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Anthony Albanese has stumbled on the first day of the election campaign, unable to recall key economic figures while trying to spruik Labor's credentials for government.
Key points:
- The Opposition Leader was asked to name the unemployment and RBA cash rate
- Shadow Finance Minister Katy Gallagher was also asked the rates, which she knew
- The Prime Minister could not name the price of bread, milk and petrol when asked in February
The Opposition Leader was campaigning in Launceston, in the ultra-marginal Liberal electorate of Bass, when he was asked about the official Reserve Bank cash rate and the national jobless figure.
He was not able to provide an answer on either point, as journalists scrutinised the alternative prime minister on cost of living pressures facing Australians.
"We can do the old Q and A stuff over 50 different figures," he responded to a question on interest rates.
"The truth is that what they have said, the Reserve Bank, is that over the coming period… there will be multiple interest rate increases regardless of who is in government.
"We can do the 20 questions stuff through all of it."
The RBA's official cash rate is at 0.1 per cent, and has been at record low levels since November 2020.
Cost of living and economic management are at the centre of both Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese's election pitches.
The Labor leader attempted to explain his gaffe on the campaign trail, when asked whether he believed voters would forgive leaders for not being across details that affect the cost of living.
"What I was not going to enter into, is an auction in terms of the Tasmanian unemployment rate and the various rates that are put forward," he said.
"I'm happy to know that the last time I filled up, petrol was $2.20 [a litre].
"I know how much the price of bread is, I know how much a litre of milk is, I know about those things that affect ordinary people."
After obfuscating on the cash rate, Mr Albanese was also unable to recall the national unemployment rate.
"I think it's five point … ah four … sorry, I'm not sure what it is," he conceded.
The Labor Leader's shadow finance minister, Katy Gallagher, stepped up to fill the void.
"The Reserve Bank current rate is 0.1 per cent, and the unemployment rate's at 4 per cent," she told reporters.
Later, Mr Albanese said it was "a mistake".
"I'm human, but when I make a mistake, I'll 'fess up to it and I'll set about correcting that mistake," he said.
"I won't blame someone else, I'll accept responsibility — that's what leaders do."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was labelled as being out of touch with average Australians after his address to the National Press Club of Australia in February, where he was unable to answer questions about the price of a loaf of bread, a litre of petrol and a rapid antigen test.
"I'm not going to pretend to you that I go out each day and I buy a loaf of bread and I buy a litre of milk," Mr Morrison replied at the time.
The Prime Minister was quick to point out he knew the cash rate and unemployment figure when asked less than an hour after Mr Albanese was tripped up.
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