WA election campaign sees Anthony Albanese arrive as Mark McGowan heads out bush
ABC News
March 4 2021
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has arrived in Perth for the WA election
The WA Premier has spent the day campaigning in regional parts of the state, despite his federal counterpart touching down in Perth today.
Key points:
Anthony Albanese arrived in WA as Mark McGowan toured regional areas
But the pair deny the Premier has snubbed the Opposition Leader
Mr McGowan has labelled the NSW Premier's COVID stance "hare-brained"
Anthony Albanese arrived in Perth for a two-day visit, just a week out from the state election, where he promoted battery manufacturing for electric vehicles at a nickel refinery in Kwinana.
"It is great to be back here in Western Australia," Mr Albanese said, alongside the Federal Labor Member for Brand Madeleine King.
"The story of resources and trade and our exports is a story of Western Australian growth. But it's not just about the west, the whole nation benefits from what is happening right here."
Instead of the Labor leader hitting the campaign trail with Mr McGowan, the Premier was hundreds of kilometres away in the regions.
Kirkup says McGowan avoiding Albanese
It promoted State Opposition leader Zak Kirkup to suggest Mr McGowan had distanced himself from his federal counterpart on purpose and that he had "fled the city" to avoid public scrutiny after "a couple of days of bad media".
Zak Kirkup wearing a white shirt and blue spotted tie, speaking at a press conference.
Zak Kirkup says Mark McGowan doesn't want to associate himself with Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.
"I can understand why the Labor Party wouldn't want to associate themselves with Anthony Albanese," Mr Kirkup said.
It was an accusation Mr McGowan flatly rejected while spruiking an education commitment in Albany.
"I'm meeting him [Mr Albanese] tomorrow," Mr McGowan said.
The Premier said he "did not know" if he would be appearing publicly on the campaign trail with Mr Albanese during his visit.
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"I think I am having a meeting with him in my office," Mr McGowan said.
"He's welcome in Western Australia, as indeed is the Prime Minister.
"We don't have borders anymore with New South Wales, so they're both welcome here in Western Australia."
Mr McGowan said the WA Liberal leader's accusation only showed the Liberal Party would not prioritise the regions like Labor would.
"I have an enormous time and commitment to regional WA and those comments show the Liberal Party and the Opposition leader don't," Mr McGowan said.
Albanese says no snub
Mr Albanese brushed off a question about whether he viewed it as a snub by the Premier.
"No, I am seeing him tomorrow," Mr Albanese said.
"I'll be out and about, and I'll be seeing him tomorrow."
Mr Albanese said it was "not at all" unusual not to be campaigning with his state counterpart.
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"I've flown across, tomorrow I'll be in a childcare centre, I'll be going to the campaign tomorrow and we have a range of events. Stay tuned.
"Mark McGowan is a friend of mine, he's been a friend of mine for a very long time. Mark McGowan is in a state election campaign that's about state issues."
Mr McGowan pointed to the fact the Prime Minister Scott Morrison was allowed to visit the state but had chosen not to, as did Labor's campaign spokesperson Rita Saffioti.
"He [Mr Albanese] is in WA. Where's the Prime Minister? Let's hold the other side to account," Ms Saffioti said.
But Mr Kirkup said he had a "very good working relationship with the Federal Liberal party".
And while Mr Kirkup was campaigning for stronger local industry growth, he was again forced to defend his election commitment costings, which he said would be released next week.
However, he could not remember the name of the agency responsible for completing those costings.
"I'll get that to you," Mr Kirkup said.
Outgoing Treasurer Ben Wyatt said the costings should be released immediately, given record numbers of people flocking to early polling booths.
"He's either lying to the people of Western Australia or quite simply, it's not going to be done," Mr Wyatt said.
Later in the day, the WA Liberals revealed the costings agency as accounting group Hall Chadwick.