A lunchtime farewell
The live blog is winding down before being fired up again by Katharine Murphy in time for the leader’s debate this evening.
It’s been a subdued day on the campaign trail for both leader as they deflected attacks that were not from each other.
-
Malcolm Turnbull had his headlines dominated by Peta Credlin labelling him “Mr Harbourside Mansion”, a moniker she tried to peddle back from:
Malcolm lives in Sydney, has a harbourside view and has done well in life. Done well, it’s something to be proud of.
Turnbull’s feelings on the characterisation:
Everyone is entitled to their commentary.
- The real estate industry is preparing to mount a multi-million dollar campaign against the Labor party’s housing policies, including the winding back of negative gearing. There will be letters, emails, television and radio advertisements, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Bill Shorten does not seem spooked though.
Now I understand that vested interests will always scream in defence of their particular part of taxpayer subsidy. In Australia, over $10bn a year of taxpayer money goes to subsidise negative gearing. We’re not scrapping negative gearing entirely but we do want to do budget repair that is fair. We don’t think the case is as fair as perhaps some people argue it is. I don’t expect the real estate agents and their lobbies and their scare campaign to be reminding Australians that their profits are built upon the taxes which every Australian pays.
Shorten spent the morning in Sydney’s inner-west, where he visited a school in Five Dock.
- In the high court, there was a unanimous decision to dismiss the case against the Senate changes which was brought by Family First senator Bob Day.
- Nick Xenophon’s Team has the Liberals nervous and Turnbull spent the morning campaigning in Adelaide. Xenophon dismissed reports he had made a preference deal with Labor in the seat of Mayo, held by former cities minister Jamie Briggs, but he did not rule out future preference deals.
I don’t want to [do preference deals], I think the most likely scenario is there will be open tickets, we will let voters decide. I think voters are smart enough to decide for themselves … What I’ve heard is maybe Liberal and Labor are talking a preference deal swap to squeeze out anyone running from the Nick Xenophon Team.
Tony Abbott has spent the week behaving himself and has kept himself busy in the past couple of days campaigning in north Queensland.
Murphy will guide the good ship later this afternoon and I will return bright and early on Monday morning.
Toodles!
Updated
Julia Gillard is speaking in Melbourne at the Women’s leadership forum.
A few tidbits:
Former PM Julia Gilliard says "sense of purpose" crucial for leaders #AFTS "write down what you want to do." pic.twitter.com/f500smpGda
— Sara James (@SaraJamesAus) May 13, 2016
.@JuliaGillard was encouraged to write down her purpose, keep it with her, and reflect on it when says got tough. #afts
— Carly Findlay (@carlyfindlay) May 13, 2016
"We've got to be open to constructive criticism by people we trust." -@JuliaGillard #AFTS
— Carly Findlay (@carlyfindlay) May 13, 2016
I will wrap up the day so far in the next post as the campaigns have wound down for the afternoon ahead of the leaders’ debate this evening.
Updated
Everyone looking thrilled to be in each other’s company:
In keeping with Labor's school visits, Penny Wong at the gates of Henley High school. #auspol pic.twitter.com/KXTnwpoGke
— Rebecca Puddy (@RebeccaPuddy) May 13, 2016
Updated
Liberal campaign headquarters are distributing quotes from real estate industry leaders about their campaign against the Labor party’s policies on negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions.
A sample:
Grant Harrod, CEO, LJ Hooker:
Our research shows property investment isn’t just for the wealthy; 37% of investors earned a combined household income under $100,000. The perception that investors are well-to-do is overblown. We also know that about 30% of our investors would sell if negative gearing was abolished or restricted, so we’re concerned for tenants. Contrary to what the opposition may think, abolishing negative gearing would likely create panic purchasing, with a rush of investors buying up existing properties in the six months before changes are implemented. Often these are the same homes targeted by first home buyers.”
Andrew Cocks, executive director, Richardson & Wrench:
When you take a blunt and heavy instrument to a complex problem, you are likely to generate a whole range of unintended negative consequences.”
Brian White AO, joint chairman, Ray White:
We have to make it easier for first-home buyers, not harder. This will impact on the aspirations and commitments of a large bulk of Australians.
Paul Stoner, CEO, Biggin and Scott:
It’s not a situation of the haves and have-nots. Overwhelmingly we understand the pressure on affordability, whether it be buying or renting. Our concern is politicians segregating the community by making them believe this will be good for them. We disagree.
Updated
I haven’t written much on Duncan Storrar, the man on welfare who asked a question on Q&A earlier this week and has since been scrutinised by News Corp Australia newspapers.
It’s not strictly to do with the election campaign, or politics, but I see in the comments enough of you are interested to warrant a quick post.
The editor of the Herald-Sun, Damon Johnston, in Melbourne, was on ABC radio this morning with Jon Faine discussing the coverage.
It came on the day he ran this front page:
Tomorrows @theheraldsun front page tonight #auspol pic.twitter.com/XbPMCghnfr
— damon johnston (@damonheraldsun) May 12, 2016
Here is the interview:
A quick summary from Gay Alcorn:
Faine questioned why the paper would “go back more than 15 years to bully and vilify [Duncan]”.
Johnston said it was a “legitimate form of public debate” if you go on television in an election campaign, “you’re entitled to a bit of scrutiny”.
It’s all part of legitimate public debate in my view.
Faine: “I query your paper’s value system ... how, twice in a week, you take people with obvious mental issues, all sorts of problems of grappling with the difficulties of life as dished up at them, and you basically grind them into the dirt on your front page.”
Johnston rejected the basis of the question: “What motivates you to do that other than to whack someone who dares question your preferred party?
“If you’re going to be on the national stage in the middle of an election campaign, it’s equally legitimate to have your own past looked at, and that’s what we’ve done.”
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull has done a shopping centre walk in Adelaide and it looks bonkers. A prime minister wandering through suburbia in the election campaign is as casual as the Duchess of Cambridge on the cover of Vogue (ie way too much effort to look “natural”).
The chaos of a campaign shopping centre walk, @TurnbullMalcolm is in Adelaide seat of Hindmarsh @abcnews pic.twitter.com/Yhexo8O8ii
— Andrew Greene (@AndrewBGreene) May 13, 2016
These people have no chill.
When the finance minister and Liberal campaign spokesman, Mathias Cormann, was on the rounds this morning, he was asked about the real estate industry campaign against Labor’s negative gearing policy.
I haven’t spoken to anyone myself. But let me just say, Labor’s negative gearing policy so-called, would be a disaster for Australia. It would push down the value of property. It will push up the cost of rents and it will be very bad for families across Australia trying to get ahead.
He was not asked if a campaign could be called “grassroots” when it had $18m at the beginning and was backed by chief executives of the largest organisations in the sector.
Updated
Turns out Andrew Bolt does have a line when it comes to Islam, and that line is a royal commission.
Pauline Hanson, who is running for the Queensland seat in the Senate, was on his program demanding a royal commission on whether Islam was really a religion or “just a political ideology”, according to Australian Associated Press.
Host Andrew Bolt seemed shocked at the proposition and said he believed the Australian people should be allowed to make up their own minds on the matter.
Updated
Julie Bishop confirms Australian worker's death in Iraq
A 34-year-old Australian security contractor working at the Australian embassy in Baghdad has died, a statement from Julie Bishop confirms.
The government extends its condolences to the family of the Australian man over this tragic incident. All appropriate assistance is being provided to his family.
The man was working for Unity Resources Group, providing security services to the Australian embassy.
Bishop said the death would be “throughly investigated”.
I am advised the high level of security is being maintained at the embassy. In light of the ongoing investigation, and out of respect for the man’s family, the Australian government will not provide further comment at this time.
Updated
The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, has also dismissed the multi-million dollar campaign the real estate industry is preparing to mount against Labor’s negative gearing and capital gains tax policies.
Now, it’s very interesting that the real estate industry today is not launching or releasing any evidence, any modelling, not one little bit of support for their claims for this ridiculous and shrill scare campaign, threatening recession, house price crashes, house prices will go down but rents will go up, hordes of locusts would come on Australia should negative gearing actually be reformed. Negative gearing needs to be reformed.
He also mentions the vested interests:
The real estate industry makes it clear, even in the article in News Limited today ,they accept they have a vested interest in keeping the current arrangements. Well I tell you who doesn’t have a vested interest in keeping the current arrangements,hundreds of thousands of first home buyers who are being locked out of the market.
The ABC is reporting that an Australian contractor has been killed at Australia’s embassy in Baghdad. The foreign minister, Julie Bishop, is expected to provide an update soon.
Malcolm Turnbull was asked about it earlier but said he could provide no details at the time.
Updated
Your update from Tony Abbott’s campaign trail in north Queensland
Now that is an innovative way into writing about the election campaign
we got a guy at Sexpo to paint a picture of Turnbull with his dingus. Looks pretty good imo pic.twitter.com/6eYHOPIeFS
— j.r. hennessy (@jrhennessy) May 12, 2016
Malcolm Turnbull said Bill Shorten is a dangerous threat to the economy, is that true?
Mr Turnbull can call me all the names under the sun he likes. What I think is dangerous for the Australian economy is that this government has tripled the deficit. What I think’s dangerous for this economy is that under this government, real wages growth has flat-lined. We’ve got an out-of-touch PM who thinks that the best advice you can give someone [who is] trying to enter the housing market, is to get a rich parent.
How is he feeling about the leaders’ debate tonight?
What I’m looking forward to is outlining Labor’s positive policies ... What I’m interested in is listening to people.
What does he think of Mark Latham’s piece on his supposed “man boobs”?
I think I’d put Mark Latham’s fashion advice in the same box I put Scott Morrison’s.
Updated
Bill Shorten: Real estate industry 'screaming' in defence of their subsidy
Is Bill Shorten worried about the multi-million dollar campaign being mounted by the real estate industry against his negative gearing and capital gains policies?
Shorten says he will believe the Reserve Bank’s assessment of his policies above major corporate real estate agents “worried about Losing some of the taxpayer subsidies”.
Now I understand that vested interests will always scream in defence of their particular part of taxpayer subsidy. In Australia,over $10bn a year of taxpayer money goes to subsidise negative gearing. We’re not scrapping negative gearing entirely but we do want to do budget repair that is fair. We don’t think the case is as fair as perhaps some people argue it is. I don’t expect the real estate agents and their lobbies and their scare campaign to be reminding Australians that their profits are built upon the taxes which every Australian pays.
If I have to choose between supporting a business model which leads to a lucrative commissions for some real estate agents and property speculators funded by taxpayer money, or a choice between them and the young, impressive women we’ve seen who are the finest, who are going to NASA, who are making remarkable steps forward in their science education, if I’ve got to choose between the big end of town and the negative gearing brigade who don’t want their $10bn of taxpayer subsidy in any fashion diminished or the schools and the hospitals of Australia, I choose the schools and the hospitals of Australia every day.
Updated
There is breaking news that there has been a shooting of a soldier and an army officer in Iraq. There are reports this is near the army base in Baghdad. Bill Shorten says he will seek a briefing.
Is this a war we should be fighting?
It is really important, especially in this heated election environment, that the men and women of our defence forces know that where they serve Australia and that their families back here in Australia also know on behalf of the ones they love overseas, Labor and the Coalition are shoulder to shoulder with the Australian people in defeating the sort of terrorism which is ruining literally millions of lives in that part of the Middle East.
Updated
Bill Shorten is joined by Tanya Plibersek and Kate Ellis at his press conference.
Does Labor want to make maths and science compulsory? Ellis takes that question:
We want to make sure that every student through to year 12 covers a Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths] subjects, now that means we need a flexible curriculum. We want to make sure that there is enough diversity in Stem that is on offer ... that there is something that interests each and every student. So that doesn’t mean strictly maths, strictly science, but we do want to ensure by 2020 every student is studying Stem through to Year 12.
Updated
Everyone standing up at once! Now to Bill Shorten in the inner-west in Sydney. He has visited another school to talk up Labor’s education policy.
There’s some debate in Australia at the moment that investing in education, investing in teachers, won’t deliver an economic dividend. Of course it will. In life there are some things which are beyond doubt. A smart, educated Australia will be a prosperous, successful Australia and that is beyond doubt.
Updated
Crossbench senators are standing up in Canberra after the high court dismissal of the case against the Senate voting reform.
Family First senator Bob Day says the reforms have “taken away voters’ rights”.
It punishes those voters who vote for minor parties by threatening to kill off their votes and the fact that we had a fair hearing here in the high court ... I’m satisfied that we do have in the high court a very, very good system of democracy.
Updated
The astute Paul Karp has the details of the high court dismissing the Senate reforms case:
The high court has unanimously rejected Senator Bob Day’s challenge of Senate reforms.
Day argued that the choice of voting above-the-line or below-the-line created different methods of voting, in breach of the constitution which requires only one method of voting.
The court held that that “method” in the constitution is to be construed broadly, allowing for more than one way of indicating choice within a single uniform electoral system.
The judges said voting above-the-line was a direct vote for individual candidates, consistent with the constitution, not a vote for the “middle man” of Australian political parties whose logos are printed on the ballot, as Day had argued.
Because voters were not disenfranchised in the legal effect of the voting process, the high court rejected the challenge. So, it’s onwards and upwards to the 2 July double dissolution election under the new system of voting, without the challenge hanging over the validity of Senate reform.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull: Peta Credlin is entitled to her opinion
Malcolm Turnbull asked almost straight away how he feels about being described by Peta Credlin as “Mr Harbourside Mansion”:
Everyone is entitled to their comments.
But is he worried about that view in the broader public?
I’m focused on jobs and growth. Australians know the difference between the government I lead and the government Bill Shorten wants to lead. The government I lead is focused on them. It’s focused on ensuring our children and grandchildren have great jobs in the future and now. It’s focused on ensuring we get the economic growth that will enable us to enjoy our wonderful lifestyle in Australia now and into the years ahead. That’s my commitment, our economic plan, strong growth, more jobs.
Turnbull is very on-message in this press conference and very focussed on Bill Shorten. I think he has said his full name about 12 times already.
Bill Shorten represents a dangerous threat to our economy. Just think about it. This is what Bill Shorten is proposing to do. He is going to deter investment. Now all of us agree, that we need more investment ... What Bill Shorten is proposing to do is to ban negative gearing, which will reduce investment, reduce property values,and he’s going to increase capital gains tax by 50%. Now capital gains tax is a tax on investment, that is what it is. He is going to increase the tax on investment. Let me tell you, if you want less of something, tax it more. If you want more of something, tax it less. Bill Shorten clearly wants less investment.
Turnbull moves on to the government’s superannuation changes saying they are reducing generous concessions available to the very wealthy.
There is no doubt people on very high incomes and with very large superannuation accounts will have to pay more tax, OK. That’s the case. We make no bones about that. But it will also mean that people earning, on low incomes, up to $37,000 will not be paying tax on their super contributions. That’s good, that’s fair at that end.
Will you campaign in Jamie Briggs’ seat of Mayo?
Adelaide Hills is delightful to campaign in and I look forward to returning to Adelaide.
In Adelaide Malcolm Turnbull is announcing the public transport funding flagged by the Adelaide Advertiser earlier today.
Blessed are the innovators #auspol pic.twitter.com/zOp8Ww8oZi
— Heath Aston (@HeathJAston) May 13, 2016
High court dismisses case against Senate reforms
News just filtering through that the high court is not holding up senator Bob Day’s case against the government’s Senate reforms, which will change how people can vote for the upper house. The reforms are meant to stop minor parties and individuals getting elected on complicated preference deals.
Day had challenged them but the high court has not ruled in his favour.
I’ll bring you more details as they come.
Updated
A look into the campaign trail.
In Adelaide with the prime minister:
AFP joins campus security at Flinders Uni to check ID while the PM is inside #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/hnX3BrU7BH
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) May 12, 2016
And the inner-west with the opposition leader:
At an all girls Catholic college in Five Dock today. Change of scene from the regional Queensland public schools pic.twitter.com/q4CtBpLJq0
— Matthew Knott (@KnottMatthew) May 12, 2016
I am not as dextrous as Katharine Murphy at getting in amongst the comment thread but I have been dipping down there and enjoying most of the conversations. Some thoughts on what some are trying to frame as “class warfare” from TheBBG .
You can also find me on Twitter @bkjabour to throw in your two cents.
Updated
Scott Morrison’s interview with Jon Faine continues ... the Institute of Public Affairs and Labor are both campaigning against the government’s superannuation changes. Those are strange bedfellows, surely?
Our super charges are there, they’re in budget, we’re going forward with it, they’re fair.
But IPA and Labor are singing from the same song sheet, that the super changes are retrospective and should not be allowed.
If I reduce taxes in the future are they going to talk about that being retrospective because people thought they were going to be higher in the future? Of course not. This is about earnings in the future, and yes they affect a small minority of superannuants.
So he won’t review it?
No.
Now on to who pays the most tax, Morrison does not seem overly enthusiastic about the progressive tax system. If low-income earners are not paying tax, and the rich are finding ways to minimise tax, does that mean it is those in the middle shouldering the biggest burden?
No, those on top marginal rate account for less than 3% of taxpayers and account for 30% of tax paid, we have a progressive tax system and that means those people on higher incomes end up paying the overwhelming majority of taxes, and that’s the system we have.
Morrison mentioned Shorten’s “ill-fitting suit” a few weeks ago. Has he seen the opposition leader’s jogging gear? Morrison laughs.
No I haven’t. Off the hand remarks are made from time to time in politics, he hit me back with one of his zingers, so good for him.
Despite Faine saying he was going to move on quickly, he ends the interview talking about how he has been waiting years for Morrison to come on his program.
I’m glad you missed me.
“Every day!”, Faine responds, to which Morrison nervously reveals it his birthday.
Happy birthday treasurer!
Updated
Scott Morrison: Peta Credlin is not undermining us, nope
The treasurer, Scott Morrison, is now speaking to Jon Faine on 774 ABC Melbourne. He last spoke on the radio program in December 2011 but Faine says he is going to swiftly move on from that point.
Is it fair for Peta Credlin to call Malcolm Turnbull “Mr Harbourside Mansion”?
No. The thing about Malcolm Turnbull is he’s someone who started out in a flat with his single parent dad and over the course of his life he’s been a great success he’s worked hard for the success he’s had ... his story is one that I frankly find inspirational.
But Credlin isn’t being very helpful is she?
Well I know journalists like to commentate on commentators who commentate on commentators, I’m not going to commentate on that.
Faine persists through the non-sensical answer: she’s not helping, is she?
That’s for others to judge.
Is Credlin, the former chief of staff of an ex-prime minister, undermining Turnbull and Morrison?
I don’t believe so. I’ll leave that to commentators to discuss with other commentators.
Morrison, now getting irritated, begins to list infrastructure projects in Victoria in an effort to get off the Peta Credlin topic.
The Queensland energy minister is trying to blow the lid on the government’s election promises before they are ready to announce them.
It’s a pesky fact of election campaigns – especially long ones – that sometimes you have to telegraph decisions to state government when you actually make them and not when you want to announce them. When the state government is from the other side of the political fence they don’t necessarily want to play ball.
Barnaby Joyce, as agriculture minister, has signed off on up to $17.6m worth of infrastructure feasibility studies, eight of them based on north Queensland. He tried to sneak it into the second last paragraph of a letter to the energy, biofuels and water supply minister, Mark Bailey.
But Bailey is having none of it. In a statement sent to all media he says:
These studies are an essential first step for the delivery of future water supply – supporting industrial and agricultural development, economic growth and jobs in our regions.
This decision has been eagerly anticipated by regional communities throughout Queensland.
Unfortunately I’m unable to advise which projects have been approved as Mr Joyce is refusing to disclose any details.
This is a blatant election ploy by Mr Joyce.
Bailey is demanding Joyce release the details and has written to him asking him to do so.
"Malcolm Turnbull is very much in touch"
The defence of Malcolm Turnbull as “Mr Harbourside Mansion” (as dubbed by Peta Credlin) has started this morning with the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, first out of the blocks.
He told Sky News:
Malcolm Turnbull is very much in touch.
Credlin did try to qualify her comments after she had given the Labor party the gift of the nickname:
Malcolm lives in Sydney, has a harbourside view and has done well in life. Done well, it’s something to be proud of.
The New South Wales Senate election ticket order has been announced:
1. Sam Dastyari (Sydney)
2. Jennifer McAllister (Sydney)
3. Deborah O’Neill (central coast)
4. Doug Cameron (Blue Mountains)
5. Tara Moriarty (Sydney)
6. Viv Thomson (country Labor)
So much for commitment to country @NSWLabor @VivThomson https://t.co/b53GMQ2XAG
— Gabrielle Chan (@gabriellechan) May 12, 2016
Updated
Another day, another election advertisement. Liberals are going hard on the line that some Labor candidates are not enthusiastic, or straight up don’t support, boat turnbacks.
This ad has audio from an interview Justine Keay, the candidate for Braddon, did in which she stalls on declaring her support for the policy.
There’s still 49 days to go so it is expected that the election campaign is falling off the front pages. Here’s a taste of today’s:
The Australian front page. Friday 13 May 2016. @australian #Election2016 (in print! Digital edition not updated) pic.twitter.com/tYp2VIBGv6
— Dave Earley (@earleyedition) May 12, 2016
Financial Review front page. Friday 13 May 2016. @FinancialReview #Election2016 #ausvotes #ausvotes2016 pic.twitter.com/gUxtaskuSt
— Dave Earley (@earleyedition) May 12, 2016
Guardian Australia front page. Friday 13 May 2016. @GuardianAus #Election2016 #ausvotes #ausvotes2016 @earleyedition pic.twitter.com/Zs3v6ZKwOF
— patrick keneally (@patrickkeneally) May 12, 2016
Updated
On radio national Nick Xenophon is asked about the report in the Australian today that his promises add up to $100bn over 10 years. Is he going to outline how he will fund his promises?
Absolutely. Even with the constraints of not even a shoestring budget, but a dental floss budget. The piece in the Australian saying it will cost $100bn, there is no basis to that … interestingly [the report is] backed by the Coalition’s friends at the IPA.
I make no apology for arguing for jobs … what will the cost be of having hundreds of thousands of people out of work? What will the cost be to Centrelink, to reduced tax receipts?
Updated
Nick Xenophon does not rule out preference deals
Nick Xenophon is now on Radio National being asked if he has done a preference deal with Labor to get more votes in Jamie Briggs’s seat of Mayo.
No preference deals have been done.
Note, they have not been done, he stops short of ruling out doing preference deals though he says he would prefer an open ticket.
I don’t want to [do preference deals], I think the most likely scenario is there will be open tickets, we will let voters decide. I think voters are smart enough to decide for themselves … What I’ve heard is maybe Liberal and Labor are talking a preference deal swap to squeeze out anyone running from the Nick Xenophon Team.
So is he committing to open tickets?
Despite what some media commenators say I actually consult with candidates.
Does he think there is anything wrong with preference deals?
I always feel more comfortable having it as a an open ticket … if we’re neither to the left or right philosophically an open ticket is the preferred outcome.
Radio National breakfast host Fran Kelly notes Xenophon is the “master of the stunt” and asks him if remortgaging an apartment he owns to fund the campaign is just another stunt. He says he didn’t mean to make it public.
No not a stunt, I spoke to your researcher yesterday and was asked how I was funding it, I just made the point it’s tough, I’m running on a shoestring campaign, it’s tough.
Xenophon says he will declare every donation he gets immediately. He is campaigning for political donation laws to be changed so political parties have to declare anything over $12,500 immediately.
Updated
In Adelaide today (Nick Xenophon’s town!) Malcolm Turnbull will announce federal funding for the $85m train from the city to Flinders University, according to the Adelaide Advertiser.
The newspaper describes Turnbull as the “public transport loving prime minister” and says the federal government will provide half of the $85m needed, which the Labor state government has been calling for.
From the report:
The Tonsley rail line will be extended 650m and will be partly elevated, with a pedestrian and cycle path alongside and a new station next to the FMC.
It estimates the train would cut travel time by up to 18 minutes by putting commuters on the fast track instead of buses.
Interestingly, Turnbull is not campaigning in the seat of Mayo while in Adelaide, held by former cities minister Jamie Briggs and under threat from Xenophon’s party.
Turnbull will also reportedly be spruiking the government’s submarine plan.
Updated
Nick Xenophon’s new party is projected to give the Liberals a run for their money in South Australia, threatening a couple of sitting politicians both in the Senate and the lower house.
The media stunt mastermind is remortgaging his house to fund the campaign and the Australian has decided to investigate how much he could cost taxpayers.
They claim up to $100bn over a decade.
They arrive at the figure by saying it is the costings of his policies on foreign aid, education, superannuation, problem gambling, health and the pension.
The backing up of the figures is provided by the right wing think tank the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA).
According to senior fellow Mikayla Novak:
With the budget already in a severe state of disrepair, it is essential political parties provide policy costings for taxpayers to scrutinise. Senator Xenophon has yet to offer the public costings, but any reasonable analysis reveals his policies are simply unaffordable. Rather than offer pie-in-the-sky fiscal promises to voters, all parties, big and small, must release credible costings that are fiscally sustainable.”
Seems Xenophon has got quite a few people worried.
The high court will decide today on Senate voting reform in the case Bob Day brought against the government over the legislated changes which stop complicated preference deals which advantage minor parties. I’ll be on hand to bring you that ruling.
Updated
Bill Shorten’s campaign spokesman has released a brief statement on negative gearing seemingly in response to the Daily Telegraph’s front-page story that the real-estate industry will mount a multimillion dollar campaign against Labor’s negative gearing and capital gains tax discount policy.
Labor’s housing affordability plan will level the playing field so first-home buyers can compete with property speculators, boost housing supply, while creating tens of thousands of new construction jobs.
According to the Tele, the real-estate industry alliance includes LJ Hooker, Raine and Horne, Laing and Simmons, McGrath, Ray White, Century 21, the Real Estate Institute of Australia, the Professionals, the Coronis Group, Richardson and Wrench and First National.
From the newspaper’s report:
The campaign, dubbed “Your Voice Counts”, claims that 18 million Australians would be affected by Labor’s plans to scrap negative gearing for existing dwellings and its pledge to halve the 50% capital gains tax discount.
The campaign ads also claim that the plan would be an economy killer.
The real-estate industry admits it has a clear vested interest in the status quo. (emphasis mine!)
Updated
First sighting of Tony Abbott on the campaign trail in north Queensland. He was invited to Mackay by George Christensen and has been on his best behaviour this week, even endorsing the government’s superannuation plan after previously labelling it a “senior’s tax” when he was prime minister.
Wonder if Credlin will go the full Latham before the end of the campaign. When's the Brisbane show on?
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) May 12, 2016
There are already T-shirts from the Daily Telegraph’s front page earlier this week endorsing Anthony Albanese.
Doing our bit behind the scenes to SAVE OUR ALBO! @TheTodayShow @AlboMP @karlstefanovic pic.twitter.com/bXGD4EHXth
— Erin Bouda (@ErinBouda) May 12, 2016
Updated
I very much enjoyed this sketch in Fairfax Media on Julie Bishop’s campaign street-walk in Campbelltown yesterday. She was pulled aside by a local for some friendly advice:
I basically told her about the area. Just about how bad it is. I said ‘people get shot around here, this is not one of them areas you play games in’.
Updated
A peek inside a television reporter’s essentials on the campaign trail:
Good morning from Sydney! We like to call this @BreakfastNews on the go... #ausvotes @abcnews pic.twitter.com/sSBPAIknWX
— Eliza Borrello (@ElizaBorrello) May 12, 2016
Good morning
We’ve made it! To the end of the first week of an eight-week campaign. So, maybe not time for back-patting just yet. We have the first leaders’ debate this evening, so we are going to ease into the day delicately. I will take you through to lunchtime and Katharine Murphy will guide you through from about 4pm, into the debate and all of the analysis after. No better way to spend a Friday night, I am sure you will agree.
The big picture:
Liberal party frenemy and Tony Abbott’s former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, is already delivering Sky News bang for its buck in her role as commentator, branding Malcolm Turnbull “Mr Harbourside Mansion” and criticising the prime minister for cancelling a walk-through of western Sydney shopping centre on Wednesday after the candidate he was with, Fiona Scott, was asked about how she voted in the leadership spill.
If it’s known that you were going to do a street-walk in Penrith, the last thing you want to do, Mr Harbourside Mansion, is look like you don’t know and you’re not welcome in western Sydney.
Credlin said if she was running the strategy (as it could’ve been, should’ve been in her mind we assume) she would not have cancelled the walk-through.
I would’ve thought, particularly with the prime minister there, that they might have been a bit more agile, a bit more nimble ... if she’s not pump-primed and ready to go with an answer they should have just moved that visit because that’s the key of a campaign team.
That’s a dig at Turnbull’s favourite catchphrases in case you missed the saucepan-over-the-head manner of it.
Meanwhile, in the Daily Telegraph the opposition are under attack from the real-estate industry over its negative gearing plan with 20 of the top real-estate chains and industry groups across the country mounting a mail and email carpet-bombing campaign.
Comparing it to the very successful anti-mining tax campaign run by the mining industry, the Tele reports there will be a meeting today of all CEOs who will work on further stages of a potential multimillion campaign that could involve print and television advertising.
Front page of The Daily Telegraph. Real estate giants launch campaign against ALP #auspol pic.twitter.com/gKXVKce6JV
— Christopher Dore (@wrongdorey) May 12, 2016
There is also commentary about Bill Shorten’s “man boobs” from Mark “real issues” Latham. Your daily reminder he came close to being our prime minister.
Unions have mounted an aggressive campaign against the government’s plan to run internships where young unemployed people are paid $200 a fortnight on top of their welfare to intern for up to 25 hours a week (dubiously dubbed “$4-an-hour internships”).
But, United Voice are not adverse to partaking in internships themselves, advertising for a non-paid position in 2011 when now-senator Sue Lines was assistant secretary, the Australian reports.
The union still occasionally uses interns, including one who was recently hired as an organiser after interning for a few months. So not the systemic exploitation the union is campaigning against, but not the best look.
The Victorian Trades Hall runs a summer internship program for well-educated candidates and pays them a minimum wage, which is pretty much what the unions are campaigning for.
And the government has suffered a blow to its company tax cut plan on day five of the campaign, with a leading economist declaring its jobs and growth plan will boost national income by just 0.6% over about 20 years.
The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, told Guardian Australia:
[The company tax cuts] would increase the economy by more than 1% over the medium term, so that is 10 or 20 years.
But the Grattan Institute has found the company tax cuts will actually grow the economy by 0.6%, over at least 20 years.
On our watching brief, Julia Gillard is speaking at the Women’s Leadership Forum in Melbourne today.
On the campaign trail:
The main event of today will be the leaders’ debate which is on at 6pm in western Sydney and will be televised. Turnbull is campaigning in Adelaide today and will return to Sydney to prepare for the debate while Shorten will tour western Sydney in the morning before bunkering down for the afternoon.
Tony Abbott will continue his two-day campaign in regional Queensland with George Christensen.
And another thing(s):
The former Liberal leader John Hewson, who lost the “unloseable” election in 1993, is bemoaning the dullness of modern-day election campaigning, in the Australian Financial Review.
Today, you often see leaders confining themselves to one major, morning, media event, to deliver “their message of the day”. The excuse usually being that they are confined by the deadlines of a multiplicity of modern media platforms – nothing to do with pacing themselves, or minimising exposure risks.
This very limited campaigning clearly restricts the time for serious, in-depth questioning, allowing short, blunt responses to difficult, penetrating questions, and for the politicians to then to move on quickly to the next.
Gareth Hutchens is taking no prisoners writing about the proposed government superannuation changes which he says are “seriously good” as he urges the Coalition to fight for them.
In day four of a man asking a question on Q&A:
Tomorrows @theheraldsun front page tonight #auspol pic.twitter.com/XbPMCghnfr
— damon johnston (@damonheraldsun) May 12, 2016
Updated
Many common everyday average people look up to the wealthy as having somehow a great insight into how to improve things because of their prosperity. They cannot grasp that the wealthy focuse on improving their own lots in life, not anyone elses. Peter Morris seems a case in point. Respecting someone for being successful is one thing, but holding them up as models to lead a country for the benefits of all is another.