SUBJECTS: Failures of the Morrison Government during COVID-19; Labor’s policy agenda; rapid antigen tests; Federal election; Western Australia.
 
LIAM BARTLETT, HOST: While we wait here in the West for details about how the Government intends to reopen the state on February 5, and goodness knows we've discussed that over the past couple of days, there is a very different political scenario being played out on the east coast of the country. Amid all the COVID cases and associated fatalities, there has been much heated debate over the way things have been. And fair to say, there has been a very mixed response state by state from those who have been living with the virus in their community over the past few months now. A lot of that feeling and reaction, both good and bad, has been reflected in the latest opinion polls. And it would appear that much of the increase in COVID infection has fuelled something of a backlash against the Federal Government. For the first time since Scott Morrison won Government, his Coalition's primary vote has fallen below Labor's. According to this poll, which is reasonably extensive, Labor's primary vote has now risen to 35 per cent, primary vote, while the Coalition has fallen to 34 per cent. Now, clearly, that gives Labor a very nice advantage. And on a two-party preferred basis, well and truly in the box seat. In a nutshell, with the election only months away, it's grim news for Scott Morrison and very encouraging news for his nemesis, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Anthony, thanks for joining us this morning.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Thanks for having me on the program.
 
BARTLETT: Do you think the virus is helping your mob?
 
ALBANESE: I'm not interested in the virus helping anyone. I'm interested in the virus being minimised and its impact on people. We've had 600 deaths so far this year. It is only January 20. The past week has been Australia's most deadly. We've got aged care facilities that are locked down. People are unable to see their loved ones. We have child care centres that have closed. We've got food that's not on the supermarket shelves. And we've got increased numbers in ICU and in hospital. That's my concern. And my concern is that this Government failed to plan. Like they failed to plan for the rollout of the vaccine, they have failed to plan for rapid antigen tests, even though they were warned many, many months ago that once we opened up, there would be an increase in cases. And we have seen that exactly play out with tragic consequences.
 
BARTLETT: So, you prove my point there, really. So, politicking on the back of the virus has proved very successful for you.
 
ALBANESE: What I've been doing consistently is to be constructive. We haven't attempted to play partisan politics. What we've done throughout this pandemic is to be constructive, is to put forward suggestions like we did for wage subsidies to keep people in jobs, like we did for the rollout of the vaccine, where we said it was needed. The Grand Slam of failures has been tracing, testing, vaccinations and quarantine. We needed to get it right. We called for it consistently. And unfortunately, this Government wait until a problem becomes a crisis before there's any action. And yesterday, we saw some concession by the Prime Minister that people were frustrated. But, once again, no acceptance of any responsibility whatsoever.
 
BARTLETT: I want to pick you up on that. Because this seems to be very much a recurring theme in some of the things that I'm hearing you say, Anthony. In fact, the whole team, your team appears to be trying to paint the PM as too slow and always late. That is a recurring theme. Is that the basis of your election campaign?
 
ALBANESE: Well, that's the basis of this prime ministership of Scott Morrison. Whether it was the bushfire crisis, whether it was the rollout of the vaccine, purpose-built quarantine, the booster shots, whether it was the supply of rapid antigen tests, he always waits.
 
BARTLETT: The reason I ask you is that there is a US-based marketing agency called Vocal Media. It's offering $300 to Australians who post a TikTok video based on ScoMo being too slow and always late. Is the Labor Party paying for that?
 
ALBANESE: That is the first that I have heard of it. The fact is that this Prime Minister is too slow when it comes to action. And our job is to hold him to account. But at the same time, we have been out there putting forward our plans for jobs and skills, our Buy Australia plan, our plan for a National Reconstruction Fund, for cheaper child care, for extending the National Broadband Network. And in the past week, we had a major announcement on disaster readiness.
 
BARTLETT: I'm sorry to interrupt you there. But you say that it is the first you've heard about it?
 
ALBANESE: Yes.
 
BARTLETT: So, there are emails being sent out by this mob, by this US-based influencer marketing agency. And the emails have a subject line, 'Paid TikTok opportunity, Australian Labor Party'.
 
ALBANESE: That's the first I've heard of it.
 
BARTLETT: The first you've heard of it. And they're offering $300 to anyone who posts a TikTok video based on this overarching theme of too slow and always late for ScoMo.
 
ALBANESE: Well, it is the first I've heard of it. But it wouldn't be too hard for people to post TikTok videos along that theme. Because that is a theme that is characterised by this Government. That is what we hear back.
 
BARTLETT: But that would be unlawful, would it not? I mean, for unauthorised election advertisement?
 
ALBANESE: I have no idea. I'm not going to comment, Liam, with respect. I'm not going to comment on something that has just been raised with me.
 
BARTLETT: Well, they have a document, a linked document, in that email called 'Australian Labor'. It's titled Australian Labor. Vocal Creative brief lays out the goals for the creator. I think it's pretty straightforward. Surely, they're not providing the $300 themselves. Could it be something that your party machine has organised without your knowledge?
 
ALBANESE: I have no idea, Liam. All I can do is just answer a straight question with a straight answer.
 
BARTLETT: And I appreciate that. And we've seen Andrew Bogut get into trouble in the last 24 hours for unauthorised election material. I mean, I would have thought it is a bit slimy, encouraging people to post TikTok videos for $300 against the PM.
 
ALBANESE: Liam, you don't need any incentive to encourage people to put things on social media of a partisan nature against the PM, against me, against Clive Palmer, against anyone. That's one of the facts of what happens with social media.
 
BARTLETT: Are you confident that you can come here and campaign on February 5?
 
ALBANESE: Well, I certainly hope to. I am booked to come across on February 5. My understanding is that the Prime Minister's coming at that time as well. It is just before Parliament sits. I want to engage with Western Australia. I always enjoy my visits to the West. And unfortunately, that hasn't been possible in recent time. So, I look forward to it.
 
BARTLETT: Well, this poll that I mentioned earlier, Anthony, I mean, it is a train wreck for the Coalition overall, there's no doubt about that. However, among those results, you're still trailing Scott Morrison in the preferred PM stakes, 38 to 31. Well, what is it about your image that you need to work on, to improve?
 
ALBANESE: I am just worried about putting forward the alternative to the Government. And it's not surprising that leaders, during a pandemic, if you look at the figures of any leader in the country, they lead opposition leaders by a lot more than that figure. And that's just a product of the circumstance in which we find ourselves. Before the pandemic, that wasn't the case. But during a crisis, people tend to look towards whoever is in charge for leadership. We saw that in Western Australia, of course, where you'll recall there was at least one figure I saw with the Opposition Leader in single figures as preferred leader. So I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about just putting forward a clear alternative. Because I think that a Government that's searching for a second decade in office really has to prove that it is competent. And I don't think this Government is proving that it’s competent, or that it has integrity, let alone that it has a vision for a second decade in office. I'll continue to put forward my constructive ideas. The policies that we have put forward, for example, on climate change and energy, were endorsed by the Business Council, the Australian Industry Group, the National Farmers' Federation, as well as the ACTU. That's not a bad quadrella for a policy area that has been so fraught for a period of time. This Government have tried to launch 20 different policies and haven't landed one yet.
 
BARTLETT: What's the biggest thing that you would do differently? If you could single one thing out that you would do differently from the Government, not more of the same, what would it be?
 
ALBANESE: Plan. That is essentially the theme running through. So, a plan for a stronger economy. A plan for Medicare to be the centre of our health system. A plan for skills and for infrastructure development so that we are more resilient and build back stronger. Have a National Reconstruction Fund that takes advantage of the opportunities that are there for a shift to clean energy.
 
BARTLETT: Wasn't 'build back stronger' something Joe Biden used?
 
ALBANESE: There's lots of slogans used that are similar. And it is not surprising that there's similarities in those issues. Our theme is 'A Better Future'. I'm sure 'A Better Future' has been used by others at various times as well.
 
BARTLETT: Nothing new in the creative world, is there? Anthony, the New South Wales Premier has sent a bill for almost $5 million to Mark McGowan for quarantine costs for WA travellers who had to spend time in Sydney hotels. Do you think that's fair?
 
ALBANESE: No.
 
BARTLETT: You don't think Mark McGowan should cop it?
 
ALBANESE: No. No, he shouldn't. And I'm sure he has no intention of.
 
BARTLETT: What do you think of Novak Djokovic this morning?
 
ALBANESE: I think that Novak Djokovic should never have been given a visa. And I still haven't heard an explanation from anyone in the Government about how it is the Australian Government issued him with a visa and then went through a whole fortnight of legal cases and embarrassment for Australia as a result of not getting it right. We know how difficult it has been for Australian citizens to come home, let alone people to visit Australia in recent times. The Government issues visas. And I still don't understand how it is that occurred, given that his status and views were very, very clear and it was the leading sports story in the world for many months.
 
BARTLETT: Well, there were claims out of Melbourne this morning, you may have even seen them or heard them, but Tennis Australia filled out all his visa documentation. And then they paid his legal fees too while he's been going through that whole thing for 11 days. Now, should someone from Tennis Australia front up and resign or pay the price and take responsibility?
 
ALBANESE: Well, I haven't seen those reports, so I'm not going to comment on the run. But certainly, this is an issue that should have been avoided. But the visa should not have been issued. If you are required to be double-vaxxed to come into Australia, which is the requirements that the Government has said is there, how is it that a visa was issued to Novak Djokovic? He's an outstanding tennis player. And I like watching him. I am a tennis fan. I try to play, do my best. But Novak Djokovic, he is shooting for the 21st Grand Slam, to be the greatest Grand Slam champion of all time. There was a focus every day in every newspaper in the world, in their sports pages, about whether he's playing the Australian Open or not. And somehow, he got a visa. All of this could have been avoided if the Australian Government had have done this job, as they do on so many occasions, in stopping people getting visas, and just applied the rule at the beginning.
 
BARTLETT: Somebody somewhere is telling big porky pies. Anthony, we'll have to leave it there, I'm sorry. But look, we'll keep our fingers crossed that the reopening date does happen, that you are allowed to come across in person and begin the campaign, whether that's an unofficial campaign or an official campaign. We look forward to seeing you here in the West when you do.
 
ALBANESE: I hope it does too. And I would encourage any of your listeners who haven't been vaccinated to go out there and get vaccinated, get their booster if they're eligible. The lesson, very clearly, is that once you do open up, there will be more transmission. And the better people are prepared for that, the less the impact will be.
 
BARTLETT: Well said. Thanks very much for joining us.
 
ALBANESE: Thanks, Liam.
 
ENDS