Election 2022 live: Angry Albo walks out amid costings questions
The Prime Minister has revealed what he could have done differently over the past three years only hours after Anthony Albanese fled a press pack after refusing to answer questions.
Federal Election
Don't miss out on the headlines from Federal Election. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has admitted he could have been more “sensitive” during the pandemic to bring Australians closer together.
Days out from the federal election, Mr Morrison spoke to A Current Affair on Tuesday night.
Host Tracy Grimshaw grilled the Prime Minister - who refers to himself as a “bulldozer” - about what he could have done differently over the past three years.
“I think I could have certainly been more sensitive at times, there is no doubt about that,” Mr Morrison said.
The Prime Minister said in terms of policy, the country would have benefited from a “militarised” the vaccine rollout earlier on.
“We were doing it through the Health Department first, if we done it earlier and I think that would have made a difference,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Morrison also said he would have chosen different language rather than claiming he didn’t “hold a hose” during the Black Summer bushfires.
‘MADNESS’: ANGRY ALBO WALKS OUT ON QUESTIONS ON COSTINGS
Chaos has unfolded at the end of Labor leader Anthony Albanese‘s press conference with him fleeing a chasing press pack after he repeatedly refused to reveal how much his election promises will cost taxpayers.
It comes as Scott Morrison accused Labor of having “completely lost touch” with everyday Australians as the opposition continues to slam the Coalition’s super home buying scheme.
In other election news:
- The Coalition says the budget will be $1b better off than it was two months ago, as it released its full costings today. Labor’s are still be to released.
- Despite petrol prices starting to rise again, Anthony Albanese has ruled out an extension to fuel excise tax cut, blaming the ballooning debt brought on by the Morrison Government.
- A shock new poll has predicted that popular NSW Liberal Andrew Constance’s switch to federal politics is set to end in tears, with Labor to retain the seat of Gilmore. The major poll looked at five crucial marginal seats impacted by fires and flood, with some surprising results.
- In a highly unusual move, former Australian of the Year has complimented Prime Minister Scott Morrison ahead of election day.
- Tanya Plibersek and a federal minister have clashed this morning as the “mean girls” scandal was brought up on morning television.
Keep up with the latest developments in our rolling coverage below and let us know what you think in our comments section
ALBO LOSES IT AFTER COST QUESTIONS
The Labor leader has walked out of a press conference after being peppered with questions on Labor’s costings, which he refused to reveal.
Mr Albanese was desperate to remain in control as he was hit with repeated questions on the issue after the Coalition released its full costings on Tuesday.
The Australian asked Mr Albanese whether he could be “fair dinkum” to the Australian people and confirm whether Labor’s deficits over four years would be higher or lower than the Coalition’s.
Mr Albanese reiterated that Labor’s costings would be released on Thursday and signalled he would have “more to say” on the topic during his address to the National Press Club on Wednesday.
Tired with the growing interjections from the press pack, Mr Albanese then abruptly ended the press conference and walked out of the room.
The media pack followed Mr Albanese, hounding him until he left the room with questions about Labor‘s deficits over the next four years and the proposed Pandemic Treaty to give WHO greater powers.
“We are following you for answers Mr Albanese and you are now just not giving them,” one reporter said. ”You have to answer eventually.”
Mr McGowan was left standing at the podium in front of the microphones to answer any follow-up questions journalists may have had. He was left to awkwardly watch on, remarking, “I will just wait until this madness finishes”.
Earlier, when Mr Albanese was asked if it was fair to not give voters enough time to digest the true cost of his policy offerings, he sought to turn the tables back on the government.
“I'll conclude with this point: The costings and expenditures which we have made have been responsible,” he said. “They pale into insignificance compared with the waste and the rorts that are riddled through this budget.”
“$5.5 billion on French subs is more – is more – than any of the commitments that we have made during this election campaign, the largest of which is for childcare.”
“We will announce that on Thursday. There's no point announcing it now, 'cause then … I want you to be there on Thursday …! I don't want to disappoint you.
“Let's be very clear here. You have an $80 billion deficit at the moment. You have $1 trillion of debt. You had $70 billion expended by this government – by this government – and our announcements between December and March.
“You have our announcements every single one of them – we have put a costing on,’’ Mr Albanese said. However, the government says the promises have not been independently costed by Treasury.
“ We've been transparent throughout the election campaign about those issues.”
Earlier, Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers signalled Labor’s costings may be higher than the Coalition’s when released on Thursday.
But he said voters should not be focused on whether Labor’s deficits are “a couple of million dollars each year better or worse” than the Coalition’s plan.
Mr Chalmers said Labor’s election commitments would cost the budget a “fraction” of what the Coalition has “rorted and wasted over almost a decade in office”.
“ We‘d be inheriting $1 trillion in debt and no plan to grow the economy the right way.”
Mr Chalmers said an elected Labor government would crack down on rorts, and improve the budget balance by installing multinational tax reform and investing in productivity measures like childcare.
Speaking to reporters at MetroNET manufacturing facility in Perth’s east, the Labor leader refused to outline if his policies would cost more than the Coalition, or if his deficits will be higher.
Instead, he hinted he could divulge more information at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
“They‘ll be released at the same time that the last time that there was a change of government occurred.”
The last change of government occurred in 2013 when Tony Abbott ousted then prime minister Kevin Rudd from the lodge.
He famously did not release the Coalition‘s costings until two days before the election.
MP STORMS OUT OF FORUM
Toowoomba’s federal member has stormed out of a candidate meet-and-greet, after he became engaged in a heated exchange with constituents.
Groom MP Garth Hamilton was filmed walking out a forum at Westbrook on Thursday night, after spending several minutes verbally sparring with members of Toowoomba’s anti-mandate movement.
Several witnesses and other candidates confirmed the exchange featured “raised voices” and escalating aggression, before Mr Hamilton declared he’d “had enough of this” and walked out.
The video also features a woman, reportedly one of the protesters, shouting “he called me a liar” as Mr Hamilton walked out the door.
26. The compere at Westbrook Hall asks each candidate to say a few words, amidst which LNP MP Garth Hamilton, in dispute with a constituent, walks out. ‘I’ve had enough of this, I’m going.’
— 📣Margo Kingston💧🔥 (@margokingston1) May 12, 2022
The compere: “Garth has left the building.â€#GroomVotespic.twitter.com/pq6O7sRqDJ
Independent candidate Suzie Holt, who is hoping to secure disaffected Liberal voters from Mr Hamilton on May 21, was scathing in her assessment of the matter.
“I am used to anger from constituents opposed to vaccinations and the mandates,” she said.
“It is extraordinary to me that our federal representative is unable to cope with animated disagreement with constituents across Groom and that all other candidates were able to handle such conversations without incident.”
Mr Hamilton declined to comment on the exchange.
WATCH SKY’S ELECTION COVERAGE
You can follow Sky News’ coverage of the election below:
PM DEFENDS SUPER HOME SCHEME
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has slammed Labor for their reaction to his housing policy, as he claims it’s proof they’re not listening to Aussies.
The Prime Minister was at a housing development outside of Darwin on Tuesday, where he continues to spruik the scheme – which would allow first home buyers to take out 40 per cent of their super, up to $50,000 – to help purchase their first home.
Labor, as well as leading economists, have slammed the scheme, with Penny Wong calling it a “gamble”.
Mr Morrison questioned how “the most important investment you make in your entire life” could be a gamble.
“If Labor thinks that’s a gamble, then they have lost touch completely with the aspirations and goals of Australian families, who … their first objective is to ensure that they can own a home,” Mr Morrison said.
“The advantage of this policy is it not only helps Australians get into their own homes, but it also preserves their retirement savings for the policy.
“And that’s a big difference with this policy. There’s been plenty of policies which have just said you take your super out and you never put it back. That’s not what we’re saying.”
Earlier Treasurer Josh Frydenberg failed to respond to questions about whether the policy had been modelled.
It comes after Superannuation Minister Jane Hume conceded on Monday that it would lead to a rise in house prices.
Mr Morrison defended the public service cuts saying it won’t affect programs, but would not weigh in on what it would do to consultants and the outsourcing of work.
He said departments would make “sensible decisions” about the ways to achieve those cuts such as spending on accommodation and administration costs.
“This is responsible budgetary management,” Mr Morrison said, adding his government was living within its means.
He said this was how his government could provide cost of living relief, like slashing the fuel excise, supported defence and essential services.
PLIBERSEK HITS BACK AT ‘MEAN GIRLS’ GIBE
Minister for women’s economic security Jane Hume and opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek have clashed this morning as the “mean girls” scandal was brought up on the Today Show.
Ms Plibersek, who accused Scott Morrison and his party of not properly investigating claims of sexual assault, said the Labor Party would properly investigate bullying and harassment claims.
“If there’s a complaint it will be thoroughly independently investigated,” she said.
Women have long been touted as the potential deciders of this election, but are the major parties doing enough to win them over? @tanya_plibersek@SenatorHumepic.twitter.com/C86Zoz7HS0
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) May 16, 2022
However, Senator Hume cut across with a comment about the late Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching. “Hang on, Tanya. Kimberly died,’’ Senator Hume said. “She can’t make a complaint.’’
“Ms Kitching had made a report to Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles directly about the “unfair bullying” at the hands of “the mean girls … Penny Wong, Katy Gallagher and Kristina Keneally, and it wasn’t responded to,” Minister Hume said. “That’s appalling behaviour.”
Ms Plibersek responded, saying Senator Hume’s comments were in “very poor taste’’.
“We are grieving a colleague, Jane,” Ms Plibersek said. “I am too. She was my friend,” Senator Hume replied.
WHO SHOULD WOMEN VOTE FOR?
Meanwhile, A ‘form guide’ for how women should vote in this Saturday’s election has been released by an influential campaign group.
The Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) – which has been helping women decide which way to vote for 50 years – analysed the policies of the Liberals, Labor and the Greens and found that no party got full marks, but some did better than others.
WEL National Convener Jozefa Sobski said the Liberals had little or no policies in many areas that really mattered to women such as housing, safe and secure workplaces, adequate incomes and early childhood education and care.
Out of 12 areas WEL considered priorities for make women’s lives better and fairer, the Liberal Party received no ticks to show it was fully committed, but had significant policies in two areas.
“We are pleased to see the Liberal Party has a better showing in relation to eliminating violence and achieving some gender equity in vocational education and training,” Ms Sobski said. “Labor’s strong performance in nine of the 12 policy areas is encouraging,” Ms Sobski said.
WHICH PARTY IS BETTER FOR WOMEN
INDEPENDENT CLAIMED TO ‘CONTROL’ LIBERAL BRANCH
The independent candidate taking on Kristina Keneally in the seat of Fowler, Dai Le, claimed in a voicemail message in 2019 – three years after she was suspended for 10 years by the Liberal party – that she still had control of the Liberal Party’s Cabramatta branch.
In the leaked voicemail message to a local branch member obtained by Sky News, Ms Le says “The meeting went OK last night with us … we were able to reject all of the members. I still am in control of the branch.”
Ms Le’s husband Marcus Lambert was president of the branch at the time.
The phone call came after an altercation about enrolling new members at the branch which led to police being called.
Footage of that altercation was later provided to Channel 9’s A Current Affair and showed Ms Le was present.
On Tuesday morning, Ms Le confirmed her husband was still a Cabramatta Liberal branch official and said she could not remember the voicemail message, then denied having ever left such a message saying she had control of that branch.
Liberal sources have told Sky News Australia the voicemail message was sent to the Liberal party’s head office in 2019 as part of a complaint against Ms Le and it has not been acted on.
Ms Le was suspended by the Liberal party for 10 years for running for mayor as an independent in 2016. Three years later, it was reported then Premier Gladys Berejiklian had approached Ms Le to run for the Liberals for Cabramatta without success.
HOWARD SAYS FRYDENBERG CAN WIN KOOYONG
Former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard is emerging as the party’s number one weapon to fight off so-called teal independents, campaigning alongside Josh Frydenberg in his blue-ribbon seat of Kooyong on Tuesday afternoon.
Under threat from Climate-200 backed independent Monique Ryan, who has pulled ahead of the Treasurer in recent polling, the Liberal party has deployed the former Prime Minister on the hustings to help drum up voter support ahead of Saturday.
Mr Howard joined Mr Frydenberg after spending time earlier this morning with Liberal MPs Gladys Lui and Katie Allen, as the Coalition attempts to sandbag the key marginal seats of Chisholm and Higgins.
The former PM endorsed Mr Frydenberg's leadership during the pandemic and his economic credentials. "I think he'll win," Mr Howard said.
"He is a sensible politician, he never takes anything for granted.
"I think this is a tight election. The important thing is that the serious people take politics seriously and Josh Frydenberg takes it seriously."
"He's been a terrific treasurer, and he masterminded this terrific economic recovery by Australia."
GRACE TAME’S SURPRISE ‘COMPLIMENT’ FOR SCO-MO
It’s no secret that Grace Tame isn’t a fan of Scott Morrison but in a surprise move the former Australian of the Year has offered up a compliment to the Prime Minister.
Ms Tame, an activist and advocate for survivors of child sexual assault, has been openly critical of Mr Morrison during his time as Prime Minister.
However, she has offered up one compliment for the PM, conceding to the Betoota Advocate’s podcast that Mr Morrison is “intelligent”. “He’s quite intelligent. I’ll give him that,” Ms Tame said.
She then followed up the compliment with a jab at Mr Morrison, adding: “No-one can be the leader of a country without having intelligence and skills and mastery at least of manipulation.”
SCOMO WON’T SAY IF HE’LL GO
Mr Morrison has refused to say if he will quit politics after the election, even if the Coalition is defeated or there is a hung parliament.
In an interview with Leigh Sales on ABC’s 730 on Monday evening he said: “No, that is not something I’m contemplating because I’m not contemplating that being the scenario.”
He started by candidly discussing his own popularity heading into the election where he has described himself as a bulldozer.
“I’m just being honest, Leigh. I can be. And during the last two or three years, but frankly, at other times in the various jobs I’ve had, that’s been very necessary,” he said.
Mr Morrison described public concerns of his track record on ducking responsibility and blame shifting as “Labor’s criticisms”.
“What I get is people really just want to see me be more inclusive in terms of how I go forward and that’s the challenge going forward,” he said.
On the rise of independent candidates threatening several Liberal-held electorates, Mr Morrison asked voters not to take Australia’s strong economy for granted.
He warned those in inner city electorates where independents were a threat, and voters tended to have the luxury of focusing on other issues over a strong economy.
“Out in parts of regional Australia, and the broader suburbs of the country. They’re places that cannot afford the sort of risk that comes with a Labor Party and a leader that just is a bit loose on the economy. They will pay the price for that,” he said.
He added, “I do know this – you can’t address climate change and invest in the technology you need to deal with climate change, unless you have a strong economy.”
Mr Morrison discussed his government’s economic plan and what he claimed to be Australia’s successful pandemic recovery.
“I don’t think anyone would contend the investments we made during the pandemic were unnecessary,” he said.
“That’s why that debt is what it is. It saved the country, Leigh. It saved jobs, it saved businesses.”
He also defended a controversial plan to allow first home buyers dip into their superannuation to buy a house.
"People really just want to see me be more inclusive in terms of how I go forward, and that's the challenge going forward." – @ScottMorrisonMP#abc730pic.twitter.com/UWLb9qAL85
— abc730 (@abc730) May 16, 2022
“I mean, our housing market, each year, I think some $687 billion. This measure affects up to one per cent of it. The suggestion this will have any sort of significant impact, I don’t think bears up to scrutiny,” he said.
“This is how you help people with cost of living. You let them use their own money. You don’t lock it away from them. Where someone else is in control of it. They should be in control of it. It’s theirs.”
Mr Morrison said the “single biggest challenge facing the economy today” was an undersupply of workers. He said his government was investing in “skills and education”.
“We’re investing in the skills of Australians. The jobs we’re creating are skilled jobs. These are jobs where we currently have 220,000 Australians in trade training right now,”
“That’s the highest level we’ve ever seen, since records began.”
Mr Morrison supported an increase to wages but also backed the decision being made by the Fair Work Commission.
“I support the Fair Work Commission making decisions on wages, taking into account all the factors that impact on people’s cost of living and whether they’ll be better off. I support wage increases,” he said.
Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP responds to @AlboMP's comments that the government reacts too little and too late when it comes to a crisis. #abc730pic.twitter.com/pTAeCOoJMu
— abc730 (@abc730) May 16, 2022
Mr Morrison said the end of coal fired power in Australia should be decided by “commercial viability”.
“There will be a change that will take place in Australia and around the world that will happen over time. That’s why we believe in investing in carbon capture use and storage technologies,” he said.
He added, “for all the renewables to work, the intermittent renewables, the ones that rely on
solar and wind, they need firm power as it’s called, or reliable power, to support them to make the whole grid work so you don’t have variability problems.”
“We have a plan to get to net zero by 2050 based on the technologies that will not only solve the problem in Australia, but around the world,” he said.
COALITION CLAIMS SUPERIOR FINANCES
The Coalition says the budget will be $1b better off than it was two months ago, as they take a fresh swipe at Labor.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham have unveiled the Coalition’s costings today – four days before the election – while Labor is remaining tight-lipped on when it will do the same.
In its costings, the Coalition will show the budget bottom line will have a $1b improvement to what was tabled by Mr Frydenberg on budget night back in March.
In order to do so, though, the government will continue its “public service efficiency dividend” – essentially an annual reduction in funding of overall costs.
The Coalition has submitted 35 costings to the departments of Treasury and Finance, compared to zero from the opposition.
Senator Birmingham said while the Coalition had proven its ability to improve the budget bottom line, Labor would have rendered it worse off.
“The Morrison government will always pursue opportunities to strengthen the budget while growing the economy and guaranteeing the essential services,” Senator Birmingham said.
“Labor always wanted to spend more during Covid and now they have accumulated $437b of unaffordable spending pressures.”
In comparison, the Coalition says the budget will be $103b better off over five years – compared to last year’s mid-year review – which would mark the biggest financial turnaround in more than 70 years.
Senator Birmingham and Mr Frydenberg say Labor has made $22b in election promises, but has not given Australians the chance yet to scrutinise them, nor the $302b in uncosted and unfunded platform promises.
“The reality is the Labor Party have not put forward their policies for costing because we know they cannot manage money,” Mr Frydenberg said.
Mr Birmingham said “sneaky” Jim Chalmers and Mr Albanese lacked transparency and accountability, as the Coalition releases its costings.
“Even this morning we saw the lack of accountability or transparency,” Senator Birmingham said at a press conference.
“At 6.49am, Bill Shorten (on the Nine Network) said that Labor’s costings would be released this Thursday.
“At 6.50am (on Channel 7) the Shadow Treasurer Mr Chalmers – sneaky Jim Chalmers – wouldn’t say when Labor’s costings would be released.
“Labor will drop their costings at the absolute last minute at this campaign … (because) they’re trying to hide their costings, hide their spending, and hide their higher taxes.”
Rescue and emergency aeromedical services in the Northern Territory will be guaranteed with a $18m investment through CareFlight, with Mr Morrison spruiking the budget measure in his last event of the campaign day.
Mr Morrison, in a whistle stop tour of the Territory, visited CareFlight’s hangar — alongside CLP Leader Lia Finocchiaro and the party’s Solomon candidate Tina MacFarlane.
The $18m in funding is being provided for the “purchase and modification of a rescue helicopter and an aeromedical jet to assist in the delivery of a dedicated aeromedical, rapid response capability” in the NT.
Mr Morrison opting to campaign in seats like Lingiari and Solomon — which are Labor held — signals he is on the electoral attack rather than defence, hoping to gain seats to cover losses elsewhere.
Notably, Mr Morrison has also been accompanied by his wife Jenny since at least the Coalition’s campaign launch in Brisbane.
ALBO RULES OUT FUEL TAX CUT EXTENSION
Mr Albanese has ruled out an extension to fuel excise tax cut, blaming the ballooning debt brought on by the Morrison Government.
“We are very conscious about the fact that if we are successful on Saturday we will inherit a trillion dollars of debt,” he said.
He argued that is the reason why Labor’s election commitments are “responsible and very modest”.
The Coalition has also said it will not extend the cut when it concludes in September.
It means fuel could rise by up to 22 cents a litre.
Mr Albanese kicked off his final day in Perth with a speech to business leaders.
Addressing a packed room at Crown conference centre, Mr Albanese drew on the legacy of wartime prime minister John Curtin.
“John Curtin faced circumstances that might have overwhelmed a lesser person,” he told the room.
“Yet even as the war drew closer, Curtin was able to think ahead to a better future.”
Describing Mr Cutin as a leader who “stood tall” when Australia needed it, Mr Albanese sought to draw a link between the former prime minister’s legacy and the nation’s recovery from the pandemic.
“He saw a victory for peace not just as the war’s end, but as another challenge our nation could rise to and create a new era of prosperity,” Mr Alabnese said.
Without once naming Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Mr Albanese repeatedly took aim at his management of the Covid crisis.
“As we begin to emerge from the Covid pandemic, we reflect on what we’ve been through — and who rose to meet the challenge,” he continued.
“What we saw from Premier McGowan was true character and true leadership.
“A responsible Government that balanced social good and economic need.
“A clear demonstration of how investing in the health, safety and wellbeing of people underwrites a robust and growing economy.”
It’s the second time in as many days Mr Albanese has sought to trade off on the popularity of the state Labor leader, who was also in attendance.
MORE POLL PAIN FOR COALITION
A shock new poll has predicted that popular NSW Liberal Andrew Constance’s switch to federal politics is set to end in tears, with Labor to retain the seat of Gilmore.
According to the uComm poll, Mr Constance, who quit the NSW parliament last year, is languishing on a primary vote of just 34.1 per cent in his bid for the federal seat south of Sydney.
On a two-party preferred basis he is behind 43:57 to Labor’s Fiona Phillips, reports news.com.au.
And while voters in those areas indicated that they would be swayed by those candidates with strong climate policies, it wasn’t all bad news for the Coalition.
The results did suggest Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s hopes of repeating his 2019 strategy of taking some unexpected seats from Labor could be paying dividends.
For example, Labor’s Kristy McBain is in trouble in the seat of Eden-Monaro in the south of NSW, with the pollsters predicting that Dr Jerry Nockles could pick up the seat from Labor.
The uComm poll suggests it’s neck and neck in the seat though, with sitting member Ms McBain behind 49:51 on a two party preferred basis.
She’s on a primary vote of 39 per cent – more than her challenger Dr Nockles – but he’s being assisted by preference flows from One Nation and Clive Palmer’s UAP.
In the northern NSW seat of Page, where Labor candidate Patrick Deegan is hopeful of picking up the seat from Nationals MP Kevin Hogan, it’s also neck and neck with the sitting MP ahead 51:49.
But in the Queensland seat of Ryan, in Greater Brisbane, the ALP is expected to romp it home with a two party preferred result of 55:45.
Despite the fact Labor’s Peter Cossar is on a primary vote of just 27 per cent, he is poised to win the seat, according to the poll, with a whopping 22 per cent vote expected for the Greens.
PM AND WIFE DON’T TURN UP EMPTY-HANDED
Mr Morrison has made his second stop on a quick trip to the Top End, visiting the Palmerston 50+ Tuesday Club.
And he didn’t turn up to Gray Community Hall empty-handed – with Jenny Morrison running back to the car to fish out a box of doughnuts from Ben’s Bakery in Darwin.
The Prime Minister enjoyed a cuppa with the sat at a table with six women who were playing scrabble.
He spoke with them about the challenges facing Australia, saying they weren’t dissimilar we’re not different to others around the world.
Mr Morrison said his government would keep investing in communities, and spoke to a Cyclone Tracy survivor.
“(Australia) has had more than our fair share of terrible natural disasters,” he said.
Mr Morrison tried his hand at carpet bowls, sang happy birthday to a women called Lorraine and said the key lime pie, made by local Glenda, was a highlight.
The Palmerston 50+ Club started using the hall – funded by a community development grant at the 2019 election – in February.
The hall is in. seat of Solomon, held been held by Labor MP Luke Gosling on a margin of 3.1 per cent. Mr Morrison appeared at the event with CLP candidate Tina MacFarlane.
‘CONVENTIONS IN PLACE’
Mr Morrison told The Australian plans were in place to have meetings with foreign leaders as early as next Tuesday and insisted the meetings could occur even if the election result was unclear.
The Quadrilateral meeting of Australian, US, Indian and Japanese leaders in Tokyo to discuss the regional response to China’s assertion and influence in the Indo-Pacific is set for Tuesday.
“We know what we have to do on the national security side. We know what we have to do on the Quad for that meeting on Tuesday,” he said.
“Conventions” meant it could still go ahead with Australian representation.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous about this at all but there are conventions in place,” he said, noting the former Japanese PM attended an early Quad meeting before he was replaced by Fumio Kishida.
ALBO SHORT ON COSTINGS DETAIL
Despite promising to bring more transparency to government, Mr Albanese won’t say if Labor’s deficits will be higher than under the Coalition or when he will release detailed policy costings.
Dodging questions about the economic impact of his election platform, the Labor leader argued the Opposition had prioritised “investments that will boost productivity” and lashed Mr Morrison’s super first homebuyer policy for driving up house prices and leaving Australians more reliant on the pension in the future.
So far Labor has announced higher election spending commitments than the Coalition, but Mr Albanese won’t confirm this would mean deficits would be greater under his government over the forward estimates.
“What we will have is a fiscally responsible policy,” he said.
When pushed on transparency, Mr Albanese also claimed Labor had released the “costings” of its election promises, referring to the headline dollar figure the opposition has committed to fund its policies.
“The idea that we don’t have costings out there is, quite frankly, absurd,” he said.
He later clarified the detailed assumptions and funding models behind these before the May 21 poll.
“We will put out all of our costings as Oppositions have in the usual way at the usual time frame.
“But we have put forward our costings all the way through,” he said.
LABOR TO BACK STAGE 3 TAX CUTS
Mr Albanese was also asked to confirm his support for Stage 3 tax cuts after multiple crossbench MPs, including Greens’ Adam Bandt, independent Zali Steggall, Rex Patrick and United Australia Party’s Craig Kelly, said they would not support it if they hold the balance of power in a minority government.
“They’ve (Stage 3 cuts) been legislated,” Mr Albanese said.
“We support them. We stand by that.”
Mr Albanese said he would not support the Greens and was seeking to form government “in my own right”.
In a whirlwind visit to Pearce, Hasluck and Swan, which are the three Liberal-held West Australian seats he hopes to win, Mr Albanese lashed the Coalition’s new first homebuyer policy.
At a Goodstart Early Learning centre in Hasluck, held by Liberal frontbencher Ken Wyatt on a margin of 5.9 per cent, Mr Albanese befriended a four-year-old Matt, as they played a matching game with different colour shapes.
Mr Albanese also visited a hospital in Swan with WA Premier Mark McGowan to announce a $150 million joint funding commitment to increase surgery services.
NEW $1.5BN MEDICAL MANUFACTURING FUND
On Tuesday Mr Albanese will unveil a $1.5 billion fund dedicated to Australian medical manufacturing, under Labor’s previously announced $15bn National Reconstruction Fund.
Mr Albanese said the fund would invest in the local manufacturing of medicines, vaccines, equipment, materials and tests.
“A country that takes its pandemic preparedness seriously would have ensured that we made more rapid tests and vaccines here,” he said.
“Serious countries should make things. Serious countries should be led by builders, not bulldozers, which is how I would lead a future Labor Government.”
Got a story tip? Email us at federalelection@news.com.au
Know some goss or seen something in your electorate? Contact us at election.confidential@news.com.au
Originally published as Election 2022 live: Angry Albo walks out amid costings questions
Join the conversation
Fresh poll paints grim future for Albo
A fresh poll is spelling trouble for Anthony Albanese ahead of next year’s federal election as Australians put the PM on notice.
Read more
Prepare for a summer of discontent
The timing of the next federal election is likely to condemn us to an excruciatingly long unofficial campaign, sapping all the fun to Christmas and beyond, writes Patrick Carlyon.
Read more