Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese have clashed on the cost of living, energy policy and corruption in the second leaders’ debate of the election.
The Prime Minister was humbled when he admitted that he should have described the Covid-19 vaccine rollout as a race after he repeatedly told Australians ‘it’s not a race’.
But he landed a blow on Mr Albanese when told the Labor leader ‘you have changed your mind on so things’ and listed his policy backflips over the past three years.
The Prime Minister also savagely blasted his opponent in a high-tempered brawl over their policies on a federal anti-corruption commission which Mr Morrison has failed to deliver.
He said Mr Albanese had not even tried to come up with his own version of a corruption commission after rejecting the Coalition’s model.
‘Do you have draft legislation for the commission,’ Mr Morrison asked his opponent.
‘You have put forward a private members bill. So you can but you have not done one for this proposal you are excited about. You don’t have any plan.’
The pair talked over each other as Mr Albanese replied: ‘I will tell you what the plan is, it is one you don’t like.’
The Prime Minister interjected: ‘Where is it? You have been hiding in the bushes for three years.’
In the early stages of the showdown at Channel Nine’s north Sydney studio, Mr Albanese slammed the Prime Minister’s plan to ease pressure on households with one-off additional tax relief for low and middle income earners and the temporary halving of the fuel duty until September.
The first fiery moment of the night came after Mr Morrison spruiked his Budget measures to ease cost of living pressures.
Mr Albanese replied: ‘The problem with what Scott just said, the cost of living measures that he spoke about are all temporary.
Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese have clashed on the cost of living in second leaders’ debate of the election
‘They have all the sincerity of a fake tan – they disappear once people have cast their vote and people are back on their own again.’
The Labor leader said Australians need longer-lasting relief such as his proposal for cheaper childcare and policies to help increase wages.
He said it was his ‘objective’ to get wages growing through industrial relations reforms – but could not guarantee real wage increases.
A few moments late Mr Morrison took the Labor leader to task over his plan to ‘re-wire the nation’ by spending $20million to upgrade the electricity grid, with Mr Morrison claiming Labor’s plans would see power prices soar.
The Labor leader says the plan, which will attract $58billion of private investment, will allow cheaper renewable sources to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030, and will then save households $378 a year.
But the Prime Minister said upgrading the grid would push power prices up by raising transmission costs.
‘That puts up the price of electricity, he said.
‘Thirty per cent of the bill is that. And they [the power companies] recover those costs from the consumer,’ he said.
Next Anthony Albanese denied lying after Channel Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann brought up his stumble earlier this week on the NDIS where he could not outline his six-point plan during a press conference.
Australian incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese shake hands prior to the debate
‘Mr Albanese your campaign rests on the claim that the prime minister is a liar. This week you claimed you were not given the opportunity to detail a policy you clearly did not know, wasn’t that a lie,’ Uhlmann said.
The Labor leader replied: ‘No it wasn’t. The NDIS is about people. That was what my response was, making sure that people are put back at the centre of the NDIS.’
In reality, Mr Albanese on Thursday couldn’t outline his policy until an advisor passed him a document which he later read from.
The debate began with each leader reading an opening statement. Mr Albanese promised a ‘better future’ if he is elected on May 21.
‘A better future is within our reach, and if I lead, Labor interim government, this is what a better future will look like,’ he said.
‘We will have cheaper childcare, we will have stronger Medicare including with cheaper medicines to make it easier to see a doctor. We will have more secure work and we have a plan to lift wages.’
Mr Morrison urged voters to stick with him if they wanted a ‘strong economy’.
Mr Morrison urged voters to stick with him if they wanted a ‘strong economy’
‘This is a choice between strength and weakness, a choice between certainty and uncertainty,’ he said.
‘What you know about the government and what you don’t know about the Labor Party and the opposition who have had three years to tell you but haven’t.
‘So today, tonight, it is all about a choice between who can best manage that economy for a stronger future, because a strong economy means a stronger future.’
The debate comes after a busy weekend campaigning for the two leaders.
Mr Morrison on Sunday announced a $53 million package to help slash the cost of IVF for would-be mums and dads.
Mr Morrison said he understands the hurdles and difficulties many Australians face in trying to have children, after his own family’s IVF journey.
‘I want to help thousands more Australians achieve their dream of becoming parents,’ he said.
Around 50,000 patients received Medicare-funded assisted reproductive technology services in 2020-21, including through IVF, and now patients with cancer or people at risk of passing on genetic diseases will have their egg, sperm or embryo storage subsidised for the first time.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, wife Jenny, daughters Lily and Abbey and mother Marion at a Liberal Party rally in Melbourne on Sunday
‘For people battling cancer or staring down the risk of genetic diseases it’s already a difficult battle and this new subsidy will help give them more options about their aspirations to become parents,’ Mr Morrison said.
‘Right when these aspiring mums and dads need help the most, we’ll be there.’
Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese said Labor will invest $11 million to help new parents connect with their local playgroups.
A Labor government will help playgroups recover from the Covid-19 disruptions and expand their network across Australia.
‘We know that over 90 per cent of human brain development occurs in the first five years,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘Playgroups play a critical role in that development with kids learning together and developing social skills, as well as creating a vital network for parents.’
Research shows children who are part of a playgroup are more likely to start school ready to learn with better communication, language and cognitive skills than those who aren’t part of a playgroup.
‘On Mother’s Day, I can’t think of a better way to come out of the pandemic than by strengthening the communities that are built for mums and kids through increasing funding to grow and support playgroups all over the country.’
Australian Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Labor candidate for the seat of Bass Ross Hart in Tasmania on Sunday