Federal election 2022: Labor to start again with Mediscare-style attack against Scott Morrison

Labor is tipped to launch a Mediscare-style campaign in a bid to shake off leader Anthony Albanese’s disastrous first week on the election trail.

Labor will go on the attack with a pivot to a Mediscare-style campaign against Scott Morrison’s team, as the ­opposition battles to reset after a disastrous first week ­derailed by Anthony Albanese’s errors.

After a second stumble on border protection and boats capped off a week of gaffes for the Labor leader yesterday, it can be revealed there will also be a focus on getting Mr Albanese out among the public as initial attempts to have him look “prime ministerial” were undermined by his press conference mistakes.

Preparation for the first leaders debate on Wednesday is underway, with Labor focused on overcoming repeated criticism Mr Albanese is never across policy detail.

One Labor MP said the debate would be a “make or break test” on whether Mr Albanese had “learned the lesson” of the past seven days.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese pictured with music writer and author Stuart Coupe at Bluesfest in Byron Bay. Picture: Toby Zerna

A senior Labor campaign source said a negative attack ad campaign would “kick off in the week ahead”.

It is understood a Mediscare style tactic – used in the 2016 campaign by Bill Shorten – will drive the ads. Labor believes Mr Morrison’s decision to appoint Anne Ruston as the successor to Greg Hunt was a “serious error of … judgement”.

“This is a gift to highlight Labor’s record (on Medicare),” the campaign source said. Labor will portray Ms Ruston as a risk to Medicare. But a Liberal source dismissed the effectiveness of the strategy, noting the party had learned from the 2016 attack and enshrined Medicare funding in legislation.

Mr Albanese received a rock star welcome when invited onto the main stage at Bluesfest in Byron Bay by Jimmy Barnes last night, a friendly event his team were hoping would boost the leader’s confidence.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon attend Bluesfest in Byron Bay. Picture: Toby Zerna

Mr Albanese was again forced to clarify Labor’s boats policy yesterday after he accidentally reversed the party’s stance on temporary protection visas. After an Easter Sunday mass in Cairns, the Labor leader was asked if he supported both the operation and “the retention of temporary protection visas,” to which he replied: “yes”.

Less than 10 minutes later Mr Albanese realised the error and reappeared in front of the cameras to walk back his gaffe. “Earlier on I heard half the question, and didn’t hear all of it,” he said.

“Labor’s policy is to support Operation Sovereign Borders, we support offshore processing, we support resettlement to third countries, we don’t support temporary protection visas.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese meets five-month-old Alex Jerrard along with mum and dad Megan and Mike from Cairns, while on the election trail. Picture: Toby Zerna

Labor has seized on Ms Ruston’s appointment as the Coalition’s next health minister, arguing her past comments in the senate as proof the Morrison government would seek to cut Medicare, a claim the Prime Minister has denied.

Speaking about GP co-payments in 2015, Ms Ruston said Medicare “in its current form is not sustainable into the future without some change being made”.

But a Liberal campaign source said Mr Morrison’s focus would return “to the economy and national security” in week two of the campaign, with both issues perceived as weaknesses for Labor. Mr Morrison will be in Western Australia today.

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