Albanese vows to stop Australia from becoming the US
Anthony Albanese has vowed to stop Australia from becoming the United States, tying his opponent to Donald Trump and seeking a second term to build on Labor’s “strong foundations” from the last three years.
The Prime Minister unveiled Labor’s biggest cost of living measures of the election at his official campaign launch at the Perth Convention Centre on Sunday: a guarantee for first home buyers and an easy-claim $1000 tax deduction for all Australian workers.
With an energetic speech in front of senior Cabinet colleagues and about 500 party faithful, Mr Albanese spoke around the ever-looming presence of Donald Trump, seeking to link the US president to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
In an escalation of anti-Trump politics, Mr Albanese accused Mr Dutton of mimicking the “Make America Great Again” rhetoric.
“Your vote may not change the world Australia has to deal with – but your vote will decide how Australia deals with the world,” he said.
“Right now, the Liberal and Labor campaigns are on either side of this mighty continent and at this election: our ambitions, our agendas, our plans for the future are a world apart.
“The Liberals want to copy from overseas, Labor stands up for Australia.
“When we look at everything going on around the world today, there is nowhere else you’d rather be than right here in Australia. So why on earth would we try to mimic anywhere else?”
and Anne Aly. Credit: Jason Edwards/NCA NewsWire
Mr Albanese defended the “strong foundations” the Government had laid in its first term, amid concerns the party had been too timid in the last three years.
A video voiced by singer and children’s entertainer Justine Clarke highlighted Labor’s achievements so far.
Mr Albanese said Labor needed a second term because there was “still so much work to do”.
In contrast, the Liberals and Nationals were “pushing the same policies that inflicted a wasted decade on our country” with their proposals to go back.
“Keep in mind this is not some new generation Liberal team, these are the same people from less than three years ago,” Mr Albanese said.
Labor’s launch was spearheaded by two cost-of-living measures, including a new standard $1000 tax deduction for work-related expenses.
Mr Albanese said he was always looking for ways to make the tax system work better for people, and simplifying deductions would do just that.
“No paperwork, no box of receipts, no scrolling through your online banking — just tick the box and your return is ready,” he said
“Every year, millions of people who work part time, or work from home, or don’t have an accountant to navigate the tax system for them miss out on claiming deductions they are entitled to and pay more tax than they should.
“This reform fixes that – and it fixes it forever.”
Under the plan, which was first mooted in the 2010 Henry review, taxpayers will be able to automatically claim a $1000 deduction from their tax returns.
People who incur more than $1000 in work expenses – such as for expensive uniforms or equipment – will still be able to claim tax deductions in the usual way to make sure they don’t lose out.
But the new simplified deduction will not come into effect until 2026-27 – meaning taxpayers won’t see the benefit for another 27 months.
The move is expected to help 6 million people, mostly low and middle-income earners and young Australians, get a bigger return at tax time.
Mr Albanese also announced new measures to help first-home buyers, expanding the first home guarantee program to all first-time buyers to cut the time it takes to save for an average deposit from a decade to two or three years as they will only need 5 per cent.
Labor has also pledged $10 billion to build at least 100,000 affordable homes over the next eight years that will be reserved for first home buyers.
The Prime Minister was watched by Labor luminaries including former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, former leader Kim Beazley, and treasurer Wayne Swan.
Also joining the crowd were Mr Albanese’s cabinet, including Jim Chalmers, Mark Butler and Tanya Plibersek — with whom the Prime Minister shared an awkward distant greeting while walking to the stage.
WA Premier Roger Cook, who introduced Mr Albanese, was the sole State party leader in attendance but was joined by most of his own Cabinet.
“Anthony Albanese has been WA’s partner in Canberra. We see eye to eye,” Mr Cook told the crowd.
“Albo is a friend of WA’s. But, importantly, he’s not been a fair-weather friend.
“That’s not easy. Especially when so much of federal politics takes place in the eastern states — it’s a bit like the NRL really.”
The introduction from the Premier comes despite push back from the State Government on the live sheep export ban, nature positive laws, and industrial relations reforms slammed by the resources industry.
Spruiking Labor’s record with Medicare, and wielding his green and gold healthcare card, Mr Albanese described it as “a declaration of Australian values”.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles warned that Peter Dutton’s stint as health minister in the Abbott government “will look like a fairytale” compared to the “economic surgery” he had planned if he became the nation’s leader.
“Dr Dutton’s economic surgery – that definitely sounds painful,” he said.
“There ain’t no way that’s not going to hurt because there is only one procedure that Dr Dutton knows how to perform: cuts and more cuts.”
Mr Albanese said building Medicare, creating a decent minimum wage, giving women the right to vote and establishing universal superannuation were things that set Australia apart from the rest of the world.
“That is the story of Australia,” he said.
“We are not shackled by old thinking. We are not captive to the habits and fears of the past. We are enriched by every faith and tradition on earth — including the world’s oldest continuous culture – but Australia’s character has always been our own. We have the courage and the strength to choose our own way.
“That’s the Australian way. That is the Labor way.
“And that is the choice I am asking the Australian people to make on the 3rd of May.”