Recalibrating labour-capital relations: a typology of consensus politics under the Albanese Labor Government

This article examines the Albanese Labor Government's adoption of ‘consensus politics’ as a governing strategy, drawing comparisons with the corporatist approaches of previous Australian Labor governments, particularly under Bob Hawke. Since the 2022 election, Albanese's government has aimed to reconcile capital-labour relations by fostering cooperation between business, unions, and government. However, the effectiveness and sustainability of Labor's ‘consensus’ approach remain uncertain, with limited structural reforms and significant business-sector departures casting doubt on its longevity. The article critiques this strategy and characterises the Albanese government's approach as a new variant of labourism, highlighting its constrained ideological impact within a neoliberal framework. A key contribution of the article is theorising the underexplored concept of consensus politics, offering a new a typology through the Australian case. More broadly, this study situates the ALP's agenda within a broader social-democratic tradition, offering insights into how contemporary centre-left parties are navigating capital-labour tensions.