‘Loose unit’: Prime Minister’s stinging sledge against rival Anthony Albanese

Scott Morrison has slammed Labor leader Anthony Albanese as a “loose unit” on the economy who will send interest rates soaring if he green-lights big wage rises.

Scott Morrison has slammed Labor leader Anthony Albanese as a “loose unit” on the economy who will send interest rates soaring if he green-lights big wage rises.

The Prime Minister has unleashed on the ALP as the campaign heads into the final 10 days with the Coalition fighting for political survival.

Delivering a warning on interest rates, Mr Morrison said the Labor leader’s support for a 5 per cent increase to the minimum wage was “reckless”.

The proposed wage rise backed by unions will increase the minimum wage from $20.33 to $21.37.

“Anthony Albanese is a loose unit on the economy,’’ the Mr Morrison said.

“What we saw from Anthony Albanese yesterday was reckless. It was incredibly reckless,’’ he said.

“We all want to see wages go up and indeed the Reserve Bank Governor has made it very clear that we are seeing wages starting to go up but the way you engage in economic policy is not in the loose way we saw from Anthony Albanese yesterday.

“Mr Albanese showed yesterday that he is a complete loose unit on this stuff. He just runs off at the mouth. It is like he just unzips his head and let’s everything fall on the table. That is no way to run an economy.”

Scott Morrison has insulted Anthony Albanese. Photo: News Corp Australia

Mr Morrison then returned to Mr Albanese’s early gaffes during the campaign to warn voters not to “risk” Labor.

“We saw that right at the start of the campaign. He didn’t know what unemployment was,’’ he said.

“He didn’t know what the cash rate was.

“It is like throwing fuel on the fire of rising interest rates and rising cost of living. It would only make the problem worse.

During the press conference, the Prime Minister said the wage rise would set off a domino effect.

“Anthony Albanese’s intervention yesterday and his thoughtlessness on this would actually make inflation worse, it would make interest rates rise even higher, it would threaten the strong growth we have had in employment and, ultimately, it would force small businesses, potentially out of business altogether,’’ he said.

“He thinks Australians don’t get the link between these things. He thinks he can just say what he likes and you can have your cake and eat it.

“What he said yesterday puts a chain reaction in place, dominoes fall that lead to higher interest rates and higher cost of living.

“He’s not up to the job.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the remarks during a press conference in the electorate of Shortland in Newcastle, NSW. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Opposition Leader was not Mr Morrison’s only target at the fiery presser. The PM also clashed with reporters, clearly fired up after Mr Albanese’s wage rise comments.

Mr Morrison was speaking about why Mr Albanese was “never given” a financial portfolio when a reporter tried to cut in with a question.

The reporter barely got a word out before Mr Morrison cut them off saying, “I haven’t finished.”

There were multiple points in the press conference when Mr Morrison kept talking as reporters repeatedly tried to get him to answer questions directly.

“Is there a number you have carefully considered?” one reporter asked, trying to get the PM to give a direct answer to a question over what wage increase he thinks would be acceptable.

But Mr Morrison kept speaking, raising his voice over the multiple questions being shouted at him.

“That only leads, if you vote Labor, to having a leader who can make interest rates worse and make inflation worse,” he said.

Scott Morrison clashed with reporters as well as firing up at Albo. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Morrison wrapped up the press conference fairly swiftly, possibly realising that the grilling on wage rises wasn’t going to end any time soon.

The Prime Minister used his final remarks to take one last dig at Mr Albanese.

He claimed re-electing him as Prime Minister was the “responsible choice” in this situation, painting his opponent as an unpredictable option.

“You just don’t know what’s going to pop into Anthony Albanese’s head any day, what he is going to blurt out and what that will mean for your interest rates, for your cost of living, and Australia’s national security,” Mr Morrison said before quickly exiting the press conference.