Anthony Albanese has insisted his party is united on the policy of turning back boats carrying asylum seekers after his press conference took an awkward turn on Thursday.
The Labor leader intervened when his candidate for the seat of Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, was pressed on why she had changed her position to support boat turnbacks after voicing her opposition to the border protection strategy in 2015.
Ms Phillips, who won the marginal NSW electorate for Labor at the 2019 election, said her current position was she “absolutely 100 per cent” supported her party’s policy.
She and Mr Albanese spoke to reporters in Bomaderry on Thursday morning following a week in which the Coalition attempted to revive border protection as a key election issue.
Labor has agreed with the Coalition that nobody who has arrived by boat since 2013 would be resettled in Australia, with bipartisan support for turnbacks and offshore detention.
Australia’s strict policing of maritime arrivals under Operation Sovereign Borders follows the policy of turning back “people-smuggling boats where safe to do so”.
Mr Albanese was himself previously opposed to boat turnbacks, voting against the strategy becoming Labor policy at a national party conference in 2015, before changing his position three years later.
The Coalition has claimed a Labor government would be soft on borders, after reviving the debate when Mr Albanese last week had to clarify his comments about his party’s position.
Mr Albanese told reporters last Thursday: “We’ll turn boats back. Turning boats back means that you don’t need offshore detention”.
He clarified his statement later that day, saying “of course” Labor still supported offshore detention.
Asked on Thursday why she had changed her mind after being a fierce critic of boat turnbacks previously, Ms Phillips said: “Well, there have been two national conferences since then. And as an MP, I absolutely support Labor’s policy.”
As she was pressed on why her position had changed, Mr Albanese stepped in front of her and said “thanks” before the reporter pressed on, saying “sorry, I’m just asking a question of your candidate”.
Asked if she could articulate the reason she had changed her mind and when she had done so, Mr Albanese responded on behalf of Ms Phillips by saying she had already answered the question.
Mr Albanese stepped back after he was asked if his candidate could speak for herself.
Ms Phillips said again that her position had changed to reflect Labor Party policy.
“Nothing has changed. I support Labor policy. I support regional offshore processing and if required and safe to do so, boat turn backs,” she said.
Ms Phillips was then asked how many of her other colleagues had shared the position she held at the time. Mr Albanese again answered the question for her, saying: “Everyone supports our position”.
“The Labor Party’s position is very clear: We support boat turnbacks,” he said.
“And what is extraordinary here, is this is an example of the Prime Minister looking for divisions where they aren’t.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg earlier that morning accused Anthony Albanese of xjmtzyw“flip flopping” on border protection and other election promises.
“There’s so much egg on his face, it’s starting to look like an omelette,” Mr Frydenberg said following the leaders’ debate on Wednesday night.
Despite the debate audience choosing Mr Albanese as the winner over Scott Morrison, Mr Frydenberg said the Prime Minister “showed quite clearly he was across the detail on big issues like border protection”.
