March 23, 2023

Australia news live updates: CMO says Omicron subvariant ‘not cause for concern’; 44 Covid deaths nationally; anti-vax protest outside Parliament House

CMO plays down risk from new Omicron subvariant; Victoria records eight Covid deaths and 10,053...

CMO plays down risk from new Omicron subvariant; Victoria records eight Covid deaths and 10,053 new cases; NSW records 27 deaths and 13,026 cases; Qld records three deaths and 7,462 cases; SA records six deaths and 1,505 cases; ACT records 537 cases, Tasmania 504, WA 22; protesters in Canberra want all politicians ‘sacked’. Follow updates live

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Josh Frydenberg has confirmed that Scott Morrison’s position as prime minister is safe ahead of the upcoming federal election.

Rowland:

Is Scott Morrison the best person to lead the Coalition to the election?

Yes, he is. He will be the first prime minister since John Howard to serve a full term and to go to an election. And Australians know that he’s working hard every day to deliver the best health and economic outcomes. Now, of course, he’s been subject to some pretty hard personal attacks and obviously that – that’s taken its toll, but I know he is very resilient and I know he’s also very focused to work hard for the Australian people.

I asked that question, the Liberal party has a pretty brutal history about dispatching leaders who aren’t worked for them, so his job is safe, is what you’re saying?

Yes, I am.

You have only got four months until the election and voters have been hearing your message certainly on the economy for weeks now, but they’re still, according to this poll, they’re not buying what you’re selling. That’s a worry, isn’t it?

Well, as you just said, you know, polls will come and go and we know that there is still a number of months to the next election and the Australian people will make their decision then and there after what will be, no doubt, a hard-fought campaign.

But many political obituaries were written ahead of the 2019 election and many false prophecies were made by those in the media, dare I say it, and our political opponents and they turned out to be wrong.

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