Labor tweaks its media strategy for ‘presidential-style’ campaign

Labor is following the Coalition’s lead during the coming election and restricting the amount of information it routinely issues about what its frontbenchers and candidates are up to.

A campaign headquarters memo about the new arrangements has ended up in Liberal Party hands, in a clear indication that while the election is yet to be called, the attempts to control media coverage are well under way.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese at a press conference with WA Premier Mark McGowan on Wednesday.Credit: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

A search of transcripts issued during the 2019 election reveals the Liberals and Labor issued almost the same number, but those circulated by the Coalition concentrated on Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a few key frontbenchers. Labor appears to have released most of its frontbenchers’ appearances.

However, a Labor insider, speaking anonymously to talk about campaign arrangements, said the party found this approach handed an advantage to their opponents, as it enabled Coalition staff to easily comb through and highlight statements they felt contradicted the main Labor line.

According to the memo, Labor’s campaign team will only release transcripts for leader Anthony Albanese and the designated campaign spokespeople, Katy Gallagher and Jason Clare, “with a few limited exceptions”. Similar arrangements are in place for speeches and opinion pieces.

A second Labor source said this would also reflect the “presidential-style” campaign voters would see.

Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham accused Labor of trying to dodge scrutiny.

“This appears to be a sign that Anthony Albanese doesn’t trust his frontbench, who have already called out weaknesses in his aged care promises and exposed the potential for higher taxes under Labor,” he said.

The Coalition campaign headquarters insists it will release transcripts during the campaign in the same manner as ministers already do, with the timing left up to each individual office.

But there are already marked differences and limits in what ministerial offices circulate.

For instance, Mr Morrison is a regular guest on FM radio stations, but journalists are rarely told of the appearances before or after they occur, in contrast with interviews on other outlets. Nor are the transcripts posted on his official website.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg made 11 appearances on the day after the budget – 10 interviews and a National Press Club address. Only the speech was circulated widely, although all transcripts are available on his department’s website.

Jacqueline Maley cuts through the noise of the federal election campaign with news, views and expert analysis. Sign up to our Australia Votes 2022 newsletter here.