Sunrise host Nat Barr has called out Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, saying voters felt the government was effectively tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
“The most important thing we can do is put downward pressure on inflation,” Marles explains.
“We did that by running two surpluses in the two years we were in government – something the coalition never did during its entire term in office, even though they said they would do it every year,” he said.
“Australians know we are on their side on this.”
But Barr quickly hit back.
‘I don’t know if that’s true; polls might show otherwise, but that’s another debate,” Barr said.
She pointed to this week’s Newspoll, which showed the Coalition taking the lead for the first time since the 2022 election with a 51-49 lead on two-party preference.
Barr also confronted Marles about Anthony Albanese’s purchase of a lavish $4.3 million five-bedroom home in Copacabana, on the NSW central coast.
“I didn’t care,” Mr. Marles said.
“Honestly, it’s a matter for him. What does interest me is what we do in relation to the cost of living pressures that Australians are facing.
“When I speak to Australians, they are not interested in what Anthony does in his private life; they want to know what we are doing as a government.’
Sunrise host Nat Barr has confronted Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spends $4.5 million on this cliff-top house overlooking the beach
Barr also asked Mr. Marles about claims by his former chief of staff, Jo Tarnawsky, that she was bullied out of her job by unnamed individuals.
“Now serious questions are being asked about the independence of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, with Ms Tarnawsky’s lawyers accusing the agency of consulting Richard Marles before sending a legal letter back to her team,” Barr said.
‘Does Parliament still have a problem with bullying?’ she asked Mr. Marles.
“Parliament House must be the example of employment in Australia,” Marles said.
“I’ve said that many times, and I’ve certainly tried to make that happen within my own office. I know that MPs and Ministers across the board are doing the same.
‘When the Jenkins report (into parliamentary culture) made its recommendations, we implemented them.
‘I don’t think for a moment that the job is done. This is an ongoing work in progress.”
Australia donates 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help them resist Russian occupation
With Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing Australia’s fertility rate has fallen to an all-time low and the number of births is down four per cent on the previous year, Mr Marles was asked whether the return of the baby bonus is necessary was.
During the Howard Liberal government, Treasurer Peter Costello brought in a baby bonus payment as a financial incentive to have more children, famously praising Australians to ‘have one for mum, one for dad and one for the country’.
Mr Marles noted that he had personally done his part by having four children, but ruled out another baby bonus.
“What we’re focused on are ways to make it more affordable to start a family,” he said.
“The Prime Minister and the whole government have put a huge focus on more affordable childcare, which makes a difference when it comes to people’s ability to have and raise children.”
Mr. Marles, Minister of Defense, also spoke about the announcement made yesterday that the Albanian government is donating to Ukraine 49 taxpayer-funded M1A1 Abrams tanks for use in the war with Russia.
“This is an ongoing conflict, we knew that, we have to be in it for the long term, and that is certainly our intention,” Mr Marles said.
“We continue to work with Ukraine on how we can support them in a way that allows them to resolve this conflict on their terms.”