’s 2025 “reciprocal tariffs” law are likely to survive challenges for “the next couple of years.” The midterm results underscore that voters “can’t eat culture wars,” and Albanese must address cost-of-living commitments.