Anthony Albanese says Australia deserves better than Scott Morrison ‘going missing’ during bushfires

Anthony Albanese has vowed to never ‘go missing’ if he is elected Australia’s next Prime Minister in a sly dig at Scott Morrison‘s notorious holiday to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires. 

Mr Albanese took the opportunity to slam the prime minister during his pitch to replace him in the country’s top job in Canberra on Sunday. 

The opposition leader said Australians deserved better after suffering through floods, fires, and a pandemic as he outlined his vision for the country’s future. 

‘I will restore faith in our political system by getting rid of the waste and warts, and establishing a strong Anti-Corruption Commission,’ Mr Albanese pledged. 

‘I won’t go missing when the going gets tough. I will accept the responsibility that comes with high office.’ 

Mr Albanese (pictured on Sunday) hit out at the current prime minister during his pitch to become Australia’s next leader, in which he promised to ‘restore faith’ in politics

The sledge was directed at Mr Morrison’s notorious trip to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, a holiday he has been highly criticised for. 

Mr Albanese has previously denied the prime minister’s claims that he had sent him a text message saying where he was holidaying during the bushfires. 

‘On the 15th of December 2019 at 9.44pm the prime minister did text me saying he was going on leave,’ he explained to parliament last November,’ he said. 

Mr Albanese said Mr Morrison did not tell him where he was going but said he was going with family, adding he had kept the private text conversation confidential.  

‘On the Friday he disclosed it in an interview with 2GB that he had texted me and that was the first time that that became public. But at no stage did he tell me where he was going,’ he said. 

The prime minister was then forced to backtrack and admitted he hadn’t told the opposition leader he had been headed for Hawaii.

‘I want to confirm what the leader of the opposition said that in that text I did not tell him the destination of where I was going on leave with my family,’ he said. 

Mr Albanese made a subtle dig at Mr Morrison’s notorious trip to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020 (pictured is the PM posing for a photo while on the trip)

Mr Albanese (pictured in Canberra on Sunday) said Australians had the ‘opportunity to build a better future’ if they seized the chance to elect a ‘better government’

‘I simply communicated to him that I was taking leave. When I was referring to he knew where I was going and was fully aware I was travelling with my family, what I meant was, that we were going on leave together.

‘I know I didn’t tell him where we were going, because Mr Speaker, that is a private matter where members take leave and I know I didn’t tell him the destination, nor would I.’

The prime minister’s backflip prompted Mr Albanese to further criticise the leader for being dishonest and saying ‘whatever is convenient’ at the time. 

In his first speech since Mr Morrison called the federal election for May 21 on Sunday, Mr Albanese promised to provide cheaper childcare, greater investment in renewable energy, and to establish an anti-corruption commission. 

He said Australians had the ‘opportunity to build a better future’ if they seized the chance to elect a ‘better government’.

Mr Albanese urged voters to ignore the prime minister’s claims Labor is a risk to the economy, and said Australians deserved better than their current government.

‘Australians have been magnificent in making sacrifices to overcome the challenges of the pandemic, the floods, the bushfires,’ he said. 

The opposition leader has vowed not to ‘go missing’ when the going gets tough in a subtle dig to Mr Morrison’s notorious trip to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires (pictured)

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says Labor has outlined his vision for Australia in a speech after the federal election was called

‘It has shown the strength of our society but it has also shown our vulnerabilities of our economy and where we need to make improvement. As we emerge from this, Australians deserve better.’ 

Mr Albanese vowed to lead a government that would repay and reward hard work and reflect the decency, compassion and courage of Australians. 

He slammed the current government for having ‘no vision’ and said the budget was an example of this, with one-off payments ‘to stop when the votes are counted’.  

‘They think it will be enough to give them a second decade in office. We can and we must do better,’ the opposition leader said.

He said Mr Morrison’s government had been given an opportunity to put forward a range of long-term policies but had instead given one-off payments ‘hoping that people would forget’ the cost of living pressures.  

‘Well, childcare costs don’t stop once people have voted,’ he continued. 

Mr Albanese (pictured) slammed current government for having ‘no vision’ and said the budget was an example of this, with one-off payments ‘to stop when the votes are counted’

‘Nor does the rising costs of petrol or housing, energy costs. All of these things are going up – everything except people’s pay. And this government have been complacent.’

Mr Albanese also spoke about the insight he developed through his tough childhood as he grew up in a housing commission flat with his single mum. 

‘I grew up not far from here in Sydney and public housing, the son of a single mum. I learned the value of a dollar, I learned the importance of resilience,’ he said.

‘But I also learned about the strength of community and the power of government to make a difference to people’s lives.

‘That experience of overcoming adversity and filling my mother’s dreams for building a better life that she enjoyed, it took me into politics and it is what drives me today.’ 

Mr Albanese also said his front bench will remain unchanged from his current shadow cabinet.

‘It’s expectation that the frontbench will serve in the same position is that they are in now. I’m very satisfied with my frontbench.’

Scott Morrison claimed in his speech calling the election that the Coalition is a safer bet to ensure a strong economy but Mr Albanese firmly disagreed.

‘The problem for this government is they are treading water.’

‘What are their plans to create productivity, to get better cooperation between unions and business? To invest in infrastructure on the basis of what projects will boost productivity?

‘We have the NBN, we will revitalise Infrastructure Australia, make sure investment goes where it should. We will make sure that we train Australians for the jobs of the future by creating jobs and skills in Australia.’

Scott Morrison called on voters to stick with the ‘imperfect’ government they know when they head to the polling booths in May

Mr Morrison ended weeks of uncertainty by visiting Governor-General David Hurley on Sunday morning to announce his decision to dissolve the parliament and begin a six-week campaign. 

Speaking afterwards at a press conference at Parliament House, the prime minister urged voters to stick with his ‘imperfect government’ over the devil they don’t know. 

‘(The) Labor opposition that has been so focused on politics over these past few years that they still can’t tell you what they do, who they are, or what they believe in and what they stand for,’ Mr Morrison said.

But Mr Albanese, who has a degree in economics, later rejected Mr Morrison’s claims.

‘[This is] the most experienced incoming Labor government in history,’ Mr Albanese said.

‘If you look at some of the quite frankly absurd attacks that have gone on from Mr Morrison, they just don’t stack up.

‘One of those is about my experience. My experience is I’ve been Acting Prime Minister, I’ve been Deputy Prime Minister, I chaired the Parliamentary business committee for six years.

‘So every piece of legislation that went through under the Rudd and Gillard governments I presided over.’ 

Labor has been ahead in the polls consistently since June 2021, currently sitting on a two-party preferred vote of 55 per cent.

Anthony Albanese, pictured with his mother Maryanne Therese Albanese, grew up in a house commission flat in Sydney

The coalition starts the race with 76 seats out of the 151-seat lower house, with Labor on 69 if the new seat of Hawke in Victoria is considered a win.

Forty seats in the upper house are in contention in a half-Senate election.

Both leaders are tipped to start their campaigns in regional parts of the nation where marginal seats are up for grabs or need defending.

There are concerns the campaigns could be derailed by Covid-19, but steps have been taken to minimise the chances of outbreaks.