Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese have ruled out deals with independent candidates to form government in the event of a hung parliament.
The latest Newspoll has Labor on 36 per cent of the primary vote with the coalition on 35 per cent, meaning almost a third of voters don’t support either of the major parties ahead of the May 21 election.
It’s the lowest level of combined major party support during an election campaign ever recorded by Newspoll.
Mr Morrison says the uncertainty created by independents would risk the livelihoods of small businesses during challenging times.
“You can vote for the stability and certainty that we’ve been able to provide or you can vote for the chaos and instability of independents,” he told reporters on the campaign trail in Perth.
Mr Albanese also ruled out deals with independents and the Greens, earlier telling a Brisbane radio station Labor would seek to form government in its own right.
“There will be no deal with the independents and crossbenches,” he told 4BC.
The second week of the campaign has taken a negative turn, with Labor and Liberals taking aim at each other for using fear and misrepresentations to win votes.
“My opponent is running on fear and scare. He did that in 2019, and the truth is he got elected without an agenda,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Brisbane.
“My agenda is about optimism, is about creating opportunity, is about backing Australian science, is about backing Australian industry and backing Australian jobs.”
Mr Albanese used the ninth day of the campaign to spruik a pledge of $38 million over three years to Disaster Relief Australia, while attacking the prime minister for his handling of the Black Summer bushfires and the recent floods in Queensland and northern NSW.
“Over the last three years, Australia has watched Scott Morrison refuse to take responsibility and go missing in action when natural disasters have struck,” he said.
However Defence Minister Peter Dutton has rejected claims Queensland flood victims were receiving less income support than residents of Lismore in northern NSW.
Meanwhile Labor is accused of running a scare campaign regarding pensioners being put on the cashless welfare card.
Repeatedly asked about when a Liberal minister had made such a statement, Mr Albanese referred to comments by Mr Morrison’s pick for health minister, Anne Ruston.
“Well, here’s what (social services minister) Anne Ruston said on February 1, 2020: ‘We’re seeking to put all income management onto the universal platform, which is the cashless debit card’,” Mr Albanese told Brisbane radio station 4BC on Tuesday morning.
“They’re her words, not mine.”
Senator Ruston ruled out putting pensioners on the cashless welfare card on the same station the day before, and accused Mr Albanese of twisting her words.
Labor plans to get rid of the card.
Mr Morrison called the assertion a “disgusting lie”, saying it was scaring and frightening pensioners.
“If (Mr Albanese) wants to talk about trust and integrity, then he should show some today, and the Labor Party should stop frightening pensioners.”
Campaigning in Perth to announce two new hydrogen hubs in Western Australia, Mr Morrison defended his decision to parachute Katherine Deves into the seat of Warringah.
NSW Treasurer and Liberal moderate Matt Kean said Ms Deves is not fit for office or aligned with the values of the party, over a number of anti-transgender tweets and comments, for which she has apologised.
Mr Morrison said he supported Ms Deves as she stands up for women and girls “and their access to fair sport”.
“I’m not going to allow her to be silenced,” he said.
Nominations for the election close on Thursday, with the ballot draw set for Friday.
By Dominic Giannini in Canberra
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