Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese have continued to tussle over the prospect of delivering wages growth for Australians after their fiery debate on Sunday night.
During the contest, Mr Albanese resisted offering a guarantee that real wages would increase if a Labor government was elected into power.
But he told reporters on Monday he was “very confident” working in consultation with business and unions that lifting wages could be delivered.
“The key to lifting wages is lifting productivity,” he said.
“One of the first things I will do is to convene a full employment summit — we will have a full employment white paper.”
The promise has been a key plank of Labor’s election campaign as Australians grapple with stagnant wage growth and rising cost of living pressures.
Mr Albanese said action needed to be taken to address flatlining wages over the past decade.
“We don't want people's living standards to be falling and that is our approach,” he said.
Mr Morrison also faced reporters in Nowra on the NSW South Coast on Monday as he announced a plan to invest $8 billion in a fleet of new helicopters.
He was also asked whether he had the power to drive up wages, responding that the result was dependent on a strong economy.
“The way wages rise is unemployment goes down. That is how wages rise — businesses can make wages go up,” he said.
“There is no magic pen from Anthony Albanese that makes your wages go up."
Mr Morrison said unemployment had fallen from 5.7 per cent to 4 per cent during his government again pointing to this as evidence of the Coalition's economic credentials to deliver the result.
“What makes wages go up is a strong economy where businesses are doing well and they can ensure that they can pay staff even better and above award rates,” he said.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has predicted wage growth, which was 2.3 per cent at the end of 2021, will hit 2.7 per cent by June and 3 per cent by the end of the year.
But the RBA has predicted inflation would reach 5.9 per cent by the end of this year with real wages expected to continue to go backwards until December 2023.
It comes after the RBA lifted the official cash rate — which influences how banks set their interest rates — to 0.35 per cent from a historic low of 0.1 per cent.
Labor pledges cash for students who pursue a teaching career
Labor on Monday also made a pitch to pay high achieving students up to $12,000 a year if they decide to study for an education degree as it seeks to boost teaching standards and address shortages in the sector.
The election campaign is entering its final two weeks with the stakes heightening as pre-polling opens to voters from Monday ahead of the 21 May poll.
Mr Albanese and Labor’s education spokesperson Tanya Plibersek announced its policy on Monday at St Mary’s Cathedral College in Sydney.
It would see students who get an ATAR of 80 or over who choose to do an education degree given $10,000 a year for the length of the course, or $12,000 if they commit to teaching in a regional area.
The promise would be offered to 1,000 students a year over five years as part of a Labor plan to double the number of higher achievers studying education over the next decade from 1,800 to 3,600.
“That is about attracting people who will become the best teachers into the profession,” Mr Albanese told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Morrison government continued its campaign focus on expanding the scope of the nation’s defence force, revealing a plan to secure a fleet of new helicopters.
The investment would go towards 12 H-60R Romeo maritime helicopters and 29 new AH-64E Apache Armed Reconnaissance helicopters to replace the Navy’s existing fleet.
The government will also invest up to $500 million to upgrade facilities to be based at the HMAS Albatross naval base in the marginal NSW seat of Gilmore.
Mr Morrison said the investment was about enhancing the defence force's capability.
“Australia's national security doesn't happen by accident. It requires a government that understands it [and] is deeply committed to it,” he told reporters from Nowra.
However, neither of the new aircraft would be available for use until 2025.
Debate fallout
After Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese clashed in Sunday's election debate, politicians from both sides have conceded the affair at times descended into shouting matches.
Both leaders were seen regularly speaking over the top of each other during the debate as they tried to get their points across.
But Mr Morrison defended the performance describing the debate as “spirited” when questioned about the tone witnessed during the confrontation.
“These are passionate topics, this is a big choice, the future of the country, the future of our economy,” he said.
The pair have also traded criticisms of each other's appearances with Mr Morrison saying Mr Albanese provided no “solutions” in his answers.
Mr Albanese also accused Mr Morrison of only having “smears” and adopting “that smirk” throughout the contest when asked about the debate.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud conceded the messaging from Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese had “got lost” and the debate could have used more focus on policy.
“We believe we have a superior policy position and record,” Mr Littleproud told Channel Nine’s Today.
“But, unfortunately, it descended in at times to an attitude where, you know, I think people would have been a bit disappointed.
“But that is the nature of these combative debates.”
Labor’s campaign spokesperson Jason Clare also described the debate as “full-on” saying it could have used ABC journalist David Speers' “interruption superpowers”.
“It was pretty shouty,” he told ABC Radio.
Mr Clare claimed that Mr Morrison’s performance had reminded him of past debate performances from Donald Trump with all the “rudeness and the yelling.”
He suggested Mr Albanese had been engaged with Mr Morrison because “you have got to push back against try-hard bullies like Scott Morrison.”
Viewers of the Nine Network debate aired on Sunday night were evenly split 50-50 between the men vying for the nation's top job.
Albanese makes $400 million hospital pledge
Mr Albanese also travelled to Adelaide on Monday, where he was campaigning alongside newly elected Labor state premier Peter Malinauskas, announcing a $400 million expansion of the Flinders Medical Centre.
The proposal in the state's only marginal seat of Boothby would be jointly funded with the state government providing half the investment.
It comes after Mr Malinauskas became the new premier of South Australia in March this year, sweeping into power with his own health-focused election campaign.
Mr Albanese said the investment in the hospital was needed when questioned about whether the pledge was aimed at attracting votes.
"This is the hospital that needs this infrastructure upgrade and it's needed right now," he told reporters.
He also said he would hold talks with state and territory leaders to consider major health spending priorities if elected.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas speak to the media during a visit to Flinders Medical Centre on day 29 of the federal election campaign, in Adelaide, on Monday. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGE
Police probe election-related cases
A police task force set up to ensure politicians' and candidates' safety and freedom from harassment has received and assessed 47 complaints.
Operation Wilmot was launched at the start of the election campaign and involves a team of Australian Federal Police officers and specialists.
An AFP spokesperson told AAP on Wednesday there were 23 ongoing investigations.
So far, one charge has been laid, relating to a man who allegedly threatened to assault an officer in Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's security detail.
AFP are also investigating a Liberal National Party candidate over suspicions he has not been living at his registered address.
Vivian Lobo is contesting the north Brisbane seat of Lilley.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) said there was concern whether the information provided by Mr Lobo regarding his residential address on these forms was false.
Mr Lobo said he would cooperate with the investigation.
As well, Liberal candidate for Isaacs Robbie Beaton was referred to the AFP on Thursday after he told a newspaper he did not live at the Melbourne property where he was enrolled.
The AEC has also revealed it received reports regarding a range of unauthorised candidate signs appearing across a number of electoral divisions.
The signs depict a range of election candidates in a style that would suggest they have been produced by the candidates depicted, but have been altered.
This includes also featuring names and or logos of political parties that have not formally endorsed the candidates in question.
The concerns over the targeting of in particular “teal” independents has prompted the AEC to bring in its electoral integrity assurance taskforce.
With AAP.
