Election 2022 live: Albanese’s trainwreck morning – Labor leader stumbles over policy details after tetchy TV interview
Anthony Albanese says Australians cannot expert ‘overnight’ relief on power prices under Labor’s $40b plan, as Defence Minister Peter Dutton claimed he has evidence that China wants Labor to win the election.
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Labor leader Anthony Albanese has walked out of a disastrous press conference in which he was unable to recall the details of his NDIS policy until he was handed a cheat-sheet by an adviser.
The trainwreck showing came just hours after Mr Albanese angrily told a TV interviewer it was “absurd” to suggest he’s not across the details of his job and handballs tough questions to his shadow ministers.
The relationship between the Solomon Islands and Australia has deteriorated even further as the Pacific nation’s leader lashed Australia for “threatening invasion” following its deal with Beijing, while Defence Minister Peter Dutton has been accused of peddling a “conspiracy theory” about China during a Press Club debate.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is campaigning in western Sydney and spruiking his pledge to create 400,000 new small businesses by 2025.
Meanwhile, United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly, who has campaigned on freedom of speech, has threatened to sue a rival for defamation over her Facebook post.
Read all today’s updates from the campaign trail below.
ALBO CAN’T OFFER POWER BILL RELIEF
Australians struggling to pay rising power bills won’t get immediate relief from a Labor Government with Mr Albanese revealing his signature $40 billion energy plan could not drive down prices “overnight”.
The Opposition Leader, who has put cost of living at the centre of his election campaign, declined to detail any short-term measures Labor would implement to immediately ease prices despite acknowledging bills were rising.
Labor has promised investment in renewables and the energy grid would see power bills fall by $275 for Australians by 2025.
Climate Change spokesman Chris Bowen said the party’s policies would reduce costs “over time”.
The Coalition says Labor’s plans to ‘gold plate’ the energy grid will leave consumers $560 a year worse off by 2032-33, according to government modelling.
Mr Bowen has previously described the government claims as a desperate attack.
The Coalition said Labor plans to bring forward 11 pieces of energy infrastructure would lead to the cost of poles and wires – which make up nearly 50% of consumer bills – increasing significantly.
Experts say electricity prices are expected to increase whoever is in power after the May 21 election, in part due to coal power plant outages and the cost of gas power increasing after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
ALBO’S POLICY BRAIN FADE
Anthony Albanese has been accused of “not knowing his own policy”, hours after Today show host Allison Langdon accused him of the same thing.
On Thursday morning, Mr Albanese was repeatedly asked by journalists to detail the six points of Labor’s plan for the NDIS, but was unable to answer.
The Opposition Leader was forced to step away during an answer by Chris Bowen and appeared to receive a document which detailed his six-point plan.
Mr Albanese insisted he knew his policy details before reading off the sheet handed to him by an adviser.
Soon afterwards, Mr Albanese abruptly cut the press conference short after less than 20 minutes and was whisked out the door.
When pressed on the details of his NDIS plan, Mr Albanese initially said what Labor would do “was outlined by Bill Shorten”.
“But Mr Albanese, what are the six points?” he was asked.
He responded: “We will put people at the centre of the NDIS, all of our programs are based around that.”
Mr Albanese briefly stepped away to receive notes from a senior adviser, then returned to the lectern and read out the six points from the document.
Thursday’s trainwreck press conference was the latest major gaffe of the Albanese campaign, which on day one stumbled when he couldn’t recite the cash or unemployment rates.
The Liberals immediately cut an attack ad to capitalise on his latest stumble.
NSW Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes described his mistake as “extraordinary”.
“As the mother of a participant in the NDIS, I am horrified at what this incompetence may lead to. This guy is just not up to it,” she said.
Journalists questioned Mr Albanese’s knowledge of Labor policies and asked him if he regularly called on shadow ministers to avoid answering detailed questions.
The Opposition Leader insisted the claims were “not right” and “rather bizarre”.
“I’m captain of a team, I’m very proud of the team that we have,” he said.
KOOYONG DEBATE GETS NASTY AS TREASURER HITS BACK
The battle between Josh Frydenberg and independent climate-backed candidate Monique Ryan for the marginal seat of Kooyong has been fierce.
The pair went head-to-head off in a Sky News People's Forum debate where their already-personal campaign reached new heights.
In the most tense moment of the debate, Dr Ryan blasted Mr Frydenberg as the “Treasurer for New South Wales”, saying “you weren’t here” during the pandemic.
“Public hospitals have been doing it pretty hard,” she said. Mr Frydenberg said he was “not going to be insulted like that”.
He said his father was a surgeon, his sister was a paediatrician and his uncle was a urologist. “I’m the member for Kooyong, I’m the Treasurer for Australia, and I have delivered economic support for Victoria which is greater than any other state on a per capita basis,” Mr Frydenberg said.
Mr Frydenberg said climate change was “one of the biggest issues the world faces” and that he was “absolutely committed” to practical and strong action to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
LOCAL VOTER ASKS ‘WHO SHOULD I BELIEVE’
A local voter has asked “who should I believe?” while holding up opposing brochures from Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and teal independent Monique Ryan which make different claims about climate change.
“I‘m a long time resident of Kew,” Noel said at the Sky News debate for the seat of Kooyong.
“I have one question for both of you please, Treasurer, you said we will reach net zero emissions. ”
Dr Ryan, you say Australia will not reach net zero emissions until 2094, the Liberal government‘s documents are a lie.
“Who should I believe?”
Mr Frydenberg promised that they would “get there” but they didn‘t want electricity prices to rise.
“Let me state from the outset that climate change is one of the biggest issues the world faces and I‘m absolutely committed to practical strong action on climate change and was a very public and strong advocate for our government’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050,” he said.
See the full coverage of the debate here.
DUTTON: CHINA WANTS LABOR TO WIN
Peter Dutton has described the reach of China’s expanding influence as “phenomenal” and claimed he has evidence that Beijing wants Labor to win the election.
The Defence Minister made the comments during a debate at the National Press Club on Thursday, as he squared off against Labor’s defence spokesman Brendan O’Connor.
Asked if Australia was less safe today because of the freshly inked security deal between Solomon Islands and China, Mr Dutton said Australia was doing its best to maintain peace in the Pacific.
“I think we are dealing with the reality of a new China. Australians should be wide-eyed about this,” Mr Dutton said.
“As we’re seeing right across the region, in fact right across the world, China’s influence into Africa, their influence into broader Asia, their influence into even Europe is quite phenomenal.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that the Chinese Communist Party would like to see a change of government at the May 21 election … there’s evidence of that on the WeChat activity, which is a Communist Party dominated and influenced platform.
“The way in which editors of Chinese language newspapers in our country have been leaned on, I think, is further evidence. And other elements, obviously, that I can’t go into publicly.”
Mr O’Connor accused Mr Dutton of peddling a “conspiracy theory” about China after he suggested President Xi Jinping could manipulate Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong into winding back commitments like the AUKUS pact.
Mr O’Connor hit back, saying: “I don’t agree with that conspiracy theory”.
“As I just said from the outset, we know China has changed,” he said. “We know it’s now more assertive, more aggressive, more coercive.”
He criticised Mr Dutton for “verballing” Senator Wong, who he said had made Labor’s policy on China clear and outlined the “significant shift that’s happened in the region”.
There were several questions over why Pacific Minister Zed Seselja was sent on a critical last-minute diplomatic mission to the Solomon Islands instead of the more senior Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne.
Both Mr Dutton and Mr O’Connor agreed that Australia needed the sovereign defence capability that came with building next-generation submarines in South Australia.
ALBANESE SLAMS ‘ABSURD’ ACCUSATIONS
Anthony Albanese’s NDIS stumble came just hours after a heated TV interview in which he said claims he handballs questions to his shadow ministers because he’s not across key policy details were “nonsense”.
The Opposition Leader came under fire on Thursday morning during a fiery interview with Allison Langdon on the Today Show after she asked him “do you think the Australian people think you’re up to it?”
“I ask that question because I’ve noticed on several occasions you hand over economic questions to someone else,” she continued, listing examples of times Mr Albanese deflected to shadow ministers like Jim Chalmers, Jason Clare and Tony Burke.
“Why don’t you know the answers?” she went on to ask.
Mr Albanese hit back, saying: “I do, Ally. This is one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen.”
Langdon kept pressing, saying: “The question is, though, you want to be the next prime minister. You want to run the country – shouldn’t you be across your briefs?”
Mr Albanese slammed Langdon’s “absurdity”.
“Stop reading from the Liberal Party notes that they send through to people all of the time, Ally,” he said. “This is just an absurdity. I do (know the answers).”
Langdon pushed again: “I think your problem is that after the stumble week one when you didn’t know the cash rate or unemployment rate, any time you do defer it suggests you don’t know.”
“That’s nonsense Ally,” Mr Albanese responded. “Your viewers are smarter than that, and your viewers know that I lead a team. I am the captain. I’m proud of my team.”
He went on to attack Mr Morrison as ‘toxic’.
Langdon continued to press: “Just this week, right, on Monday, you deflected a question about interest rates to Jim Chalmers and a question on wages to Tony Burke. Then on Tuesday it was a question about housing to Jason Clare. My question is, why don’t you know the answers?”
“I do, Ally. Jason Clare’s the (shadow) housing minister. This is one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen,” Mr Albanese protested.
“I’ve answered questions each and every day, including since I came out of Covid only last Friday, I have been up and about. Today I have another press conference. I’ll give you the big tip: Chris Bowen is going to be there. If there are any questions that he wants to answer and add detail on climate and energy, for which he is the shadow minister, then he may well have something to say.”
“The thing is, you say you have the answers, but I think people sitting at home go, ‘I’m not sure you do’,” said Langdon.
“No they don’t, Ally,” he shot back.
He claimed the Prime Minister was flying solo on the campaign trail because he “doesn’t have a team” and ministers like Alan Tudge were “in witness protection”.
CRAIG KELLY THREATENS TO SUE RIVAL OVER FACEBOOK POST
The ‘freedom, freedom, freedom’ slogan of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party doesn’t extend to slagging off its leader, former Liberal MP Craig Kelly.
Mr Kelly, who is standing for the southern Sydney seat of Hughes, revealed he had threatened to sue a rival candidate for defamation after a Facebook post she made.
The row came to light when the former Liberal MP went head to head with independent Georgia Steele in 2GB’s studio on Thursday.
Host Ben Fordham asked the two how they were getting along. “Perfectly well. Nicely civilised conversations on the campaign trail,’’ Ms Steele responded.
“Ben I wouldn’t go that far. I’ve actually sent her a concerns notice over a defamation action,’’ Mr Kelly pointed out.
“She made an allegation that was completely false against me and she hasn’t even apologised.’’
Ms Steele responded by saying that Mr Kelly had only last night been talking about ‘freedom of speech in our country’.
“Freedom of speech does not include defamation. Georgia,’’ a clearly miffed Mr Kelly fired back.
“Craig, I let you talk, now it’s my turn,’’ Ms Steele said in response.
“I made a post on a Facebook page. Craig took offence.
“The post was not about Craig. He knew it. I did apologise. We move on.’’
“There’s been no apology Ben,’’ Mr Kelly said.
“There was an apology Ben. I apologised on Facebook and on Twitter,’’ Mr Steele countered.
“That’s not correct. Just say you’re sorry Georgia and say you published wrong information.’’
Mr Kelly said the post had accused him of criticising a mother who had a child who was playing up.
“Craig, as I have said, I am very sorry that the post was not about you, caused you offence.’’
Mr Kelly has previously criticised Facebook for censorship after he was stripped of a controversial page.
The social media giant accused him of breaching its misinformation policies by posting incorrect information on Covid-19 and vaccines.
On Wednesday night, several audience members reportedly walked out of a candidates forum after Mr Kelly labelled mandatory vaccines in workplaces an ‘abuse of human rights’.
The United Australia Party have campaigned strongly against mandatory vaccines.
According to a report in The Australian, the Liberal Party is increasingly worried the seat could be taken by Ms Steele, a Climate 200 candidate.
The Australian revealed new polling predicts the Coalition’s primary vote in the ordinarily blue-ribbon seat has fallen to 37 per cent.
Liberal candidate Jenny Ware was hand-picked by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, against the wishes of rank and file branch members.
Ms Steele, a former corporate lawyer has raised more than $500,000 for her campaign, including a $100,000 donation from Simon Holmes a Court’s climate group.
Mr Kelly’s vote has reportedly plummeted to single digits while Ms Steele’s support is said to be around 40 per cent.
Mr Kelly received 53.2 per cent of first preferences in 2019, eventually winning the seat with 59.8 per cent of the vote.
MORRISON HEADS IN CRAIG KELLY COUNTRY
Meanwhile, Mr Morrison descended on Craig Kelly country for the first time on the hustings, visiting his second local bakery cafe for the day as he ramped up his pitch to small business owners.
The Prime Minister was put through his paces in the kitchen with his best impression of a barista.
At one point, things got so heated in the kitchen that he Prime Minister took his jacket.
Ever self aware, the Prime Minister knows he's a long way off of perfecting the craft of latte art.
With the gusto of "if you have a go, you get a go," Mr Morrison was underdettered as he gave it his best shot.
But he laughed: "I think it's pretty rubbish."
Asked later about his performance, barista Samantha Oswald-Cox shrugged as if to say "meh".
"He needs a bit of practice but he did better than I expected," she said.
Hughes, nestled in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, is a seat the Coalition must recapture if it is to be re-elected on May 21.
The seat is currently represented by Mr Kelly, who sensationally defected to the crossbench and later Clive Palmer's United Australia Party.
Liberal candidate Jenny Ware faces a tough three cornered contest with Mr Kelly and independent Georgia Steele.
While he stopped to make some brief remarks, the Prime Minister again refused to answer questions about his absence in seats being challenged by “teal independents”.
Instead, the Prime Minister got into his car and drove off. It’s expected the campaign will now head west to Perth.
SOLOMONS PM IN ANTI-AUSSIE RANT
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will continue to work “constructively and diplomatically” with the Solomon Islands, but has refused to say whether he will call its leader Manesseh Sogavare.
Mr Morrison’s comments come after Mr Sogavare sensationally lashed Australia for treating the Pacific nation like “kindergarteners with Colt 45s”.
“We are insulted,” Mr Sogavare told parliament, as he spoke out against Australia and the United States’ response to the security deal with China.
Mr Morrison in response said “they’re family”, and that Australia will “continue to be there” for the Solomon Islands.
When asked if he would call Mr Sogavare, Mr Morrison deflected. “I will continue to work constructively with the Solomon Islands government as we always have,” he told the Nine Network.
But Mr Morrison was interrupted by host Karl Stefanovic who questioned: “What does that mean, PM?”
“It means we deal with these things diplomatically … professionally, calmly, rationally,” Mr Morrison replied.
Labor Senator Penny Wong said the Morrison government had ignored “warning signs” about the deteriorating relationship with the Solomons.
Without naming the US or Australia, Mr Sogavare lashed both nations’ warnings that a Chinese military presence in Solomon Islands was a red line that would not be tolerated.
“We deplore the continual demonstration of lack of trust by the concerned parties, and tacit warning of military intervention in Solomon Islands if their national interest is undermined in Solomon Islands,” Mr Sogavare said.
“In other words, we are threatened with invasion. What is more insulting, Mr Speaker, in this attitude, and therefore totally unacceptable, is we are being treated as kindergarten students walking around with Colt .45s in our hands, and therefore we need to be supervised. We are insulted.”
PM MAKES QUICK STOP AT BAKERY
Mr Morrison made a quick visit to a local Lebanese bakery in the seat of Parramatta on Thursday to spruik his plan to create 400,000 new small businesses.
The Prime Minister is hoping the policy will be the latest election sweetener to get him over the line come May 21.
While at Abla’s Pastries in Granville, he packed a bag of sweets before owner Milad Abla presented the Prime Minister with a cake baked for the occasion with “Strong economy, strong future, Vote 1 Maria Kovacic” written on it.
But the cake remained untouched before he stepped away to address the media on his fifth visit to the electorate in this campaign.
The western Sydney electorate, held by Labor on a 3.5 per cent margin, is in the Liberals’ sights following the retirement of long-time MP Julie Owens.
It hopes the decision to parachute former Kevin Rudd staffer Andrew Charlton into the seat over a local candidate could play in its favour.
Ms Kovacic hit back at “Westie wannabe” Mr Charlton after he struggled to name three local restaurants.
Joking that “someone had been asked that question recently of someone else”, and said there were “hundreds and hundreds of beautiful restaurants to pick from … I wouldn’t pick a top three.”
Listing off a number of cuisines she enjoyed, Ms Kovacic pointed to Bayside Dessert Bar, Ruse Bar and the Meat & Wine Co in Parramatta CBD as some of her favourites.
“To just name a few seems really unfair,” she added.
“If you want to sit down with me for about an hour we can go through suburb by suburb and I can tell you my best places to eat.”
Later, Mr Morrison returned to the park where he played rugby as a young boy to announce funding for a new clubhouse for the Kogarah Cougars.
Visiting his own electorate of Cook, which he has held since 2007, Mr Morrison tossed a footy around with some of the club’s younger members.
“This park has been around a long time,” he said. “I played in this park when I was a young kid.”
The Prime Minister then briefly kicked the footy around with halfback Layla Ghassa – a 16-year-old who one day dreams of playing for the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Asked what she thought of the PM’s on-field performance, Layla was surprised by his footy skills.
“Yeah, his kick was pretty good,” she said.
LIBERALS’ SMALL BUSINESS BOOST
Pinning his electoral hopes on aspirational Australians, Scott Morrison will pledge his government will help to create 400,000 new small businesses in the next three years.
The Prime Minister will also announce a $17.9 million boost to the government’s existing Business Energy Advice Program, which offers advice to business owners on how to cut their electricity costs.
With about 100,000 businesses employing under 200 people in the last year created, Mr Morrison’s new commitment would be about a 25 per cent increase over the next term of government.
“When we create small businesses, we create jobs,” he said. “Our plan for a strong economy and a stronger future for all Australians relies on strong small businesses.”
Mr Morrison said the Coalition had a “track record” to “set the conditions” that help to create businesses.
The small business pledge is similar to his week-one commitment the Coalition would create 1.3 million jobs in the next five years, an increase on the projected number expected to be generate through natural economic growth.
Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor said the expansion of the business advice program would benefit sectors with high electricity use.
“Practical programs like this … have supported thousands of small businesses across Australia to invest in equipment upgrades and save money on their energy costs,” he said.
Mr Morrison spent Wednesday in the South Australian seat of Boothby, currently held by the Liberals on a 1.3 per cent margin.
In a fly in fly out visit, the Prime Minister and his candidate Dr Rachel Swift went to a retirement village, a rally with Liberal volunteers and an afternoon street walk to a local cafe.
He was also asked to explain what he meant when he said Alan Tudge would be returned as Education Minister in a future cabinet if he was “available”.
“He decided to stand aside for his own personal reasons and, should he be in a position to be able to step up again, I would welcome him back,” he said.
On Wednesday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese campaigned alongside “forgotten frontbencher” Tanya Plibersek in Melbourne.
BIG TWIST AFTER SENATOR ABUSED COPS
Sydney shock jock Ray Hadley has claimed child sex offenders were being deported when a Greens Senator screamed abuse at police outside an immigration facility.
Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe posted footage from a protest outside the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation, following a decision to move 12 detainees to the Christmas Island detention centre.
“You are the criminals, you are the only criminals on this land,” Senator Thorpe yelled at the officers.
“How dare you treat people like that. How dare you manhandle women like you did, like you pushed me out of the way. You are an absolute disgrace.”
On Thursday, Hadley claimed on his top-rating show that the high-risk detainees fell under s501 or s116 visa cancellations. Those sections cover sexual crimes against a child and domestic violence, respectively.
DUTTON’S $2BN UNMANNED SUBS PLAN
Australia will develop cutting-edge unmanned submarines and purchase upgraded missiles to boost the “agility and potency” of the Navy’s warfighting capability as it maintains peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton will on Thursday announce a $2 billion investment to acquire more advanced missiles and unveil the government’s plan to pursue a new autonomous robotic undersea warfare capability.
Under what Mr Dutton described as an “ambitious” build schedule, the government plans to produce three prototype large vessels over the next three years, resulting in a “manufacturing-ready” option.
Typically between 10 and 30 metres long, the XLAUVs are stealthy and have the capacity to carry various military payloads over long distances.
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Originally published as Election 2022 live: Albanese’s trainwreck morning – Labor leader stumbles over policy details after tetchy TV interview
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