What are the differences between Australia's two major political parties, the Liberal Party and the Labor Party? Where do the two major parties differ on policy? Are their differences in how they have handled recent crises and the economy?
Federal Response to 2019 Black Summer Bushfires
Liberal Party
During the 2019 Black Summer Bushfires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison went on a holiday to Hawaii. His office responded to questions regarding his whereabouts stating that claims he was holidaying in Hawaii were "wrong" and that his current location was "not a story".
The Liberal Party were also criticised for releasing a political advertisement regarding the bushfires. This advertisement was authorised by the Liberal Party itself, not from the Australian Government which was criticised by an integrity expert as it was potentially intended to "skirt around the government advertising rules."
The Liberal government also ignored pleas from former Emergency Leaders, including a former Fire & Rescue Commissioner, to address limitations in Australia's disaster response. These pleas included a business case, more than 12 months old, for funding fire fighting aircraft.
Labor Party
During the same period, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was volunteering and assisting SES workers and fire fighters. 9 Months before the Black Summer Bushfires, former Labor Leader Bill Shorten announced plans to order a fire fighting fleet if elected.
Management of COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party had months to prepare for the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia and yet, as a UNSW expert claimed, "they diligently did not do anything useful."
By January 2021, 75% of all COVID-19 deaths in Australia were aged care residents, with management of both the pandemic and aged care services falling under the responsibility of the Federal Government.
The wage subsidy program, JobKeeper, resulted in tens of billions of dollars of taxpayer money going to wealthy corporations, such as Harveey Norman, who did not meet the criteria for struggling businesses and in fact were seeing significant profits.
Labor Party
The Labor Party made calls for wage subsidies to combat the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic month before the Liberal Party adopted the JobKeeper and JobSeeker Programs.
Liberal Party Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, dismissed claims that the programs were the result of work undertaken by a former Labor Minister, Greg Combet.
Corruption
Labor Party
Under the last Labor government, Australia was the 7th least corrupt country on earth, on par with Scandinavian nations..
Liberal Party
Under the Liberal Party, Australia's standing has fallen to the 18th least corrupt country on earth.