Economy under the spotlight in Australian election’s first debate
Print Edition
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and conservative rival Tony Abbott went head-to-head yesterday in the first debate of the election campaign, an encounter which focused on the economy and divided viewers.
Rudd, whom some commentators said looked nervous initially and appeared to check his notes, called for a “new way of politics” and promised to introduce a bill to legalize same sex marriage within 100 days of re-election.
“A new way of politics which puts to bed wall-to-wall negativity and puts to bed the politics of division and gets industry and unions and government around one table focusing on our country’s future,” Rudd said.
Abbott, a veteran politician who served as a minister in John Howard’s government, countered that a new way of government would require an end to Labor’s six years in power and a change of leadership.
Rudd kicked off the hour-long televised debate in Canberra stressing his center-left Labor government’s credentials in keeping the economy out of recession during the global financial crisis.
“This economy is strong. This election is about the future strength of our economy and how best to secure it,” he said.
“The election is about a clear choice on the economy, on jobs, on how we support families under (cost of living) pressure, and how we support education and health.”
The election comes as the decade-long resources boom is starting to unwind, with the central bank this week cutting its near-term forecasts for economic growth.
Abbott, who leads a conservative Liberal/National coalition which is narrowly ahead in opinion polls, said a government he led would strengthen the economy, as he committed himself to abandoning Labor’s industry tax on carbon pollution.
“We can’t afford another three years like the last six,” Abbott said. “Mr Rudd talks about a new way, well, if you want a new way you’ve got to choose a new government.”
He also vowed his government would stop asylum-seeker boats embarking on the dangerous journey to Australia.
Abbott also rejected Rudd’s attack that, if elected, the conservatives would embark on billions of dollars of spending cuts, including in government services.
“This idea that the coalition is ready with a great big scalpel to slash health, to slash education, to slash jobs is simply wrong,” he said.
Sky News’ David Speers, who moderated the debate, said he believed Abbott had narrowly won the encounter in which the leaders took questions from journalists. But audiences tracked by Channels 9 and 10 gave victory to Rudd while Seven Network’s online poll gave victory to Abbott.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
