Anthony Albanese left COVID isolation on Friday but Labor had to fight off questions over why the leader did not immediately return to a full campaign schedule, while Scott Morrison dismissed criticism from the Solomon Islands. Here’s Sky News Australia’s campaign wrap.
The media wasted no time grilling Labor over Anthony Albanese’s decision not to fully return to the campaign trail on Friday, while Scott Morrison was met with sharp criticism from his Solomon Islands counterpart.
Anthony Albanese emerged from COVID-19 isolation on Friday and did the rounds on morning breakfast TV.
But when Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers fronted a press conference with Shadow Home Affairs Minister Kristina Keneally in the marginal seat of Reid, which Labor is hoping to win, reporters were quick to ask why Mr Albanese was not fronting an official press conference on Friday.
“Well, first of all, Anthony Albanese is returning to the fray today, and we're very pleased that our captain will be back on the field with us," Mr Chalmers responded.
"And consistent with doctor's orders, he is coming back, making sure that he can do enough on the first day back, and then we're heading out to the great state of Western Australia after that."
Shortly after, the Labor leader briefly fronted the press on the tarmac only answering two questions before jetting off to Western Australia ahead of the party’s official campaign launch.
Capitalising on the intrigue, the Prime Minister repeated his calls to Mr Albanese to front up at two debates planned for next week – Channel 7 on Thursday and Channel 9 on Sunday.
Mr Morrison said his rival had insisted on debating “anywhere anytime” but was now “all of sudden” unavailable.
“Mr Albanese has talked a big game for the last three years, a very big game, he's had a lot to say about me over the last three years,” Mr Morrison said.
“In fact, he's had not much more to say than things about me over the last three years. We don't really know what he stands for. Everything he's previously opposed, he now supports. Everything he supports, he previously opposed.
“So now, when he constantly said, ‘let's debate, let's debate,’ and he has to step up and do it, all of a sudden he's not available.”
Mr Morrison has accepted both networks’ offer for a debate, but Mr Albanese has not yet responded to the requests.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogovare attacked Mr Morrison for keeping him in the dark while the AUKUS agreement was established.
But Mr Morrison immediately hit back and said he had spoken to his counterpart the day after the pact was announced at which point “no issues were raised”.
“But obviously, as time goes on and new relationships are entered into, there's obviously been some… other influences in the perspective taken by the Solomon Islands Prime Minister,” Mr Morrison said in a veiled hint at the Pacific nation’s recent deal with China.
“It's not obviously something that was going to have wide discussion before entering into it. That, of course, would have been against Australia's national interests.”
When Mr Morrison was asked whether Mr Sogavare was parroting China’s rhetoric, he replied: “there's a remarkable similarity”.
The Australian Border Force released a video on Thursday night warning potential boat arrivals that Australia’s security policy remained strong and unchanged.
But the Coalition immediately seized on the opportunity to attack Labor and argue uncertainty around a potential Albanese Government could prompt the boats to resume.
The Prime Minister said Labor was “clueless” about the threats facing Australia’s borders and said the opposition’s refusal to keep temporary protection visas could restart the trade.
“They think granting permanent visas to people who come, illegally enter Australia by boat, they think, by giving them permanent visas, that won't set this off again,” he said.
“History tells another story. Labor is a great risk to border security and they are repeating their mistakes and remain clueless about it.”
Defence Minister Peter Dutton said any potential movements by people smugglers was the “price that we pay” for Labor’s “flipping and flopping” on border protection.
“The people smugglers hear that, and they market it and they package it up, they send out little video clips to their network of clients that they think will pay money,” he told Sky News Australia's Chris Kenny.
“They’re talking out of both sides of their mouth and unfortunately the people smugglers are hearing that and that’s a dangerous position for our country to be put in.”
A Liberal candidate's Federal Election campaign posters and vehicle were vandalised overnight in what has been described as a “personal” and “nasty” attack.
Graphic and sexist language was scribbled across the advertising material belonging to Zoe McKenzie, who is contesting for the Victorian seat of Flinders.
One or more perpetrators used black spray paint and wrote offensive phrases such as “liar”, “grub”, “f**k you”, and "grubby c***" on corflutes in the electorate.
A swastika was also drawn across her forehead on at least one of the posters.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it was “utterly disgraceful and unacceptable”.
SkyNews.com.au was also provided with a photograph of another Victorian Liberal candidate whose poster was defaced.
Liberal contender for the seat of Dunkley and former Survivor Australia contestant, Sharn Coombes, had her eyes scribbled out and the swastika symbol drawn across her forehead.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, described the rise in the use of the symbol, once used by Nazis, as “troubling” and condemned the actions.
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