Gloves come off in state election ads, but it could get much dirtier

Labor is using Scott Morrison and the federal Liberals to damage Premier Gladys Berejiklian in negative campaign advertisements.

A still from a NSW Liberal Party campaign ad.

Labor is using Scott Morrison and the federal Liberals to attempt to damage Premier Gladys Berejiklian in negative campaign advertisements as the campaign for the March 23 NSW election begins in earnest.

As Labor attempts to tie Ms Berejiklian to Mr Morrison and the “Liberal” brand, the Coalition has attacked Opposition Leader Michael Daley for his record as ­finance minister. But a decision by the Liberals as to whether to go the low road and link Mr Daley to his time in government with jailed former powerbroker Eddie Obeid — who he named in his maiden speech — has yet to be made.

The Liberals are understood to be discussing whether to go all out on Mr Daley and run advertisements about Labor’s shameful days in office and highlight newspaper articles concerning Mr Daley’s time on Randwick council that have been published in The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.

Labor is ready to hit back with its own attack ads on Liberal corruption allegations over the past few years should the Liberal Party go negative. Attack ads released yesterday, put together by Moss Creative, repeatedly use the word “Liberal”.

A still from a NSW Labor Party campaign ad.

One Labor ad states: “Premier Gladys Berejiklian is a Liberal so NSW must get a good deal for the Liberals in Canberra huh? Let’s check. Scott Morrison, the Liberal who knifed Malcolm Turnbull, cut $215 million from public hospitals in NSW and cut $850 million from NSW public schools and wanted to give $17 billion to the banks.

“All this and Ms Berejiklian sat there and agreed. Some states have one Liberal screwing them over. In NSW, we have two.”

Another says: “The Liberals and Nationals are to blame for record electricity prices in NSW” with a photo of Gladys Berejiklian and Scott Morrison. “Both Liberal Gladys Berejiklian and Liberal Scott Morrison personally signed off on the sale of NSW Poles and Wires.

“Our power prices are out of control for NSW families and small businesses. The Liberals only look after big business and not you. Because under Ms Berejiklian and the Liberals you don’t count.”

The Liberal ad begins with Michael Daley saying in his own words: “You can’t understand government unless you understand the numbers.” Then a narrator says: “As Labor’s finance minister, Michael Daley left behind billions in debt and deficit. If Labor get in you’ll pay for it Daley.”