MPs muzzled on both sides in centralised campaign strategy

Labor and Coalition MPs have been banned from speaking to the media during the election campaign unless they receive approval and talking points from party officials.

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are set to face off in the federal election.

Labor and Coalition MPs have been banned from speaking to the media during the election campaign unless they receive specific approval and talking points from party officials, as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton aim to ­control their message through hundreds of spin doctors working around the clock in Sydney.

With the Prime Minister to call a May 3 election on Friday, Labor and the Coalition already have about 100 staff each working out of their 24/7 election headquarters handling media requests, crafting talking points and finalising their campaign materials.

Both sides say the digital strategy will be crucial given the fragmented media market, with party leaders and senior ministers to flood a range of social media platforms, TVs and newspapers rather than relying on daily press conferences to prosecute a message.

The Australian has obtained an edict sent to Coalition MPs and candidates, telling them not to do interviews with journalists without seeking the green light from campaign headquarters.

Shadow ministers also need approval from campaign HQ before campaigning outside of their own electorates.

Labor MPs and candidates have been given similar instructions, which causes frustration to MPs and candidates in regional seats who want to strategically differentiate their messages from city-based party leaders.

The Labor campaign headquarters is in inner Sydney’s Surry Hills and Mr Albanese will be joined by senior ministers on the hustings, with a prominent role expected to be played by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Health Minister Mark Butler.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher will act as a campaign spokeswoman from Canberra, while Education Minister Jason Clare will be Labor’s spokesman from Sydney and spend time on the road with Mr Albanese.

The Labor campaign office will be staffed throughout the evening, with senior members including ALP national secretary Paul Erickson, assistant national secretary Jennifer Light, advertising guru Dee Madigan, and communications director Adam Gartrell beginning their days by 6am.

There will be daily early morning phone hook-ups between ­senior members of campaign HQ and the parliamentary leadership group, which includes Mr Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Trade Minister Don Farrell.

The morning meetings will discuss how to downplay thorny issues, how to prosecute the agenda of the day and the media strategy.

Among the 100 staff hunkered down in the Coalition’s HQ will be Liberal director Andrew Hirst, ­Nationals director Lincoln Folo, shadow minister and campaign spokesman James Paterson and communications director Guy Creighton.

Other senior figures will be head of policy Alex May, head of digital Topham Guerin and Freshwater pollster Michael Turner.

Mr Dutton will be joined on the campaign trail by shadow ministers, particularly those with an economic portfolio, bringing the spotlight on Treasury spokesman Angus Taylor.

Labor’s messaging will be focused on its claim of the economic successes of the Albanese government, that Mr Dutton is a risk to the economy and that Mr Albanese is a safe pair of hands to ­navigate a complex geopolitical environment. There will be a fear campaign against nuclear power while claiming Mr Dutton had “secret” plans to cut services such as Medicare.

The Coalition will focus on cost-of-living pressures felt over the past three years, including the spiralling price of energy. It is targeting seats held by Labor in outer Sydney and Melbourne, while Labor is aiming to pick up seats from the Coalition in Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia.