SUBJECTS: Election costings; Labor’s plan for a better future, Labor’s commitment to tax cuts, Quad Leader’s Meeting.
 
KIERAN GILBERT, HOST: Let's bring in the Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese now joins me from Brisbane. Mr. Albanese, thanks for your time. I know a busy couple of days to wrap up the campaign. I appreciate you making some time for me and our viewers.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: G’day Kieran, my pleasure.
 
GILBERT: You've basically been making it a badge of honour that Labor is going to be responsible on spending and managing the economy yet your deficits are $8 billion more than the government's. How can Labor be trusted to manage the economy, given those numbers?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, what we will do, Kieran is get rid of the waste in the rorts from the budget, and make sure that the investments that we prioritise, the gap between us and the government, $7.4 billion, is explained by the investments that we're making in three areas in particular. Childcare, where it will boost women's workforce participation, it will boost productivity, the issue of skills and training, where we will provide free TAFE in areas of skill shortage, some 465,000 places and 20,000 additional university places. And of course, our clean energy program that will result in $52 billion of private sector investment, that will end the climate wars and boost productivity. It has the support of the Business Council, the Australian Industry Group, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the National Farmers Federation. So, you can't take into account the second-round effects of that investment. But those investments will produce a return to budget in the future, and will ensure that the economy can grow in a sustainable way. We have a plan for a better future, the government just have scare campaigns and fear and more of the same. We need to do better in the future. This government, remember Kieran, had doubled the deficit- the debt, they doubled the debt before the pandemic. And we now know that if we're successful on Saturday, we will inherit a trillion dollars of debt. So what we have to do is look at ways in which you can have budget repair. And we have a range of budget repair measures in the amounts that we announced today as well.

GILBERT: So, Jim Chalmers said that earlier, budget repair is going to be a major task for whoever wins. How big a priority is that for you if you win at the weekend?
 
ALBANESE: Well, it is a priority, I announced $750 million being returned to the budget yesterday at the National Press Club. Jim and Katy have made significant announcements today. And we've said that if we're successful, we'll have a line-by-line audit from the Department of Treasury and Finance. One of the things that is unclear about this government's budget and the way that they've reacted, remember they spent some $70 billion in between the December Mid-Year Economic Forecast and the budget in March in just three months with no offsets whatsoever. This is a government that have treated taxpayers’ funds as if it was Liberal and National Party funds. We won't do that, we'll be responsible, and we'll target areas for investment that will grow the economy that will boost productivity, and that will ensure that we are more responsible in terms of managing the economy, than this government has been, and where they've spent more and taxed more and borrowed more than previous governments have.

GILBERT: You've told voters throughout the campaign that you are a man of your word, you've made a public commitment that you're going to deliver those states three tax cuts. I ask you this afternoon, then, alongside those tax cuts, can you give an assurance to recipients of those that you won't increase the Medicare levy or an NDIS levy, increase where you would be giving with one hand and taking with the other?

ALBANESE: Yes, I can Kieran. We've outlined very clearly what our plans are. People are entitled to have that certainty of the tax cuts that have been legislated. And of course, the Medicare levy and the NDIS levy are in place and we won't be changing them. What we want going forward is that certainty, and that's one of the reasons why our clean energy policies, in particular, will deliver really quickly. There's been 22 different energy announcements from this government over the almost decade they've been in office and they haven't landed one of them. Business is crying out for certainty, which is why they've been so supportive of the plans that we put forward.
 
GILBERT: On a couple of other matters. Was it presumptive of you, a bit of hubris, when you spoke about attending the Quad next Monday or Tuesday with Penny Wong, when we don't even know the result of the election yet?

ALBANESE: Well, absolutely not. The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet who I've met with are putting in place the provisions for every scenario for what would happen, if the government is reelected, what would happen if Labor is elected, and what will happen if the outcome is uncertain. And we have sat down, physically, face to face with them, including Mr. Gaetjens, and gone through those scenarios and accepted the advice. The Quad Leaders Meeting is an important one, the United States is our most important ally, and India and Japan, we also have important relationships with. They're vital for Australia's future, the Quad meeting is very important. I met with the foreign ministers when they came to Melbourne earlier this year and I would expect that Australia will be represented there. That's one of the reasons why I thought the election might actually be held on May 14, it is the government's decision to hold the election on May 21, so close to the May 24 meeting of Quad Leaders, that they knew was on the agenda when they set the election date. So that is, a circumstance beyond our control. But we have just taken Prime Minister and Cabinet advice on those issues. And that is, when I'm asked: would I attend the idea that if we're successful on Saturday, we wouldn't participate in a meeting with the United States, Japan and India, you've always got to look at the counterfactual. What message would that send to our important allies?

GILBERT: You didn't mention that Richard Marles would have to be sworn in alongside you and Penny Wong, of course, he'd have to be Acting Prime Minister wouldn't he if you do attend, was that an oversight from you?

ALBANESE: Not at all. I wasn't asked. I wasn't asked. And we will have a series of arrangements that are in place with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for appropriate arrangements to be made. But we're not getting ahead of ourselves at all, Kieran. It's a mountain to climb. Labor has only formed government from opposition three times since the Second World War. And therefore, I know that some of the polls are bouncing around a bit. I know how difficult it is for Labor to win an election from opposition. I'm hoping to be the fourth person since the Second World War to lead Labor into government from opposition. And I'm proud of the team that I have, which will be if we're successful, the most experienced incoming Labor Government in history. And all three of the people who led us in the government, from opposition, of course, Whitlam, Hawke and Rudd, none of them had served as ministers. I've served as Deputy Prime Minister as Government Leader in the House of Representatives and as the senior minister for six years. And I make this point after six weeks of the campaign, Kieran, I'm yet to hear a single criticism of my performance as a senior minister in the government and the Government Leader in the House of Representatives over six years, I must have been doing something right.

GILBERT: I know you've got a blitz of the marginal seats coming up. So, I'll let you go. Just one last question. You've copped a bit of flack for a few slip ups and gaffes and so on today, you said the borders are closed when you meant to say they weren't closed? What do you say to viewers this afternoon watching? Who might be wavering and say is this bloke up to it? What do you say that to those that say that?

ALBANESE: I say, is this government up to anything? What are the plans that they've got? I was asked a question about why there were skill shortages and labour shortages. And it was because the borders were closed for one of the elements of that. It's as simple as that. People know exactly what I meant at that time, and it's had an impact on skills. That's what business is crying out to hear. The problem for this government is all they have is little, little games. They don't have a plan for the future. We have a serious plan to strengthen Medicare, for more secure work, to lift wages, for cheaper childcare, for cheaper energy bills, for ending the climate wars, for making more things here in Australia. This government, all they've got is scare and fear campaigns, and a Prime Minister, who himself has said after four years as Prime Minister, that he wants to change. Well, he won't change, he can't change. If you want change, we should change the government. To a government that actually does have a plan for a better future. This government aren't even trying, and now they're not even pretending.

GILBERT: Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese thanks for again, you joined us at the start of the campaign in the Sky News - Courier Mail, people's forum. And now as it comes to an end, we will talk to you after the election and we appreciate you making some time. Thanks.

ALBANESE: Well, thank you, Kieran, and thanks to Sky for the work that Sky does in providing that coverage of an election campaign but politics, year-round as well. So, thank you for the relationship that we’re able to have to get our message out there. It’s important in our democracy.
 
GILBERT: Mr. Albanese, thank you. We’ll talk to you soon after the break.

ENDS