Labor leader Anthony Albanese has made his opening pitch to voters after the official launch of the election campaign, saying Australians deserve a "better future" after a difficult couple of years.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison .
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Mr Albanese vowed to "bring the country together again".
"We are a great country, but we can be even better if we have a better government. We have had a difficult couple of years.
"Australians have been magnificent in making sacrifices to overcome the challenges of the pandemic, the floods, the bushfires. It has shown the strength of our society but it has also shown our vulnerabilities of our economy and where we need to make improvement," he said.
"As we emerge from this, Australians deserve better."
Mr Albanese empathised with Australians, who he said are seeing living costs rise but not their income, but urged them to be guided by optimism rather than fear.
He reiterated his party's focus on lifting wages, securing jobs, revitalising manufacturing, strengthening Medicare, investing in renewable energy, fixing the aged care crisis, and providing affordable housing and cheaper childcare.
"Labor’s plans are aimed at easing cost of living pressures. We will build more affordable housing, we will fix the crisis in aged care. We will fix the National Broadband Network," he said.
"If I have the honour of serving as your prime minister, I can promise you this - I will lead with integrity and I will treat you with respect. I will restore faith in our political system by getting rid of the waste and rorts, and establishing a strong anti-corruption commission."
He also shared some of his own story, growing up in public housing as the son of a single mother, an experience that drives him to build a "better life" for Australians.
"I learned the value of a dollar, I learned the importance of resilience. But I also learned about the strength of community and the power of government to make a difference to peoples lives. That experience of overcoming adversity and fufilling my mother’s dreams for building a better life that she enjoyed, it took me into politics and it is what drives me today. It feeds my optimism about this most extraordinary country of Australia."
Mr Albanese, who has headed the Opposition since the resignation of Bill Shorten after his 2019 loss, is hoping to become Australia's 31st prime minister for the nation's 47th parliament.
How the 151 seats of the lower house are divided ahead of the 2022 federal election. Source: SBS News
Launching the six-week election campaign on Sunday, Mr Morrison said he knew Australians were facing tough challenges and were "tired of politics" as they head to the polls.
"I know Australians have been through a very tough time. I also know that Australia continues to face very tough challenges in the years ahead.
"There's still a lot of uncertainty ahead. I get it. I get that it people are tired of politics as we go into this election," he said.
The prime minister reiterated the coalition's focus on the economy, labelling the election as "a choice between an economic recovery that is leading the world and a Labor Opposition that would weaken it".
Mr Morrison also used his campaign launch speech to highlight his government's "responsible financial management", its successes in steering Australia through the COVID-19 pandemic, and its promises around tax relief, infrastructure investment and defence spending.
The election call comes after a horror week for the nation's leader in which he has been accused of racial vilification, bullying, autocratic behaviour, politicising flood funding and a lack of support for pensioners.
Mr Albanese alluded to Mr Morrison's battles on Sunday.
"The problem for this government is that it has stopped governing some time ago. I think that Australians want a government that does its job. It doesn't always blame someone else, it accepts responsibility," he said.
Mr Albanese also said he expects everyone in his frontbench to remain in their positions, and attacked the coalition for not having revealed who would replace Greg Hunt as health minister and for keeping Education Minister Alan Tudge in cabinet despite him standing aside in December.
"We see leadership changes in the Liberal Party, within the National Party, a whole range of ministerial changes. We have ministers who have stood down but apparently are still a cabinet minister now. We need to do better."
"I’m happy to be held to account. I look forward to campaigning ... in the words of the great Ramones, hey ho, let’s go," he concluded.
Labor ministers and Greens welcome election call
Fellow Labor ministers and the Greens also welcomed the election call on Sunday.
"Let's do this!" was the reaction of shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers.
"Let’s do this! The federal election has now been called for May 21. We’re seeking your support for a better future for our local communities and our country," he tweeted.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Kristina Keneally took the opportunity to reiterate Labor's pledges on Twitter on Sunday.
"It's on. The election has been called for May 21. It's time for better Medicare. It's time for better aged care. It's time for better child care. It's time for an Albanese Labor Government that cares," she said.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party is ready to hold the balance of power after the May election, promising to deliver on climate and cost-of-living.
He said it is a relief to finally have a date for the federal election.
"People are fed up with the Morrison government fuelling the climate crisis, making housing more expensive and driving incomes down," Mr Bandt said.
"In balance of power, the Greens will take climate action by stopping new coal and gas mines, getting dental and mental health into Medicare and fixing the housing affordability crisis."
Such plans would be funded by a tax on billionaires and big corporations that are making super-profits.
"With both Liberal and Labor backing more coal and gas, the only way we'll get climate action is kicking the Liberals out and putting the Greens in balance of power to push the next government to freeze new coal and gas projects," Mr Bandt said.
He also said the rising cost of living is making the inequality crisis worse.
"Last time we were in balance of power, we got dental into Medicare for kids and now it's time to get it for adults too," Mr Bandt said.
However, Labor has repeatedly ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to form government should the election fail to produce a clear majority for either of the big parties.
