Australian news and politics recap May 2: Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese make final pitches to voters
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Key Events
PETER DUTTON: Labor has left you worse off
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton writes: Are you, your family, and our country better off today than three years ago? That’s the critical question for Australians at this election.
Consider what’s occurred on Labor’s watch.
For 16 months, the Albanese Government focused on the Voice referendum which sought to divide our country by ancestry and race. They took their eye off the economy. They’ve continued to spend taxpayers’ money irresponsibly — a staggering additional $425 billion since coming to power which has fuelled inflation, driven up interest rates 12 times, and created a cost-of-living crisis.
Under Labor, Australians have experienced the worst collapse in living standards in our country’s history — and in the developed world. Next year, debt will pass $1 trillion for the first time.
With Labor’s renewables-only energy policy trainwreck, your electricity bill hasn’t come down by $275 as Anthony Albanese promised on 97 occasions. You’re now paying up to $1300 more than promised. And it will continue to climb. Some 30,000 businesses have gone bust. Manufacturers have closed or moved offshore. And there’s warnings of blackouts and brownouts.
By opening the migration floodgates, Labor created a housing crisis. It’s brought in 1 million people in just two years — that’s 70 per cent more migrants than in any other two-year period in Australia’s history. There’s been more pressure on infrastructure and services. Medicare bulk billing has fallen by 11 per cent nationally.
‘We’re seeing a 2019 situation’: Hope, fear of repeat result
The Nightly’s Ellen Ransley writes: With less than 36 hours until polls close, both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are fighting for their lives as they embark on their final blitz to sell their respective pitches to millions of voters.
Neither believes Saturday’s results are guaranteed. Both are alive to the potential of a 2019-style shock.
The Prime Minister goes into Saturday ahead in the polls, but the Opposition Leader believes he could be in for a Scott Morrison-style miracle repeat.
He is hopeful the “quiet, angry Australians” make their disappointment and frustration at Labor felt when they head into the ballot box.
“I think there’ll be some big surprises on election night,” he said on Friday morning.
“I think we’re in for the fight of our lives, because if you look at the seat-by-seat analysis, there’s no doubt in my mind that we can win this election
“That’s exactly what happened in 2019 when quiet Australians went into the polling booth and said ‘I’m not going to reward the PM for the previous three years’. I think Australians are in that frame of mind.”
The “folly” of Labor taking victory for granted six years ago has weighed heavily on the PM’s mind, too.
On the offensive in the Brisbane LNP seat of Longman on Friday morning, Mr Albanese acknowledged he has a “mountain to climb”.
Just as Mr Dutton is hopeful for a 2019-style shock, Mr Albanese is hoping it doesn’t eventuate - but knows it’s a potential.
Albo says Australia can be ‘incredibly prosperous’, but not under Dutton
Mr Albanese has attempted to spark inspirtation in Australians, turning to the topic of the country’s future.
“It is about the next three years. And in next three years, what we will do is to continue to see economic growth, continue to see the benefits that come from the transition to a clean energy economy,” he said.
Labor will “continue to invest in the resources sector, including critical minerals and rare earths, continue to make sure that we use the position we’re in.”
Australia has an “incredible advantage,” he said.
“We are in a position where you wouldn’t want to be any other country in the world, other than Australia, given the changes in the global economy.
“We can be incredibly prosperous and set ourselves up for the decades ahead, but we can’t do that by being fearful about the future.”
‘Hope versus fear’: Albanese’s analysis of Federal election
Anthony Albanese has hit his stride with a fired-up pitch to voters in what will be one of his final press conferences before election D-Day.
He focused on “hope versus fear,” accusing the Coalition of talking Australian down while Labor talks it up.
He spruiked Labor’s achievements over the past three years to achieve its 2022 mandate.
“That is what we have done with difficult circumstances being thrown at us.
“You know, the biggest global inflation spiral since the 1980s has meant that inflation hit double digits in some countries, unemployment hit double digits,” he said.
“Almost all of the major economies around the world had at least one quarter of economic contraction, and most had at most had more than that,” he said.
‘Great deal of concern in our region’: PM on Pacific nations relationship issues
Mr Albanese has spoken about foreign affairs and Australia’s relationship with Pacific partners.
“We have invested in our relationships in the region and around the world. Australia is back as a respected partner in the Pacific,” he said.
The PM accused the Opposition of neglecting the issue of most concern to Pacific Island nations in Australia’s neighbourhood – the climate crisis.
He said the Coalition’s proposed cuts to the budget, including on overseas aid, have caused a “great deal of concern in our region.”
“We have a responsibility to be good partners. We have been declared by so many Pacific leaders to be the security partner of choice,” Mr Albanese said.
“But the key to credibility is action on climate change,” Mr Albanese added, accusing the Coalition of wavering on net-zero goals.
Albanese asked to grade his own performance as PM
Anthony Albanese visited a school in Perth on Thursday and he has now been asked to grade his own performance as PM.
He confirmed that he will be voting for Labor, but adds that people will judge his Government’s record under “difficult economic circumstances.”
He then turned to his key election campaign messages.
“Real wages are growing, inflation has gone down,” Mr Albanese said.
“Unemployment is low, the lowest average unemployment in 50 years.
“We have produced tax cuts for every taxpayer, cost of living relief, all of which were opposed by the Coalition,” he said.
PM: Australia stands with Ukraine
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has highlighted the difference between Labor and the Coalition’s approach to Ukraine.
Mr Albanese has previously said Australia will consider any proposal to contribute to peacekeeping forces if there is a ceasefire
“One of the distinctions in this election campaign is that I have said, if there is peace in Ukraine, Australia would consider any proposal to participate as part of a coalition of the willing,” he said.
“We have participated, of course, in training Ukrainian soldiers. We’ve done that in the United Kingdom, that has been very effective.”
He then thanked the Australian Defence Force for their service.
“Every man and woman who wears our uniform deserves our thanks and respect,” he said, giving a shout-out to the ADF’s assistance in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred.
He then switched back to Ukraine.
“Australia stands with Ukraine. Under my government, we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We support their struggle for their national sovereignty, because it is also a struggle for the international rule of law.”
PM: ‘I’m captain of a team that I’m proud of’
The PM has taken aim at the Coalition frontbench, asking “who” they are?
“I think one of the issues with this campaign is the fact that they’ve had to hide people who are senior shadow ministers,” he said.
“I’m captain of a team that I’m proud of.
“There are people across there who sit on their front bench, and I, frankly, shake my head at what their portfolios are,” he added.
“There are shadow ministers. I have no idea what their job is. No idea because you never hear from them. They haven’t been seen in this campaign.”
What’s the difference between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton?
The PM was asked what sets him apart from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
“We’re very different people,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
“Our values are very different.
“People can see that in the approach that we have, particularly towards people who need government to be respectful and to play a role for them,” he added.
The PM said he has never sought to gain political advantage through the vulnerable.
PM asked how he found his political ‘mojo’
Anthony Albanese is starting his final day of campaigning where he began five weeks ago - a Medicare urgent care clinic.
Today he is in Longman, Brisbane held by Liberal Terry Young with a margin of 3.1 per cent. Labor’s Rhiannyn Douglas is contesting it this time.
The PM was asked who he credits for finding his political “mojo” again.
“I’ve been me. I’m always me, and you know, I’m not the commentator,” he says.
The PM added that there is “no hate media” in this country, taking a jibe at his opponent, who has criticised media coverage of the Coalition’s campaign.
