Labor leader Anthony Albanese has urged Australians to “shape the future” at the federal election by backing him to lead a government that acts on the challenges facing the country, vowing to do better after nine years of Coalition government.
Albanese addressed the official campaign launch in Perth on Sunday with a pledge to spend $1 billion on local industry in resources and manufacturing, offer more generous subsidies for medicine, act on gender inequality and promise a suite of policies to drive down costs while holding out the promise of better pay.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has launched his party’s campaign.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Urging Australians to vote for a government that would “seize the opportunity” for the country, Albanese set up a contrast with Prime Minister Scott Morrison by painting his opponent as someone who offered “more of the same” instead.
“I know Labor can do better and I know Australians deserve better,” he said.
With former Labor prime ministers Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd in the audience, Albanese cited them as leaders who “never said it’s not my job” and changed the country for the better.
Vowing to “bring manufacturing back home” with the $1 billion promise, Albanese said a Labor government would set aside the money from a proposed National Reconstruction Fund to develop new products in Australia from its natural resources.
“We’ll take resources like lithium and nickel, essential elements of the batteries that will power the vehicles of the future, and instead of shipping them to another country to make batteries, we’ll have what we need to make them right here,” he said.
“And we can sell them to the world. Here in WA and around the country, we’ll invest in local industries that create local jobs. We’ll bring manufacturing back home.”
Days after Morrison pledged to cut the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme by $10 per script, Albanese offered a slightly better proposal with a cut of $12.50 per script.
“This means the maximum price for PBS medicines will be $30,” he said.
On housing, he confirmed a policy reported on Sunday morning in which a Labor government would help first-time home buyers with a government equity scheme.
On wages, he vowed to act on insecure work and low wages and outlined a new policy to help women.
“Labor has already committed to using all the tools in our power to close the gender pay gap,” he said.
“Today, I announce Labor will make gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act. We will set up expert panels on pay equity and the care and community sector to help improve pay and conditions for women in those sectors.”
With hundreds of Labor supporters gathered at the Optus stadium in Perth, Albanese made a direct pledge to voters to offer a better government and highlighted two Labor premiers in the room - South Australia’s Peter Malinauskus and WA’s Mark McGowan - as examples of strong Labor government.
“Australia: if we stand still we will be left behind. If we don’t shape the future, the future will shape us,” he said.
“Because, make no mistake, climate change is here now. Our region is changing now. The jobs and skills and infrastructure that will grow our economy are needed now. There is a crisis in aged care, right now. Families need lasting help with rising costs, right now. Australia does not have three more years to waste.”
In a speech heavy with criticism of Morrison for shifting blame to others, Albanese promised cheaper electricity, child care, mortgages and medicines as a result of Labor policies including a climate change policy meant to create 604,000 jobs while reducing prices under modelling by economics firm RepuTex.
A Labor government would also spend $39.3 million - matched by the NRMA - to build a national network of electric vehicle charging stations at an average interval of 150km in a promise Albanese would mean that “for the first time people will be able to truly drive around Australia in an EV”.
In a key statement, he also promised “better pay” under a Labor government.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese with former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating at the party’s campaign launch in Perth on Sunday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
While Morrison has campaigned for three weeks with a message to voters that they know who he is and should not leap into the unknown by installing Albanese in power, the Labor leader sought to turn this to his advantage.
“I reckon people know all about Scott Morrison,” he said.
“They’ve worked him out. Australians understand we can’t be our future on three more years of a Prime Minister who looks at every challenge facing our country and says: ‘that’s not my job’.”
He also highlighted Coalition ministers Alan Tudge, Peter Dutton and Barnaby Joyce as “the unspeakable and the unthinkable [and] the inexplicable”.
Albanese also promised better governance to make sure taxpayer funds were put into national infrastructure, taking aim at Morrison for promising $660 million for commuter car parks at the last election but not completing most of the projects.
“For a decade now, the Liberals and Nationals have treated governing as an inconvenience and public money as a political slush fund,” he said.
“If you vote Labor, we will change this. A Labor government will restore trust and accountability in politics with a national anti-corruption commission.”
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2022-05-01 04:20:38Z
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