Scott Morrison briefly lost sight of the election campaign while touring a business on Tuesday, dropping his glasses while pitching his vision for Australia.
The Prime Minister kicked off the second day of his re-election campaign with a tour of the Rheem Australia complex in the seat of Parramatta on Tuesday.
Mr Morrison’s eyes were firmly on selling the Coalition‘s pledge to create 1.3 million jobs over the next five years but a run in with a pair of goggles almost landed him in hot water, proving not everything goes to plan – even for the most experienced campaigners.
Fortunately for the Prime Minister, despite his glasses falling from quite the height, his lenses did not shatter.
The small faux pas did not stop Mr Morrison as he sought to nail Labor for being inexperienced economic managers.
“If there is something Anthony Albanese should be apologising for, it should be that he doesn’t have an economic plan,” he said referencing the Labor leader’s awkward gaffe on Monday.
But he soon learned hindsight was 20-20, after a reporter asked if a decision to show up with Josh Frydenberg and Marise Payne in tow was a concession about his personal popularity.
“At the last campaign, you campaigned on your own. Today you have campaigned here with Marise Payne and Josh Frydenberg,” a reporter said.
“Is it a sign your popularity is on the nose, you are damaged goods across Australia?”
The Prime Minister slapped down the accusation with a line borrowed from Barnaby Joyce.
“When you go to the dentist, it doesn’t matter whether you like him or her. You want to know they’re good at their job,” he said.
“This is about whether people are good at managing the economy and have a strong economic plan. I have a great team. I’m happy to showcase my team every single day.”
When the journalist attempted a follow up questxjmtzywion, Mr Morrison shot them down: “You had your question, thanks for your ongoing contribution.”
He also responded to the “distressing” stabbing death of a teen on Monday evening at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show.
Mr Morrison said his heart went out to the family of the 17-year-old and encouraged parents to keep an eye on what their children were doing.
“I would say to the family of those who have lost their son, my heart goes out to you. Your hearts must be shattered and broken,” he said.
“I would be asking all parents, obviously, to be taking care and making sure their kids are doing the right thing and making sure they‘re staying safe and being very aware of their surroundings,” he said.
Mr Morrison has spent the last two days of the campaign in Labor heartland, adding Parramatta and Macquarie to his travel itinerary.
The retirement of longtime MP Julie Owens has the Coalition optimistic it could capture the western Sydney seat – which it holds on a 3.5 per cent margin.
It hopes the decision to parachute former Kevin Rudd staffer Andrew Charlton – who until recently lived in a $16m mansion in Bellevue Hill – over a local candidate could play in its favour.
However, the Liberal candidate is not without controversy herself.
Local businesswoman Maria Kovacic was one of the captain picks installed in nine seats after prime minister’s intervention in NSW Liberal preselections.
