Thursday 23 June 2022 07:05 AM Liberal Peter Dutton blasts new Anthony Albanese Labor government over ... trends now
Peter Dutton has blasted the new Labor government just four weeks after it took office and before a single session of Parliament has been held.
In a sign his criticism will be relentless over the next three years, the Opposition Leader said Anthony Albanese's policies will cause higher prices in the shops, encourage illegal immigration and fail to bring down energy bills as promised.
During a press conference in Canberra on Thursday, Mr Dutton said Labor's bid to increase wages will stoke further price rises and increase unemployment.
Mr Albanese (left) has welcomed a Sri Lankan family which has been fighting deportation back to the Queensland town of Biloela where they settled
Mr Albanese called for a minimum wage increase in line with the inflation rate of 5.1 per cent before the Fair Work Commission approved a 5.2 per cent hike - and he also wants to reform workplace laws to boost wages.
But, with inflation predicted to hit seven per cent in the June quarter, Mr Dutton has warned that Labor's policies could damage the economy.
'Mr Albanese has made a point during the campaign, an election promise that he made, that there would be real wage growth,' he said.
'So Mr Albanese has to explain how that is going to be possible in a high inflation environment.'
He also warned that Labor's higher spending would 'fuel inflation'. The ALP pledged to spend an extra $7.4billion compared to the Coalition over the next four years on Medicare, childcare and other areas.
'At the moment, if you have a government that is fuelling inflation, I am sorry to say that interest rates will be higher because inflation will be higher if the Government is making decisions to spend more money,' he said.
'It will mean great difficulties for families and businesses across the country.
'When we say that it will be tougher under Labor, it is going to be tougher under Labor if they make these decisions that aren't in our country's best interest.'
Peter Dutton (pictured today with former PM John Howard) has blasted the new Labor government just four weeks after it took office
On Wednesday
