ACT Labor launches official election campaign

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The country's most senior Labor member - the Prime Minister - joined a sea of red in Canberra today, as the ACT Labor party launched its official election campaign. It came with promises of more housing and a new pool in the city centre, but after six terms in office, only time will tell whether it'll be enough to convince more than just the party faithful that Labor's still up to the job.

Transcript

00:00An endorsement from the very top.

00:04My friend and your leader, Andrew Barr.

00:08And just one day into the campaign, ACT Labor wasted no time making big promises.

00:14We will work jointly with the Commonwealth to build a new Canberra Aquatic Centre in

00:19Commonwealth Park.

00:21The project would replace the ageing Civic Pool with a new convention and entertainment

00:25precinct.

00:26But there are still questions about how many millions it would cost.

00:29A ballpark figure is north of 50 and probably south of 100, somewhere between the two, depending

00:36on where dive facilities go.

00:39Labor's launch also capitalised on a cooperative federal government, which has agreed to chip

00:44in $25 million for 500 new homes in Canberra's southwest, community upgrades and urgent public

00:51housing repairs.

00:52And there's still money in the kitty for niche Canberra fun.

00:56We're bringing back the Birdman Rally on Canberra Day.

00:59The opposition says making something old new again is a classic move from Labor's problematic

01:05playbook.

01:06The Canberra Liberals have also promised a new convention centre at the Civic Pool site.

01:11Andrew Barr and ACT Labor have run out of ideas, they've run out of energy, and they're

01:16just trying to palm off these as announcements and election commitments, but really it's

01:21been on the cards for a long time and in fact the Canberra Liberals actually committed to

01:25it already.

01:26After more than two decades in power, the biggest problem for Labor will be overcoming

01:31accusations of complacency, but the party's most senior members are adamant there's no

01:36sign of that from Andrew Barr, who's trying to win his third election in a row.

01:42He's never been more energised and he's never been more determined to deliver for the people

01:48of the ACT than he is today.

01:51From my assessment the opposition looks unprepared for government and that can lead to complacency

01:57but I don't see any of that.

01:59As for whether voters see it, they've got 35 days to decide.

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