Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hits back at budget critics and labels opposition an “axis of grievance” at NSW Labor conference
Anthony Albanese will dismiss criticism of his budget as “not very coherent noise” as he addresses his party faithful on Sunday, positing Labor as the only option for significant structural reform.
After the government’s controversial tax package successfully passed parliament ahead of the winter recess, the prime minister will admit there are “obstacles in the road” but vow to continue introducing changes in his speech to the NSW Labor Party’s state conference.
“We’re not here to take up space or waste time,” the Prime Minister will say, arguing that Labor has made the hard choices needed to solve the housing crisis.
“If you put aside the entirely predictable and not-so-coherent noise from the usual suspects, one feature of the current economic debate really stood out to me… No one has ever claimed that the housing market is working well in its current form.”
Albanese is set to use the address to hit back at the campaign against the government’s clampdown on capital gains tax relief and negative stimulus, as One Nation moves level with Labor in the polls.
Albanese will accuse his political rivals of failing to offer solutions and label the Coalition and One Nation an “axis of grievance” after NSW Premier Chris Minns warned at the conference on Saturday that Labor must “climb Everest” to stop the One Nation rise.
The Prime Minister will focus on Labour’s policy delivery on education and health, while also sending a message to members about the potential opportunities offered by the AI sector: It is a controversial policy area within the party.
These divisions were further sharpened at the NSW conference when Senator Tony Sheldon launched a new Labor group, FAIR AI. Press for stronger worker protections.
In his speech, the Prime Minister will argue that the government must “take immediate action” to set the ground rules for artificial intelligence and attract international developers.
“We can secure new jobs and investment. We can build our independence and resilience. And we can do it the Labor way, the Australian way, without negatively impacting conditions, dividing communities or damaging our environment.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor addressed the Liberal National Party state convention in Brisbane on Saturday. Taylor said the Coalition parties were the only parties that could provide “the strong plan and strong direction we need as a country”.
“Labour’s philosophy is that success should be taxed, success should be punished, and we don’t believe that,” he said. “This is a Labor Party that advocates redistribution of wealth, not wealth creation… A Labor Party that wants dependent citizens, not empowered citizens.”
He attacked the government’s budget changes, immigration policy and net zero targets before looking at One Nation, which has eaten away at the coalition’s traditional voter base and left the official opposition third in national polls.
Speaking in the hometown of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, where Liberal National Party Prime Minister David Crisafulli is seen as a shining light for the Coalition, Taylor said the small party “has no direction”.
“We’ve all seen One Nation grow in recent times, but the reality of One Nation is that it’s a one-man show, always on the verge of breaking down,” he said.
He said angry and dejected people could be tempted to destroy the country, but warned that was not Australia’s way.
“We are builders, not destroyers. We are reformers, not destroyers. We repair instead of tearing apart,” he said.
Taylor’s speech follows a bruising week defined by poor polling results and calls for Taylor to resign over his connection to beleaguered Catholic Schools NSW boss Dallas McInerney.
The opposition leader will spend the parliamentary recess visiting battlefields across the country to rebuild his party’s political fortunes.
On Saturday, he called on members to call on their friends and neighbors to “help save Australia”.
“The fight for our country will not be won silently, it will be won by taking to the field, and every single one of us who are not here in this room today, who support the Liberal and National Party, we need them all on the field,” he said.
National team leader Matt Canavan moved behind Taylor.
Canavan told the conference: “Angus is exactly what our country needs right now. He has the talent, the integrity, the character, the good nature, the background; he has exactly what we need to revitalize our economy.” “Anyone can see that he’s a great guy; one of the best guys I’ve ever met in politics or any other field. He’s not just a guy, he’s a guy with a plan.”
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Brittany Busch is the federal politics correspondent for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
