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.

Your guide to the WA election 2021 major promises

Labor, The Liberals, The Greens and The Nationals have all made big-ticket pledges to win your votes. We're tracking and collating the big ones for you here.

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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.

What the heck is wrong with that pair?...I thought they ran away because of the media and exploitation!   and here they are making headlines  because they are chatting to a TV show that is now peddling their efforts to the world.....

I've read about the intelligence of cephalopods for some time now.

It seems they may have a higher intelligence than dolphins.
They understand the concept of art and actually make an aesthetic garden around their lairs.

They can solve problems and mazes and even work out more complex situations.

One octopus in a zoo was timing the rounds of a security guard so that it could sneak out of its tank,
Climb into a tank of crabs and grab them to eat and flee back to its own tank before being caught.

Another one didnt like the light in its tank, so it sprayed the light with water to cause it to blow.

Ive also read that their DNA isnt exactly the same as almost every other animal on the planet.
Could they be alien?

JaSin. wrote Today at 2:08am:


I think you need some help champ.

JaSin. wrote Today at 2:08am:


Sadly Trump left a legacy that we're all still having to deal with him.  If only that wasn't the case and when he lost the election, everything terrible about him and his presidency disappeared overnight.

But the mental health system in the US isn't that effective.

So we're still running into the remnants of Trump even after he's still not doing his job, just from a different location.

Neferti wrote Today at 6:30am:



what about you nef...  now thats what I call a mod....you wouldnt have to ban him..... ..

he is having a go at the poster nef.. you know full well thats what he comes here to do..... hes proved he doesnt give a stuff about the victims of this women or her son.... ..

he tells us over and over again WHO he is..

Bobby. wrote Yesterday at 11:43pm:


But the concern about the books started under Trump...

This is not cancel culture you moron.  Parents and educators don't want to normalise these stereotypes in the children today so they're not buying the books.

The publisher is reacting to that free-market change.

There is no book-burning, no censorship, there is no Presidential mandate or law, it's simply supply and demand free-market movement.

I didn't have much respect for you Bobby, but what little was left is gone now.  You've come out so hard in defence of racism that now you're doubling down and playing the victim? 

Stop clutching your pearls in faux outrage you whiney little bitch.

OHHHHH, we are looking for an argument, arent we?

Imagine wearing a T shirt with "WHITE POWER" showing a man working.

Of perhaps a "Male Power" T shirt showing a man lifting a heavy SUV tyre with a diminutive female standing to one side.

How about a "White privilege" T shirt showing a cycle of work, saving, owning and living comfortably.

Or a "Christian" T shirt showing charity and love rather than murder of some cults.

There could be a "White man technology" T shirt showing advanced technology with some primitives shaking their spears at them.

Or a "silent Majority" T shirt showing a worker holding up all the bludgers on their shoulders.

Or a "Straight man" T shirt showing a man and a woman kissing rather than some queer/ twisted / sick portrayal of the mentally ill minority.

I imagine these T shirts would bring much protest from minority groups, because it would challenge their sickness.

JaSin. wrote Today at 2:56am:


Submit a selection to Freediver and he will fix it, I am sure.   

cods wrote Today at 6:18am:


Just think, Cods, if you were the Mod here you could ban the prick! 

Why is he posting snide remarks in Women's Issues anyway?