Premier plans 100 days as Minns smooths path to victory
Phoebe Loomes and Luke Costin |
Premier Dominic Perrottet swapped policies for pastries as he dished out a 100-day plan filled with sugar hits should he cling to power at the NSW election.
Whilst the man seeking to replace him beat a path through key southern NSW seats on Thursday, the premier served cheesecake in Five Dock and held kids in Eastwood two days out from Saturday’s poll.
“We’re out every day fighting for every vote,” Mr Perrottet said, alongside Drummoyne candidate Stephanie Di Pasqua.
Outside a fresh food market, Sissi Wu rushed to tell the premier she’d already pre-polled and cast a vote for Ryde candidate Jordan Lane.
Mr Perrottet, accompanied by wife Helen, again faced questions about his decision to call Health Minister Brad Hazzard instead of an ambulance last month when she became unwell after a gym visit.
“My entire focus on my wife at the time … like any husband in that situation,” the premier said.
Ms Perrottet said her husband was a kind, energetic person of whom she was proud.
“He’s the same at home as what you see on camera,” she told reporters.
Mr Perrottet announced election sweeteners, laying out how a re-elected coalition would establish a superannuation-style fund for children, $250 energy rebates for households and reduce the public transport cap by 20 per cent within 100 days.
The public transport cut requires a direction from the transport minister but the premier wouldn’t say who would replace the retiring David Elliott.
“It will be a very senior (person),” Mr Perrottet said.
Laying out a “first 100 days” to-do list was a bit peculiar in the eyes of Labor leader Chris Minns.
“It is odd,” he said on Thursday.
“Many voters would think to themselves, you’ve had 12 years to fix these issues.
“When it comes to schools and hospitals, you’ve comprehensively failed.”
The best-laid plans can go awry, as the premier’s office later realised.
Days after Mr Perrottet ribbed Labor for having to swap out their electric campaign bus, the Liberals’ diesel-powered shuttle conked out and left reporters and staffers stranded awaiting a replacement.
Mr Minns promised a smooth ride to those in regional NSW during a whistle-stop tour of the bellwether seat of Monaro and the marginal Liberal seat of Goulburn.
Labor would dedicate $650 million for urgent road upgrades in the regions, including $13.8m in Goulburn, he said.
“One of the big issues that have been raised with me and my colleagues over the last nine months has been the state of roads in regional communities,” Mr Minns told reporters.
The fate of Australia’s largest power station returned to the fore with Mr Perrottet not ruling out extending Eraring’s life beyond 2028.
After selling the coal-fired power station for $50m in 2013, the coalition later paid Origin $239m to extend its life for three years.
“I’m open to all options,” the premier told 2GB weeks after saying intervening was “not part of our plans”.
Everything, including buying the station back, is on the table for Labor, too, with it cautious of damaging the state’s negotiating position.
“But … why was it sold off in the first place?” Mr Minns said.
“You’re playing Russian roulette with the future economic security of the state of NSW.”
It comes after Mr Minns won the final debate between the leaders in Penrith on Wednesday night, albeit with 20 per cent of the audience remaining undecided.
Polls and analysts are predicting a minority Labor government after Saturday’s vote.
AAP
