Leaders make first pitch to voters as campaign begins
A five-week federal election campaign has kicked off with voters being asked to choose between a plan to “keep building” or a “better way” forward on May 3.
Voters are being asked to choose between a plan to “keep building” or a “better way” forward in opening election pitches by Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton.
The May 3 polling date announced by the prime minister on Friday sets a five-week campaign for candidates and parties.
In his opening address to Australians, Albanese drew contrasts between his government’s policies and those of the opposition.
He urged voters to reflect on how his government had helped lay foundations for the future, ahead of a campaign destined to be dominated by cost-of-living issues.
“The world has thrown a lot at Australia in uncertain times – we cannot decide the challenges that we will face, but we can determine how we respond,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
“Your vote has never been more important and your choice has never been more clear. This election is a choice between Labor’s plan to keep building or Peter Dutton’s promise to cut.
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“The very best reason to be optimistic for our nation remains the courage, kindness and aspiration of all Australians.”
Launching his campaign in Brisbane, Dutton asked voters to focus on cost-of-living concerns during the Albanese government’s first term.
“The question Australians need to ask is ‘are you better off today, is out country better off today than three years ago’,” he said.
“Australia is going backwards… I don’t believe that we can simply afford to continue down the current path, and that means we can’t afford three more years of Labor.”
Albanese is vying to be the first prime minister since John Howard to win back-to-back elections.
Cheaper medicines, a boost to Medicare and fair funding for all schools were all first-term achievements that show Labor was working in the interests of all Australians, the prime minister said.
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Albanese also appeared to highlight similarities between Dutton and Donald Trump, in reference to the opposition leader’s vow to slash public servant jobs.
“We live in the greatest country on earth, and we do not need to copy from any other nation to make Australia even better and stronger, we only need to trust in our values and back our people,” Albanese said.
“Now is not the time for cutting and wrecking, for aiming low, punching down or looking back.
“The biggest risk to Australia’s future is going back to the failures of the past – the tax increases and cuts to services that Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party want to lock in.”
Dutton also evoked his own role as assistant treasurer in the Howard government in pitching his government experience to voters, while saying the Coalition was ready to lead again after one term in opposition.
“Our team is united, experienced and ready for the responsibility of governing Australia,” he said.
“Australian families need relief now, and we must do better. And there is a better way, and the coalition has an achievable plan to get our country back on track.”
The opening addresses to voters come after Dutton’s budget reply speech on Thursday night, where he spruiked coalition plans for an east coast gas reservation, along with cutting the number of public servants and reducing the migration intake by 25 per cent.
Polls have shown a tight contest is on the cards, with a hung parliament looming as a likely outcome.
The Greens have already begun celebrating the possibility and vowed to use the opportunity to force the government to act.
“People want more voices represented in parliament,” Greens leader Adam Bandt said.
“They understand that we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.
“This is a once-in-a-generation chance to kick Peter Dutton out and get Labor to act.”
