A fortnight from polling day Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese have again addressed their economic management credentials.
As Labor continues to champion its promised cost-of-living assistance should it win the May 21 election, Mr Albanese is yet to reveal his party’s balance sheet.
“We will release all of our costings … in the usual way that oppositions have done for a very long time,” the ALP leader said on Saturday when visiting Launceston.
He was quizzed on a report published in The Australian, which pointed to a budget deficit $10 billion deeper over the forward estimates than the coalition’s projections.
“I don’t know what (the article is) based on, it’s certainly not based upon comments from the shadow finance minister, or the shadow treasurer,” Mr Albanese said.
Mr Morrison seized the opportunity.
“What we do know about Labor is they can’t manage money,” he said in Perth.
“They always spend more and when they start spending they never know when to stop and that puts further pressure on interest rates, it puts further pressure on the essential services Australians rely on.”
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The coalition on Saturday confirmed that wineries, distilleries and breweries will share in a $20 million as part of a move to attract tourists and support cellars impacted by COVID-19.
The plan would see $15 million for wineries, distilleries and breweries with $100,000 grants to build or upgrade on-site facilities such as restaurants and tour areas. A further $5 million would go to tourism and local governments.
“Tourism is key to our plan, and this funding will help bring in more tourists to local businesses, meaning more people touring our breweries and wineries,” Mr Morrison said.
“There are huge opportunities for our wineries and distilleries to take advantage of the plane loads of tourists looking for a new experience as we emerge from COVID lockdowns.”
Mr Albanese continued to shine the spotlight on cost-of-living amid rising inflation, low wage growth and the first official interest rate rise for more than a decade.
The coalition made a $26.9 million promise for expanded research into allergic diseases and anaphylaxis.
Labor wants to expand free-to-air TV access for major sporting events, with Mr Albanese saying too many events of national and cultural significance were guarded by paywalls.
“For a whole lot of Australians, free-to-air TV is essential to seeing those moments which lift us up as a nation, that inspire us, that help define who we are,” he said.
A Labor government would consult stakeholders, including media and sport, to back media “so it can compete and thrive in the era of big tech, global streaming services”.
United Australia Party founder Clive Palmer joined his Warringah candidate Andrew Roberts in Sydney, with the billionaire mining magnate confirming he is open to forming government with either of the major parties in a hung parliament.
“We’ll do a deal with anybody to get these (UAP) policies enacted,” Mr Palmer said.
UAP is preferencing One Nation and controversial Liberal candidate Katherine Deves in Warringah ahead of the other candidates, including high-profile independent MP Zali Steggall.
Across Australia, Mr Palmer said the party was preferencing Labor candidates in 40 per cent of the seats in which his party is running and the Liberals or other candidates in about 60 per cent of the rest.
By Andrew Brown and Finbar O’Mallon in Canberra, AAP
