PM Scott Morrison tells Labor leader Bill Shorten election is ‘between you and me’

After a few days to forget, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come out swinging against his nemesis, PM-in-waiting Bill Shorten.

ANALYSIS

Scott Morrison has told Labor opponent Bill Shorten: It’s just you and me this election.

The Prime Minister wants to strip down the contest expected next May.

If he has his way, the campaign centrepieces won’t be fancy strategies, trick policies, or duelling robo-calls — just a head-to-head showdown.

As he put it, the election “will be between you and me”.

It is shaping up to be a rugged clash between two disciplined, determined and energetic leaders who both believe they can read and reach ordinary Australians.

The challenge is becoming increasingly personal in a way former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull could not have engaged in.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten were quite different campaigners — as different as a former investment banker and a former union leader could be.

But Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten are closer in style, despite their different backgrounds.

The prime minister thinks he has the Labor leader’s measure as a political warrior on the ground.

Labor leader Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

PM Scott Morrison. Picture: Kym Smith

And the paradox is he has been encouraged by the response to his much-derided bus trip through Queensland. His personal standing with voters had risen since, according to opinion polls.

The second encouragement has come from the Liberal drubbing at the weekend’s Victorian election.

In parliament on Monday, he revealed he had congratulated Labor Premier Daniel Andrews, and offered a reason for his triumph.

It was because he was “an incumbent premier who’s been presiding over a strong economy which has enabled him to deliver services and infrastructure which the people of Victoria have clearly respected”.

And in case no one got the hint he went on: “An incumbent government running a strong economy with a preferred premier.”

Premier Daniel Andrews celebrates his election win with his family. Picture: AAP Image/Daniel Pockett

He asked who that sounds like, and in effect answered by saying: It’s me.

The prime minister has been touting economic growth and that morning’s Newspoll had placed him as preferred leader by 46 per cent to Mr Shorten’s 34 per cent.

“Premier Andrews won the election, not you,” Mr Morrison said to the Labor benches, ignoring claims his government had helped the Liberals lose it.

And speaking directly to Mr Shorten he said: “There will be a choice at the next (federal) election and it will not be involving any premier of any state.

“It will be between you and me.”