PRIME MINISTER: Well good morning, everyone. Earlier today, I visited His Excellency the Governor-General and advised him to call an election for the House of Representatives and half of the Senate on May 21. And he accepted my advice. I love this country and I love Australians. And I know Australians have been through a very tough time. I also know that Australia continues to face very tough challenges in the years ahead. But more than ever, I know that we live in the best country in the world. And more than ever, I am optimistic about our future and what I know Australians can achieve. Because despite the very real difficulties that we face, and the setbacks we indeed have had, Australia and Australians have shown that we can overcome. By working together, we’ve avoided the nightmare scenarios that so many other countries have faced in recent years. Unemployment was predicted to reach 15 per cent, but now it is just 4 per cent and falling – the equal lowest level in some 48 years. Our economic recovery measures, especially JobKeeper, saved some 700,000 jobs. And our health response working together, has saved, compared to other countries, tens of thousands of lives. On almost any measure, on fatality rates from COVID, vaccine rates, economic growth, jobs growth or debt levels, Australia’s recovery is leading the world. But we’re not out of the woods yet and Australians know it. There’s still a lot of uncertainty ahead. And I get it, that people are tired of politics as we go into this election, but this election and this campaign is incredibly important. Because there is so much at stake for Australia and our future. This election is about you, no one else. It’s about our country and it’s about its future. And above all, this election, as all elections are, this election is a choice. It’s a choice between a strong economy, and a Labor Opposition that would weaken it. It’s a choice between an economic recovery that is leading the world, and a Labor Opposition that would weaken it, and risk it. It’s a choice between responsible financial management that has seen Australia maintain its AAA credit rating in the most extreme of circumstances and has seen the largest Budget turnaround in the last 12 months that we have seen in 70 years. And a Labor Opposition that, you know, can’t manage money. It’s a choice between an economic plan that will deliver the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 50 years, and a Labor Opposition that has a track record in government of higher unemployment, higher interest rates and higher electricity prices. And it’s a choice between a Government that believes and has delivered lower taxes, because we believe you should keep more of what you earn, as we promised to do. And a Labor Opposition that you know, would always increase your taxes if given the opportunity. It’s a choice between a strong and tested Government team that has demonstrated our ability to make difficult and tough choices in tough times and a Labor Opposition who has been so focussed on politics over these past few years that they still can’t tell you what they do, who they are or what they believe in, and what they stand for. It’s a choice between a strong future and an uncertain one. It’s a choice between a Government you know and a Labor Opposition that you don’t. Our Government is not perfect. We’ve never claimed to be, but we are upfront, and you may see some flaws. But you can also see what we have achieved for Australia in incredibly difficult times. And you can see our plan. Our plan will deliver more and better jobs and the lowest unemployment seen in some 50 years. Our plan does deliver tax relief, and it does deliver that for workers and for small businesses – to help you get ahead and ensure that you can deal with the cost of living pressures right here, right now. It’s a plan that invests in roads and rail and renewable energy technology that helps us build for the future. It’s a plan that invests in unlocking the wealth of our country further with investments in road and rail and dams, and particularly in regional Australia. With a strong economy, our plan invests at record levels in the health and essential services that you rely on because only a strong economy can guarantee the essential services that you rely on. It’s a plan that keeps Australians safe by ensuring we continue the biggest rebuilding of our defence and security forces since World War II. We are dealing with a world that is less stable than at any other time since the Second World War. Our economy has many, many moving parts. And there are many great risks, but I believe there are many, many opportunities there to be seized from the strong position we’ve put ourselves in as a country, as we emerge strongly from this pandemic. Now is not the time to risk that. Only by voting for the Liberals and Nationals at this election on May 21 can you ensure a strong economy for a stronger future. Now I’m happy to take a few quick questions. Phil.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you, this time compared to three years ago, you go into this campaign with a much higher personal disapproval rating. What do you say to voters who voted for you last time but are intending not to do so this time, because of those personal reasons?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I come back, Phil, to exactly what I’ve just said. This election, others will seek to make it about me. It’s actually about the people who are watching this right now. It’s about them. And what we’ve demonstrated over these past three years is the ability to make those decisions that has ensured that Australia’s recovery is leading the world. We have delivered those lower taxes. We have delivered those lower electricity prices. We have delivered the guaranteed investment in essential services, from medicines to disability to aged care. We have delivered on the essential services that Australians rely on, and we’ve done that because we’ve always understood that it is a strong economy that produces a stronger future, and our economic track record demonstrates the plans that we have put forward in this most recent Budget and indeed the plans that we will further put forward in the course of this election. People can have confidence in those plans because they’re backed up by an economic plan that underwrites them, and they’re being implemented by a tried and tested and proven team. Not just me as Prime Minister, but my Treasurer, my Defence Minister, my Home Affairs Minister, my Foreign Minister, my Health Minister who has served us so well. Our team can deliver on this plan because it is our team that has been able to deliver what has been one of the strongest recoveries we’ve seen anywhere in the world. Clare, Clare, Clare.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Prime Minister, on the issue of health, the pandemic is still going. Australians deserve to know maybe who their Health Minister might be if your Government is re-elected. Will they know that before they go to the polls?
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, and they’ll know that fairly soon over the course of about the next week or so.
JOURNALIST: If you are re-elected, if you’re re-elected, do you commit to staying as Prime Minister for the full three years? Or will you look to hand over some way at some stage in the town?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course I do, because there’s a lot to do. There’s a lot to do, and I’m pleased that I’m standing here again before you today, after coming and standing before you three years ago. And here I am today, after three years where we’ve delivered an unemployment rate of 4 per cent. Electricity prices are down by 8 per cent over the last two years. Taxes have been lowered for Australian businesses and Australian families. We’ve invested in the strength and security of our defence forces and security agencies. We have delivered some of the biggest agreements to protect Australia’s future, whether our allies like the United States, our Quad partners in defence and most recently with India – our economic free trade agreement – we have been laying the strong foundation to ensure that Australia can prosper in the years ahead, but it cannot be taken for granted. This election is a choice between a Government that you know, and that has been delivering and a Labor Opposition that you don’t.
JOURNALIST: Can you confirm – you’ve attacked Labor about who their ministers are going to be – can you confirm that you’re not going to change any current Minister that has their job should you win the election?
PRIME MINISTER: I’m taking my team forward to this election. They’re a proven team.
JOURNALIST: Will Alan Tudge be in your Cabinet, if your Government is returned then?
PRIME MINISTER: Alan Tudge is still in my Cabinet.
JOURNALIST: What do you say to the rank and file members of your own Party who say your delay on preselections has hobbled their chance of getting their candidate up and hobbled your own chances of re-election?
PRIME MINISTER: My strong and united team that I’ve led for these past three years sitting around that Cabinet table just in there, which has seen Australia through the worst economic crisis and health crisis we have seen in 70 years on the economy and 100 years on health – has seen Australia lead the world with its recovery. That’s what we’ve delivered. That’s what my team has delivered, and our plan will ensure that we can continue to take that forward into the years ahead in one of the most uncertain environments Australia has faced, and that’s what we’re focussed on. That’s what we’ll deliver, and I look forward to making that case out there each and every day. Thank you very much.
