Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern in Queenstown in 2021. Photo / George Heard
New Zealand makes it to the campaign
New Zealand was mentioned more times this week than before - but not in a flattering way. When Australia's annual inflation rate hit 5.1 per cent on Wednesday, its Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, was quick to point out that it was much better than most others they compare themselves to, and he is right.
It is lower compared to New Zealand (6.9 per cent), US (8.5), Canada (5.7) and Britain (7).
"We halved the petrol tax to give people that immediate relief now and to ensure that was in place, not for three months like it was done in New Zealand, but for six months," Morrison told Sky News yesterday.
The Liberals will be bracing themselves for more bad news next Tuesday, however, with the Reserve Bank expected to lift the cash rate.
In fact, Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are sounding remarkably similar to Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson in putting most of the blame for the huge inflation rise on international factors, and very little on home-grown factors such as the Government stimulus provided to get through the pandemic down-turn.
Labor's economic plan
Labor's shadow Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, chose an unusual day to release his 13-page economic plan – the same day as the big inflation figures were out.
But lacking as it did a certain amount of detail, he may not have been unhappy to have the attention go elsewhere. The document allows for A$1.9 billion extra tax from multinationals and $3 billion in savings from reduced spending on contractors, consultants and labour-hire. Perhaps there will be a more detailed plan later in the campaign.
The mild-mannered Chalmers was not so mild in his criticism of his rivals however, yesterday calling Scott Morrison "a pathological liar" when asked why Labour was persisting with a scare campaign over a pensioner cashless debit card. His basic message was that Morrison's denials counted for nothing.
This is a full-blown cost of living crisis on Scott Morrison’s watch: a triple whammy of skyrocketing costs of living, falling real wages and rising interest rates. https://t.co/rNNa6tyeYX
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) April 28, 2022
Albanese up and at 'em
Out of iso and back at it. pic.twitter.com/0PAW1qah86
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 28, 2022
Labor leader Anthony Albanese today emerged from seven days' isolation after catching Covid last week. He had a romp around a park with his little companion Toto before heading into a round of interviews. And he is heading to Perth for the party's official campaign launch on Sunday.
Fortuitously for him, during the isolation, he appeared in a picture of good health and style on the cover of In Style magazine from a previous photo-shoot.
Was a pleasure to chat with the inspirational @TamePunk for @InStyleAus about the election and how we can have a better future for everyone.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 28, 2022
Read the interview here:https://t.co/3Tpe8AFZiu pic.twitter.com/yy779Zg1BQ
China, the Pacific and 'interference'
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said she believed the China-Solomons Islands security deal, which has been called a foreign policy failure, was deliberately timed for the middle of the Australian election campaign, presumably in the belief it would look bad for the Government. It's a continuation of the Coalition's suggestion that China's Government want Labor to win.
"Beijing is clearly very aware that we're in a federal election campaign here at the moment. Why now? Why, right in the middle of a federal election campaign is all this coming to light?" Andrews said on Brisbane's Radio 4BC. "We talk about political interference and that has many forms."
Her Labor counterpart, Kristina Keneally, demanded to know if it was sheer speculation or the result of intelligence briefings.
The Australian's journalist Sharri Markson continued her investigation of Labor deputy Richard Marles' statements on China and reported that a speech he gave in Beijing in 2019 was sent in advance to China's ambassador to Canberra. A dreadful look. Marles has since tested positive for Covid and will be off the campaign trail for a week.
Boats, borders and videos
Debate over Labor's border policy continued and yesterday the Australian Border Force issued a video on You Tube aimed at telling people smugglers that Australia's borders are closed to illegal migrants and they would not get through.
Rear Admiral Justin Jones issued the video in English and dubbed it in 11 other languages. It has caught the Coalition on the hop. It couldn't quite work out whether it was a logical response to Labor's weaker border policy which would abolish the temporary protection visa (which bans illegal arrivals from gaining a permanent place) or whether the force was inappropriately injecting itself in a contested area of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Karen Andrews continued her attacks on Labor policy.
Kristina Keneally has revealed Labor’s real plans - an end to offshore processing, which is a critical part of Operation Sovereign Borders. pic.twitter.com/eCT2xH4rYD
— Karen Andrews MP (@karenandrewsmp) April 28, 2022
Polling trends
The most watched-for poll, The Australian's Newspoll, was published early this week and had Scott Morrison increasing his lead as preferred Prime Minister but with not enough support for the Coalition to be re-elected.
On the primary vote, the Coalition was on 36 per cent to Labor's 37 per cent. On a two-party preferred vote, taking into account preferences, the Coalition was on 47 per cent to Labor's 53 per cent. In the preferred Prime Minister's stakes, Morrison was up by two to 46 per cent to Albanese steady on 37 per cent.
QUOTE:
• "The only way you can preserve peace is to prepare for war, and be strong as a country. Not to cower, not to be on bended knee and be weak. That's the reality. Curling up in a ball, pretending nothing is happening, saying nothing, that is not going to be in our long-term interests and we should be very honest about that." Defence Minister Peter Dutton to 9News.
• "The great American President Teddy Roosevelt said in foreign policy 'speak softly and carry a big stick.' I found Peter Dutton's comments to be over-the-top. Instead of speaking softly and carrying a big stick, Dutton is lurching around like a closing-time drunk with a megaphone and he is carrying a toothpick." One Nation's Mark Latham on Peter Dutton's comments.
RATINGS
Scott Morrison: 4, not a strong week for Morrison. Bad news on the inflation front and he lost some of his energy. He performs better with a clear and present enemy.
Anthony Albanese: NF, Not Fair to even rate him while he was in isolation for the week. All eyes on his campaign launch on Sunday to try to re-establish some momentum.
Government has also approved the use of psilosybin, known as magic mushrooms.