Federal Election 2022: Protesters crash Scott Morrison’s visit to a small business on the NSW coast

A group of protesters chanting and wearing Hawaiian shirts have confronted the PM while Anthony Albanese has been heckled about Kimberley Kitching.

Protesters have crashed Scott Morrison‘s visit to a small business on the NSW coast, ironically singing Dragon’s hit ‘April Sun in Cuba’ while an angry Tasmanian woman has heckled Anthony Albanese about Kimberley Kitching.

The Prime Minister faced tough questions over how he would prevent devastating bushfires, two years after his star Gilmore candidate Andrew Constance said Mr Morrison “got the welcome he deserved” when he was met with hostility in the bushfire ravaged town of Cobargo.

One protester named Bob, of Vicentia, recounted the time he was “surrounded by bushfire” during the Black Summer fires.

Protesters crash Scott Morrison’s visit Picture: Jason Edwards

“When you see what has happened until today when people still don't have a decent home to live.

“People are still living in caravans and container sheds.

“And what has he (Mr Morrison) done? He's done nothing”.

Picture: Jason Edwards

Other protesters. including secretary of the Labour Council, Arthur Rorris, were singing ‘April Sun in Cuba’ – attacking Mr Morrison for taking a trip to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires.

Mr Morrison played the song on a ukulele during a 60 Minutes special.

In January 2020 Mr Constance said Mr Morrison “got the welcome he deserved” when visiting Cobargo.

A protester named “Bob” speaks about the bushfires. Picture: Jason Edwards

He made the comments when he was a NSW state government Minister, but now he is Mr Morrison‘s star pick for Gilmore.

Asked about the exchange on Monday, Mr Morrison said it was a “difficult day”.

“Andrew and I have known each other for 25 years or thereabouts,” he said.

“I love that he is on my team, and he calls it straight, and he did on that day.”

Meanwhile, a Tasmanian woman angry at Anthony Albanese’s response to allegations of bullying within the Labor party has called out his failure to hold an investigation in the wake of Senator Kimberley Kitching’s death.

“Kimberley Kitching lives and we know who she is in Tasmania,” Devonport local Gillian Windler said to Mr Albanese as he visited the north west region on Monday.

Ms Windler, who said she believed the Liberals would be a better party to lead the next government, was upset Mr Albanese chose to meet with nurses from a local aged care home rather than speak to “real people” on the street.

She said she wished Mr Albanese had taken allegations of bullying within his party more seriously.

“All he had to do from the get go was actually turn around and say, we’re going to investigate this issue,” she said

Ms Windler later said that she knows people in town who had known Senator Kitching.

“I know people in town that actually do know her,” she said.

“I think it‘s a travesty that people think they can just stop talking about an issue and they can just move on.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese visits Launceston, Tasmania. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I‘d like Mr Albanese... any leader knows you don’t always make popular decisions and sometimes by making the right decision you don’t necessarily look the part.

“All he had to do was turn around and say we‘re going to investigate this issue.”

Ms Windler said she had met Scott Morrison a long time ago through a “social gathering thing” but “she didn’t know him”.

She said both parties had issues but the Coalition had a “better track record” dealing with issues like bullying.

“I think they’ll both make mistakes, I think that’s just part and parcel,” she said.

“In reality though I think the Morrison government has got a better track record.”

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