Morrison accuses Albanese of running away

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused his election rival Anthony Albanese of “running away” after the Labor Leader backflipped on a decision to separate from his travelling press pack.

Albanese experienced something of a mutiny yesterday morning when reporters learned the campaign’s plan was to send them to the capital to cover the release of Labor’s election costings — and keep them there for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile Albanese would be campaigning in Queensland, without media scrutiny. The Labor leader reversed the decision following complaints from the press pack.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Morrison praised the media for “pressuring” Albanese, accusing him of trying to avoid scrutiny.

“We’ve seen Labor running away and Albanese running away from scrutiny when it comes to just how much his policies cost,” Morrison said.

Meanwhile, a Liberal frontbencher has appeared to try and shift some of the blame of Morrison wiping out a young boy, claiming the incident was the fault of both the PM and the child.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert was asked about the now-viral video of Morrison — who colliding with a boy, knocking him to the ground during a football game — on Australian breakfast television yesterday. “Poor little boy. I think he was pretty good, there was a high five afterwards. So it was just an error from both of them,” Robert said.

This prompted a shocked response from presenter Patricia Karvelas, who repeated: “An error from both of them?”

“Well, crash tackled by the Prime Minister, that will be a story he will tell for the rest of his life, isn’t it?” Robert continued.