SUBJECTS: Labor Leader’s Covid isolation ended; Labor’s campaign launch in Perth; Deputy Labor Leader’s Covid diagnosis; Scott Morrison never accepting responsibility; Labor’s plan for a Better Future; Divisions in the Coalition; Labor’s united team.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: I'm very much looking forward to travelling to Perth today. I was due to go to Perth last Friday before I tested positive for Covid on the Thursday afternoon, but it's great to be out and about and I'm looking forward to travelling to Perth, engaging with Western Australians, and having the first ever national campaign launch to be held by a major political party in Perth. Can I also just take the opportunity to give a big shout out to the workers at NSW Health. They have been magnificent, the support they have given to me and to others who have suffered from Covid over the last two and a bit years, they're working under incredible pressure, and I just say a big thank you to them. Happy to take a couple of questions. 

JOURNALIST: (inaudible)

ALBANESE: What it's shown is the strength of Labor's team. I have a magnificent team that I lead. We're ready for government. That team today has had some unfortunate news in that my Deputy, Richard Marles, has also tested positive with a routine test this morning. I spoke to Richard, I wish him well, he'll follow the health advice and self-isolate for the next week. But what we've seen is Shadow Ministers right across the country portraying Labor's position. We have a plan for a Better Future. We're now halfway through this campaign, and Labor's plan to strengthen Medicare, to address the cost of living issues where everything is going up except people's wages by having cheaper child care, cheaper electricity, lifting wages, by making more things here in Australia, by addressing climate change. All of these policies and plans stand in stark contrast to a government that hasn't learnt the lessons of its mistakes over the last ten years, and every single time there’s an issue that they're uncomfortable with, like the rising rate of inflation and the problems of cost of living, Mr. Morrison never accepts responsibility, he always blames someone else. 

JOURNALIST: (inaudible)

ALBANESE: No, my Shadow Cabinet will be out there each and every day of the campaign, not just in Perth with me but right around the country. We have a coordinated schedule making sure that Labor's message gets out to every city, to every region, to every town, by our entire team. That stands in stark contrast with Mr. Morrison, who, just a couple of days ago, was with the Deputy Prime Minister in Rockhampton and they couldn't even meet each other. They didn't do a joint press conference. The truth is that the Liberal Party are internally divided. The National Party, we know, are internally divided. There's just one swing vote over whether Michael McCormack, or Barnaby Joyce, or someone else becomes the Deputy Leader of the Coalition and the Leader of the National Party. Labor's united. We have a strong team made up of 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women, people from right around the country. And at the campaign launch on Sunday, you'll see more evidence, more policies for our Better Future plan. Thank you. 

ENDS