That's all folks
Given the campaigns have gone to bed for the working week, I think we’ll put the live coverage to bed also. I’ll be back on Sunday evening for the leader’s debate at the National Press Club. Until then enjoy your weekend.
Let’s part with a few thoughts about the contest.
The conclusion of this week is really the conclusion of the preamble of the campaign, the practice session if you like. As of next week, we are hitting the five weeks to go mark, which would be the opening of any conventional campaign. I suspect things will start to pick up as of next week.
So who has won the preamble? It’s hard to say in all honesty. My own view is Bill Shorten is campaigning pretty well, I suspect he’s done enough to invite the voters to take a second look at him – but he’ll need a couple of booster jets to put himself in genuine contention. Malcolm Turnbull has lost some paint in this opening stanza but the Coalition is managing to set the agenda by and large, and drag the national conversation away from Labor’s preferred territory of education and health. The key question is my mind is can the Coalition maintain momentum in the next few weeks if their only plan is to traipse around the country selling the budget? Will people switch off and look at the alternative?
Anyway, as they say in the classics, only time will tell.
Thanks for reading this week. Stay safe until we meet again.
Just on the podcast, if you are looking for our iTunes link so you can subscribe to the series, you can find it here. Don’t forget to leave a review. It’s very helpful. Trust us.
Rejoice: the pod has landed!
Happy times for Friday afternoon. The third episode of the campaign podcast I’m doing with Lenore Taylor has landed. This week Lenore and I are concentrating heavily on election debates given we are working up to the second leader’s debate at the National Press Club this Sunday evening.
We thought listeners would find it interesting if we brought in the two journalists who have the responsibility for moderating the election debates for the current campaign: Sky News political editor David Speers and ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann.
Instead of doing what journalists very often do, perform punditry about politics and politicians, we thought we’d interrogate at our own methods in this week’s four way conversation. How do you prepare for a debate as moderator? How do you get politicians to answer questions? How do you deal with audience feedback? Does the prime minister have a problem with resting blank face?
We also have a chat about live coverage. Is 24/7 killing democracy, but we secretly love it anyway? Tune in and find out.
Some Instagram views of Malcolm Turnbull’s campaign day, the first from Andrew Meares, Fairfax photographer, and the second from the prime minister’s official photographer, Sahlan Hayes. Love the boys down the front of Sahlan’s picture.
Sorry I’ve been diverted by the thread, pushing on now.
While we’ve been watching economic debates, Mike Bowers has been documenting the Labor leader’s trip up north. Some fabulous images coming through.
I didn’t get time to share before the debate but my colleague Gareth Hutchens has written some commentary about what I dubbed Black Hole The Musical earlier this week. Gareth (like a number of us) is a bit over the truthiness. Here’s an excerpt.
For the last three days, we’ve listened to senior members of the Coalition’s economics team rely on a flagrant logical fallacy to prosecute the argument that Labor has a $67bn spending “black hole”.
The fallacy is called an argumentum ad ignorantiam, known as an appeal to ignorance.
It works this way: assert that a proposition is true because it hasn’t been proven false yet.
It’s easy and it’s a great way to shift the burden of proof from yourself to your opponent.
For example, in polite circles, if you want to accuse someone of doing something, you would normally accept that it’s your responsibility to provide the evidence of their misdoing. But if you don’t have much evidence, and you’re impolite, you can employ this logical fallacy to “win” the argument by putting your opponent on the back foot: make the suggestion and let them try to prove that they are not guilty.
Quick stocktake on the debate
The first thing to say about the debate is it was thoroughly worth watching. It was tight and fiercely contested, yet civil. It was mostly about the competing world views on offer at the coming election, which is more than we can say about the last week of the campaign itself.
Morrison’s world view is you cut taxes for business and you produce economic growth, Bowen’s world view is you make proactive investments to boost growth: infrastructure, broadband, investments in schools and universities.
I’m not sure we learned very much, the two men sat tightly in their message frames. It’s pretty obvious the Coalition isn’t going to be throwing any new big ideas into the mix this campaign, Morrison made it abundantly clear the budget was the campaign as fair as the government is concerned.
Bowen used the debate to say Labor will produce costings both over the four year budget cycle and over the ten year cycle, and earlier in the campaign than the Coalition did when it was in opposition. The Labor man was also holding out future policy signposts: a childcare policy yet to come, and something more about housing supply.
Final statements, which largely repeat the opening statements, but Chris Bowen says he’s made himself available for a head to head on Q&A on June 13 – and the debate would work a lot better if Morrison turned up, which suggests Morrison hasn’t given a commitment to turn up.
Then they are over and out. I’ll see what pictures we have and share some thoughts about that encounter next.
A final question on costings and whether the PBO should take charge.
Chris Bowen says he’s a big fan of the PBO.
Scott Morrison says the government’s plan is out there, and then says something pretty odd.
Scott Morrison:
The government released its full budget going into this election. That’s the first time that’s happened before an election. We’re putting our budget, everything in it, our that the economic plan directly to the Australian people.
(Wut?)
A question on the top marginal tax rate and tax minimisation leads to a debate about the corporate tax cuts. Chris Bowen says they are unfunded. Scott Morrison says hang on, if they are unfunded, how come you’ve spent the proceeds associated with scrapping our commitment?
Bowen persists with them being unfunded. Morrison says they are in the budget. Bowen says just because something is accounted for in the budget doesn’t mean its funded.
Scott Morrison:
Can you say your program is funded if you are borrowing money?
Chris Uhlmann asks whether we can we see the homework that the government did on the state income tax suggestion?
Scott Morrison says it’s a work in progress with the states.
Q: One brief point, we are yet to see a single piece of paper from the commonwealth on the state income tax. When I came up as an answer as a student without the workings, they put a line through it.
Scott Morrison:
There was a start-up discussion with the state and territories.
Chris Bowen:
There is a reason you won’t find the paper work: the treasury secretary confirmed he heard about it on the news. There was no treasury work on this all. That’s your methodical calm process the treasurer has explained to us. The secretary of the treasury heard it on the radio!
Q: Brief response?
Scott Morrison:
What Christopher doesn’t understand is when you sit down in Coag it’s principals to principals.
Chris Bowen:
You wouldn’t want to get treasury advice.
Scott Morrison:
It’s politicians sitting down trying to work out and then you task the officials to do the job. I know the Labor party likes to sit in government and say please send me the bit of paper I’m supposed to sign next.
Under Coalition governments we run the government.
Updated
Scott Morrison:
I’m glad you raised the process about working through difficult issues. We had a good look at the GST and do the analysis and homework. We didn’t do the rule in, rule out thing. We did our home work and came to a considered decision on this very difficult issue and made a call on it in the national interest.
Chris Bowen:
If you think it’s been a calm and methodical process, congratulations, it doesn’t look like that.
Scott Morrison:
I won’t talk over you. On [superannuation, on] the retirement phase, the $1.6m cap ensures every cent has no tax on its earnings. You know that’s the case. Under your policy the retirement phase superannuation account will attract tax on its earnings. That is a key difference between our policies.
Chris Bowen:
I think you will find the superannuation sector prefers our policy to yours.
Scott Morrison:
I don’t think they do.
Chris Bowen:
I think you may want to take advice on that.
Scott Morrison:
They say your proposal is unworkable.
Chris Bowen:
They are not big fans.
Sixth question is will there be a proper tax reform process after the election?
Chris Bowen says tax reform under the Coalition has been a farce. He says Labor can draw ideas from previous tax reviews.
Scott Morrison says the government basically delivered on the tax reform white paper through the recent budget. (Really, says Chris Bowen, somewhat archly.) Morrison persists. Labor always confuses tax grabs with tax reform, he says.
Chris Bowen:
The treasurer claiming the budget policy is a result of the white paper process is as heroic as his budget assumptions. There was no process. How he can claim that with a straight face? It’s laughable.
Scott Morrison:
No one is laughing, Chris.
Updated
Fifth question is on middle-class welfare; is it too much?
After some generalities about welfare targeting, the conversation then becomes a debate about childcare. Scott Morrison says the government has tried to get childcare reform through the Senate but Labor won’t pass the savings required to fund it. Chris Bowen says Labor will have its own childcare package in the campaign. Morrison says he looks forward to seeing how Labor will fund that.
Updated
Scott Morrison says the Coalition had to do a deal with the Greens to get the pensions assets test through the parliament. This seems to prompt the treasurer to remind voters about the danger of a Labor/Greens coalition.
Hang on, says Bowen.
Chris Bowen:
You said you had done a deal with the Greens? You boasted you had a coalition deal with the Greens! Are you against or for them!
There’s some laughter in the room.
Scott Morrison:
Where the Labor party chooses to be reckless when it comes to public finances ...
Updated
Fourth question is about spending cuts post election. Everyone appears to accept they are necessary but where are they coming from? Chris Bowen is also asked about a figure Labor has been using about the growth dividend associated with education spending – is it credible?
Chris Bowen:
We can debate the figures, but I will defend vigorously the argument that an investment in schools has an economic dividend for the nation: it does.
Q: Michelle said you will need to make more spending cuts. What are they?
This question is to Scott Morrison. The treasurer says he’s focused on controlling the growth in expenditure. He says also the Coalition will focus on fit-for-purpose expenditure.
Morrison wants to know when Labor decided to back the government on the school kids bonus and the pension assets test. When did you take that decision?
Bowen says hang on, are you criticising us for spending too much or not enough?
Chris Bowen:
We’re announcing our policies because of the damage that you’ve done to the budget. We cannot afford to reintroduce the school kids bonus.
I’m surprised you are critical. I would have thought you would welcome the fact we’re not proceeding with that spending measure.
Scott Morrison:
Did shadow cabinet make the decision on the change?
Chris Bowen:
Did shadow cabinet approval the dodgy figures on your costings?
Third question is the AAA rating.
Q: Can either of you guarantee the credit rating beyond the election should you be victorious?
Scott Morrison says the Coalition is reducing the size of the deficit on net saves. He says the government will continue to get expenditure under control.
Chris Bowen says whomever is treasurer after 2 July will be told by the treasury that the AAA rating is under pressure. He says the ratings agencies look for structural reforms over time, and Labor is in that business. Bowen says the current budget projections are “heroic”.
Scott Morrison says hang on Chris, are you not in the business of accepting Treasury advice on these things?
Chris Bowen:
If we were getting Pefo [pre-election economic and fiscal outlook] even next week, you know we might be having a different conversation given what has happened to the iron ore prices.
Morrison persists. You won’t take Treasury advice?
Pefo is produced by the finance secretary and they’ve confirmed all of the assumptions and numbers in the budget ...
Bowen says he’s just being honest.
I’m being honest with you and the Australian people. The budget is under pressure because your forecasts, treasurer ...
Updated
The second question is about housing affordability, what can be done to boost supply?
Chris Bowen says he doesn’t invoke the word crisis lightly, but it applies in this instance. “Housing affordability is at crisis levels.” He says that’s why Labor is moving to curb negative gearing concessions. Bowen also says Labor will have more to say in the course of the campaign about supply measures involving the states.
Scott Morrison says under the Coalition, the states would be incentivised to destroy job destroying regulations. (It’s not clear what these job destroying regulations are). Morrison says curbing negative gearing isn’t the answer.
Scott Morrison:
Retarding the economy is not the way to drive housing affordability. Dealing with the practical issues of regulatory constraints at the state level as you’ve identified, which is what we are focusing on, it’s where our plan focuses.
They are into questions now at the NPC. The two men are asked for their big idea.
Q: You both have a couple of minutes. Inspire us, what is your big idea?
Scott Morrison says the budget was the government’s big idea. The innovation policy, the defence spending, trade agreements, and living within our means.
Chris Bowen says his big idea is education.
As treasurer I will be focused like a laser working on improving educational outcomes and fairness.
Updated
Bowen says Scott Morrison has several challenges today.
During the course of today he needs to admit that Australia’s AAA rating is under pressure be honest with Australians and acknowledge as others have done that spending measures and spending cuts need to be part of the answer, drop the fantasy that Australia only has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
If the treasurer isn’t prepared to step up, he’s sliding through an election campaign without being honest with the Australian people. And people will be entitled to judge the government accordingly. Australia doesn’t need more sound bites, it needs encourage, imagination and honesty.
Updated
Chris Bowen says Labor will be releasing well before the last week of the campaign the impact of Labor’s policies over the forward estimates and the decade.
We’ll include a credible pathway back to balance and the year it would be achieved. My challenge to the treasurer today is this – do the same.
Updated
Chris Bowen is making the case the Coalition’s current jobs and growth mantra is just the latest in a series of slogans from the government.
Chris Bowen:
Ladies and gentlemen, for the Liberals, jobs and growth is the latest in a long line of economic slogans. It replaces debt and deficit disaster, lifters and leaners, have a go, live within your means.
The government believes in a slogan-led economic recovery.
We really believe in economic growth as the best way to lift people out of poverty and turn aspiration into reality. Labor reforms in the 1980s and ‘90s set Australia up for 26 years of uninterrupted economic growth. Labor made sure we continued to grow during the global financial crisis, avoiding recession and massive unemployment. It’s not a slogan for us to be discarded after the election, to be placed on the heap of retired, three-word advertising pitches, for us it is our core belief.
Chris Bowen says Labor has a productivity agenda: it’s infrastructure, the NBN, university funding, a positive economic transition to deal with climate change. And he says a social capital agenda is a productivity agenda, investing in education and in schools boosts productivity.
Chris Bowen:
I do want to spend a few minutes this afternoon talking about this important part of Labor’s plan. The incoming governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Phillip Lowe, pointed out that investment in human capital is more important for our economic future. He is right. I’ve seen it first hand in our community. And the things I’ve seen in our community are replicated across the country.
Updated
Chris Bowen is now making his opening statement.
The treasurer will tell you lots of times today he has a plan, a plan for jobs and growth, he will say.
He doesn’t. He has a slogan. It’s got three words in it. A tax cut for big business, reluctantly costed and completely unfunded, is not a plan. It’s fiscal recklessness, belying the wrong priorities. It’s a tax cut only settled on after the other options were tried and failed.
Plan A was to increase the GST. The treasurer was overruled. Plan B was state income taxes, a thought bubble which rightly lasted only 48 hours. And plan C is the corporate tax cut.
Why should we believe that a big business tax cut is the answer when it’s not even this government’s first choice?
Updated
Scott Morrison says the government is spending on social services, but the spending is funded by savings, not increased taxes.
For that reason, the government can afford to guarantee support for hospitals, schools, and roads “and protect our strong social safety net for the most vulnerable.”
The treasurer says the Coalition is paying for its business tax cut by fixing problems in our tax system.
Scott Morrison:
Our crackdown on multinational tax avoidance will raise $3.9bn over four years, twice the yield of Labor’s proposals. In addition to the measures we have legislated, we will implement a new diverted profits tax that will tax profits sought to be shifted offshore by multinationals at a higher rate of 40%. Better targeting generous superannuation concessions will ensure we focus on sustainably supporting those Australians at risk of being dependent on a full or part age pension in their retirement.
Scott Morrison says a national plan for jobs and growth must back businesses.
A tax on their business is a tax on their enterprise which ends up being a tax on the jobs that they create and sustain. A national economic plan for jobs and growth must back these businesses. When they invest and grow, we all win.
He says he’s been touring the country looking at various businesses. Lots of businesses.
Scott Morrison:
They are all small, family businesses. They are all growing and looking to employ more Australians. Our economic plan does not punish these businesses for growing. We do not believe they become multinationals when their turnover increases to more than $2m a year and neither do they.
Morrison says he understands some parts of Australia are feeling the transition more acutely than others. His pitch is: back the horse you know.
Scott Morrison:
The Turnbull government is asking the Australian people to keep to our national economic plan, rather than risk further change, disruption and delay.
Updated
The Coalition has won the toss, so Scott Morrison opens the batting.
Scott Morrison:
Australians know that our future depends on how long we continue to grow and shape our economy as we transition from the unprecedented mining investment boom to a stronger, more diverse new economy. Australians have clearly said that we must have an economic plan to make this economic transition a success. The Turnbull government has a clear economic plan to make this happen, to drive jobs and growth in a stronger new economy.
Updated
Treasurer's debate, live from the National Press Club
NPC president Chris Uhlmann is kicking of proceedings at the club with a joke about economists. Brave.
While we wait for the treasurer’s debate at 12.30, the shadow climate minister Mark Butler is on Sky News talking about Michael Slezak’s story this morning revealing that all mentions of Australia were removed from the final version of a Unesco report on climate change and world heritage sites after the Australian government objected on the grounds it could impact on tourism. Butler says it is important the prime minister, the environment minister and the foreign minister clarify the public record to ensure they didn’t have a hand in “censoring” the report.
Look at Pat Dodson’s face. A great deal to love about this picture. When in the territory.
Malcolm Turnbull has meanwhile washed up in the marginal seat of Bonner, held by the Liberal party on a margin of 3.69%.
PM & MP Ross Vasta talking youth employment in Bonner. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/AmzEnaeYFj
— Rob Harris (@rharris334) May 27, 2016
Bill Shorten in Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/U3FXvRQwZ1
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) May 27, 2016
An interesting story this morning from my neighbour, The West Australian’s political editor Shane Wright about a $2bn spend that became a $2bn save in the recent budget.
I know this concept is a little mind bending, but stick with it. At some point the government made a decision to spend $2bn on a policy or a program (we don’t know what that is), but has clearly reversed the decision, because the budget now books that as a $2bn saving in the budget category of “decisions taken but not announced.” So a decision to spend $2bn and then save $2bn went through the government’s internal processes without breaking through into the public domain.
Really quite intriguing.
Looks like everyone is safely on the ground in Maningrida.
Djelk Rangers wait for Bill Shorten at Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/GaH1JHTLHV
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) May 27, 2016
What does all the mean?
So let’s bring all the threads of Friday morning together.
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Malcolm Turnbull has steadied this morning after a messy day yesterday having to clean up after Barnaby Joyce on boats and live exports. Turnbull has projected himself into reconciliation week by speaking on his preferred theme of Indigenous business development, he’s slipped in an endorsement of his treasurer: Scott Morrison will be treasurer after the next election (so no-one can accuse him of not endorsing his treasurer) and managed to get in a characterisation of Bill Shorten as un-prime ministerial. He’ll think that a good morning’s work, all in all. Protests, schmotests.
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Bill Shorten by contrast has had a messier morning. He’s characterised Donald Trump’s views as barking mad. Shorten has already criticised Trump during this campaign and I suspect most Australians, including Malcolm Turnbull, would heartily agree with his sentiments, but barking mad is probably a fraction forthright for a guy who might need to sit in the Oval and deal with a putative president Trump in the future – because this isn’t an abstraction now, we all have to wrap our heads around the fact Americans might vote this bloke in as their president. (Palpitations, I know, right?) It’s a bit like when John Howard went way too far with Barack Obama before he was elected – you can make observations, you don’t have to stand mute on the sidelines, but you’ve got to keep your thumb and index finger on your own volume button. Less is more is part of projecting to voters that you takes yourself seriously as an alternative prime minister. Shorten followed up barking mad with declining three times to answer a question about when Labor decided to nix the school kids bonus, which looked shifty in the event any voters were watching early on a Friday morning at the fag end of week three.
Still, as I said first up, the critical event today in terms of substance is the debate at the press club just around the corner. Labor will be hoping that Bowen is sharper than Shorten has been this morning.
Onwards, upwards.
Updated
Given we will roll into a press club debate at lunchtime I think it’s good if I stop and take stock of the campaign morning in the next post. Hang five and I’ll be back with a summary and some thoughts.
Check out my roos
Q: Why have you focused on the Richmond election and Matthew Fraser? Do you have a genuine concern about the Greens here?
Barnaby Joyce:
I think the Greens are an anathema, the complete opposite of what the National party believes in. We believe in property rights, right of ownership, they believe you don’t own anything, ownership is by the state. They believe the vegetation you won’t be able to touch it, therefore, by caveat they are taking ownership from the individual and passing it to the states. This is fundamentaly at odds with what people in the regional area believe in.
He says the Greens position on capital gains tax would disadvantage asset holders, and the party supported death duties until 2012. And then there’s the kangaroos.
Barnaby Joyce:
We have had Senator Lee Rhiannon who says kangaroos are endangered. Come out west, come have a look. You will meet about five or six on the bull bar or front of your bonnet every night.
Reporters are pursuing Joyce on his breakout position on boats and live exports the other night.
Q: On the asylum seekers, to follow this gentleman’s line of questioning, are you saying that because there was a live cattle ban, Indonesia took its foot off the police keeping an eye on the people-smuggling trade? They just said “Let it be, we won’t work as hard at stopping that happening”.
Barnaby Joyce:
I have said that you need the strongest working relationship with your nearest neighbour to deal with issues such as this. You don’t get it by banning the supply of an essential part of protein for the dietary requirements of the people of Jakarta. That is not how you build relations.
Q: Is that what happened?
We banned the live cattle trade. That creates incredible bad feeling.
Updated
The deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is campaigning in Tweed Heads.
Q: How are you feeling about New England? Is it feasible Tony Windsor could beat you?
Barnaby Joyce:
I always make sure I respect the democratic process. I respect people’s right to vote. Therefore, I never take anything for granted. We have a number of independent candidates and Mr Windsor is one of them. What I always say is, quite clearly, it is a reality that you can’t deliver something unless you have the authority of being a minister, all you can do is lobby for a minister to deliver on things. What I also say is, on the very simple question should be able to answer, question which if you’re straight with people, honest with people, they have a right to know, it is simply this: If there is a hung parliament, what side are you going to back? The Labor-Green-independent alliance? The Liberal National Coalition? Surely every person who votes deserves that right because there are people who might be hoping you are getting a vote for the Labor party, others hope you will vote for Malcolm Turnbull and myself and the Liberal National Coalition. Whichever way you look at it, it’s their vote. It is the most fundamental democratic right they have. You have a fundamental democratic responsibility to tell them which way you are going to go in a hung parliament.
(The context of this is most independents in this election are saying no deals for minority government, including Tony Windsor, who of course did enter a deal in the 43rd parliament. He’s now renounced that practice, saying he’d take it vote by vote. Joyce is campaigning in a seat today where the Greens feel they have a shot, hence the homily on who will you support in a hung parliament?)
Q: Do you believe you’re ahead in New England?
I’m confident but not cocky. Basically that says that I believe that I’d rather be in my shoes than any other candidate’s in New England’s at this stage, yes.
Updated
Updated
Reporters return to Trump. Does Shorten’s comments put the alliance at risk? Malcolm Turnbull says the Shorten intervention is ill-judged but it won’t put the relationship at risk. He says everyone needs to respect that the US election is for Americans. He says leaders who aspire to lead nations should understand that.
Malcolm Turnbull:
It is important for prime ministers and presidents for that matter, and those who seek to hold that role in our country, to bear in mind that the election in the United States is a matter for the Americans.
So in the guise of pulling the punch, Turnbull has characterised Shorten as un-prime ministerial. There’s also a little dig at Barack Obama too, who has been critical of Trump today.
Updated
Q: Reconciliation week is starting today and you are making this announcement about Indigenous jobs. Can you explain what is the theme of reconciliation week this year and why is it important forAustralians to know that?
Turnbull looks a bit emotional as he embarks on the answer.
Malcolm Turnbull:
Reconciliation is a great national journey. It is a journey. It is a road of healing and we are embarked on it with commitment, with passion and an understanding of our history, our preparedness to look into the darkest corners of that history, to acknowledge what has gone before and recognise that as we work together, as we are reconciled, not just rhetorically but as we are today with practical effect on the jobs and the opportunities of Indigenous Australians, many of whose greatest challenge is poverty: poverty, the greatest challenge of so many Indigenous Australians.
Programs like the one we have described, the procurement policy, the support we are giving to Indigenous entrepreneurs that addresses that. It is not the only issue I grant you but it is so important. It is a commitment, a national commitment to a journey of reconciliation and healing and we are embarked on that and I want to acknowledge here the importance of the leadership that is provided by the Aboriginal men and women here among us.
David Williams, our host, Joanna Lindgren, our senator, Laura Berry, SupplyNation, driving a procurement policy that has been so much more successful, so much sooner than we anticipated and so many others: leadership, commitment, love, practical determination to make things right.
That is what this journey is about.
Updated
Turnbull is asked about the protestors outside and their desire that Sunday penalty rates be kept. He says the Coalition’s position is clear: this is a matter for the Fair Work Commission. Labor’s position, Turnbull says, is not so clear. He suggests the placard wavers should go and speak to Bill Shorten.
Turnbull rebukes Shorten after the Labor man declared Donald Trump 'barking mad'
Q: Donald Trump has received enough delegates to be the Republican nominee. He has been described by Bill Shorten as barking mad. What is your assessment?
Malcolm Turnbull says everyone has private views but it’s best to keep them to yourself.
Malcolm Turnbull:
You can imagine how Australians would feel if an American president were to describe one of our prime ministerial aspirants as barking mad. You can imagine the ill will and resentment that would create in Australia.
The Australian-American relationship is of vital importance, in every respect. There is certainly no relationship we have which is deeper, stronger or more important. What that means is that a PM, in this case myself, or those who seek to be PM, Mr Shorten for example, should be very careful about the comments they make about American politics.
They may have views about – we all have private views about the merits of individual candidates but to express them publicly – if you’re asking me to echo what Mr Shorten has said, I have to tell you, I think that would be clearly contrary to our national interest and, regardless of what many Americans may think about Mr Trump, would be seen as being offensive to Americans.
The choice of president is Americans to make. It is their decision to make it and they should - that should be respected.
Updated
Just quickly I’m not sure why journalists are characterising Jamie Clements as a union ally of Bill Shorten, given in Labor terms, there is tension and rivalry between the right faction in NSW and Victoria. Not quite sure where this characterisation is coming from.
Turnbull endorses Scott Morrison
Q: One of Bill Shorten’s key union backers, Jamie Clements, has been charged after illegally passing on the details of a man to one of his union allies, the man was later threatened. What do you think this says about Bill Shorten’s leadership?
The prime minister dead bats Clements but he takes up the Shorten challenge from this morning on backing his treasurer.
Malcolm Turnbull:
As to your question, if I may go to that as well. Scott Morrison will be the treasurer after the election and he will be so busy working with me and the rest of our team as we implement our national economic plan for jobs and growth.
Updated
Q: On the [recognition] referendum, PM, you mentioned it will be next year. Can you say if it is going to be in May and will it be at the same time as the gay marriage plebiscite?
Malcolm Turnbull:
They certainly won’t be on the same day, I can assure you of that. They are two separate issues.
Turnbull says we need to develop the proposition for the referendum on Indigenous recognition.
The prime minister is asked whether today’s initiative is new money.
Malcolm Turnbull:
All these funds – everything we are announcing today is in the budget, it is fully funded and paid for. That is the big difference between us and our friend with the spend-o-metre.
Updated
Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion.
Colin Saltmere – imagine getting up one day and walking through spinifex and saying “I know, I can make condoms from that”.
A stretch for us but not for him.
(I’m sure this makes sense if you are on the spot and have met the business leaders in the room. Remotely, this declaration is somewhat startling.)
'The biggest challenges facing Indigenous entrepreneurs is simply poverty.'
Turnbull is unveiling a $115m program to support indigenous entrepreneurship. In this program is a $90m indigenous entrepreneurs fund.
Malcolm Turnbull:
As Nigel [Scullion] and Jo [Lindgren] have often said, indeed as Nova Peris said yesterday, one of the biggest challenges facing Indigenous entrepreneurs is simply poverty. There is not the intergenerational wealth that many other Australians have. There is not the same access to assets, to finance and so that is a big barrier. What the Indigenous entrepreneurs fund will enable us to do is to ensure that there is more financial support for Indigenous Australians.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull:
That is a 25 times, in dollar value, the amount of government business that goes to Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander firms, 25 times the amount that was awarded in the last year of the Labor government. I don’t want to make a partisan point about this but I am making a point about progress. This is real progress towards real advancement, towards real economic empowerment and it is all part of our national economic plan for jobs and growth right across Australia.
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Malcolm Turnbull addresses reporters in Brisbane
The prime minister has made it to his press conference and notes today is the 49th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. He’d like to open today by noting the achievements of the government’s Indigenous procurement policy.
Malcolm Turnbull:
I am able to announce today that Indigenous businesses have won over over $150m worth of contracts from the federal government. Every department is on track to meet that objective of 3% of contracts. This is so important because what this is doing is providing the economic empowerment that is so critical to the effective reconciliation and the effective advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Meanwhile, the photographic pool is on the way to Maningrida with Bill Shorten. Looks cosy. Strap in Mike Bowers.
A reduced Shorten press plane next stop Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/Z8a2dJmT4C
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) May 26, 2016
Slight scrum in there, I’ve seen worse.
The Prime Minister arrives for a press conference amid protesters in Brisbane (via @fjkeany) https://t.co/jDAmNB3OQ7https://t.co/oy2Rau9KXd
— Stephanie Anderson (@stephanieando) May 26, 2016
Looks like the constabulary are maintaining order. Got to watch the giant sunflowers, I completely agree. I hope the election elephant will return at some stage. I did love the elephant. That was 2010 from memory.
Police outside guard one of the doors ahead of the PM’s press conference @abcnews pic.twitter.com/PChgRCf3oV
— Frank Keany (@FJKeany) May 26, 2016
No show without solar man.
Solar man has arrived #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/TBItRwjxHL
— Rob Harris (@rharris334) May 26, 2016
Just for the record I didn’t hear Bill Shorten describe Donald Trump as “barking mad” this morning, apparently it was during a commercial radio interview in Darwin. Shorten toned down “barking mad” back to “erratic” at the press conference.
Gracious.
A Turnbull caricature waits to greet the PM in Brisbane @abcnews pic.twitter.com/EHEiFfKGVZ
— Frank Keany (@FJKeany) May 26, 2016
Just for completeness, in the final question to Shorten about Jamie Clements, the Labor leader said he made the decision to move him on as NSW state secretary earlier this year.
Bill Shorten:
Let’s go to what happened in January. Back in January, I said this fellow should step down from his position: made the decision, made the call. I also said since then, this morning, his matter is before the court. I won’t, in the interests of fairness, make comments about individual matters but I have said my harsh things and that is on the record.
If you’ve missed the Clements imbroglio, from the news wire service AAP:
Jamie Clements, the party’s former state general secretary, is expected to face court next month after being charged with two offences, including allegations he disclosed protected information in May last year.
A month later it is alleged the then NSW Labor general secretary used information legally provided by the commission to the NSW Labor party for a purpose not permitted by legislation.
He is expected to face Downing Centre local court on 7 June. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of $22,000.
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There appears to be a welcoming committee lined up for the prime minister in Brisbane.
Protestors have gotten word of the PM’s visit in Brisbane @abcnews pic.twitter.com/MJwbF3WXA4
— Frank Keany (@FJKeany) May 26, 2016
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So just to summarise, Bill Shorten was asked three times during that press conference when he took the decision to scrap the Schoolkids bonus, and he declined to answer.
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A final question about Jamie Clements in NSW, then Shorten wraps the press conference.
Q: Breaking down the reasons for backtracking on a promise to families. You said the AAA credit rating is at risk and the PEFO were a bad set of numbers. The budget hasn’t changed that. PEFO didn’t show a big change in the numbers from PEFO. Is that the reason of your view to breaking this promise and can you promise not to break any more promises before or after the election?
Bill Shorten:
There is not many assumptions in your question I agree with. Let’s go through it all. The Liberals since they have come in have tripled the deficit, tripled the deficit. The Liberals since they have come in have presided over every quarter since they have come in, are reductions in investment and capital expenditure. The Liberals have added $5,000 in net public-sector debt on the heads of every man, woman and child in Australia.
The budget was a clanger. We understand that. It was an election give away. Mr Turnbull is just giving the money away to the big end of town, to corporations. He is willing to spend taxpayer money, just not willing to spend it on Australians. It was a shocking budget. We know they still had assumptions in that budget. Anyone who can say when you have a ratings agency saying that the AAA credit rating is under threat and dismiss it – well, it hasn’t happened yet. That shows that this government aren’t the economic managers they would like to convince Australians they are.
We will make hard decisions. I will give a rock solid commitment that we will only have policies that we can deliver and we will only have policies that we can fund. When it comes to standing up for families, I will back my record against Mr Turnbull. Mr Turnbull is happy to cut all of the programs, he is happy not to properly fund Medicare. He is happy to see a two-tier health system be created in Australia. That is the effect of freezing doctors’ rebates to 2020. He is happy to increase the price of medicine, not properly fund the schools, despite all of the expert evidence.
When it comes to standing up for families, be it in Palmerston or in my suburb of Moonee Ponds, parents want a government in Canberra who will make sure their kids get the best start in life. When it comes to a choice between large multinationals or families, we back families. When it comes to a choice between giving $7.4bn over the next 10 years to the four big banks or backing up sick people who need to see the GP, we pick the sick people over the big banks.
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Donald Trump, barking mad, erratic views: Bill Shorten
A reporter tells Shorten on radio this morning he described Donald Trump as barking mad.
Q: How would you work with him if you win the election?
Bill Shorten:
I believe in the American alliance, it can withstand the vagaries of Australian and American domestic politics. If a Labor administration is elected, Australia will stick by the American alliance full stop.
All I have said is what John Howard said. It is funny that some of the Coalition ministers want to attack me every day for everything we say. Why don’t they attack John Howard who has made equally strong comments about the merits of Trump as a candidate?
People ask me what do you think about Donald Trump? Will I just stand here and tell you nothing? Will I stand here and not be straight with people? No, with me, you will always know what we think. In terms of the American alliance and whoever is elected, of course we will work with them.
Q: There is a chance that you and Mr Trump will be sitting in a room having to negotiate one day. Are you not concerned about the personal relationship you two may have following comments like those?
Bill Shorten:
Let’s not exaggerate. Mr Trump’s comments are truly remarkable. If you think someone who says Mexicans are killers and rapists, if you think that I can’t have an opinion about someone who says about John McCain, yes he is a war hero but Mr Trump prefers war heroes who aren’t captured. Really! Let’s be clear, John Howard has the same views I do about Donald Trump. We will maintain the American alliance no matter what. I saw Mr Howard make comments about President Obama. That hasn’t damaged the Australian American relations.
Q: Are you prepared to repeat what you said on radio this morning?
Bill Shorten:
I have already said it, Tim.
Q: Not when we were there. How would you describe Donald Trump?
I think he has very erratic views. The views he has aren’t views which sit comfortably with the mainstream Australian opinion. He represents a turn towards American politics which will be destabilising for America. I don’t believe in a divisive nation. I don’t believe setting up one group of people against another group. I have a different world view. I don’t imagine if I am PM I will agree with every political view of every world leader I meet. That would be impossible.
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Q: Jamie Clements is accused of misusing electoral roll information. What do you know about this and now much of a setback is this for Labor in New South Wales, where seats are so important?
Bill Shorten:
It’s a matter of record I have said some harsh things about Mr Clements in the past but the matter is now before the courts and I’m going to let that take its course.
Q: The end of the Schoolkids bonus means no new shoes, no school uniforms, no music lessons, no extra tutoring for some kids so they might fall behind. How can Labor call itself the party of the battler when you have let down 1.3m families?
Bill Shorten:
Let’s be really straight here. The Labor party’s the only party standing up for education in this country. All of those items you go to are all about how parents help their kids through the school system. Only Labor’s got a fully funded plan to make sure that there are electives offered in classes, so that kids can learn music. A lot of parents need to find extra money because basically, the school system is at breaking point. Mr Turnbull will fight for the right of the very top schools to keep the money they’ve got. But he has nothing to say about every other school in Australia. Never forget that Mr Turnbull said as one of the great reforms to federation, in a perfect world, a commonwealth government he leads will get out of funding public schools.
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First question is obvious given the events of yesterday: reporters want to know when Bill Shorten took the decision to scrap the Schoolkids bonus. Shorten has been asked the “when” question twice but he’s refusing to answer it specifically. He is peppering formulations at the reporters in the hope that might cover the non-answer.
It doesn’t.
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Shorten is also using his preamble to try and frame lunchtime’s treasurer’s debate. The Labor leader tried to seed this idea yesterday by guaranteeing that Chris Bowen will be Labor’s treasurer after July 2 should Labor win the election. He says Malcolm Turnbull should now tell voters whether Morrison will be the treasurer post election if the Coalition wins. He points to tension between the prime minister and the treasurer.
Bill Shorten:
I think it is long overdue for Mr Turnbull to come out and make a brief, unambiguous statement of full confidence in Mr Morrison.
Bill Shorten commits to doubling the number of Indigenous rangers
We’re here today because we want to announce that a Labor government, if elected after 2 July, will double the number of Indigenous rangers in Australia. This is real jobs for real people and our policies are making a real impact upon people’s lives.
The Labor leader is addressing reporters in Darwin. The specific commitment is doubling the current number of Indigenous rangers to 1,550 by 2020-21.
Yesterday was Sorry Day, prompting Labor to focus on Indigenous policy issues. The Coalition didn’t reference Sorry Day yesterday on the hustings but last night Malcolm Turnbull published a post on his blog recognising the day. Turnbull will also be focusing on an Indigenous policy initiative in Brisbane today.
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The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, will be up shortly in Darwin confirming funding for Indigenous rangers.
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Top of the morning
Thanks Mel, good morning everyone and welcome to campaign Friday. The leaders are up north still but the campaign focal point today will be a debate at lunchtime between the treasurer and the shadow treasurer, Scott Morrison and Chris Bowen. The encounter at lunchtime kicks off a debate long weekend. Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten will face off at the National Press Club on Sunday evening in the second leader’s debate of the campaign.
This week, the Coalition has taken a decision to try and turn the conversation to the budget and costings. Roll out the abacus has (largely, Barnaby Joyce notwithstanding) replaced last week’s negative – asylum boats – as the intra-day tool to attack Labor with. Conventional wisdom says if the campaign conversation is about boat arrivals or about budget/economy, then the Coalition wins. It’s all about agenda setting.
But, for me at least, the Coalition has fumbled while deploying both negatives. Both sorties have been over egged. It probably doesn’t matter because the other conventional wisdom of this campaign is no one is watching yet (which seems a bit strange to me given there are loads of people reading Politics Live every day.) And there’s also a highly pragmatic school of thought that it doesn’t matter if you fumble your negative sorties as long as you keep the conversation relentlessly on your opponent’s area of weakness. (How’s that for a cheery thought in the truthy world of politics? Don’t worry about the facts: just play the impressions.)
In any case, lunchtime will be interesting, not only for the content (yes, I’m old fashioned like that) but these personalities also matter, given Morrison and Bowen are both future leadership aspirants in their respective parties, and not all of Morrison’s colleagues think he’s done a spectacular job in the treasury.
A reminder that today’s comments thread is open for your business. If the thread’s too bracing for you, Mike Bowers and I are up and about on the twits – he’s @mpbowers and I’m @murpharoo. If you speak Facebook you can join my daily forum here. And if you want a behind-the-scenes look at the day and the looming campaign, give Mike a follow on Instagram. You can find him here.
Dust off the calculator, here comes Friday.
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Thanks for joining me for the early mornings this week. Over to Katharine Murphy in Canberra now, who will take you through Friday and wrap up the week with the rest of the federal politics team.
The minister for finance and Coalition campaign spokesman, Senator Mathias Cormann, is speaking to reporters in Canberra right about now, his comments will posted here shortly I’m sure.
See you here Monday, around 6am.
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Senator Ricky Muir from the Motoring Enthusiast party has spoken of his campaign to get back into the Senate. He got in last time with just 0.5% of the vote. He told Radio National this morning he’s going to ramp up his campaign closer to the end:
I’m absolutely remaining hopeful. It’s up to the people of Victoria whether I’ll get in or not. People are saying, ‘we’re over the campaign, already we’re sick of hearing jobs and growth 18 times a day’. I’d like to get out in the second half of the campaign as much as possible trying to analyse what both sides have been saying.
How do you vote for me? #lookforthebeardhttps://t.co/Dz3gidNHLM
— Senator Ricky Muir (@Ricky_Muir) May 18, 2016
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An exclusive report from Guardian Australia’s Michael Slezak has revealed that every reference to Australia was scrubbed from the final version of a major UN report on climate change, after the Australian government intervened. Mikey explains:
Guardian Australia can reveal the report “World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate”, which Unesco jointly published with the United Nations environment program and the Union of Concerned Scientists on Friday, initially had a key chapter on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as small sections on Kakadu and the Tasmanian forests.
But when the Australian Department of Environment saw a draft of the report, it objected, and every mention of Australia was removed by Unesco. Will Steffen, one of the scientific reviewers of the axed section on the reef, said Australia’s move was reminiscent of “the old Soviet Union”.
No sections about any other country were removed from the report. The removals left Australia as the only inhabited continent on the planet with no mentions.
Explaining the decision to object to the report, a spokesperson for the environment department told Guardian Australia: “Recent experience in Australia had shown that negative commentary about the status of world heritage properties impacted on tourism.”
Full story here.
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Federal Member for Leichhardt in Queensland Warren Entsch has spoken to Radio National about the remote community of Aurukun in far north Queensland, where a group of about 15-20 teenagers have been threatening teachers forcing the school to close down. The teachers have been evacuated to Cairns.
The school should be re-opened in a different form, he says, with more input from elected leaders within the community who he says currently have “no authority”.
The majority of the kids, which are bloody good kids, tend to get ignored here. There are also fabulous programs, very successful programs, that you never ever hear about in Aurukun.
What’s happened over time is there’s been a whole lot of initiatives that have been put through including a totally different education system that has been basically manipulated in, without any consultation and without any authority form the elected representatives from the community. And that’s the major problem.
Exaggeration and lots and lots of it.
That’s how Insiders host, Barrie Cassidy, has just described the election campaign so far on ABC News 24.
That’s the shame. Because Malcolm Turnbull did say that he was going to treat the electorate like adults. Well he’s not and neither is Labor. They’re not, because of the exaggeration over the numbers, there may be black holes, there may be black holes on both sides. There’s certainly a big deficit.
But the figures are grossly exaggerated and on Labor’s side, they talk as if Malcolm Turnbull is a threat to the very concept of Medicare. Whereas in fact the argument is over the freezing on the rebates to doctors. So this kind of thing. On negative gearing as well, exaggeration about that, climate change. In a word, that’s what it’s all about.
Indigenous leader Noel Pearson has described the troubled remote community of Aurukun in far north Queensland as “the Afghanistan of teaching” after teachers in the town were evacuated over safety concerns for the second time in one month.
Pearson told the ABC that he believed teachers wanted to stay but were overruled by authorities in Brisbane. The ABC reports:
Pearson labelled the move a “bit of a kneejerk ... particularly on the part of people are not on the ground”, but he condemned the conditions on Aurukun.
“There is a terrible insecurity in relation to the premises that teachers live in,” he said.
“Its disgusting that we expect young Australians to go out to remote areas — the hardest gigs in education — this is the Afghanistan of teaching, it is that hard.
“We are asking people to do great service for us as a community and the least they should expect is good accommodation that is safe, quiet.
“And we haven’t guaranteed that. The buildings are dilapidated ... and unfit for the teachers that live in them and we have got to address that as a matter of priority.”
Federal Member for Leichhardt in Queensland Warren Entsch is about to speak to Radio National about the issue and other topics.
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Meanwhile, in Sydney’s inner-west:
I've joined residents at the St Peters drill site of #WestConnex. The community is fighting back against #CasinoMike pic.twitter.com/SaliofZnNZ
— Senator Lee Rhiannon (@leerhiannon) May 26, 2016
The Australian Sex Party and the Marijuana (HEMP) party have reached an agreement to win seats at the election. According to a statement just sent out by the parties, they will share joint tickets in a number of states in an effort to win the last two Senate seats in each jurisdiction.
Under the new Senate voting rules the last two seats in many states are an unknown quantity. Details will be announced at the Sex/Marijuana (HEMP) Party Queensland Senate launch this Sunday in Brisbane.
The parties will combine their resources and votes in Queensland, Tasmania, SA, WA, NT and the ACT. In NSW the parties will run separate tickets but will preference each other.
Sex Party leader and Victorian Upper House member, Fiona Patten, says:
The major parties have not delivered on so many important progressive social reforms and as a result, Australia looks like the Hermit Kingdom of the southern hemisphere.
Dying with dignity, marriage equality, legal medical cannabis and legal recreational cannabis have all had their advocates in the major parties but nothing has happened. The same is true for taxing the church, prison reform, standardised abortion laws, humane processing of asylum seekers and access to affordable legal aid.
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Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese says deputy PM Barnaby Joyce’s battle with actor Johnny Depp and his dogs over Australia’s quarantine laws has been the highlight of Joyce’s career.
Albanese was on the Nine Network this morning and commenting on Joyce’s remarks linking Labor’s 2012 live export ban with an increase in asylum seeker boat arrivals. Joyce was an “erratic maverick” as deputy prime minister, Albanese said.
He should stick to worrying about [Johnny Depp’s dogs] Pistol and Boo. That’s been the highlight of his career, picking on little puppies.
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Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has spoken about her thoughts on Clive Palmer, Malcolm Turnbull and the struggle to get back on her feet after being forced to leave the Australian Defence Force due to an injury on the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet program last night.
On recent changes to the Senate, she said:
We know that all our asses are on the line right now going into the next election, but it’s my conscience. So if I don’t win my seat back because I believe I’ve done the right thing, well, then, so be it, but at least I’ll be able to sleep at night time.
Missed Kitchen Cabinet with @JacquiLambie tonight? It's right here on iView https://t.co/7DxyR56Uv2
— Annabel Crabb (@annabelcrabb) May 26, 2016
She also described the conservative Liberal senator Cory Bernardi as “just an arsehole. Typical, ‘Hello, I’m born with a silver spoon up my rear end’. I really hate that sort of attitude”.
Dinner with @annabelcrabb on #KitchenCabinet wouldn't have been possible without Tasmanian producers #election2016 pic.twitter.com/XKpbPwwvPi
— Jacqui Lambie (@JacquiLambie) May 26, 2016
She also told Crabb how she initially believed Palmer to be a “nice man”. But then the Senate happened.
Everything was an effort to try and make him change his mind. So, you know, within that first week, I learned how it was either his way or the highway.
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Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese defended Labor’s decision not to pursue changes to the pension assets test if it’s elected on 2 July.
On Thursday the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, and the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, said Labor would not restore the Schoolkids bonus or reverse pension assets test changes if elected, at least not in its first term.
Albanese told the Nine Network this morning it was a “sensible and pragmatic” move.
The fact is that, after the election, if we have the numbers in the House of Representatives, we are unlikely to have a majority in the Senate to make those changes.
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According to ALP-aligned think tank the McKell Institute – the centre that first proposed Labor’s negative-gearing policy – property prices will grow more slowly under the policy but the housing market will not crash.
The report has been provided to Fairfax, which reports the slowdown in price rises will nonetheless be small.
The findings, contained in the McKell Institute Switching Gears: Addendum II reportwill be published on Friday ahead of a crunch National Press Club debate between Treasurer Scott Morrison and his Labor counterpart, Chris Bowen.
That debate will take place against the backdrop of a week of debate over Labor’s costings and will centre on economic management and competence.
The McKell report’s key finding is that under the current rules, house prices across Australia’s eight capital cities are forecast to grow by an average of 3.09 per cent per year for 10 years.
“Under the proposed Labor changes, house prices are also forecast to grow, albeit at a more modest 2.60 per cent per year across the same eight cities,” a difference of 0.49 per cent per year.
Both sides of politics will be able to use aspects of the report to argue their case over the proposed policy changes.
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With the resignation of Nova Peris dominating much of his trip to the Top End, Shorten will today focus on West Arnhem Land, travelling to the remote community of Maningrida.
He’ll announce $200m for the caring for country program for Indigenous rangers by 2020. Then tonight, Shorten will be off to Melbourne where he will address a reconciliation dinner.
Bill Shorten has thrown a footy around with some kids in Darwin. And yes, he did actually touch the ball pic.twitter.com/lAAbCBe6QI
— Liz Burke (@lizeburke) May 26, 2016
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Welcome to the end of week three of the political campaign. Only five to go! Yep, that’s right, we’re not even halfway through. Nowhere near. But we’re still having fun, right? Think of all the gaffes and black holes still to come!
Melissa Davey with you here for the early [so very early] mornings, and I’ll be handing you over to Murph and co. in Canberra at around 8.30am. To the headlines overnight and today:
The big picture
Readers will be aware of the backlash yesterday following comments made by the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, that linked Australia’s suspension of live cattle exports with more asylum seeker boat arrivals.
I’m just stating the bleeding obvious. You don’t want to basically, what they would determine, insult another country by overnight ceasing the supply of a major requirement of their dietary intake, which is meat.
The Indonesian government rejected the comments and the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, described Joyce’s remarks as “ignorant,” telling him to leave foreign policy “to the grown-ups”.
Well, Indonesia appears to have accepted the government’s explanation of Joyce’s comments following their damage control yesterday. That explanation, which came from several MPs, including the foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, the resources minister, Josh Frydenberg, and the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was that Joyce was just highlighting the flaws in Labor’s live export ban.
The ABC reports:
In a one-line statement, a spokesman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry said the comments from the Prime Minister and Ms Bishop were “clear”.
Indonesia has issued no further response.
Calm has been restored, for now.
All is not well, however, for the embattled Labor MP David Feeney. He dominated headlines last week for forgetting to declare a $2.3m negatively geared property he owns in Melbourne on the parliamentary register of interests. Then there was a car-crash interview with Sky News, after which he accidentally leaked some of Labor’s campaign strategy.
Now, according to the Australian, “Feeney is copping internal flack for ‘going rogue’ in his Melbourne campaign to see off the Greens in Batman and ignoring party advice”. The report says he “surprised ALP insiders by using billboards featuring a giant image of himself”.
One ALP source said personalising the campaign, as opposed to relying more heavily on the party’s brand, had turned out to be a bad choice given the damage his standing had taken.
The source said the billboards, which have the party name prominently displayed but feature a large reproduction of the MP’s face, looked like something “produced by a North Korean propaganda artist”.
He’s been advised by us, but he doesn’t seem to be taking it,’’ the party source said.
Feeney ‘goes rogue’ in ad https://t.co/lTaiL3EHje
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) May 26, 2016
According to the Australian’s political editor, Dennis Shanahan, Thursday was Labor’s worst day of the campaign so far. He writes:
With five weeks of campaigning to go, it’s too early to say it’s been a fatal day for Labor, but Bill Shorten can’t afford too many more like this one.
The real problem, beyond the embarrassing images and TV footage, is that structural, strategic flaws have been exposed and the focus remains firmly where the opposition doesn’t want it.
The political bonus handed to Labor by Tony Abbott’s stringent 2014 budget and Labor’s blockade of savings in the Senate has suddenly turned into a negative. After years of arguing for fairness over a suite of measures and calculating losses to families and pensioners, Labor was mugged by reality and its Senate intransigence.
Only 48 hours after taking a huge risk in undermining the Coalition’s economic credibility by over-egging the cost of Labor’s promises, Scott Morrison was able to stand up yesterday and declare triumphantly he’d “flushed out” Labor and forced more backflips than the Ringling Bros Circus.
With Joyce’s comments, black-hole estimate blunders, and a potential diplomatic rift with Indonesia avoided, I’d say the Coalition would be feeling pretty happy the end of the week is in sight as well.
On the campaign trail
Bill Shorten is travelling to a remote Northern Territory community to announce $200m over four years to expand the Indigenous Ranger program. The prime minister will be in Brisbane to discuss the government’s plan to boost the Indigenous business sector.
The campaign you should be watching
With the PM there today, keep your eye on Brisbane. Teresa Gambaro (LNP), who is retiring at the election, held the seat with a margin of 4.3% and the seat has attracted a diverse range of candidates, as Josh Robertson reported for Guardian Australia recently.
The lack of incumbency thanks to Teresa Gambaro’s retirement has blown the battle for Brisbane open and led to an Australian political first – both major parties have preselected openly gay candidates.
The lateness of Gambaro’s announcement and Trevor Evans’ subsequent preselection has given O’Neill a strategically important head-start and has set up perhaps the most intriguing race in Queensland.
And another thing(s)
Earlier this week we saw a poll that revealed Labor is gaining ground and Shorten is growing in popularity. Well, polls would only present a risk for Malcolm Turnbull should he be narrowly re-elected, writes Michelle Grattan for The Conversation. Polls are less damaging during an election campaign than in the period between elections, she says.
Polls have been a major factor in the revolving door of recent prime ministerial politics. They were central in the replacement of Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, and Tony Abbott. Malcolm Turnbull cited the Coalition losing 30 consecutive Newspolls when he launched his challenge.
The polls give followers a real-time measurement of leaders’ performances – or, to put it more accurately, how those performances are seen by the public at a given moment. The followers have become increasingly unwilling to tolerate leaders who, even if only in the short term, look like losers.
Polls play to challengers who want to destabilise. Sometimes it is necessary and desirable to get rid of leaders, but continuous churn is destructive.
If Turnbull wins this election with just a narrow majority his ability to govern strongly, and potentially his political life, will hang on the polls. He has plenty of enemies in his party, and their ammunition would be the polls, if they were poor.
So for Turnbull this campaign is not only about winning. For him to be able to chart out bold policy in a second term, this has to be about winning well.
Some brutal honesty
During the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet program on the ABC last night, the independent senator Jacqui Lambi was asked by Annabel Crabb which politician she would most like to take on. While preparing some Tasmanian salmon, Lambie didn’t miss a beat, replying, “[Cory] Bernadi”.
Bernadi, she continued, was an “arsehole” who had been “born with a silver spoon” up his “rear end”.
Lambie takes swipe at PM and Corey Bernardi https://t.co/0vrict6lt7
— ninemsn (@ninemsn) May 26, 2016
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