“Nicely, the boss has acquired the bug, so that you’ve acquired me.” Labor marketing campaign spokesman Jason Clare fronted the media the morning after Anthony Albanese examined constructive for COVID, and the distinction didn’t go unnoticed.
Clare answered questions confidently and with out waffling, not to mention stumbling. A lot in order that on the finish of the information convention one journalist mentioned, “You are available as we speak and have been comfy, nuanced and on message. Are you not the Labor chief that many will likely be on the lookout for?”
If Albanese was watching at dwelling he might need winced at that query.
There was laughter within the room. Clare stayed on track. “It’s time to give Albo a go,” he mentioned.
Labor had all the time anticipated Albanese may come down with COVID through the marketing campaign. Not like Scott Morrison he had not had a bout of the virus. Contingency plans had been put into place, and so they swung into motion on Friday, after Thursday evening’s constructive take a look at.
Clare was an apparent option to entrance the primary “plan B” information convention. As one of many two marketing campaign spokespeople (the opposite is Katy Gallagher), he’s nicely throughout the coverage and the traces. And certainly a number of years in the past he was in lists of doable future Labor leaders, though he’s dropped out of these extra just lately.
What Albanese’s COVID means is that we are going to be seeing much more of Labor’s frontbench over the approaching few days.
The opposition is lucky in that it has a robust shadow ministry. Aside from Clare, Jim Chalmers, Penny Wong, Gallagher, Tony Burke and Tanya Plibersek are excellent performers earlier than the cameras. Labor isn’t having a “surrogate” chief take Albanese’s place, which may have created extra issues than it solved.
How a lot Albanese can do from dwelling within the subsequent few days will rely upon how exhausting he’s hit by COVID. Morrison mentioned on Friday, a contact competitively, that he was certain Albanese would be capable to work on, as he himself had finished. “I’m certain he’ll stick with the marketing campaign simply as I stored on with the governing.”
On Friday Albanese did some “digital” media, whereas admitting, “I’ve had higher days”.
In a single sense there may be benefit in having the staff extra to the fore. Certainly, the frontbenchers have in all probability been underused within the run as much as the election.
Alternatively, given the necessity on this marketing campaign for Albanese to get himself higher recognized within the citizens, per week out means misplaced time for that mission. And if his Covid signs grow to be critical, requiring him to be absent for longer, that turns into a better downside.
Albanese was set to fly to Perth when he was identified. However, as issues turned out, there would have been no appearances with premier Mark McGowan, who has additionally now examined constructive.
The Labor chief continues to be assured of with the ability to do his deliberate marketing campaign launch in Perth on Sunday Could 1. The selection of Perth is notable, out of the groove for federal marketing campaign launches. It signifies the burden Labor is placing in attempting to wrest seats within the west.
In the meantime, because the disagreement between Labor and the federal government continues to rage over the Solomons safety treaty with China, the federal government on Friday homed in on what Labor deputy chief Richard Marles wrote in his ebook Tides That Bind: Australia within the Pacific, which got here out final yr.
Marles argued that for Australia to base its Pacific actions “on an try to strategically deny China could be a historic mistake”.
“Not solely would this be detrimental to our regional relationships, it will be a failed plan of action.
“Australia has no proper to anticipate a set of unique relationships with the Pacific nations. They’re completely free to interact on no matter phrases they select with China or, for that matter, some other nation. Disputing this could be resented, because the current previous has proven.”
Marles is aware of one thing of the Pacific, serving as parliamentary secretary for Pacific island affairs within the Gillard authorities. He turned Labor’s defence spokesman after the 2016 election however early final yr moved to a “mega” portfolio of nationwide reconstruction.
It’s broadly speculated that if Labor received the election, Marles would swap again into defence. Whereas Albanese has indicated he would anticipate his present frontbenchers to remain of their current roles he hasn’t dominated out some change.
For Morrison, the Marles quotes introduced a doubly welcome alternative. Labor has been on full assault towards the federal government for not with the ability to head off the China-Solomons safety deal. Wong, shadow overseas minister, referred to as it the worst failure of Australian overseas coverage within the Pacific since World Conflict Two.
Additionally, any likelihood to assault Labor in relation to China feeds into the federal government’s push to make this, amongst different issues, a khaki election. A part of that is claiming a distinction between authorities and opposition over coverage in direction of China – which is in actual fact considerably bipartisan. Thus Morrison accused Marles of pondering “it’s a good suggestion for Pacific Island nations to enroll to safety agreements with the Chinese language authorities”.
How a lot impression the “khaki” ingredient could have on how folks vote is up for debate. Most voters are in all probability extra involved with points nearer to dwelling. Alternatively, nationwide safety does reinforce the federal government’s mantra {that a} vote for Labor is a vote for uncertainty.
No matter how the row over the Solomons performs into the election, what is obvious is that whichever aspect wins, it would face a significant problem in navigating coverage within the Pacific towards an assertive, decided and apparently persuasive China.
Michelle Grattan doesn’t work for, seek the advice of, personal shares in or obtain funding from any firm or organisation that may profit from this text, and has disclosed no related affiliations past their educational appointment.
