Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a relatively brief but busy stopover on the Sunshine Coast, meeting groups and making key addresses.
Mr Albanese made an appearance at Baringa on Friday, when he met the youngsters at Goodstart Early Learning Centre and talked about how the government would reduce child care costs for families.
He reacted to a book the kids presented him, which included what they would do in his position.
“Unfortunately we can’t make ice cream free, or bring back the dinosaurs. But we can make child care cheaper for more than a million families – including around 284,000 in Queensland,” he said.
He also talked about how the government would try to rein in power prices.
READ MORE: PM promises action on power prices.
The Prime Minister met some nippers at Maroochydore Beach on Friday afternoon and was back on the beach the next day, for an early swim, before attending the Queensland Labor State Conference at Novotel Sunshine Coast, Twin Waters.
“It’s a pleasure to be in Queensland again and it’s a special treat to be here on the Sunshine Coast,” he said at the meet.
He stressed the government’s commitment to infrastructure, new homes, the Great Barrier Reef, renewable energy and a wage rise for aged care workers.
“These workers are the heroes of the pandemic,” he said.
“Real wage justice for workers, mainly women, working hard, caring for older Australians.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also spoke at the conference and flagged thousands of energy jobs, in a plan to move away from coal.
“We are launching one of the largest recruitment campaigns to find 2300 new workers,” she said. “Working across our six publicly owned energy companies, these workers will help put our energy plan into action.”
Engineers, labourers and admin workers are among the sought-after staff.
Mr Albanese criticised federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s call for an “intelligent conversation” on the role that nuclear power could play in providing affordable and reliable emissions-free energy.
“Only Peter Dutton could look at this beautiful part of the Sunshine Coast and say ‘what a great spot for a nuclear reactor’,” Mr Albanese said.
The prime minister also addressed media, alongside the Minister for Aged Care and Sport, Anika Wells, and spruiked the 15 per cent pay rise for aged care workers.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the PM though, as journalists peppered him with questions about Olympics Games funding, while a selection of people criticised him on social media, regarding food and power prices, the COVID response and for meeting “soft audiences”, including children and the State Labor party. Some even criticised his routine.
“Sunshine Coast, early morning swim, luxury accommodation, chauffeured cars … ahh yes,” one commented. “But most Australian families are struggling to survive day to day cost of living crisis.”
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