His address, which capped off a week in which he mailed every ALP member a booklet of speeches he delivered in 2020, is aimed at energising the party’s base for an election.
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Mr Albanese will ramp up his personal attacks on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, according to a draft version of the speech seen by this masthead, labelling him “a man who stands for nothing except advertising campaigns, selfies and favours for Liberal mates”.
“When it comes to Scott Morrison, I think Australians have started to work him out anyway. They see him as fake. As someone who is always political and always looking to shift blame to others,” he will say, while also cautioning Labor must do more than highlight deficiencies if it wants to win government.
“In 2021 we face a critical battle … The battle ahead will be one of values – whether people are held back and left behind.”
The Labor leader takes credit for suggesting that wage subsidies, support for renters, a moratorium on evictions, paid pandemic leave, Medicare rebates for telehealth, and extra mental health care were appropriate policy responses during the coronavirus health and economic crises.
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He promises the party’s policy rollout will step up in coming months, with its platform to be formally settled at the national conference on March 30 and 31, and spruiks the childcare and train-building policies he announced in his October budget reply speech.
On climate policy, which has caused tensions within Labor’s caucus in recent months, Mr Albanese will promise the party can be smart about its approach and lead Australia to “use the challenge as an opportunity to create new jobs and new industries”.
