Australian news and politics live: Albanese hits out at Dutton for lack of detail, Coalition says it's clear

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has wrapped up his time on stage at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters event.

He is expected to do a press conference later this morning while still in Perth.

Ben Harvey has taken the PM through a series of photos and when asked about the first thing that comes to mind when he sees Premier Roger Cook, he says: “Friend”.

“We actually realised the other day we’e known each other since 1984 which is more than 40 years. We must have known each other since kindergarten,” he says.

Good occupational health and safety has been praised in by the Prime Minister at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters forum, with Anthony Albanese able to stay firmly put on stage.

Asked what the worst part of his campaign had been? Falling off a stage, Mr Albanese said.

But he wasn’t worried about another incident, praising the well lit and marked stage in Perth, following his fall in NSW.

Albanese isn’t taking anything for granted in the lead up to the election, even with Labor’s lead in the polls.

“It’s a mountain we have to climb. No one has been re-elected as Prime Minister since John Howard in 2004. We’ve had a revolving door for more than two decades,” he says.

“Tall is one thing,” Anthony Albanese said during the word play game.

“I’m trying to be polite here,” he laughed.

But on the topic of the potential of Mr Zempilas being premier, he was firmer.

“That’s unlikely, he struggled to get his seat,” Mr Albanese said.

The PM is now being asked about the difference between Peter Dutton’s nuclear power plan and Labor’s renewables push.

Albanese notes the private sector is putting money into renewables, “just like individuals are putting solar panels on their roof... it reduces their costs.”

The PM is also asked about the Government’s Future Made in Australia plan. He says there is a “real opportunity” to make more things here, with WA and Queensland best placed to benefit.

Cheekily asked which premier he dislikes the most, Anthony Albanese said he liked them all.

Especially the Labor ones, but he still gets on with those in the other camp, he said.

The favourite was “obviously” Roger Cook.

“I do know where I am, of course,” Mr Albanese said in Perth.

Harvey asks the PM how the Government can justify giving everyone tax cuts when it’s staring down the barrel of a $40 billion deficit.

“One of the most courageous things we’ve done ... is took what was going to be a $9000 tax cut and halved it $4500 ... to make sure everyone got a tax cut,” he says.

“We have deliberately made that decision. It was a tough decision to make.”

Albanese also points out that the Government will lower the marginal tax rate from 16 per cent down to 15 per cent next year.

None.

The Prime Minister told The West Australian’s Ben Harvey he was “very satisfied” with his current cabinet and couldn’t choose one he would hand over to Peter Dutton if he had to.

“I wouldn’t swap any of my people,” he said.

Cue a smile from his cabinet members in the room.

The West Australian’s chief reporter Ben Harvey has asked the Prime Minister whether things are getting more ‘brutal’ in politics.

“It probably is, in some ways,” Albanese says.

“Campaigns are always hard, and they should be. We should be tested during a campaign.”