Anthony Albanese was handed a note by an aide in the middle of a news conference while he was under fire from reporters for struggling to outline one of his key policies.
The moment of the train wreck – when the Labor leader failed to outline his six-point plan for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – came just hours after he insisted in a fiery TV interview with Ally Langdon he know what he is doing.
Mr Albanese faced a pack of reporters in Sydney on Thursday where, in response to a barrage of questions, he did not outline his six-point NDIS plan.
All he could say was, “We will put people at the heart of NDIS,” before a reporter exclaimed, “You don’t know your own politics, Mr. Albanese.”
Anthony Albanese (pictured in Sydney on Thursday) was secretly handed notes by an adviser in the middle of a press conference
After a few more questions on various subjects, Mr Albanese walked off camera and journalists saw an adviser hand him a document.
Reporters immediately accused the Labor leader of handing him the NDIS strategy document detailing the plan.
“You have just been handed a policy document,” said one journalist.
“Is that the six point plan there?” asked another.
“That’s not right,” Mr. Albanese said with a crooked smile as he organized his papers. Then he read the six-point plan.
Defense Secretary Peter Dutton slammed the Labor leader for stumbling.
“Either he doesn’t read these documents or he doesn’t feel like reading them.
“He now surrounds himself with shadow ministers at his press conferences and throws them at press conferences,” he told Ray Hadley on radio 2GB.
Mr. Albanese read the cheat sheet after it was handed to him by one of his advisers
Mr Albanese was grilled by journalists at the Smart Energy Council Conference and Exposition in Sydney
Mr Dutton added: “I’ve never seen Julia Gillard do that, John Howard do that, Scott Morrison, Bob Hawke or Paul Keating do that. I don’t know if we can trust someone who doesn’t know their own politics.’
A journalist asked the Labor leader if he had a deliberate tactic of deferring difficult issues to his team because he didn’t know the details of his policies.
This week he routed questions about the economy to Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers and questions about housing – including an awkward one about his own property portfolio – to Shadow Housing Secretary Jason Clare.
After the stumble, the Labor leader successfully reeled off his five-point plan for care for the elderly when asked about the policy.
Earlier, Mr Albanese accused Ally Langdon of “reading from Liberal Party notes” as she accused him of not knowing the details of his policies.
The Today show host urged the Labor leader why he often defers journalists’ questions to members of his team rather than answering them himself.
“You want to be prime minister. Shouldn’t you know the answer too?’ Langdon asked Mr. Albanese.
He insisted he knew the answers and said it was normal for shadow ministers to talk about political details – but Langdon pressed him further.
“The thing is, you say you know the answers, but I think people who are sitting at home are like, ‘I’m not sure you know that.'”
An enraged Mr Albanese replied: “No they don’t, Ally,” claiming Scott Morrison couldn’t show up with key members of his team because they didn’t want to be seen with him because of his unpopularity.
Researching further, Langdon said: “The question, however, is whether you want to be the next prime minister. They want to rule the country. Shouldn’t you be over your panties?’
The Labor leader replied firmly: “That’s me, Ally. I am. Quit reading the Liberal Party memos they keep sending out to people, Ally. It’s just an absurdity.”
Langdon (pictured) pressed Mr Albanese on why he is putting off questions
Langdon denied that claim, saying: “Anthony, I’m basing it on what I saw this week just looking at your press conferences this week, Anthony Albanese.
“I think your problem is after the first week stumble when you didn’t know the cash rate or the unemployment rate. Every time you procrastinate it suggests you don’t know.”
Mr Albanese replied: “No, Ally. This is nonsense. Your viewers are smarter and your viewers know that I lead a team. i am the captain I’m proud of my team.”
He said none of his staff are on “witness protection” over Education Secretary Alan Tudge, who temporarily resigned after being cleared of molesting his former staffer, Rachelle Miller, with whom he had an affair.
The clash came ahead of a keynote address in which the Labor leader will lay out his plans to radically overhaul childcare and compare it to other universal services like Medicare and the NDIS.
Labor has agreed Increase child care subsidy rates for every family earning less than $530,000.
The policy would save families between $600 and $2,900 a year and cost taxpayers $6.2 billion over four years.
If Anthony Albanese (centre) wins the election, all parents in Australia could receive 90 per cent of taxpayer-paid childcare bills
But Mr. Albanese also claims to give every family – including millionaires – a 90 per cent childcare subsidy, regardless of income.
It would be implemented following a review by the Productivity Commission to see if it would benefit the economy.
Labor has not announced when the directive will be implemented or how much it would cost – but the government claims the price would be an additional $63 billion over the next 10 years.
In his speech, Mr. Albanese will say that policies are needed to encourage mothers to enter the workforce.
“One of the most effective ways we can encourage participation is to eliminate the complicated jumble of payments that hampers parents who want to return to work,” he will say.
“We will increase the maximum childcare subsidy and make it cheaper for 96 percent of families and will ask the Productivity Commission to study moving to a universal subsidy of 90 percent.
“This will bring immediate and lasting relief to families in their cost of living.”
Mr Albanese will say the policy would “prevent jobs from being deprived of the skills, knowledge and experience” of mothers who are currently discouraged from work.
“Building a childcare system that works for families will increase labor force participation and boost productivity,” he will say.
“Early education is also an investment in the future of our children.”
Mr Albanese will compare the landmark change to previous Labor reforms.
“Our childcare plan fits into Labor’s history of pushing for reforms that are good for the economy and give people the confidence to pursue their goals and fulfill their potential,” he will say.
“We will proudly add it to Labour’s legacy of reliable, affordable universal service. Medicare. Pension. The NNB. The NDIS. And universal child care.’
One of Labor’s key actions is to increase childcare allowances for all families earning less than $530,000. Pictured: A family from Sydney
