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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Amy Remeikis

Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten open election campaign for 18 May poll – as it happened

Stop Adani protestors.
Stop Adani protestors. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

That’s where we are going to leave our day one coverage for today.

We’ll be back tomorrow, and early, because there is no rest for the wicked. Or political reporters.

Some of you may think that’s one and the same, but we’re all just doing our best.

Tomorrow is when the real fun gets under way. Most of today was lost to the calling of the election, so it’s been a fairly soft start. But headquarters for both major parties are warming up, and there are another 36 days to make their mark, so expect a more frantic pace tomorrow.

A very big thank you to Mike Bowers, who was up exceptionally early this morning, has flown to Tasmania and will then fly back, and to Katharine Murphy and Paul Karp, who were also burning the morning candle oil.

And to my curling iron, for burning my neck this morning. It certainly got the blood pumping at 4am, which was necessary as it turned out. I wouldn’t recommend it as a coffee replacement though.

We hope to see you back here tomorrow – I know that comments were shut off a little bit early today, because the moderators who would usually take over were a bit busy with UK politics (just a little thing called Brexit), but comments will be open once again tomorrow morning, when the blog is back.

Again, thank you for joining us. We really do appreciate it. Have a wonderful night and, as always, take care of you.

Updated

The 6pm news wrap up was as you’d expect it, a recount of the day’s events.

The Labor media team are about to, if they have not already, taken off to join Bill Shorten.

Looks like Sydney is a popular destination, from what we have heard. I say that with the caveat that we actually have no idea where the leaders are headed to, until they officially tell us.

And the former member for Reid also appears to be in a better mood

Maybe they are planning on just registering cardboard Pauline cutouts in every state?

The former member for Sturt has been out and about:

Updated

We deserve this:

Updated

The Liberal party has released its first television ad of the campaign. There is a lot of hi-vis.

The Liberal’s first TV ad

Updated

Larissa Waters has officially launched her re-election campaign for the Senate in Queensland.

She’s in for a fight. Despite the Greens winning its first state seat in the Queensland parliament, Queensland is notoriously difficult for the Greens to get a strong toe-hold in.

That’s not to say that they won’t be a threat, particularly in the seat of Brisbane, currently held by the Liberals’ Trevor Evans, which does have teal overtones.

Waters concentrates on wanting to “hold Labor to account”:

I cannot wait to see the back of this government and boot them out. But even with a change of government we need Greens in the Senate to hold Labor to account and push them to go further and do more for people and the planet, not their corporate donors.

Queensland is crucial for both the lower house and the Senate. If instead of Greens there are right-wing conservatives in the balance of power in the Senate, any new government won’t be able to get their agenda through the parliament and there won’t be the policy change Australians are ready for.

I’ve loved being a voice for Queenslanders since 2010 and with their support I will keep doing that in the Senate, working for a future for all of us.

Updated

Speaking from the (currently) Labor held seat of Lindsay, Scott Morrison tells Sky:

“Now, Bill Shorten’s not going to get away from scrutiny in this campaign, I can guarantee you that. His policies will put up the price of everything and it will weaken our economy, which undercuts your ability to actually deliver the services you rely on.

“His more than $200 billion worth of taxes will be like a big sheet anchor holding Australians back.

On why he didn’t mention climate change in his first speech this morning, Morrison says it’s a brief speech, which doesn’t allow for time to include everything.

Updated

Scott Morrison has chosen Sky News for his first interview of the campaign.

Penny Wong spoke a little about how she sees the election playing out, earlier today:

Look, this is a very tough election for us. I know that the Coalition is suggesting that we think we’ve got it in the bag. We don’t. We know how hard it is to win government. We understand how we are going to be faced –Australians are going to get a lot of fear campaigning from Scott Morrison.

You see he can’t campaign on his record because his record is cuts and chaos. He can’t campaign on stability because he hasn’t got any. The only thing that he can campaign on is fear. Whether it’s the latest fear campaign on electric vehicles – which was odd because they were very committed to it – or anything else, we know this government will campaign very hard.

Updated

CSIRO responds to Adani groundwater approval – 'still issues to be addressed'

It’s just been pointed out to me that the CSIRO has released a statement on the Adani groundwater approval:

In late 2018 and early 2019 CSIRO and Geoscience Australia wrote two reports for the federal government on specific questions on groundwater monitoring, management and modelling planned by Adani Pty Ltd for its Carmichael mine proposal in central Queensland.

This advice was limited to answering discrete inquiries on whether elements of Adani’s proposed plans would be adequate to protect nationally significant environmental assets.

CSIRO identified inadequacies in the plans and was subsequently asked to review Adani’s response to the recommendations CSIRO made to address the issues raised, as summarised by the Department of the Environment and Energy. Adani had committed to address the modelling limitations identified by the CSIRO and GA review in a groundwater model rerun to be undertaken within two years.

CSIRO considered that this commitment satisfied its recommendations, while also acknowledging there were still some issues that need to be addressed in future approvals, particularly confirming the source of the ecologically-important Doongmabulla Springs.

CSIRO has provided robust, peer-reviewed science on specific groundwater modelling-related questions about the plans. CSIRO’s role is to provide scientific advice to inform approval processes, but it does not have any role in making approval decisions.

Updated

Christian Porter spoke to Perth radio 6PR today about GetUp’s campaign against him in his (under threat) seat of Pearce:

Yeah, well I’m part of the hard right who supported and voted in favour of same-sex marriage! Like it’s not about whether they consider me hard right or centre right, it’s about the fact that they want to take out key players in the government and fair enough, that’s their ilk. But they are an eastern states political machine, that is parachuting themselves into WA and they are basically an arm of the Labor party and the Greens. And if you want more taxes and if you want the value of your home to decrease then of course you’ll listen to what GetUp’s got to say because they’re all in favour of those things, but I’m not. And this is an electorate I’ve been working hard in for six years. The money that I’ve brought in to this electorate makes Ellenbrook Rail a reality, makes Yanchep Rail a reality, pays for the $1 billion NorthLink Project, the extension of the Freeway north. People in GetUp honestly couldn’t care less about the people of Pearce. It’s just part of a larger chess game for them on the national scene.

Updated

Jane Hume is now on Patricia Karvelas’s ABC show.

Asked if this will be a negative campaign from the Coalition, the Victorian senator says:

Certainly, the coalition believe there is a very stark choice at the up coming election we think that our track record speaks for itself. A very significant economic growth, a strong economy, 1.2 million jobs have been created over the past five years ago, high participation rates for women, and jobs for young people, maintenance of the AAA credit rating and in lowest number of people on welfare for decades. We want to make it clear there is a risk voting for Labor, that Bill Shorten is the bill that Australia can’t afford, that their policies will risk the economy, will risk jobs and will risk growth. Of course, we are going to run both sides of the campaign.

So that’s a yes, then.

Updated

Seems like there have been some technical issues with the same posts posting over and over. We are working on fixing it.

Tanya Plibersek on Adani:

It is not about the vibe, it is about law and science. I’m very concerned the environment minister was pressured to ignore advice in the most recent signing approvals.

...It should be based on the best available science and Australian law. There are a number of approvals still to go with this mine. I’m very sceptical it will go ahead any time soon because there has been approval after approval that is murky in the way the last one was.

And delay after delay. I mean, this is a mining company that originally said they needed a billion dollars from the federal government, they can’t get backing from – well, found it difficult to get backing from private investors. There is a lot of uncertainty and that is why Labor is not depending on this [for] jobs for central Queensland. A very important infrastructure spend up there to have better agricultural and tourism jobs and construction jobs.

Plibersek says the CFMEU (which wants Queensland Labor MPs to sign a paper saying they support coal mining) is free to campaign how it wants to, but that Labor won’t necessarily follow suit.

It is a matter for the union how they campaign politically. Certainly, it points to the fact that the Liberals like to pretend Labor and the unions are so close that there’s no difference between us. They have got every right to campaign in the way they wish to.

The CFMEU is already angry about state Labor delays to Adani. Are you worried they will use it in a way that is damaging against you?

I think the sign of a mature party, ready to govern, is the principle that we should adhere to the law and follow the science when making important decisions like this. I don’t think we need to be dragged one way by one group or the other way by the other group. I think we need to properly consider the best interests of the nation in a way that is methodical and respects our law and respects the available science. It is not more complicated than that.

Tanya Plibersek also says Adani shouldn’t be about pitting ‘Australian against Australian’, given that there are supporters in central Queensland, who have every right to support what the mine would bring to their community:

It is why we can’t be focused on the politics. We have to be focused on the law and the science. That is exactly right. The point is true. We can’t be playing Australian off against Australian. We actually need to be sensible, be adult, follow the law and follow the science.

Updated

And why is she there? Given the margin of 10.2% (against Labor) and 7.8% (against the Greens). Tanya Plibersek:

There were seats in the Victorian state election that people didn’t expect would vote for Daniel Andrews and they did.

So, we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re not over confident, I think every seat will be a battleground. But we’ve got such a great candidate in Higgins in Fiona McCloud.

We have got such great policies. We think we’ve got the best comprehensive set of policies going into government, we hope, in history. We have a strong and united and stable team, led by Bill Shorten for six years, the same leader, and the same deputy and the shadow ministerial team have been there for at least three years if not six.

In contrast, you see the Liberals and Nats at each other’s throats. The only thing they can agree on is we shouldn’t be taking action on climate change and keep the cuts to health and education and look after our mates before we rush out the door. It seems to be their main priority at the moment.

Updated

Tanya Plibersek is having a chat to Patricia Karvelas on the ABC from Toorak in Melbourne.

That’s in Kelly O’Dwyer’s (former) seat of Higgins.

Mark Butler has responded to the electric vehicle cost increase claim:

According to the Morrison Government’s own analysis, Labor’s vehicle emissions standards will deliver fuel savings to Australia worth $27.5 billion by 2040, saving motorists over $500 per year in fuel costs.

Those are the figures the Liberal Government used in 2017, when it said it would introduce vehicle emissions standards. The Climate and Energy Minister of the day, Josh Frydenberg, said ‘Improving the efficiency of vehicles is part of this (emissions reduction) goal, which can assist in lowering the household and business fuel bills of Australians.’

Now the Liberals are running an unhinged fear campaign based on outdated and flawed modelling claiming vehicle fuel standards are bad for consumers and will increase car prices by $5,000.

This modelling assumed that car prices increase purely as a result of additional R&D to meet vehicle emissions standards.

As the report states, it assumes ‘manufacturers are forced to go back to the drawing board and invest (fully) in new lines of R&D that will deliver the required fall in emissions intensity’.

In reality, manufacturers need no new R&D to meet Labor’s proposed standards. Global car makers already produce models that meet stricter standards in other countries.

Any additional R&D costs and resulting car price increases from vehicle emissions standards are borne by the first countries to implement vehicle emissions standards, not by countries lagging behind the global market, which Australia is.

Updated

'There is no way on God's earth I am going to retire until the tunnel is built', says Abbott

Tony Abbott, who only recently discovered street libraries in his electorate, and declared the Manly surf club desperately needed a toilet upgrade, despite being the local member since 1994, also says he doesn’t believe he is more focussed on local issues now, than when he was prime minister:

“Not really, because you never forget the people who put you in to the parliament. And the people who put you into the parliament are your own people, so doesn’t matter where you are, whether you are at the G20, or in parliament, you are always thinking of the people of Warringah and you know, way back in the 1990s, when I first became the local member, I said ‘what we really need more than anything else, is a road tunnel, so we can get out of the traffic gridlock’, which even then was bad, and has got worse and worse since, what it took to make this almost a reality, was a state Liberal government and a federal Liberal government and unless an incoming Labor government in Canberra tries to sabotage it, we will get the tunnel at long last.

“...The point I have made is there is no way on God’s earth I am ever going to retire until this tunnel is built and that is probably about five years on current construction schedules.”

I mean, if only he had been in a position to make sure this could have happened earlier.

Updated

Tony Abbott on how he campaigns:

“You start early, you finish late, normally the day starts with some serious exercise, because the great thing about exercise is that it is mental health as well as physical health.”

And what does Abbott think the election will be like?

“There is no doubt this is a better government now than it was 12 months ago. It was a good government 12 months ago, but it is a better government today than it was.

“I think that we are more in touch with middle Australia now than we were and again, I get back to what Bill Shorten will do.

“And in this area, what Bill Shorten will do is put your income down, with his higher tax on income.

“...He’ll shred your inheritance with his removal of franking credits.

“He’ll make your house worth less with all this extra capital gains tax and end of negative gearing.

“And he’ll take your car off you, because he doesn’t want anyone driving anything that isn’t electric. Which means you’ll have to queue up for hours, and it’ll take you 30 minutes at the petrol, at the best to load up your car.”

Ben Fordham does pull Abbott on up on this.

“He’s not going to be a car thief and steal people’s cars,” Fordham says.

Abbott is not convinced.

“We know the economics of electric cars do not stack up and probably won’t stack up for many years, so he is going to make it much more expensive to run your existing petrol car, diesel car.”

Updated

Tony Abbott says he is taking all the attention on his seat as a backhanded compliment.

He figures that if he was such a “washed up has been”, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to unseat him.

“There is no doubt that this is a better government then we were 12 months ago,” he tells Ben Fordham on Sydney radio 2GB.

“We were a good government then, but I think we are better one now.”

Updated

This is what Labor wants the government to release:

  • The final Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Management Plan (GDEMP) (reported as Version 11);
  • The Department’s assessment of how the final GDEMP met the requirements of the approval and of the analysis/recommendations by CSIRO and Geoscience Australia;
  • CSIRO documents on the level of risk / confidence that the GDEMP can be revised to meet their requirements;
  • The previous version of the GDEMP that was assessed by the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia (reported as Version 10a) ;
  • CSIRO notes on the different versions of the GDEMP;
  • CSIRO notes from meetings on the GDEMP;
  • Geoscience Australia’s notes on the different versions of the GDEMP;
  • Geoscience Australia’s notes from meetings on the GDEMP;
  • All notes related to CSIRO and/or Geoscience Australia changing their position on the notes from meetings on the GDEMP;
  • Any notes from the verbal briefing provided by the Department to CSIRO and Geoscience Australia including the ‘Summary of CSIRO and Geoscience Australia Advice on Groundwater Management Plans and Response”; and
  • The “actions agreed to by Adani” referenced in the CSIRO letter to the Department dated 5 April 2019.

Updated

Tony Burke has released a statement on the Adani estimates being missed (cos an election was called) and what questions he thinks the government needs to answer, in regards to the groundwater plan approval:

There have also been questions raised about serious political interference that need to be clarified. Did Minister Price act because she was under pressure?

The Morrison government must come clean and release:

  • Records of any correspondence or contact between Minister Canavan or Barnaby Joyce with the minister for the environment;
  • The letter from Senator McGrath to Minister Price regarding Adani;
  • Any correspondence from other MPs or Senators to Minister Price or Frydenberg on Adani;
  • The notes from any meetings Minister Price or her staff have with MPs or Senators about Adani – including the prime minister or his office.

This is the transparency the people of Australia deserve.

Updated

On the list of what this is an election on, I think this might actually be down the list:

Team Australia has officially morphed to Team Tony.

It’s a little like how Joh for PM very quickly became just Joh for Canberra.

I don’t know what is happening here:

I also don’t know why it is happening.

Updated

Scott Morrison is in western Sydney, where the Liberals are hoping to take the seat of Lindsay.

And on the Queensland Adani question, Peter Dutton says:

Queensland needs people that will fight for their local electorates and if Labor is promising to lose thousands of jobs…I mean Mackay has been in a slump, house prices have been down, engineering firms have been closing, but it’s getting back on its feet and if you create 8,000 jobs out of this mine, you’ve got the opportunity not only for the royalties, but the families will be able to put food on the table, to pay for their kids to go through school; it’s in Mackay, it’s in Rockhampton, it’s in Gladstone and it’s in Brisbane and other parts of the country where workers live and spend money, but fly in and fly out from those jobs in the Galilee Basin.

So why Bill Shorten would want to do that – I suppose it’s the same reason Jackie Trad wants to stop it – because they’re more interested in Green voters in inner city areas in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane than they are in workers out in Western and Central Queensland and I can tell you, good people from the Labor Party from generations past would be rolling in their graves to see the Labor Party walk away from workers in Central and Northern Queensland – and again a big difference between what we’re offering as a Party; the certainty for jobs and investment in that region, helping families and small businesses – compared to Bill Shorten who will essentially send big parts of Queensland bankrupt.

It’s probably worth pointing out that the Adani project which is now being put forward is a very, very small version of the one originally floated. The latest estimates are about 1,000 jobs.

Updated

On Huang Xiangmo and his lunch meeting with him, which had been set up by Santo Santoro, Peter Dutton says:

I hadn’t had any security briefings in relation to that individual, whereas Mr Shorten had and yet he still made the decision to go and ask this person for money and went to the wedding of his daughter. So Bill Shorten had a convenient memory loss. But no, the guy was a leader within the Chinese community. I went and had lunch with him, a relatively quick lunch with him, never spoke to him since. I haven’t received any donation from him and the slur delivered by – of all people Sam Dastyari – who took money to pay for his personal bills and was up to his neck in discussions with this Chinese individual and obviously introduced him to Bill Shorten, and I suspect probably encouraged Bill Shorten to go to the daughter’s wedding, it’s a bit rich.

So look, they’ll throw all of this mud, but in the end, you know, people can accuse me Ray of being too tough on borders, or too tough on the number of visas I have cancelled and the rest of it, but I promise you this; whilst as a policeman, my whole time in public life, I have never compromised myself and I never will. I’m happy to stand up for what I believe in and you take the hits and the blows and all the self-interest you can see has being pretty obvious in this debate. I think you push it all to one side and for me the only thing really, honestly that I’m focused on now is making sure that Scott Morrison is elected as Prime Minister because I honestly truly believe Bill Shorten, Chris Bowen, Tanya Plibersek, all of these people will be a disaster again for our country.

Updated

It seems like Peter Dutton had a chat to Ray Hadley a little earlier.

From the transcript:

Well it’s going to be a very important election for our country. I mean there’s a big difference now between the two sides and I think as people start to focus they realise that we’ve got a strong economy, but worried about what’s happening overseas, worried about the prospect of new taxes being applied to housing and cars, electricity. There is a big difference between the two parties. We have been able to deliver a surplus. We’ve got 100,000 kids into jobs over the last 12 months and I really think there’s a big decision for people to make, not just about their future over the next three years, but over the next decade.

It’s taken us a while, six years now, to get back into surplus to start to pay Labor’s debt down and I just don’t think we want to go back to those days of massive taxes, big deficits and all the policy uncertainty, particularly for people who are worried about paying an extra five grand for a car under Bill Shorten. So there’s a big difference between the two leaders and the two parties at this election and I hope people consider it very carefully.

I live in Warringah and have had two robocalls from Tony Abbott in recent weeks. Which is two more phone calls than I’ve previously had from Abbott in the 17 years I’ve lived in Warringah. Someone thinks he has a fight on his hands.

Updated

Fiona Scott, the former Liberal Lindsay MP, is pointing out that in 2010, Tony Abbott also launched his campaign from a family home.

For those asking, the leader doesn’t usually travel on the same plane as the journalists.

And yes, media companies pay their own way on these campaigns.

Updated

Scott Morrison and his travelling party have arrived in Sydney.

It’s quiet, because everyone is on the road.

There are going to be these moments through the campaign. Especially when the travelling parties are on their way to somewhere like WA.

Sky’s Paul Murray had been hoping to host a “Pub Test” debate at the Harbord Hotel in the hotly contested seat of Warringah tonight.

But it looks like it will be more of a one-sided conversation. Warringah sitting member Tony Abbott will be there for the Liberals as will the Palmer United party candidate, Suellen Wrightson, who hails from Cessnock.

They will have to make do with the Greens’ candidate, Kristyn Glanville as their adversary because independents Zali Steggall, Susan Moylan-Coombes and the ALP’s candidate, Dean Harris will be no-shows.

A spokesman for Steggall, the former Olympian, who has been backed by numerous community groups, said she had a prior engagement but also expressed concern about a debate moderated by conservative Murray.

The Greens’ Glanville, an environmental lawyer, has proven pretty adept at putting the case for faster action on climate change in previous public forums, so the event may prove to be colourful television after all.

Turn to Sky at 9pm to see Abbott in full battle mode.

Updated

Looks like Victoria is Labor’s main focus today. Could be wrong, but that is what the situation is (currently) pointing to.

OK, both campaigns have taken off.

Expect a pretty big 6pm news blitz from the leaders.

Victoria is certainly going to be a flashpoint this election.

Updated

Actually, probably a good time to trot out this again:

Updated

Another great line:

“Here in Queensland, I’m listening, most importantly I’m hearing, and that means we’re doing,” Scott Morrison, November 2017, just doing what he does.

Updated

Lots of smicko social media videos being rolled out lately.

The latest is from the Greens’ Nick McKim

Malcolm Turnbull will probably be pretty quiet in this election.

Alex Turnbull will not be.

As I understand it, Malcolm Turnbull won’t even be in the country for election night. And he’s spending his time writing his book. I imagine he’ll send out a few tweets in support of Dave Sharma – but I doubt we’ll see him on the campaign trail.

Updated

Simon Birmingham has popped up on Sky News.

He’s asked about the differences in Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten’s first speeches of the campaign. Morrison concentrated on the economy, whereas Shorten focussed on the individual.

“The Australian people are clever, they are smart, they understand that they need a government in Canberra which can manage the economy,” he says.

He says that Shorten can hold “all the fancy press conferences he wants” in people’s lounge rooms.

Updated

While we wait to see where the first stops are, let’s just take a moment to think of the advancers, often the most thankless job on the campaign – and one you only hear about when things go awry.

Still the stuff of advancer’s nightmares
Still the stuff of advancer’s nightmares. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

With the election now called, and parliament prorogued, retiring House of Representatives MPs can now relax.

They are officially “former” MPs.

Updated

Penny Wong will be with Labor’s candidate for Boothby, Nadia Clancy, a little bit later today.

The marginal seat held by the Liberal’s Nicolle Flint on a 2.8% margin (after the boundary re-distribution) is one of Labor’s key targets

Updated

Ahhhh memories.

I’ve had a chance to look through some old PMO transcripts.

This was a favourite (from October)

HOST: I straighten shoes and Kymba doesn’t get on a treadmill if it’s crooked. What’s the one thing that you have to get right before you leave home or work, or the office?

PRIME MINISTER: Oh you know, it’s a simple rule; pants first shoes second, that always usually works for me.

HOST: Yep, a good start.

PRIME MINISTER: If you get that right, I think you can get the rest right. But can I tell you one of the coolest things I’ve got to do over the last month? I got to meet will.i.am.

HOST: Yeah?

HOST: Oh right, the Black Eyed Peas!

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, because they played at the Grand Final and look, I like a lot of these reality television shows, I’ve always loved the Voice. I don’t know if that breaches any sort of commercial arrangements –

HOST: No, no.

HOST: We’ll just shut you down there.

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: I really like will.i.am and I was like a kid, going up and we got a selfie and all the rest of it. He was a really lovely bloke, he was a really, really nice guy and he loves, he just loves Australia too. So he was just really happy to be there. So, it’s a very serious job, I know that and I think everyone knows I do take it seriously. But every now and then, like meeting will.i.am –

HOST: Some perks.

PRIME MINISTER: It was cool.

And the campaign is in the air.

Updated

For those who have asked for more information on what it is like on the buses (as it were), travelling media have to pack for all climates (you can be in north Queensland and Victoria in the same day) as well as long pants and covered shoes for work sites.

You’ll get the work site clothes tip ahead of time from the campaign staff.

The campaigns work out of a central HQ Parramatta for Labor, and Brisbane (Milton, to be exact) for the Coalition.

All correspondence (media enquiries, what not) go through those central HQs, who also send out the responses and the media releases during the campaign.

The campaign launches are usually towards the end of the campaign, which is usually a rah-rah of old party heroes.

Updated

Di Natale:

You’ve got the two old parties engaged in a debate around tax cuts. Well, we believe that the foundations of a decent society are providing services for people, so while Liberal and Labor want to have a fight about tax cuts, we’re saying let’s invest in the foundations of a decent Australia.

Let’s bring dental care into Medicare. Let’s build 500,000 new homes. let’s make sure that people are able to afford an education. Let’s have free Tafe and uni again. Let’s make sure that we increase Newstart so that people aren’t living in poverty and homeless in a country as wealthy as Australia.

Let’s make sure we do something about people’s wages. Let’s make sure that we ensure that everyone in this country has the means to live a decent life. It’s the Greens who are putting forward that positive plan. Of course, here in Victoria, we’ve got Adam Bandt who’s been an outstanding voice for the people of Melbourne. A shining light in the lower house of the parliament. Adam has been such a powerful voice for the community of Melbourne and I’m sure will be re-elected with even greater support.

Updated

Richard Di Natale is next up on the election campaign first speech treadmill. He’s speaking from Macnamara, which used to be Melbourne Ports:

We speak to a lot of people on the ground and they are telling us that, unless you’ve got a serious plan to tackle climate change, we’re not interested in supporting you. There is no more important issue... I noticed Scott Morrison kicked off the election campaign, he didn’t mention the words ’climate change’. We know Labor aren’t serious about climate change because they don’t have a plan to phase out coal and bring in renewables.

Coal is the biggest contributor to climate change. Unless you’ve got a plan to phase out coal, you don’t have a plan to tackle climate change. We can phase out coal and bring in renewables and have a renewable energy export industry. 180,000 new jobs if we do this right and it’s the Greens who are leading the charge, providing a genuine alternative to the stale, old politics-as-usual.

Updated

As far as we know, arrangements for the VIP jets (which both leaders of the major parties have access to during an election campaign) are being finalised.

Once that is done, the travelling parties (including the media) take off.

Now, the media don’t know where they are going, often, until they are there.

So you take off, and, if someone takes enough pity on you, you’re told in the air. Most likely though, you learn where you’re off to by looking out the window as you land.

It’s to stop protesters from getting a heads up, to try to keep the element of surprise from your opponents, and to try to keep the media a little off balance.

Updated

In terms of the minor parties likely to play a big role in Queensland (in particular), so far Clive Palmer appears to be more organised than Pauline Hanson – at least when it comes to the number of candidates they have listed on their party websites.

And Bill Shorten’s word cloud played out like this.

He finishes with :

We’re competitive, but my obligation and my pressure I don’t feel comes from the government so much as fulfilling the faith of the people.

A lot of Australians think the system’s broken. They think it is all just a fixer, and everyone is in it for themselves. I and my team with the remarkable Tanya Plibersek and the rest of my colleagues and Shireen Morris running in Deakin, we’re motivated by a better future for Australia.

We are hungry to do the best we can for the country. I can’t guarantee voters that Labor will be successful. That’s in the hands of the people. But I can guarantee the Australian people, I am going to work my very hardest in the next 37 days, as I have for the last 2,000 plus days to organise proper ideas, to put a plan, of social and economic improvement in front of people because I think Australians deserve better than the last six years of politics.

Updated

Have Queensland Labor candidates been gagged about talking about Adani?

We need to be full and frank about the mine. I don’t think it is any particular coincidence the government went to the governor general today on the day the CSIRO was going to be examined about its report into the Adani mine.

You want to talk about gagging? What a coincidence. The government, rather than face the scrutiny of parliament about the fairly politicised and bullying process of mine approvals has instead decided that today they want to have the election.

That is what it is. The Labor party’s united. If you want to look at disunity, look at the current government. I don’t want to spend today actually talking about the current government too much. My people are free to speak. That’s not the problem. The real issue is: Do you want united government in the future? One comment I got right across this summer, people would come up to you and say, ‘I’ve been a life long Liberal. I like some of your policies but not all and I am voting Labor because they can’t get over each other.’ People are sick of it.

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On Labor’s negative gearing policy:

Anyone who invests in property and gets a tax loss, they are the changes that will not affect them. The changes are prospective. But I tell you how the family will be positively affected by us reforming the tax system, and a person buying their 10th house is not more important than a first home buyer.

There will be more money for children’s education, more money when their children are sick and need to go to the hospital. More support for their parents in aged care, more support in the community to put downward pressure on energy and investing in renewables. It is all about a choice. The government choose to defend, tooth and nail, to the very bitter end, people who can afford to buy 10 property investments and claim a subsidy from the government.

I choose to fight for the future and families and the cost of living. My feet are firmly planted in the backyard of a Mitcham house because I understand that politics should be about the people, it’s about cost of living, education, health, good jobs, renewable energy.

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Does he believe he is the front runner?

Not at all. What it suggests is that I see what is going on with Australian families. We made a conscious decision to start the 2019 campaign in the family lounge room of an everyday Australian family, two marvellous kids going to the public school. Both parents are working. They’re not complaining.

They know this is a great country. They’re paying off their mortgage. They’re doing everything they can do to provide the best opportunities for their kids. But this election is not about the personalities, it can’t be about the back biting and the division. You know what people hate about politicians?

They are too puffed up about their own identities and not thinking about the people. This election is about the people of Australia, the cost of living and wages stagnation. It is about doing something about energy prices and making sure we hand on a better deal to our kids when it comes to climate change.

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He finishes with :

Australia is a great country and we can make it a greater country if we make sure no-one is left behind.

This election is about you, the Australian people, your health. Labor has a plan because we’re united.

We have a vision and we have a talented team. If you are dissatisfied with the last six years, if you want better than the last six years, if you want a fair go for all Australians, if you want a government who is united and not constantly trying to tear each other down, then vote Labor on May 18.

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'The last six years hasn't been Australia's finest'

Shorten:

Even our harshest critics can see we have been united for the past six years. And that’s what Australians want – one prime minister for three years, not a revolving door.

This election is very straightforward. It is about being stuck in the past or a bright future and a positive view of what Australians can do together.

It is about having a better deal for the future than the one we inherited from the past.

The last six years hasn’t been Australia’s finest six years. There has been instability, growing inequality, wages stagnation, everything going up but your wages, energy prices up, the cost of going to see the doctor or seeing a specialist, the cost has gone up.

What we need to do is make sure this country is working in the interests of everyone, not just the top end of town.

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Shorten continues:

We can over complicate politics sometimes. Politics is about family and health. What Labor wants to do, we understand Australians want to hand on a better deal to the generations that come after them. We want to hand on a better deal with preschool to school to Tafes to universities.

And we want to hand on a better environment than the one we currently have by taking real action on climate change. We want to make sure that we hand on a better deal to our kids when it comes to being able, for them, to be able to afford to buy their first home rather than favour property investors buying their fifth or sixth property.

There is no issue more important to Australians than their health. If your family’s health OK and your health is OK, everything is possible. If you have a challenge with your health everything else tends to take second place.

That’s why Labor believes so much in our Medicare system. We want to keep it the world’s best system.

We want to make sure GPs are properly resourced and people who suffer from mental health illness get the help they require and the aged care systems are genuinely looking after people when they grow older. When it comes to health there, is no bigger battle than when you or a loved one receives a diagnosis of cancer. Cancer makes it sick but it shouldn’t make you poor.

It’s why Labor has a decision when they walk in the most terrifying path of their lives, they shouldn’t be drowning in thousands of dollars because the government doesn’t properly fund cancer care.

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Bill Shorten:

Do you want Labor’s energy, versus the Government’s tiredness? Labor’s focus on the future, versus being stuck in the past? Labor’s positive plan for allAustralians or a negative fear campaign from the other side? Do you want a united Government under Labor, or another three years of division following the last six years of division under the current Government?

These are important choices, energy, positive, future focused and united. My political philosophy is very straightforward: What we believe in is making sure that the economy works in the interests of working and middle class people, when every day Australians are getting a fair go, this economy hums.

We get good jobs, not just casualised labour hire part-time jobs. We want to see the cost of living genuinely tackled - the biggest problem in Australia right now

We also want to make sure that women get a fair go our in our society.

Bill Shorten:

The election has been called. Today, the case to vote Labor is we will deliver more jobs, better health and education. Take real action on climate change and renewable energy and help push energy prices down. We’ll get on top of cost of living burdens and we’ll get wages moving again in this country. We can manage the economy in the interests of working and middle class people. My team is united. Australians face a real and vital choice at this election.

Bill Shorten is about to make his first speech of the election campaign.

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“You must be hearing, that classic statement, that everything is going up but your wages,” Bill Shorten just said in this very natural and normal kitchen table chat with a million cameras around.

For those wondering, I’m told the dog’s name is Fonzie.

The FonzAmerican actor Henry Winkler as Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli in ‘Happy Days’, circa 1975.
But not this Fonzie. Photograph: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

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Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek are now sitting at the kitchen table, for a chat with the home owners.

Side note – I would like to hire whoever cleaned this kitchen to go through and clean my house.

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Bill Shorten is walking though someone’s house at the moment. As is the accompanying media pack.

He and Tanya Plibersek are in the living room, patting a puppy and talking to children.

Bill Shorten, who is holding his first campaign press conference in a suburban backyard, is about to take to the microphones.

We are told he has arrived.

Brett Mason from SBS has compiled a nice little farewell to the parliament that was:

There will be a lot of chatter about marginal seats (and, remembering that swings are not uniform), here’s a map of what is considered up for grabs

This campaign is dominated with holidays.

It’s school holidays for the rest of the country from Friday (Queensland and Victoria are already on break).

And next weekend, it’s Easter, with Anzac Day shortly after. Which is a nice way, if you are so inclined and financially comfortable enough, (and in a job that gets public holidays) to get just over one week off work, with just a handful of leave days.

How many people plan on concentrating on politics over the break? Not many, I would suggest.

Plus, there won’t be any campaigning on the public holidays.

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And just in case you missed it:

KEY DATES FOR THE 2019 FEDERAL ELECTION

  • Issue of writs – Thursday 11 April 2019
  • Close of rolls – Thursday 8pm 18 April 2019
  • Close of candidate nominations – midday, Tuesday 23 April 2019
  • Declaration of candidate nominations – midday, Wednesday 24 April 2019
  • Early voting starts – Monday 29 April 2019
  • Election day – Saturday 18 May 2019
  • Return of writs – on or before Friday 28 June 2019

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The Australian Electoral Commission has released its first statement:

The federal election has been announced and Australians must act now to ensure they are enrolled before the deadline of 8pm on 18 April 2019.

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said all Australian citizens aged 18 years and over are required by law to enrol and vote in the 18 May federal election.

“Enrolling and voting is compulsory. If you are not enrolled, you can’t vote in the 2019 federal election,” Rogers said.

“Australians must also update their address details on the electoral roll if they have moved, or changed their name. If they’re not sure of their current status – check online via the AEC website or call us on 13 23 26.

“A record 96.5% of eligible Australians are currently enrolled, which is an extraordinary achievement. At the same time, there are still people who remain un-enrolled who need to take action before the deadline of 8pm next Thursday 18 April.”

The best and quickest way to enrol or update your details is to visit www.aec.gov.au.

Australians unable to go online can pick up a paper enrolment form at any AEC office or Australia Post, however, correctly completed applications must be returned to the AEC by the 8pm 18 April close of rolls deadline.

Seventeen-year-old Australians turning eighteen years of age on or before 18 May 2019 should also enrol and vote in the federal election.

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One of the shortest serving senators in history, Duncan Spender, who took over from David Leyonhjelm (he was his chief of staff) and is facing a pretty impossible re-election task, is very upset estimates have been cancelled:

“The Coalition and Labor opposed my motion for the scheduled quizzing of public servants to continue irrespective of the calling of an election. In doing so the Coalition and Labor voted to give their senators today and tomorrow off.

“They also voted to give today and tomorrow off to those public servants scheduled to face Senate estimates.”

The Senate is a continuing chamber so can continue to work during an election period.

“It’s a bit rich for Labor to be complaining now when they had the chance to support my motion and ensure estimates would continue,” Senator Spender said.

“Because of a lazy Coalition and Labor, I am blocked from quizzing public servants on the latest Murray Darling cash splash, which won’t save struggling communities across regional New South Wales.

“Because of a lazy Coalition and Labor, I am blocked from quizzing public servants about the failed Community Development Program. This work-for-the-dole program keeps Indigenous Australians in dysfunctional communities and is under investigation for having participants operate saws without any shoes, eye protection or hearing protection.

“Because of a lazy Coalition and Labor, I am blocked from quizzing public servants about the evidence for increasing pre-school, compared to the quality of care provided by stay‑at‑home parents.

“And because of a lazy Coalition and Labor, I am blocked from quizzing public servants about slow progress and ballooning costs under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

“In the coming weeks the Liberal Democrats will campaign to let voters know we will block Labor’s massive tax hikes in the Senate.

“But before we dive into campaigning, Senators should first be able to do their jobs.”

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Bob Katter has also announced his party’s first foray into the 2019 campaign, with a press conference to be held at the very exact time of 11.50am.

On that point of stability Tanya Plibersek just mentioned, Chris Bowen pointed out yesterday that 16 members of Labor’s 21-strong shadow cabinet have previous ministerial experience.

This is a message Labor will be pushing very, very hard this election – especially when you consider just how many minister’s from Malcolm Turnbull’s 2016 ministry remain in their original jobs: 40% either stepped down, were replaced, or retired.

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Tanya Plibersek:

These graphs show the difference between what states and territories were promised, what they would get under Labor, what they actually got under the Coalition. Of course day-to-day with wages going up, electricity costs going up, inflation, you will see minor increases.

What we promised was extra funding that would improve services in our schools and in our hospitals.

Instead of that, we have seen the capacity of Commonwealth funding to schools and to hospitals diminish and because of that in hospitals we have seen longer waiting times for elective surgery, we have seen longer waiting types in emergency departments, we have seen a diminished capacity for the wonderful staff in hospitals like this to give the level of care that they want to every patient. In schools, we saw what states were promised.

We are in Victoria today, Victoria would be $800 million better off under Labor’s funding proposals compared with the government. So I’m not going to cop inflation or increased numbers of students as an explanation for why funding’s going up. We need to increase the capacity of our health and education systems.

We know what it costs to do that. In education, we had the funding review, the Gonski Report, that told us how much it costs to properly educate a child in a primary school or a high school, under this government’s plan Catholic and independent schools will get to their fair funding level, public schools that teach two-thirds of Australian children will never reach their fair funding level under the funding proposed by this Coalition government.

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Tanya Plibersek coming out hard against Scott Morrison and the Liberals frees Bill Shorten up to be more positive.

It’s one of the problems which plagues opposition leaders – their job is to oppose. By dividing up the attacks among senior MPs, Shorten can stick to the positive message Labor wants to send.

Tanya Plibersek:

I agree with Scott Morrison when he says if you change the government you change the country. I agree with him too when he says Australia has an enormous choice before it in coming weeks.

This is a choice between a Labor party who has a plan for a fair go for all Australians and more years of cuts and chaos and divisions from the Liberals and the Nationals.

This is a choice between better hospitals and schools or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town. This is a choice between a team under Bill Shorten’s leadership that has been united and disciplined, an experienced team that is focused on making life better for working Australians.

Or under Scott Morrison’s leadership, a team that is riven by chaos, confusion, dysfunction and division, with three prime ministers in six years. A bunch of people who are fighting each other - the only time they agree on anything it is to give a job to a mate on a government board. That is the choice before Australians and that is a fight we are all very happy to have.

Updated

There we go.

Tanya Plibersek is up.

That “any minute now” is stretching into ‘any hour now’.

That is not surprising. In all the time I have covered politics, including at a state level, Labor press conferences are notorious for not starting on time.

What was meant to be discussed in estimates today?

The Australian Conservation Foundation has declared this “the climate election”:

ACF launched its election field campaign last July and its community volunteers and allies have already held more than 200,000 conversations across key electorates about why strong action on climate change must be a core issue in this election.

ACF’s Chief Executive Officer, Kelly O’Shanassy, said this field campaign was focused predominantly on the Liberal-held electorates of Chisholm in Melbourne and Bonner in Brisbane, and the Labor-held Melbourne seat of Macnamara.

More than 850 ACF and community-led events have also been held across every state and territory, including door knocks, calling parties, candidates’ forums and street stalls.

O’Shanassy said more than 75,000 people have already pledged to be climate voters, vowing to vote for candidates and parties they believe will best stop climate pollution.

“ACF knows it. The community knows it. The parties know it. And the polls show it. Climate change is a top issue in this election,” O’Shanassy said.

“We’ve been working across the community since last July, having hundreds of thousands of conversations with everyday Australians about why climate change matters in this election.

“With the formal campaign underway we will further ramp-up our election work, so prospective MPs are in no doubt that they shirk strong climate action at their political peril.

“ACF is non-partisan – our involvement in this campaign is to try to spur a race to the top on climate action. We’ll independently analyse the parties’ policies and rate them in a scorecard to be released close to polling day to help people make informed choices.

“If parties want to win the votes of the huge numbers of Australians demanding stronger and more responsible climate action then they will need to stump up plans to accelerate the transition to clean energy, end coal burning and stop the Adani mine.”

Updated

All the dates:

Updated

Di Natale continues:

You only need to walk through electorates like Macnamara, Kooyong or Higgins to see that people want to send a message to the Liberals that we need strong action on climate change.

Our goal is to return our brilliant team of Senators: Nick McKim, Larissa Waters, Janet Rice, Mehreen Faruqi, Jordon Steele-John, Sarah Hanson-Young, and to re-elect Adam Bandt and continue to build our lower house representation.

We’ll put all of our energy into making that a reality, and to put ourselves into a position to hold a future Shorten Labor government to account.

This election you have the chance to join the Greens in building a future for all of us, and I’m so excited to be kicking off this campaign today in Macnamara with our positive, progressive plan to tackle the big issues facing all Australians.

Across the country, it’s clear that people want a plan to prevent the breakdown of our climate. Only the Greens have a plan to transition out of coal and into renewables, and at this election you help make that change a reality.

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The Greens have released their first statement on the election:

“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Richard Di Natale said.

“This is the climate change election. Only the Greens have a real plan to tackle dangerous climate change and transition Australia out of coal to a jobs-rich, renewable economy.

“The Greens have a plan that is based on science, not politics.

“The Liberal and Labor parties won’t take the action we need on the climate because they are too compromised by the millions of dollars they take from their big donors in the coal, oil and gas lobby.

The Greens don’t take big corporate donations, so our only focus is what’s best for people.

Over the next 37 days, we’ll be outlining our comprehensive plan to turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower, move to 100 percent renewables by 2030 and create more than 180,000 jobs across the economy in the process.

Neither Labor nor the Liberals have a plan to end the digging up, burning and exporting of coal, which is the biggest single contributor to climate change worldwide.

If you don’t have a plan to transition out of coal you don’t have a plan to tackle climate change, it’s as simple as that.”

Updated

Tanya Plibersek and Catherine King are running a little behind – we are assured the press conference will be held “any minute now”.

Bill Shorten will be making his first campaign appearance at a house in Deakin.

Which is in Michael Sukkar’s seat.

Updated

Catherine Shaw’s husband, Michael McCormack, on climate change:

“We actually have a firm policy and that is to make sure that we address the issues that we need to, that we reach all our international agreements, that we do that, we are going to be delivering on that, we already are, research says that we are reducing the emissions, as we ought to, and the other thing too, that we are not going to do, is deindustrialise this nation, we are not going to make it unaffordable for businesses and certainly for households to be able to turn on their power.

“We’re not going to insist on people buying electric cars, we are not going to insist on people doing something that they don’t want to do, and they can’t afford, what we will do, is we will put in practical, pragmatic steps, to make sure that everybody can still live a good life, to still be able to have the air-conditioning on in summer, the heater on in winter.”

Updated

Michael McCormack has lent his trademark charisma to the Coalition’s election campaign kick-off.

Catherine Shaw’s husband says the only opinion poll that matters is the election opinion poll.

Updated

The 2016 double dissolution election meant the voting changes put through in February 2016 didn’t really come into play.

Now they do. For those wanting a refresher, this is what the changes mean for the Senate:

In February 2016 the Government introduced legislation to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (the CEA)—the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill 2016. Following the longest continuous sitting of the Senate (at almost 29 hours straight), the Bill passed both Houses with a number of amendments on 18 March 2016 and was assented to on 21 March.

The most significant element of the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Act 2016 is to implement optional preferential voting both above and below the line on the Senate ballot paper. Voters are now instructed to complete at least six preferences above the line or at least 12 below the line; saving provisions would allow votes that expressed fewer preferences to be counted.

The effect of this is that the preferences of voters who vote above the line now only apply to the groups that voters express explicit preferences for, leaving voters in control of how far their preferences flow. Group voting tickets no longer apply.

The amending Act also provides for the inclusion of party logos alongside the party name on ballot papers. This appears to be in response to suggestions some voters were confused by party names in the 2013 election.”

There is a reason why the minor parties were upset about the changes – it is going to make it quite tough for them to get back.

And Twitter is loading again in time to bless you with the letter to the governor general.

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Matthew Canavan:

The only way any party can provide relief to living costs is by balancing the budget, making sure that we balance all your expenses, keep them down, so we do have the funding available to provide tax relief like we did last week in the budget.

Every Australian up to $126 are eligible to tax cuts thanks to last week’s budget, including up to $1000 per single and around $2000 per household or couple household.

This is a significant relief via Australians who are facing pressures with their budgets. We have also of course stop the boats. It has not been a successful boat arrival toAustralia in six years we have been in government.

When the Labor Party contested on this issue, they immediately buckled and supported a green left bill through the nation’s parliament to weaken our border laws and allow arrivals to come here with just two doctors.

We don’t want to return to the Kevin Rudd situation where boats arrived in this country and where over 50,000 people arrived illegally.

It is better if we have a controlled migration program and the Coalition has delivered that outcome.

If I could say one more thing, to this particular election here. This particular seat of Herbert is crucial for the overall result.

The people of Townsville will have a direct role about who forms government next time into the question has to be asked, who is going to be best to fight for Townsville?

Who is going to be best to stand up to those in Canberra, those in Brisbane, you may not share the same priorities and issues that we face here in North Queensland and in Townsville.

Updated

Also – I believe Twitter might be down.

Updated

Matt Canavan is speaking in Townsville.

Updated

Tanya Plibersek and Catherine King’s event at 9.30am will be Labor’s first announcement on the campaign.

With Bill Shorten spending the morning with his family, that will be the first taste of where Labor wants to go.

Bill Shorten is expected to stand up and get Labor’s campaign officially underway at 11.30am.

Officially prorogued.

Paul Singer prorogues parliament
Paul Singer prorogues parliament. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Handy reminder that if you have not, and you are inclined to, now is the time to enrol.

Updated

On Lindsay, one of the most important seats in NSW this election, it sounds like Emma Husar, who felt pressured to resign after a bullying investigation was made public (of which the most serious allegations were found to have no basis) has released this statement on Twitter.

It sounds like she is not running as an independent after all.

Here it is in handy dot-point form.

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Caretaker rules can be found here.

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For those who care about these sorts of things, the bookies have put out the odds.

Labor is at $1.16 to win, with the Coalition now at $4.85.

Punters have their money on Labor winning 94 of the 151 seats, with the Coalition reduced to 51 and the remaining six headed to independents and minor parties.

Updated

The campaign is off and running.

Scott Morrison is preparing to depart. Hit me up with your guesses of where the first stop will be.

Bill Shorten will make his speech, setting the tone for the Labor campaign, before he too, hits the road.

Updated

As has been pointed out, the speech Scott Morrison just made had very, very strong shades of John “who do you trust?” Howard.

Which of course, means Howard will be dragged out on the election campaign, just as a reminder.

There was a little bit of Tony Abbott’s “strong” as well. That’s been a Liberal-National buzzword since about 2013 and it is not going away anytime soon.

Updated

Parliament is prorogued – as of 8.29am.

And the chambers are dissolved – as of 8.30am.

Updated

Bill Shorten will hold his press conference in response, from his electorate, very soon.

Richard Di Natale won’t be far behind him.

And Michael McCormack will probably try to string some words together as well.

Updated

You will not be surprised to learn that Senate estimates is officially off.

You want a word cloud of all of that? You get a word cloud.

What are the key messages from Scott Morrison’s first speech on the (official) election campaign? (Because, yes, we have been in the Clayton’s campaign since December.)

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How does Scott Morrison plan on moving forward?

Well, I believe that we must win this election for the interests of our country. The last time Labor was elected to form a government back in 2007 they inherited a strong economy and they inherited budget surpluses.

In the space of one year they turned a $20bn-plus surplus into a $27bn deficit. They turned strong borders into weak borders. And we have spent the last more than 10 years getting back to where we were. You vote Labor once, you pay for it for a decade.

That’s what history has taught us. You know, in the last 18 months, we have only just now got back and exceeded, in fact, the share of the working age population that is in work.

The last time we hit that record was when the Liberal and National party left office in 2007, and it has taken us more than a decade to get back to where we were. Australians have worked incredibly hard.

Over the last five years they’ve been supported by a government that has been backing them.

Against headwinds indeed in the past, $80bn taken out of our economy on the downside of the mining investment boom, but we continued to grow, and our economy continued to prevail by the hard work of Australians.

See, the Liberal and National parties believes that the strength of our economy is rooted in the hard work and effort, and enterprise and aspiration and the champion in every single Australian.

Our job is to release those champions in our economy, to release those champions in the workforce, to release those champions in our health and education sector, to release those champions in our homes.

We have a plan to make Australia stronger. On 18 May, Australians will have the opportunity to back that plan as we’re backing them.

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From the press conference:

Scott Morrison approaches the podium
The walk. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Scott Morrison speaks
The talk. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Asked again about all the leadership changes, Morrison says:

That’s why after I became prime minister we changed the rules in the Liberal party, as you know. It was the biggest change to the Liberal party’s rules since Sir Robert Menzies founded our parliamentary party here.

Those rules say that at the next election on May 18, if the Liberal-National government is returned, if I’m re-elected as prime minister, then I will serve as prime minister because the rules have been changed to prevent the thing that is have happened in the past.

The same is true if the Labor party – they changed their rules as well. So it is crystal clear, at this election, it is a choice between me as prime minister and Bill Shorten as prime minister. You vote for me, you’ll get me. You vote for Bill Shorten and you’ll get Bill Shorten.

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What about how unstable the government has been? Why should voters trust the Coalition?

Scott Morrison:

This election is about the future. But it is a decision people can make about the future because of the record of economic management that our government has delivered ...

So the choice to be made by Australians on 18 May is, like it always is at every election, and that is, who do you trust to deliver that strong economy which your essential services rely on?

Who do you trust to deliver the strong economy and the budget management that these services can be funded, that the business that you work for will be there in three years, in five years, in 10 years? The strong economy that is the way and the path to higher and sustainable wages in this country.

The strong economy which, at the end of the day, enables us all to invest in our communities, where we live and where we work, and where we play. So, make no mistake, elections are all about questions of trust and our record of delivery on the things that Australians rely on, the economy they live in and the services that they rely on is very clear and our plans to continue to deliver that are very clear.

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On Labor’s fairness campaign, Scott Morrison says:

I believe in a fair go for those who have a go. And what that means is, part of the promise that we all keep as Australians is that we make a contribution and don’t seek to take one.

When all Australians do that, that’s when we get the fair go mentality and culture that has made our country strong today. So under our policies, if you’re having a go you’ll get a go. And that involves an obligation on all of us to be able to bring what we have to the table.

It doesn’t matter what level of ability you have, what your means are, where you live in this country. It matters that we all bring our best. Under my government, under our government, under a Liberal-Nationals government, we will be always be backing in those Australians who are looking to make a contribution not take one and, together, that’s how we make our country stronger.

Updated

Twelve hours ago, Scott Morrison pinned this to his Twitter profile:

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He finishes with:

Australia is the best country in the world but our future depends on a strong economy. So I’m asking my fellow Australians today that on 18 May you vote Liberal and National around the country so, together, all of us as Australians, can continue to build our economy to secure your future.

Updated

Scott Morrison continues:

There is more to do and a lot has got done, and we are getting on together with the job. So at this election there is a clear choice.

It is a choice that will determine the economy that Australians live in, not just for the next three years but for the next decade.

It’s a choice between a government that I lead and the alternative of a Labor Government led by Bill Shorten. You will have the choice between the Government that is delivering a strong economy and will continue to do so, or Bill Shorten’s Labor Party, whose policies would weaken our economy.

You will get to decide between a Government that has fixed the budget or Bill Shorten’s Labor Party that we always know can’t manage money.

You will have a choice between a Government that is lowering taxes, for all Australians, or Bill Shorten’s Labor Party that will impose higher taxes that will weigh down our economy. It’s taken us more than five years to turn around Labor’s budget mess. Now is not the time to turn back.”

Scott Morrison:

Despite global economic headwinds, Australia economy is strong. We are delivering the first budget surplus in more than a decade. Unemployment is at decade lows. And last year, for the first time in our history, more than 100,000 young Australians got a job. With a stronger economy we will create another 1.25m jobs over the next five years.

We will maintain those budget surpluses without increasing taxes, and pay down the debt. We will deliver tax relief, as we for families, for hardworking Australians, for small businesses, allowing Australians to keep more of what they earn. We will keep Australians safe as Liberal National governments always do, and we will keep our borders secure, as you know we will.

Updated

“We live in the best country in the world, but to secure your future, the road ahead depends on a strong economy,” Scott Morrison says.

“And that is why there is so much at stake in this election.”

Scott Morrison calls the election for 18 May

It’s official – we have a 37-day campaign, or five weeks and two days.

Hostilities will be dropped for Easter. Anzac Day will also see campaigning halted.

Updated

The Tasmanian Examiner sat down with Scott Morrison yesterday.

This is before the campaign was called. From the Rob Inglis report:

When The Examiner sat down to interview Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday evening, he wanted nothing more than to talk about Tasmania.

In fact, when questions strayed too far from the subject of our southern state, he was displeased.

On being asked if he had any plans for if he lost his job at the looming federal election, Mr Morrison bristled.

“Are we going to talk about Tasmania?” he asked. “Have we got another thing to go to?”

“I don’t plan to [lose my job]. That’s why I’m here.”

Updated

I am not sure if I can keep count of how many caps Scott Morrison wears during the campaign, or how many times “how good is XX” will be uttered.

I just know it is going to be too many.

On Bill Shorten’s side, there is the “everything is going up but your wages” line, but will we get another “what’s your favourite lettuce?”

For the record, mine is iceberg and I will not be dissuaded.

Updated

It’s what all the cool kids are doing, right?

Updated

The governor general’s official secretary, Paul Singer, has the task of making the proclamation, which officially prorogue’s parliament.

Updated

Oh – and the leadership change. It really says something about the last three years that a change of prime minister was not the most noteworthy event.

Updated

I hope everyone is enjoying their final moments of the 45th parliament.

It’ll be officially prorogued shortly after Scott Morrison’s press conference.

So take a minute to remember all that happened from the moment Malcolm Turnbull gave the angriest victory speech of all time, to the constitutional crisis, to Barnaby Joyce, Andrew Broad, that time we almost declared war on New Zealand, and all the bits in between.

Updated

And the first weekend corresponds with Winx’s last race.

Which I have just referenced, solely as an excuse to run this again.

I do enjoy that the election is being called at the same time as we are receiving the first-ever photos of a black hole.

It just fits for this parliament, you know?

Updated

And it is official, official.

As reported earlier, Scott Morrison will hold his election press conference at 8am, in the fanciest of all the press conference locations, the prime minister’s courtyard.

It’s at least a two-flag affair.

Updated

The term “farmer’s wife” might work for old-school nursery rhymes, but I am pretty sure that this woman Michael McCormack is referring to would also be “a farmer” herself.

It’s nice though, that the leader of the Nationals still qualifies women by their husband’s occupations.

And it’s better than calling her OfFarmer, I suppose.

Updated

As a Queenslander, my tips for seats to watch (in the state where there are eight or so electorates properly in play).

Dickson

Herbert

Forde

Capricornia

Leichhardt

Flynn

Brisbane

Bonner

Now, at the moment, both parties have those seats as 50/50. Which is what makes the campaign so important.

And just a reminder that Adani and coalmines do not play well in all Queensland electorates. It might be important in Herbert (Townsville) and Capricornia (central Queensland) but it’s not an issue in the south-east.

Preferences, particularly from the Katter party (which my last intel was going to run strongly in at least three seats), One Nation and, as a surprise to some, Clive Palmer’s party.

Don’t discount north Queensland’s love of voting for the disruptors, part of a long history of sending a giant middle finger to anything south of Gladstone.

And remember – Brisbane is closer to Sydney than it is to Cairns. In fact, it’s about the same journey as Brisbane to Melbourne as it is to the far north centre. And that geographical space matters.

Updated

And the close-up of the car shot.

Scott Morrison in his car
I love the smell of elections in the morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Mike Bowers has had a long night and an early morning.

Updated

Someone apparently forgot to tell Josh Frydenberg and Dan Tehan the election would be called today – they have just cancelled a 7.30am media appearance at the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne.

Updated

From what we understand, the official election press conference will be held at 8am – less than an hour away.

Oh – and there is C1 on the television, pulling into the House of Representatives drive.

Updated

According to our spies, Scott Morrison has just arrived back at Parliament House.

Updated

As we were saying – here are the best reasons to call an election on a Thursday.

Updated

The prime minister is heading back to Parliament House. We’ll no doubt hear from him very, very soon.

He’ll hold a meeting with his staff and then head to a press conference to lay the tone for the election campaign – and more importantly, tell us the date.

Updated

Scott Morrison has just left Government House.

No tea. Not even a lime cordial by how quick that visit was.

First off the blocks ...

Updated

Tanya Plibersek and Catherine King have just announced a press conference (on health, what else) for 9.30am in Melbourne (Chisholm, to be exact).

It is going to be a loooooong day.

Updated

As we reported yesterday, the rumours it would be today began to reach fever pitch in the early afternoon. A few hours later, it was all but confirmed.

Bill Shorten and his team were believers – Shorten headed back to his electorate (he had been in NSW) because that’s where he wanted to be for when the announcement was made.

Both camps are going to hit the road, immediately.

And he’s there.

The letter (which, as estimates heard earlier, could have been an email, but where is the theatre in that) will be handed over – and it’s on.

The government is already in minority.

It holds 73 seats.

Labor holds 69. But a boundary redistribution gives them a couple more – so it is starting on (unofficially) 72.

Which makes Herbert, Wentworth and Lindsay really, really important.

He is on his way.

Updated

Good morning

The official start of the 2019 election campaign is upon us.

Scott Morrison has arrived at Government House this morning.

Calling for an election on a Thursday is unusual, but then nothing about the 45th parliament has been exactly by the book. The extra days make up for the lost Easter break, when political ads are on hiatus and everyone heads back to the family bunker for a bit.

Labor has set up its campaign headquarters in Parramatta. The Coalition is also expected to head north. Expect Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia to be VERY popular during this campaign.

I understand Labor is hoping to start with a seat blitz, with plans to visit five states in five days. That’s a change of pace from the 2016 campaign when Bill Shorten launched his bid for prime minister with a bus trip down the Queensland coast. That’s already been ticked off for this year, so it’s go, go, go.

And so is everyone else. The campaign is off and running. Morrison and co are also expected to make Queensland their first stop, and not just for the lovely autumn weather.

We’ll be following along with every step of the way. So strap in, and get ready – it’s going to be a long month.

Updated

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