The woman jockeying to take over as opposition leader has voiced her disdain for Scott Morrison, saying she doesn’t like him personally or professionally.
Tanya Plibersek was asked her opinion of the prime minister, her potential opponent if she takes over before the next election, on Sky News on Sunday.
Ms Plibersek said she considers him a ‘clever politician who will do anything to stay Prime Minister’ – but that was the only positive thing she had to say.
‘There’s a lot of people on the other side of politics that I like and respect, he’s not one of them,’ she said of Mr Morrison.
Ms Plibersek refused to entertain the idea of taking over leadership and said it was inappropriate to discuss during a pandemic
Ms Plibersek voiced her disdain for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, saying she doesn’t like him personally or professionally.
‘I actually don’t think it’s that productive to talk about personalities, I’d much rather talk about where we’re going as a country under Scott Morrison’s leadership.’
Ms Plibersek is the education spokeswoman but was the former deputy party leader under Bill Shorten when he lost the ‘unloseable’ election in 2018.
She said while on a surface level Mr Morrison and his government had done ‘pretty well’ during the pandemic, he also has a ‘lot of real weaknesses… both in how he’s handled this pandemic and the lack of vision he has for Australia’.
Ms Plibersek also believes Ms Higgins has been let down by the prime minister and that the full story over who knew what at the time is being withheld.
Ms Plibersek said two cabinet ministers knew the events surrounding the sexual assault two years ago, as did senior staff, but somehow Mr Morrison didn’t know.
‘I don’t think we have the full truth of this story, that’s for sure,’ she told Sky News when asked if she thought Mr Morrison was lying.
She said Ms Higgins was courageous in coming forward after she was left to choose between seeking justice and keeping her job.
‘They have really let her down,’ Ms Plibersek said.
‘No one should be made to fell like that… it’s appalling.’
Tanya Plibersek refused to comment on potentially taking over Anthony Albanese as Labor leader in the future (pictured together)
There are concerns Labor is struggling to win back blue collar voters they lost in the last election, prompting front bencher Joel Fitzgibbon to step back recently
She thinks Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has what it takes to win the next federal election, as the government has a lot of faults.
However, Mr Albanese is under pressure over lackluster polling and the perception he has done little to challenge Mr Morrison and is leading the ALP too far left.
There are concerns Labor is struggling to win back blue collar voters they lost in the last election, prompting front bencher Joel Fitzgibbon to step back recently.
Ms Plibersek has been touted as a potential replacement for Mr Albanese as leader of the Labor Party, should be be rolled before the next election.
But she on Sunday refused to entertain the idea of taking over leadership.
‘I’m not going to start talking about myself or the Labor Party when we’re in the middle of a pandemic-inspired economic crisis. That should be the focus of every member of parliament,’ Ms Plibersek said.
‘That’s our job, looking after people, not thinking about ourselves.’
It is expected Mr Albanese will retain leadership for the next election, though it is unclear what move the party would take if he were to lose.