He attempted to paint Turnbull’s comment on Tuesday that “what political parties say they will support and oppose at one time is not necessarily what they will do” as an apparent gaffe and “defining moment in this campaign”.The Prime Minister’s comment was, in fact, a reference to Labor’s sudden decision to dump its opposition to the axing of the School Kids’ Bonus during the election campaign.
Advertisement
A federal election will be held in Australia on Saturday July 2. Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, left, and his wife Margie listen to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, shown on the screen in the background, addressing party members at the Coalition Campaign Laun.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull plans to hold a plebiscite (public vote) on the issue after the upcoming federal election – a compromise created to avoid a rift with some of his own ultra-conservative MPs.
The Brexit vote has been consistently invoked by the government, which wants the election debate on economic issues as much as possible.
Shorten quoted Turnbull as saying “what political parties say they will support and oppose at one time is not necessarily what they will do”, claiming it was an admission by the prime minister that he meant to lie.
“It comes from a sense of inequality, from people being marginalised, forgotten”.
With the formalities dealt with, Mr Turnbull turned his attention to the Coalition’s plan for Australia.
Turnbull said he was also being briefed by diplomats overseas as to how the decision could affect Australia, and said while stability was beginning to return to the various financial markets on Monday, there was still political uncertainty across the European Union (EU).
“It comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of the world economy and the Australian economy”.
But for the first time since the campaign started, the conservative coalition has inched ahead with a Newspoll in The Australian giving it a 51-49 percent lead on a two-party basis. A generation later, we got [Donald] Trump and we got Brexit.
“At a time of uncertainty, the last thing we need is a Parliament in disarray”.
The Opposition Leader called for a consensus approach to governing in the mould of Bob Hawke, and promised to work across party lines to find “the maximum we can agree on”.
“There’s no point in pretending that any government elected can guarantee control of the Senate”, he said.
Advertisement
The Coalition’s campaign launch stood out from Labor’s launch last week with attacks ads played against a bright blue backdrop in between opening addresses by Bishop and Barnaby Joyce before welcoming Turnbull with a video of his childhood and younger years with Lucy.
