The Coalition's loss was attributed to the unpopularity of Hewson and his economic policy, popularly known as Fightback!, with the set piece being the majorly divisive Goods and Services Tax (GST).

It also remains the only time that the Liberal Party was led by a leader who previously had no experience as a minister.

However the exclusions announced by Hewson led to questions surrounding the complexity of what precisely which food items would and would not be exempt from the GST.

Hewson's difficulty in explaining this to the electorate was exemplified in the infamous birthday cake interview, considered by some as a turning point in the election campaign.

It was reported that Keating scored big-time with the worm when he savaged Hewson over his plans for a GST during the debate.

[3][better source needed] For the first time since the 1966 election, an incumbent government had increased their two-party-preferred vote.