The Victorian Liberal Party is standing by a candidate who has apologised for his comments on treaty and abortion, as the parties fill their last week of campaigning with more pledges.
Key points:
- Controversial comments made by the Liberal candidate for Narre Warren have overshadowed the day's campaigning
- The Coalition will commit $300 million towards digitising Victoria's government services
- Labor has promised 50 state-run childcare centres by 2028 if it is re-elected
Timothy Dragan, the candidate for Narre Warren North, was recorded saying Australia should not recognise First Nations people, waste from nuclear energy should be dumped in Alice Springs and he would vote to ban abortion.
He also made disparaging remarks about a sitting Liberal MP and said he would cross the floor on issues to do with climate.
The conversation was recorded outside a pre-polling booth on Tuesday and leaked to Nine newspapers. The ABC has heard excerpts of the audio.
"I apologise unreservedly for my insensitive and inappropriate language," Mr Dragan said in a statement.
"These comments do not reflect the views or policy positions of the Victorian Liberal Party."
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he had accepted that apology.
"Lots of people have different points of view and as I've said constantly if people express a different point of view respectfully and sensibly then that's up to them to do so," he said.
"If it's disrespectful, I'd ask for an apology. It was disrespectful, I've asked for an apology and I got it."
He said the Coalition had "very clear plans in relation to what we will do should we come to government. Both with treaty, with LGBTQI+ rights, and we stand by those and my team will too".
Coalition commits millions in funding for new digital platform
Mr Guy was speaking at a press conference to announce campaign pledges, including a pledge to recall parliament before the end of the year.
If elected, the party wants to overturn the state's pandemic legislation and pass bills to enact promises on stamp duty reductions and energy bill savings.
The Coalition also promised to create a new ConnectVic app, which it said would be a one-click-shop for government services.
The party has committed $300 million towards the development of the new digital service, which Mr Guy said would see plastic cards and paper applications become a thing of the past.
The app, based off the Service NSW model, would replace the Service Victoria online portal and would bundle digital drivers licences and digital Myki cards, concessions, applications for grants, developments and support programs.
Mr Guy was again questioned at the press conference about upper-house candidate Renee Heath, from whom the party distanced itself on Saturday over links to a conservative church and allegations raised in Nine newspapers.
The Labor Party has used the controversies to criticise Mr Guy, with Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan saying it was a "test of leadership for Matthew Guy and the Liberal Party".
Labor to target 'childcare deserts' with new childcare centres
Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews was campaigning on childcare.
The Labor Party has promised to build and operate 50 low-cost high-quality childcare centres if re-elected.
The government-owned centres would deliver childcare, kindergarten and eventually pre-prep and where possible, other early childhood services.
The plan would cost $584 million and all centres would be operating by 2028, the party said.
Mr Andrews said they would be built in "childcare deserts".
"Those places where there's the greatest unmet demand, the most number of kids and the fewest number of childcare places."
To staff the newly built centres, the government has promised 700 scholarships between $12,000 and $34,000 to help people qualify as early childhood teachers.
It will also offer incentives of up to $50,000 for teachers to move into or re-join the early years sector.
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2022-11-20 04:59:27Z
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