Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison clash during the debate.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
He said the government only ended up missing its original October target for vaccines to be available to all Australians by two weeks.
“So yes it is true,Anthony,we had our setbacks,but we came back,we got the vaccines and we now have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world,as well as one of the stronger economies and one of the lowest death rates from COVID,” he said.
Asked why his popularity had declined notably since the 2019 election,Morrison said:“It has been a tough three years,particularly the last two years,and I know over that period of time there would have been many disappointments,people would have disagreed with many things I did and would have a different view about how things might have been managed. So I can understand the hurt and the feelings that people have had coming out of a time like this.”
Questioned about whether Australians know what he stands for,Albanese said:“I had the same values my entire life. The values of supporting a fair day’s pay for a[day’s] work. The values of supporting essential universal services,such as Medicare,supporting universal superannuation.“
Morrison said his government would not extend the six-month halving of the fuel excise announced in the April budget to ease cost-of-living pressures on Australians.
“This relief,it is well-designed,temporary,targeted and affordable,” he said.
“What we are ensuring we are doing by providing the cost-of-living relief now is to deal with the spike in fuel prices we have seen from the war in Europe and disruption around the world,and Treasury and others estimate we will see those oil prices come down by that time at the end of September.”
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Albanese agreed that the halving of the excise should expire as planned in September.
In his closing remarks,Albanese vowed:“I will say this,there are four words you will never hear from me,‘That’s not my job.’ I will never say it.”
Morrison finished the debate by urging voters to stick with what they know.
“We are a known quantity,and at a time of great uncertainty,now is not the time to risk things on the unknown,” he said.
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