SUBJECTS: Visit to South Australia; federal election campaign; Multinational taxation; Labor’s plan for a better future; Clive Palmer’s election policies.  
 
JOURNALIST: How often will we see you during the course of the election campaign?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: You'll see me as often as I can get here. I love South Australia, this is my fourth or fifth visit this year so far and my third visit in recent weeks. 

JOURNALIST: How confident are you in getting the Boothby seat? I'm sure you've seen the latest poll. 

ALBANESE: We've got a great candidate. I've been here in Boothby now multiple times, just talking with people and engaging with them about issues. And we led the way, we were here with (inaudible) last time I was here. That shows Labor is leading on policy. We've got a great candidate, and we have a Government that's just running like an opposition. They're running a negative campaign. I saw on social media today that someone is suggesting that they’ll have a shot every time the Prime Minister mentions my name. They're going to have a really difficult month over the next month, because Scott Morrison is running like an Opposition Leader. He's stopped governing. Why aren't we in an election right now? Because he wants to use taxpayer funds to make advertisements which promote the Liberal Party and he wants to make more appointments. This Government has lost its moral compass. They think that taxpayers’ money is the same as Liberal Party money. We have a clear alternative to that. Part of the way we want to hold government to account and bring politics back to people is through a National Anti-Corruption Commission. We need to restore faith in politics in this country, and we'll do it.

JOURNALIST: And if you win government, will you categorically rule out raising taxes for Australians?

ALBANESE: We've made it very clear. It's this Government that, in fact, had a plan in the Budget, or a ploy in the Budget, for six weeks. We've made it very clear what our plan is for the nation going forward. And it's one of growth. It's one of opportunity. It's one of Labor's agenda at its best. It’s making sure that we don't leave people behind, that we look after people who are disadvantaged. But at the same time, we create opportunity. No one held back. The key to that is education, dealing with the skills crisis. I want to work with state and territory leaders as well, regardless of their political persuasion. 

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible)

ALBANESE: No, we've made it very clear. The only taxation measure, and we'll have the details announced during the campaign, is to do with multinationals. We've made that very clear. What we want is growth, and growth by having a plan for growth. It doesn't happen by just mentioning it. We have a plan for cheaper, cleaner energy, which will drive high value manufacturing, and then skilling up Australians to fill the jobs that will be created. That's our plan for the future. This Government don't have a plan for the future. They don't have a plan for today, let alone one for tomorrow.

JOURNALIST: There are seats in South Australia that have been blue for a long time, including Boothby. Are you confident that you’ll be able to see some of these seats turn red?

ALBANESE: We'll be doing our best. We've got, in Louise here, a fantastic candidate, but we won't just be campaigning in Boothby. We want to represent people in every seat. We want to represent all Australians. We want to make sure that we represent people in urban communities like this one but also in regional communities as well. I'll be visiting a range of seats when I visit South Australia but when I visit other states as well. 

JOURNALIST: Have you got a chance with Sturt?

ALBANESE: The people of Sturt will get a vote, the same as everyone else. What we'd say is have a look at what the options are. And if you think that Australia is as good as it could be, then maybe Scott Morrison's got an argument. But if you think that we can be better, if you think that we can grow, if you think that we can do more on climate change, create more opportunities for young people, as well as re-training people for the jobs of the future, then give us a crack. If you think your child care costs are too much, vote for Labor. If you think that your energy costs so are too much, vote Labor. If you want real action on cost of living, then you should vote Labor. Because this Government was very explicit. I couldn't quite believe Josh Frydenberg going to the National Press Club the day after his Budget speech and saying the Budget was all about the election. He's put his hand up and said we're not interested in anything beyond when people cast their ballot papers. They may as well have stapled cash to the ballot papers because any support for Australians ends once the election is over. And then we know that what this Government will do, because it's in the DNA of the Liberal and National parties, is cuts to essential services. We can expect more cuts to health, more cuts to education, more cuts to a range of services that Australians rely upon. Because they just don't get it. They always have money for their mates. They never have money for the needs of Australians.

JOURNALIST: What do you make of Clive Palmer's policy announcements today, a 15 per cent export tax on iron ore, three per cent caps on home loans for first time buyers?

ALBANESE: I don't particularly worry about what Clive Palmer's policy is. There are two people running for Prime Minister. I'm one of them. The other one needs to have a coalition. I'm the only person running for Prime Minister who can form government in their own right. And that is what I'm hoping to do. But that's up to the Australian people. 

JOURNALIST: Is there any merit what he’s proposing?

ALBANESE: I haven't looked at his proposals. But Clive Palmer's proposals are usually about Clive Palmer. And I don't think these would be any different.

JOURNALIST: ABC were interviewing in Pasadena yesterday and not many people knew who you were. Are you surprised by this?

ALBANESE: People know who I am. People here in the square. When I've traveled around, I was in WA for the last three days, I was in Queensland before then. People know who I am. People know that Labor has put forward a constructive alternative and will continue to do so. Thanks very much.

ENDS