Labor Leader Albanese scathing of Fed Gov virus response

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has scathingly critiqued the Federal Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anthony Albanese is set to unleash a scathing critique of the Federal Government’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying support measures created debt that would take generations to repay.

The leader of the Labor Party, who will deliver a speech to the McKell Institute in Sydney on Wednesday, said the Coalition needed to explain how a $1 trillion debt was manageable.

“Australia is in a deep and painful recession. The Morrison recession,” Mr Albanese said.

“Nearly a million Australians are unemployed and 400,000 more will join them by Christmas.

“Let’s not forget before anyone had even heard of coronavirus, the Coalition had already doubled debt.

“Economic growth was already below trend, wages were stagnant, productivity was already going backwards, business investment was already in decline (and) household debt was already at record levels.

“We can’t avoid the need to borrow money to get by until the economy recovers but we should be disciplined about it.”

Mr Albanese accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of “leaving people behind” as income support schemes JobKeeper and JobSeeker were scaled back.

“Worse than that, he’s kicking people while they are down. By December, 700,000 vulnerable Australians will have their payments cut when they can least afford it.

“Australia needs leaders who are prepared to tackle the big challenges facing our nation and its people. Yet Mr Morrison has no jobs plan. He has no plan for growth. No plan for skills training.

“Mr Morrison dislikes having to take responsibility unless it involves political gain.”

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has pointed to high unemployment while unleashing a scathing critique of the Morrison government’s pandemic response. Picture: Glenn Hampson

He said many people were forgotten in the JobKeeper scheme, including casuals, artists and university staff, and the COVIDSafe App did not prove as successful as anticipated.

“JobKeeper was poorly targeted.

“Students working a shift a week for pocket money were suddenly eligible for $1500 a fortnight in JobKeeper assistance - while single mums who worked long hours as casuals and had children to feed were ineligible.”

Mr Albanese also pointed to government mishaps, including its recent $4.5 billion allocation to “clean up the mess” of the NBN and sports rorting scandal.

In order to generate economic activity, he said the federal budget needed to prioritise job creation and allow investment in social housing, early education and universities, and roads and railways across the country.

“Above all, the budget must invest in our nation’s greatest resource - our people. That should include attacking the skills crisis created by seven years of Coalition neglect and inaction.

“With record levels of debt, massive deficits and the economy in recession, every dollar of new spending must be used to protect jobs, create secure jobs, train and upskill Australians and support those who need help to pay the bills and put food on the table.

“Any new spending is borrowed money. It can’t be wasted on mates, or rorts, or dodgy deals, or pork-barrelling.”