The Australian Labor Party has launched its first attack ad of the Federal Election campaign, just five days after the election was called.
Labor released a video on Wednesday claiming the Coalition’s nuclear policy would “drive up the cost of everything”.
“The money for Peter Dutton’s $600 billion nuclear plan has to come from somewhere,” the voiceover states.
The ad shows a black and white photo of Mr Dutton alongside text claiming nuclear plants would take “20 years to build” and make up “under 4 per cent of the grid”.
It cites a CSIRO report claiming “nuclear is the most expensive energy for Australia” – a claim the Coalition has disputed – before claiming a whole host of vital services would be increased as a result of the policy.
“He’ll have to drive up the cost of everything else to pay for it,” the voiceover states.
“So under Dutton, your health costs go up. Under Dutton, your tax goes up. Under Dutton, your HECs debt, child care, medicines, TAFE fees go up.
“He cuts, you pay.”
The 30 second ad is the first video Labor has uploaded to its YouTube channel since the election was called on Friday.
However the Australian Labor Party and its state branches have spent $46,461 over the past seven days on Facebook and Instagram ads. Another $6,563 has been spent via Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s own social media accounts.
This has been supplemented by Australia’s peak union body, the ACTU, which has spent $26,587.
This combined spend of $79,611 is slightly more than half the amount the Coalition has spent, with the Liberal and National parties, their state branches, and Peter Dutton’s own account having spent a combined $155,648 on Facebook and Instagram ads.
