‘Plagued by scandal’: Albanese blasts Perrottet’s government as NSW Labor launches election campaign

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was given a hero’s welcome at NSW Labor’s election campaign launch, where he described the state opposition leader, Chris Minns, as being ‘guided by fairness and integrity’. Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has launched a scathing attack on the New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet’s government, saying it is “plagued by scandal” and slamming its “deficit of character”.

Despite a series of public appearances with Perrottet in recent months in which he has been complimentary of the Coalition premier, Albanese used the official launch of the NSW Labor campaign on Sunday to issue a searing broadside on the government three weeks out from the state election.