Both the prime minister and opposition leader have been heckled during their campaign stops this morning in Brisbane.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was confronted by protesters from the environmental group Rising Tide outside the XXXX Brewery in Brisbane.
A protester later identified as Natalie Lindner confronted Dutton and said: “Nuclear and gas will drive up energy bills. Why are you lying to the Australian people?”
Peter Dutton has been promoting the coalition’s energy policies throughout the day.
The interruption is the second time anti-nuclear gatecrashers have disturbed Dutton.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister was also heckled at a press conference at an urgent care clinic.
A young man interrupted a press conference saying “Mr Albanese, don’t you think 1.8 million immigrants in five years is going to increase demand on the medical system?”
“What about the fact that people my age can’t get any housing, can’t get rentals anymore, we have no future in this country? Don’t you think that’s kind of ridiculous?”
The man was escorted out.
The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, along with Greens Leader Adam Bandt all started their election campaign tours in Brisbane today.
“This election again, voters in Brisbane really are in the box seat,” Bandt said today.
“People here don’t want Peter Dutton bringing his Trump-style politics to Australia, and people in Brisbane certainly don’t want to see us going nuclear.”
9News political editor Charles Croucher said the campaign’s start in Brisbane was surprising as “it’s not where the election is going to be won.”
“Three Greens seats, right in the heart of the city, are what Labor’s going to be targeting today,” he said.
“The prime minister thinks he needs to go on offence, he needs to pick up seats they didn’t win last time around, in order to offset some losses that are probably coming in New South Wales and Victoria.
“Queensland has not been a happy hunting ground for Labor in the last few election. It swept Kevin Rudd to power back in 2007 and has gone cold on federal Labor since,” Croucher said.
“Now, we know the date, but I’m not sure every Australian is too excited about the election campaign, Opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Weekend Today.
“We’ve got to outline our vision for the country and try and inspire people to join us on a journey.”
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said Labor was ready to take their momentum from last week’s budget into the campaign.
“We are so ready,” she said.
“I had a big week, obviously with the budget, but we’re very organised, ready to go. We’ve got a great record of achievement.
Anthony Albanese’s Labor government currently holds 78 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Coalition has 55 and 16 are in the hands of the minor parties and independents.
