Leaders hit the election trail with Boothby, Sturt in Labor’s sights

As the election kicks off nationally, local issues come to the fore in Boothby and Sturt, which Labor thinks it has a crack at.

Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese have hit the road for the election campaign, with the Prime Minister setting up a six-week showdown even as he admitted Australians were “tired of politics”.

Cost-of-living pressures, employment, wage growth and the environment are looming as the key issues to define the federal election battle in South Australia as Mr Morrison declared his administration “is not perfect” in an opening gambit aimed at convincing voters to side with “the government you know”.

“But you can also see what we have achieved for Australia in incredibly difficult times,’’ he said.

Firing the starting pistol for a May 21 election, Mr Morrison promised to serve a full three-year term if his government was re-elected.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives in Nowra and does his first TV interviews. Picture: Jason Edwards

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

The Labor leader, Mr Albanese, channelled ex-PM Gough Whitlam to kickstart his campaign, declaring “this is our time” and that his team would be the most experienced incoming Labor government in history.

“This election will determine whether we can come together to build a better future,” Mr Albanese said.

“We can see that opportunity but you have to vote for it.”

The Coalition starts behind in the polls, but Mr Morrison said while “others will seek to make it about me”, the election was “about the people who are watching this”.

“This election is a choice between a government that you know and that has been delivering, and a Labor opposition that you don’t,” he said.

“I get it, that people are tired of politics as we go into this election, but this election and this campaign is incredibly important because there is so much at stake for Australia.”

Mr Albanese – who described himself as “very in touch with mainstream Australia” – said while the “powerful emotion” of fear would feature in the campaign, he wanted to “appeal to Australians’ sense of optimism and hope”.

Mr Morrison flew to the Labor-held seat of Gilmore in NSW on Sunday afternoon, a key target for the Coalition as it seeks a hedge against possible losses elsewhere.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, right, and Boothby candidate Dr Rachel Swift look on as retiring Liberal Party member for Boothby Nicolle Flint speaks during a tour of Micro X at the Tonsley Innovation District. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

South Australia’s most marginal seat Boothby, which the Liberals hold by 1.4 per cent, will be at the forefront of the election battle.

The sprawling electorate covers areas ranging from the Adelaide Hills, working-class southern suburbs, and affluent beachside neighbourhoods such as Glenelg.

Liberal candidate Rachel Swift is attempting to fend off a resurgent Labor emboldened by the whitewash state election result that saw Peter Malinauskas storm to power last month. Both Ms Swift and Labor candidate Louise Miller-Frost are hinging their campaigns on pushing for climate change action and improving job security.

Mr Morrison will point towards job creating billion-dollar investments made for the North South Corridor project in the electorate, as well as promising $200m to fix the nightmare Marion and Cross roads intersection.

Mr Albanese will capitalise on an increasing number of Boothby voters who are concerned about the environment as he promises to return an extra 450GL to the Murray Darling Basin by 2024 with the help of a new plan to fix the river system.

The Advertiser understands senior Liberals, headed by SA senators Simon Birmingham and Anne Ruston, will put most of their local campaigning efforts into Boothby, but Labor is increasingly setting its sights on Sturt as well.

James Stevens during Question Time in the House of Representatives. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

The blue ribbon seat, held by first-term MP James Stevens, is considered to be at risk after devastating swings away from the SA Liberals in eastern suburbs seats at last month’s state election.

In a lengthy press conference, Mr Albanese also confirmed his front bench would keep their portfolios if Labor were victorious, after Mr Morrison pressured him over suggestions deputy leader Richard Marles could switch back to defence.

“I fully expect everyone to stay in their current jobs after the election,” he said.

Mr Morrison said he would soon anoint Greg Hunt’s replacement in the health portfolio, as he revealed Victorian Alan Tudge was “still in my cabinet”. The education minister stood down last month after an independent probe of allegations from his former media adviser that he abused her while they were having an affair determined he had not breached ministerial standards.

Mr Albanese said it was “extraordinary” that “even when people step aside, they’ve still got the job”.

The Australian Electoral Commission expects a record number of Australians to vote early, with applications now available for postal votes and hundreds of early voting centres opening on May 9.

Commissioner Tom Rogers urged Australians to visit aec.gov.au to check they were enrolled by April 18.

Originally published as Leaders hit the election trail with Boothby, Sturt in Labor’s sights