Albanese lashes Libs, talks up candidate

FEDERAL Labor leader Anthony Albanese described himself “a friend of Tasmania” as he campaigned alongside Bass candidate Ross Hart in Launceston.

During a visit to the Northern Suburbs Medical Service in Mowbray on Tuesday, where vaccinations are taking place, Mr Albanese (pictured) continued his criticism of the government’s vaccine rollout.

“The failure of the government, when it comes to meeting its own targets, is just inexplicable,” he said.

“The government said that people in disability care would be fully vaccinated by Easter. That was in March, it’s now July and less than half have received any vaccine at all.”

Mr Albanese spoke of Paul Castles who, as reported in the Mercury on Tuesday, lives in a disability group home in

Kingston and has not been vaccinated, despite disability care residents and staff being classed under Phase 1a of Australia’s vaccine rollout.

His brother Gerard said Mr Castles had Down syndrome and was too anxious to leave the home so couldn’t attend a vaccination clinic and required in-reach services to receive the jab.

“Paul deserves better than this,” Mr Albanese said.

“And what’s more, Paul’s family including his brother, Gerard, who has cared and looked after his brother, deserves better as well.”

He praised the work of those involved in the vaccine rollout, including staff at the Northern Suburbs Medical Service, and said it was a race to get Australians vaccinated.

“The fact that we’re losing that race compared with other developed countries is the reason why half of Australia is locked down.”

Mr Hart won the seat of Bass in 2016 and narrowly lost to Liberal Bridget Archer in 2019. Mr Albanese said he was “very confident” Mr Hart would be returned at the next election.