In an extensive election-year interview withThe Sydney Morning Herald andThe Age,Mr Albanese ruled out any need foranother Prices and Incomes Accord with unions to help lift stagnant wages,instead saying his proposed Bob Hawke-style jobs summit would bring together business,unions and government to reduce unemployment and underemployment.
He has also left open the door to boosting defence spending beyond 2 per cent of gross domestic product should the geopolitical atmosphere in the region continue to decline amid the growing assertiveness of China.
Reassuring the nation that Labor had learned its lessons from waging class-war politics of economic redistribution,he said driving economic productivity and growth would instead help “lift up” Australians who have been left behind after nine years of a Coalition government.
“I’m very concerned about creating wealth,but I’m also concerned about aspiration. Labor has to be the party that people who want to get ahead,who want a better life for their kids,turn to,” he said.
“That’s the labour movement’s historic mission:to create more people into the middle class.”
Touring northern Australia last week in an effort to win backtens of thousands of Queensland voters who abandoned Labor since it last won an election,Mr Albanese said his vision for the country would boost productivity and create jobs leading to a stronger economy.
“That will enable you to then be in a stronger position to start to pay back the debt,” he said. “My criticism of the government isn’t that intervened during this period – it needed to stimulate the economy.