Kevin Rudd has used his first major speech since returning as Prime Minister to frame Tony Abbott as a doomsday prophesier without a credible economic plan for Australia’s future, while calling for a new ‘‘productivity pact’’ between business, unions and government.
Mr Rudd told the National Press Club on Thursday that he wanted to develop better co-operation between business, unions and the government, urging the three groups to develop a ‘‘new national competitiveness agenda’’.
He said that over the past fortnight since resuming the top job, he had met four times with the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
‘‘I have done so because I have never believed in class warfare,’’ he said.
Despite ongoing criticisms from the Coalition over his reputation as Kevin 747, Mr Rudd confirmed he would be leaving for a two-day visit to Papua New Guinea on Sunday. This will be his second overseas trip since becoming Prime Minister, after his trip to Indonesia last week.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, pictured at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, said if Rudd wanted a debate he should call an election. Photo: Jason South
Mr Rudd had booked the Press Club as part of his public challenge to Mr Abbott for a series of debates, starting with a debate on the economy.
The Prime Minister exploited the Opposition Leader’s absence, after Mr Abbott said he would debate Mr Rudd only if he called an election or recalled Parliament. Mr Abbott was in Melbourne visiting the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
‘‘[Tony Abbott] is the most conservative politician to become leader of the Liberal Party in its history,’’ Mr Rudd said.
‘‘He is particularly formidable in the art of negative politics.’’
The Opposition Leader did not want ‘‘to face the public scrutiny of an economic policy debate here at the National Press Club of Australia’’.
‘‘It is just plain wrong for anybody in our national political debate to be talking Australia down,’’ Mr Rudd said.
‘‘Of course there are things we need to reform.
‘‘But that is different to a daily diatribe of negative politics whose single objective is to cause the Australian people to feel that our national economy and our national security is on the verge of falling apart – if not now, then certainly by next Thursday afternoon.’’
The challenges the Australian economy faced were ‘‘entirely manageable’’, Mr Rudd said. But with the China resources boom coming off, Australia’s economic strategy must be one that ‘‘diversifies our economy’’ by creating more jobs in manufacturing, food production and service industries ‘‘rather than having all our eggs in just one basket’’.
The Labor Party would maintain a ‘‘prudent approach’’ to fiscal policy and return the budget to surplus as set out in the most recent budget, Mr Rudd said.
Framing Mr Abbott as ‘‘Captain Negative’’ in notes circulated before the speech, Mr Rudd suggested the Coalition has been talking down Australia’s economy.
• ABC: Tasmania’s jobless rate surges to decade high:
Tasmania’s worsening unemployment rate has hit its highest level since 2003, surging above 8 per cent.
It comes as startling new figures show almost 46,000 Tasmanians either want a job or more hours of work.
Nationally, the jobless rate for June has jumped to 5.7 per cent, seasonally adjusted, the highest level since September 2009.
Tasmania’s rate has risen from a revised 7.9 per cent in May to 8.1 pc in trend terms.
It is now the highest unemployment rate in the country.
Unemployment rose in all states and territories bar New South Wales and Western Australia.
The Premier says the there is “no dressing up” the figures, but her Government is not to blame.
Lara Giddings says it is disappointing, but the Government has a range of measures to create jobs and stimulate investment.
etc…
• Christine Milne: Alarm at Rudd’s environmental backsliding
• Family First Tasmania – Labor’s Hypocrisy! Gives a little but takes much more!
MEANWHILE IN QUEENSLAND …
• workskills: Missed opportunities for Tasmanian employers and jobseekers
• Jan Davis, Tasmanian Country today: The benefits to all Tasmanians will clearly be seen
