What we learned today, Friday 6 May
Where to start, summarising today? I didn’t even get to tell you about the mystery box jellyfish. Here are just some of the headlines:
- Prime minister Scott Morrison suggested Labor leader Anthony Albanese was using Covid as an excuse for brain fog. On a related matter, Malcolm Farr dissected “rudeness journalism”.
- Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said disgruntled Liberal voters were “voting with their feet” for independents.
- And Morrison has refused to say if he’ll resign in the case of a hung parliament.
- Labor, meanwhile, has confirmed that it has dropped plans for superannuation on paid parental leave.
- The Australian Electoral Commission will investigate fake election signs suggesting independents are Greens.
- And Satanists have failed in their bid to be part of religious education in schools.
I am off for a nanna nap before getting up in the wee hours to (hopefully) spot the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, but I’ll be back for Sunday night’s leaders’ debate – and the team will keep you up to date all weekend. Have a cracker!
Updated
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has been in Parramatta this evening – the candidate there is Andrew Charlton, and Labor has been accused of parachuting him in to the seat. Here’s the background to the story.
AAP reports that Charlton, who recently moved from a $16m mansion into the seat, has defended himself against that claim.
He said:
Lots of these communities have an aspiration for hard work, to support their families, to build a better life for their kids and in many cases to build a business.
That’s what I’ve spent my whole life doing.
I understand what it takes to build a business and create jobs. And so those aspirations that many people in this community have fit well with my experience.
He said cost of living pressures were front of mind in the seat:
I’ve knocked on hundreds and hundreds of doors, I’ve been in every single train station, meeting as many people as I possibly can.
I can tell you what those concerns are, the cost of living. They’re talking about how hard it is to make the family budget work, they’re talking about small businesses.
At the Hindu community gathering, Albanese said:
You’re a growing community that’s respected for your diligence, for your hard work, for your commitment to Australian values.
We need to continue to provide opportunity. To make sure we go forward (and) as we go forward, we remain a country of aspiration and a land of opportunity.
It’s Friday night. What better time to get started on your election night party planning? First Dog takes his stick to the election piñata:
Star executives resign amid casino inquiry
AAP reports that three Star executives have resigned amid an ongoing inquiry into its Sydney casino:
Star Entertainment posted a statement on its website on Friday evening saying the board had accepted the resignations of chief financial officer Harry Theodore, chief casino officer Greg Hawkins, and chief legal and risk officer and company secretary Paula Martin. The ASX-listed company said:
The three executives will work with the executive chairman to transition their executive responsibilities in an orderly manner.
Liquor and Gaming NSW is examining the fitness of Star to hold a Sydney casino licence, prompted by reports the company allegedly enabled suspected money laundering, organised crime, fraud and foreign interference.
The announcement of the high-profile departures came after the market closed on Friday and follows the resignation of chief executive Matt Bekier in March.
Star’s shares finished down 2.6%, to $3.04, during a sour day for the market, and are down 17.4% so far this year.
Hawkins was quizzed in April over whether he knew of an alleged practice at the Sydney casino of switching local players to international rebate programs for tax breaks.
Bekier took the stand on Monday, conceding there were “shortcomings” within Star’s international arm.
These included its China Union Pay debit card scheme between 2013 and 2020, assessment of junket operators, and problems in its exclusive gaming room Salon 95.
There has been evidence the Sydney venue used CUP cards to disguise the purchase of gaming chips as hotel accommodation in breach of rules.
About $900m flowed into the casino until the CUP process was stopped in 2020, the inquiry has been told.
On Tuesday, Bekier sought to shield the board from the regulator’s ire, blaming management for the company’s poor culture. He said:
It’s management that sets the culture ... the board is only there 10 days a year.
Updated
Elias Visontay has put together this handy precis of the election campaign so far – from polls to poultry:
Albanese is now at a Hindu community dinner in Parramatta:
Labor leader Anthony Albanese tells the audience that he has a “great love for India”. He backpacked around the country in 1991. pic.twitter.com/GmCDL9YDsd
— Dan Jervis-Bardy (@D_JervisBardy) May 6, 2022
Daniel Hurst wrote about this earlier, and now he and Paul Karp have fleshed it out – Scott Morrison weaponising Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s Covid infection:
Updated
Satanism will not be taught in Queensland schools, AAP reports.
The Noosa Temple of Satan had challenged a state government decision that the temple “was not a religious denomination or society”. The group had said it aimed to:
Provide students with information about the religion of Satanism, including belief in Satan as a supernatural being, the canons of conduct and the tenets ... [and] to help students analyse the information and critically evaluate the religion of Satanism.
The temple was started in response to the federal religious discrimination bill, and temple leader, Trevor Bell, said it was their view that no religion should be allowed in state schools.
Brisbane supreme court judge Martin Burns said the bid to teach Satanism was “nothing more glorified than a base political stunt”. Burns found part of an affidavit submitted by temple founder, Robin Bristow, under the name Brother Samael Demo-Gorgon, was “entirely false”. He dismissed the temple’s application and ordered Bristow to front court over the affidavit.
Updated
Some good news from Queensland. Three-year-old Nevaeh Austin is recovering well:
Today’s election briefing is in. Josh Butler has corflute-gate, the gatecrashing kid, the tooth fairy, and more:
Australia should double foreign aid for health programs and craft a long-term Indo-Pacific regional health policy, according to a pre-election policy brief backed by development and health experts.
The chief executive of the Fred Hollows Foundation, Ian Wishart, said strong health systems improved health equity, making them more resilient to severe events like pandemics. Wishart said:
Australia’s relationship with the Indo-Pacific is inextricably linked, and without resilient health systems in the whole region, our security and prosperity are at stake. We are, quite literally, in this together.
The chief executive of the Australian Council for International Development (Acfid), Marc Purcell, added:
This is about building a healthier world, and we know it starts by recognising the strong cultural, economic and trade ties we have to our closest neighbours in the Indo-Pacific.
The comments follow the release of a policy brief by Acfid, which says the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of health care systems across the region, affecting “already marginalised people most significantly and created secondary impacts worse than the pandemic itself”.
The policy brief says a re-elected or incoming Australian government should commit to a long-term regional health policy for the Indo-Pacific, with assistance focused on a range of areas including improving the quantity and quality of the health workforce, particularly at the primary care level.
The seven recommendations also include an increase in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). The policy brief says the Australian government should “reflect the importance of health in regional recovery from Covid-19 and growing secondary impacts by doubling Australia’s health ODA over the next five years”.
Updated
Here’s AAP again, on Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s trail:
Updated
Some snaps of Scott Morrison on the campaign trail today, by AAP:
Updated
“My opponents are going low – very low – with fake posters,” independent Warringah MP Zali Steggall says. Josh Butler reads the signs:
Video: Prime minister Scott Morrison responds to his predecessor Malcolm Turnbull’s comments on “teal” independents – and declines to comment on whether he’d resign in the case of a hung parliament:
Updated
Need to catch up on the campaign? We have just the thing! Katharine Murphy and Jane Lee dissect the policy, the press pack, and the political theatre in today’s Campaign Catchup:
Morrison says he’s visiting electorates where it’s a contest “principally between Labor and the Liberal Nationals” (as opposed to the seats where independents are in with a chance).
He says he hopes that on the Sunday after the election, the headlines will be “a strong government has been returned”.
SBS reports (and I missed the first part of the interview, apologies, will catch up later) he also declined to discuss abortion as it was not an election issue, and said he’d be happy to have a beer with former US president Donald Trump or current president Joe Biden, but that Trump would be more “colourful”.
Updated
Prime minister Scott Morrison has been speaking at an event hosted by the West Australian newspaper.
Asked whether Anthony Albanese may be suffering from brain fog post-Covid, Morrison couldn’t resist a sledge:
If that’s what he wants to believe, if that helps him get through the day, well good luck to him.
Morrison went on to say people were starting to ask whether Albanese was “up to it”.
There have been 7,454 Covid deaths in Australia:
This daily 📅 infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus (#COVID19) situation in Australia 🇦🇺
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) May 6, 2022
Find out more here 💻 https://t.co/YcsPBOC6B3 pic.twitter.com/YxCqp1hf3N
Let’s return briefly to Scott Morrison’s announcement of $1bn to “equip Australia’s special operations forces with cutting edge equipment and technology”.
It’s part of a significant project known as Project Greyfin - something that is not new.
Back in August 2019, Morrison announced $500m towards the first stage of Project Greyfin. The government said at the time that the entire project would be worth $3bn over 20 years.
The first stage is under way. The $1bn announcement is for the approval of the second stage of the same project, which the government says aims to “update Special Operations Command and control with a focus on agility and strategic posture”.
There will be further stages in future.
The ABC’s Fran Kelly asks Shorten about the cost blowouts in the NDIS. Does Labor have a plan?
It’s not a sustainability problem, it’s a competence problem, Shorten says:
This government is wasting tens of millions of dollars on lawyers fighting people with disabilities in the courts. This government is wasting tens of millions of dollars on consultants. This government can’t manage price rip-offs and overcharging by elements within the service provision of the NDIS.
The way to run the scheme is to make sure people aren’t getting ripped off. It’s not to stop a person getting a wheelchair, a blind guy get a white cane or children with autism and speech pathology and occupational therapy.
Updated
Labor’s NDIS spokesman, Bill Shorten, says he didn’t “cringe” when leader Anthony Albanese was challenged to list the six points of Labor’s NDIS plan. He says:
He’s doing a great job and been a great supporter of mine to have a really strong and solid NDIS policy. A policy, by the way, which hasn’t been matched by the Liberals in this election.
And Shorten says he’s not worried about the Labor campaign, he’s worried about what will happen to people with disabilities if the Coalition wins.
The ABC’s Greg Jennett is asking Littleproud about independents running at this election. Littleproud says the times call for certainty:
We’re about to face up to the next phase of [these trying times] and you need stability. You need values and principles to get through it. And this will add to the confusion in times when you need certainty.
And he says negotiating with independents in the case of a hung parliament is not his decision to make.
Agriculture minister David Littleproud is talking about the live sheep exports issue.
He tells the ABC the Coalition will use “science” to determine its own policy. He says Australia does it better than other countries:
They don’t do it the way we do and we should be proud of what we’ve achieved and continue on with it and knowing we can do it better than anyone else.
Updated
Listen to Malcolm Farr. He’s been covering campaigns for decades, and he knows what he’s talking about:
Coalition to build cybersecurity facility in Perth: Morrison
Redspice! In case you’d forgotten – after all, it feels like the budget was about a million years ago – that’s the Coalition’s cybersecurity program. Anyway, prime minister Scott Morrison has announced a Redspice facility will be built in Perth. Here’s the original story, from Daniel Hurst:
Updated
Back to that earlier story about the security scare at Melbourne airport – it turns out the bullet in the bag wasn’t the issue.
The flight delays were with Qantas in Terminal 1 due to a separate issue with a non-compliant customer at security. The customer was ultimately prevented from flying, and flights resumed, but Qantas had to pause everything while that situation was resolved and it took about half an hour.
Updated
On to defence now. Prime minister Scott Morrison is announcing $1bn for Project Greyfin (here’s some history on that project). It’s for the “modernisation of our special operations capabilities,” he says:
This will ensure that our special forces, particularly the SAS regiment here in Perth, have the cutting edge, world class [equipment] they need to support our national interests and keep our nation safe.
Updated
Morrison is now outlining a five-point plan for resources. “I’ll go through those five points,” he says, to general laughter. (It must be said that a scripted speech is not quite the same thing as a rowdy press conference).
Morrison is hoping for some reflected warmth from the popularity of WA premier Mark McGowan (and hoping it does not go Anthony Albanese’s way). He says:
Anthony Albanese is no Mark McGowan. Federal Labor is not state Labor. They are not the same thing.
Morrison is now talking about emissions reduction, and the uptake of renewables in Australia. We’ll meet our climate commitments “in a way that maintains competitiveness in traditional industries, not writing those industries off, but strengthening them in efficient and technologically advanced ways”, he says, and:
All of these actions will see Australia meet and beat its commitments and do so in a way that doesn’t hurt Australians, but actually advances their interests.
The PM is promising “no new taxes” (including no mining tax, which gets applause, but it should be noted that Labor is not proposing any new taxes except for its multinational tax crackdown). He says:
The mining industry was not created by taxes.
(Has someone suggested it was?)
Morrison says the Coalition’s plan puts Western Australia “at the centre of our economic prosperity”. He’s also talking up WA’s GST share, which will go down well with this crowd – but might not be so warmly welcomed interstate.
Now he’s talking about the Coalition’s plans for tax cuts, from the low and middle income tax offset to the third tranche of tax cuts that have been legislated.
Prime minister Scott Morrison is talking in Perth, at a business lunch. He says (in an obvious jibe at Labor leader Anthony Albanese) that he never subscribed to a “small target strategy”. He says:
Because if you’re a small target, the job’s too big for you.
Updated
AEC investigating 'fake' campaign signs
The Australian Electoral Commission is investigating after hundreds of fake election corflutes were posted in blue-ribbon Liberal electorates across NSW overnight, claiming that high-profile independent candidates were members of the Greens.
Independent candidates in Warringah, Mackellar, Hughes and Hume reported their own posters being ripped down and replaced with near-identical copies bearing the branding of the Greens, in what the campaigns claimed appeared to be a “coordinated” attack in the early hours of Friday morning.
“If the matter weren’t so serious it would be a joke,” said Warringah MP Zali Steggall.
Steggall’s campaign said many of their own election corflutes had been damaged or removed overnight, with up to 100 versions of posters doctored with the Greens logo appearing in their place all over the electorate on Sydney’s northern beaches. The new posters do not carry any authorisation message, as required by the AEC, and all appear to be printed professionally.
Other independent candidates, including Sophie Scamps in Mackellar, Georgia Steele in Hughes and Penny Ackery in Hume, have reported near-identical activity in their electorates. Ackery claimed “hundreds” of fake corflutes had appeared in her area, with up to 30 each in Mackellar and Hughes.
The AEC said it was taking the matter “extremely seriously”, and was investigating possible breaches of the Electoral Act. Ackery’s campaign said it had reported the matter to NSW police. Guardian Australia has contacted police for comment.
This is the second example of a completely unauthorised poster we've seen this morning. Do you have any more information about the sign featuring Dr Scamps?
— AEC ✏️ (@AusElectoralCom) May 5, 2022
We're taking this extremely seriously.
Updated
Peter Hannam has expanded on that earlier news from the Reserve Bank of Australia on wages:
There was a minor security incident at Melbourne airport this afternoon after a passenger left a bullet in their bag.
It was picked up through the standard security screening, and led to a shutdown of one of the security screening lanes for a short time on Friday afternoon. There were reports of flights also being delayed as a result but an airport spokesperson said they were not aware of any issue with flights as a result of the incident.
Updated
We heard earlier that Labor is dumping its plan for superannuation paid on parental leave. Josh Butler’s here with some of the reactions:
Oh. Wow.
Remember the ‘barking dog man’ from A Current Affair years ago? He’s lending this endorsement to the Liberal candidate in Bennelong 🐶 #auspol pic.twitter.com/SamkES58cw
— Cam Reddin (@CamReddin) May 6, 2022
It’s called Voting 101, but humiliatingly it contains things I did not know. Nup, not saying what. Matilda Boseley on the parties battling for your vote:
Amy Remeikis brought you the latest on Labor’s position on live sheep exports earlier – leader Anthony Albanese said they’ll continue the summer ban, and consult with the states on the rest, so there’s no timeline, and possibly not even a full ban on the cards. I have nothing new to bring you except this AAP headline on the story:
Labor woolly on live sheep export policy.
(Apologies if you’re not a pun person.)
And because it’s Friday, please enjoy this throwback gaffe. It’s brought to you by the fabulous Huw Parkinson (you may know him from that little politics show, Insiders):
This is still my favourite campaign gaffe pic.twitter.com/p5MSAEHGV0
— Huw Parkinson (@rabbitandcoffee) May 6, 2022
Thanks, Amy Remeikis – and people, look out for that video. It’s an excellent way to get across the main issues if you (for whatever wild reason) don’t spend your life watching the minutiae of this campaign.
The campaign is going to rev up over the weekend with another debate between the leaders planned for Sunday night on the Nine Network – after a show about Lego. So it will start just before 9pm.
Still, the clips of the debate will matter as each leader beds down in the trenches for all those undecided voters.
But Sunday may as well be a week away given how this campaign is running. Tory Shepherd will take you through the news for the rest of the afternoon as I prepare your week four campaign catch up video – make sure you check back for updates and I’ll see you on Monday morning. Until then, please – take care of you. Ax
The Labor campaign is headed to Parramatta.
Scott Morrison continues to campaign in Perth.
National Covid-19 update
Here are the latest coronavirus case numbers from around Australia on Friday, as the country records 30 deaths from Covid-19:
ACT
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 1,053
- In hospital: 66 (with 5 people in ICU)
NSW
- Deaths: 7
- Cases: 10,995
- In hospital: 1,499 (with 54 people in ICU)
Northern Territory
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 381
- In hospital: 46 (with no people in ICU)
Queensland
- Deaths: 11
- Cases: 7,040
- In hospital: 463 (with 15 people in ICU)
South Australia
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 2,874
- In hospital: 221 (with 10 people in ICU)
Tasmania
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 1,107
- In hospital: 46 (with 2 people in ICU)
Victoria
- Deaths: 9
- Cases: 10,305
- In hospital: 502 (with 31 people in ICU)
Western Australia
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 9,328
- In hospital: 282 (with 9 people in ICU)
This daily 📅 infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus (#COVID19) situation in Australia 🇦🇺
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) May 6, 2022
Find out more here 💻 https://t.co/YcsPBOC6B3 pic.twitter.com/YxCqp1hf3N
Updated
There have also been comments about the disconnect between what is being reported on as part of the campaign, and voters’ concerns.
Paul Karp has looked at an ANU poll that examined voter priorities:
Reducing the cost of living and fixing the aged care system are voters’ two top priorities for the 2022 federal election, according to a new Australian National University poll.
The survey of more than 3,500 people found those two issues transcended the political divide with more than 60% nominating them as top priorities, ranking ahead of issues of more concern to Coalition voters, including defence against terrorist attacks and reducing crime.
A majority of voters also nominated strengthening the nation’s economy (54.4%), reducing the cost of healthcare (53.5%) and dealing with global climate change (52.8%) as top priorities for the federal government.
The findings come as Labor prepares to enter the final fortnight of the campaign with a negative ad spree targeting Scott Morrison’s handling of the economy.
Updated
There have been some questions about how the UAP vote will go outside of Queensland.
Here’s one look at the UAP’s vote in the seat of Cowper:
From a national standpoint, SA senate candidate Nick Xenophon has been fairly low key as he seeks to re-enter the parliament he left just a short few years ago.
But he had a few things to say about Facebook today:
The government made a simple deal with Facebook and Google: if you do the right thing by Australian publishers, we won’t regulate you.
But Facebook hasn’t lived up to their commitments and they ought to be regulated.
The News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code became law in March 2021.
The government agreed not to designate Facebook or Google and apply the code to them, so long as they engaged in good faith commercial agreements with Australian news publishers.
When the code was before Parliament, Facebook fought it tooth and nail. They even shut down government health pages during the pandemic to try and bully Australian into submission. Now they are trying to bully small publishers by using their content, and profiting off their work, without compensation. It’s just not on.”
That is about this story:
Xenophon wants Facebook to be part of the mandatory bargaining code.
Updated
This is very sweet
The Electoral Commissioner receives a lot of correspondence during an #ausvotes federal election but Oliver's letter has definitely been his favourite! ✉️
— AEC ✏️ (@AusElectoralCom) May 6, 2022
Fabulous to see the democratic enthusiasm so early. pic.twitter.com/NP0GQpWWTz
One of the reasons Scott Morrison was asked what his party could offer younger voters was because there is another climate strike protest in Sydney today.
Protesters are calling Politicians to #FundSolutionsNotPollution and are demanding an end to fossil fuel handouts and political donations as well as continuing to demand:
- Net zero by 2030, which means no new coal, oil or gas projects.
- 100% renewable energy generation and exports by 2030
- The funding of a just transition and job creation for all fossil fuel workers and their communities
Photograph: Richard Milnes/REX/Shutterstock
Updated
ACT and SA both report one Covid death
The WHO has updated its global estimate of people who have died during the pandemic from 5.5 million to 15 million. That’s 15 million people.
The ACT has reported another death in the last 24 hours as part of its Covid report.
🏥Hospital numbers
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) May 6, 2022
◾ In hospital: 66
◾ In ICU: 5
◾ Ventilated: 0
◾ Lives lost: 1
◾ Total lives lost since March 2020: 55
Sadly, we have been notified of the death of a woman in her 80s with COVID-19. We extend sincere condolences to her family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/XV58hJ193V
South Australia has also reported another death.
South Australian COVID-19 update 06/05/22. For more information, go to https://t.co/XkVcAlWPSN or contact the South Australia COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. pic.twitter.com/TwxlXMNWcr
— SA Health (@SAHealth) May 6, 2022
There has been better news in Tasmania.
Reported new cases = 1107
— COVID Tasmania (@CovidTasmania) May 6, 2022
Hospital = 46
ICU = 2
No reported deaths pic.twitter.com/tR15GQfXUq
Updated
Independents report ‘misleading and unauthorised’ campaign signs
David Pocock, Zali Steggall and now the independent candidate for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps, have had ‘Greens’ logos or suggestions placed across their faces as part of a counter-campaign to their independent campaigns.
Scamps responded in a statement:
Mackellar woke up this morning to more dirty tricks from Scott Morrison’s Liberal Party. Misleading and unauthorised posters have been put up throughout our electorate in clear violation of Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) laws.
This has been distressing and upsetting to many of our campaign volunteers and supporters and is one of the reasons I am backing Zali Steggall’s Stop the Lies Bill, which would outlaw lies in political advertising.
This is the type of action that occurs when Scott Morrison refuses to set high standards. I believe this is also the result of a sustained misinformation campaign from Jason Falinski throughout this election.
It is clear this was a well-coordinated and well-resourced attack, and it is incumbent on Jason Falinski to take responsibility and condemn this type of deceitful campaign tactic.
When you don’t have a track record you can stand on or a vision for the future, this is the type of dirty tactic you have to rely on.
I have been running a positive campaign and all of our 1,100 volunteers sign and agree to a code of conduct. Instead of wasting our time dealing with illegal attacks on property, I want to focus on listening to the people of Mackellar and representing them on the issues that matter most - climate change, the establishment of a federal anti-corruption commission, improved health and mental health services and acting on cost of living pressures.
Updated
Scott Morrison said during his press conference there had been a 20% reduction in emissions and “not many people know that. It’s not something often repeated by those talking about these issues.”
This fact check goes someway to explaining why:
Some further background on that question about armed drones.
Officials revealed in a Senate committee hearing last month that the government had quietly scrapped a $1.3bn armed drones program to partly offset the cost of a cybersecurity package dubbed Redspice (you might remember it as one of the March budget centrepieces).
Under the now-cancelled SkyGuardian program, which the Department of Defence said provided “an excellent capability system”, Australia planned to acquire up to 12 armed drones. The then defence minister, Linda Reynolds, hailed the merits of the project in 2019:
Cutting-edge technology of this kind, with advanced sensors and systems, would complement advanced aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and ensure that Australian defence force maintains state-of-the-art capability.
In the budget, the government announced that the Australian Signals Directorate would double in size and ramp up its ability to launch its own offensive cyber operations as part of a $9.9bn program called Redspice. (If you’re wondering, this stands for “Resilience, Effects, Defence, Space, Intelligence, Cyber and Enablers”.)
The money will allow ASD to “keep pace with the rapid growth of cyber capabilities of potential adversaries”, the government said.
But if you look at the budget papers closely, you’ll see the Redspice funding is spread over 10 years and only $4.2bn will be spent in the first four-year budget cycle. Given the government is partly offsetting the package with savings from other parts of the defence portfolio (including, as we now know, the drones), the cyber pledge is worth only $588.7m in new money for defence in the first four years.
Vice Admiral David Johnston, the vice chief of the ADF, confirmed at Senate estimates that the axing of the project means “we do not have drones that are armed”, although he argued that type of capability “can be mostly replicated through other means”.
Until the cancellation, Johnston said, defence had been “continuing the development” of the SkyGuardian program and its “expectation” was that it would probably advance to the next stage.
But he said the scrapping was “a result of a decision to prioritise a cyber capability and we needed to determine the funding to achieve that”.
(That means it was scrapped for budget reasons, not because the project was a dud.)
Labor supports Redspice but says, if elected, it will review the Coalition’s “bewildering” decision to scrap the armed drones program “as a matter of urgency”:
Updated
Along with rising prices, the RBA in its statement on monetary policy is also forecasting that wages will grow – but much more slowly than the CPI for this year at least.
Growth in the wage price index (WPI) is forecast to pick up to around 3% by the end of 2022,” it says. “Wages growth is then forecast to strengthen further as the unemployment rate declines, to be 3.75% by mid-2024; this would be the fastest pace since 2012.”
So the bank is forecasting CPI to peak at 6%, so reaching “around” 3% implies a drop in real terms – after removing inflation – of “around” 3%. Ouch.
Since the mid-2024 CPI is expected by the bank to be 3%, that “fastest pace” in wage growth in a 12 years by then will just be clawing back some of the “pinched” wages by then.
We’ll get the March quarter WPI on 18 May, which will allow us to see how salaries fared versus the 5.1% annual CPI for that period.
What the RBA is saying, then, is that there’s a real wage increase coming – eventually. At the risk of too many comparisons, in 2021 average wages rose 2.3% vs CPI of 3.7%, so that forecast increase is a little more than half the amount real salaries shrank last year alone.
Updated
The Reserve Bank has released its quarterly statement on monetary policy, which fills out a bit of the context around this week’s surprise rise of 25 basis points that took the cash rate to 0.35%. (Farewell record low 0.1% for a while.)
A key table is this one, noting how inflation is “materially higher” than the central bank expected three months ago:
RBA in its statement on monetary policy was expecting GDP growth for 2022 of 5.5% just three months ago. That's now been trimmed to 4.5%, and easing back to 2% by the end of 2023. CPI, of course, is sharply higher than forecast back in February (in Australia and beyond.) pic.twitter.com/djxY4wV8V6
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) May 6, 2022
The bank said:
Headline inflation is now expected to peak at around 6 per cent in the second half of this year, partly driven by higher petrol prices and sharp increases in the cost of new dwellings.
(Note the CPI does not track house prices, only the cost of building a new one.)
Given we were at 5.1% annually for the March quarter, that 6% might prove a bit optimistic, especially as electricity price hikes are still to come.
Anyway, the bank’s preferred “trimmed mean” inflation measure is expected to peak at about 4.75%, or well outside the 2% to 3% range the RBA aims for over the medium term. By 2024, that gauge should be back to the top of that range.
As Guardian columnist Greg Jericho has just noted, the CPI forecasts now differ notably from what Treasury estimated in the federal budget released just over a month ago:
RBA's latest CPI estimates compared to the Budget... pic.twitter.com/hqHErvY7ub
— Greg Jericho (@GrogsGamut) May 6, 2022
“As the supply-side disruptions start to ease, inflation is expected to decline from these peaks,” it said. “However, with labour market conditions being the tightest they have been for a long time, growth in labour costs is expected to pick up further in the period ahead.”
The jobless rate is predicted to drop from 4% in March to 3.5% by early next year, the lowest in half a century. Bulk commodity prices are up 11% from three months ago, and 72% higher than a year earlier, which is one reason some of the GDP growth figures are higher in the near term.
Updated
Q: Perhaps minister Price might be able to answer – on the unmanned aerial drones, or vehicles, why did the government scrap the $1.3bn Sky Guardian project a couple of months ago, which would have required 10 to 12 of these UAVs, which we were told would do a great job in protecting our northern borders. Why did we scrap them?
Scott Morrison:
When we’re making decisions about future capabilities, you’ve got to weigh up the respective capabilities of what you’re seeking to invest in. And what we were able to do in the most recent budget was commit $10bn to the Red Spice Initiative, which sees us massively upgrade our cyber capabilities. And so there is always difficult choices to be made in defence.
And we make those choices based on the best possible advice out of our defence forces, out of our Department of Defence, and we consider those things carefully.
But, you know, government’s hard. You’ve got to make difficult choices all the time about capability. There are programs you choose not to go ahead with because you want to go ahead with other programs. I’ve got to say, one of the most difficult decisions I had to make over the course of this last term was to discontinue the attack class program for the French submarines. I understood that doing that would carry some pretty serious ramifications when it came to the relation – yes, both on cost and on the diplomatic issues, with a good friend and partner in France.
But you know, when you’re prime minister, you don’t get an easy day in the office. Every single day is hard.
You’ve got to make tough decisions every day.
If Anthony Albanese thinks the campaign is hard, I’ve got news for him – government’s a lot harder.
Cheers.
The press conference ends.
Updated
Q: Has the Liberal party lost its ground under your leadership?
Scott Morrison:
The Liberal party has ensured that, through the most difficult challenge that we have faced since the second world war and the Great Depression, that our policies – jobkeeper, cashflow boost, understanding the importance of small business, investing in manufacturing, investing in training, ensuring we could guarantee the essential services that Australians rely on, which comes from running a strong economy, getting taxes down – I mean, tax rates for small business has gone from 20% to 35%. We’re ensuring now that, if you’re earning $90,000 a year, that you’re paying 50 bucks a week less on tax than you would have if Labor party’s taxes still were in place.
That’s what the Liberal party’s always been about. Getting taxes down, ensuring that we’re delivering on a strong economy, guaranteeing the essential services that Australians rely on. That’s what the Liberal party have always stood for. And that is the strong economy they can vote for.
Now, if they want to consider an alternative that leads to chaos in the parliament, then that will only lead to their interests, their families, their jobs, their economy, being under threat. Last one.
Updated
Scott Morrison won't say if he will resign in case of a hung parliament
Scott Morrison gets a little cranky on this one.
Q: I think all of Australia deserves to know, will you resign as leader in the case of a hung parliament? You say it’s a cavalcade of chaos, so will you resign?
Scott Morrison:
This is choice for the Australian people.
Q: That’s not a yes-or-no answer.
Morrison:
You get to ask the questions, not say what the answer is. My answer to that is – my answer lies in the lap of the Australian people. See, I’m the first prime minister ...
Q: That sounds like you would resign.
Morrison:
Again, I’ll answer the question. I’m very happy to answer the question. And I’ll take you through what it is.
I’m the first prime minister that has been able to stand for election at the last election and then stand for an election again. [I assume he means since John Howard.]
So I’m going to the Australian people at this election, and that’s the first time that has happened in about 15 years. And that has provided great stability and certainty, I believe. And that was one of the things I said I would bring back to politics when I became prime minister.
That I would provide that certainty and stability of leadership, which I have delivered from last election through to this election. And I’m putting myself forward to be able to continue to provide that strong leadership. So the decision – the decision for the Australian people – is up to them. And I put my trust in their good conscience and their good faith. That is my answer.
Updated
Q: Do you believe both you and the coalition will have the support of young voters this election?
Scott Morrison:
For young voters in particular, I know there are many things that play on their minds at this election. Of course, issues of climate change are of great interest. They’re of interest - my kids are not of voting age yet, but they talk about these issues as well.
That’s why, as a government, we’ve had a very practical approach to addressing that issue. I mean, we’ve already seen Australia receive around a 20% reduction in emissions.
Not many people know that. It’s not something often repeated by those talking about these issues - Australia’s emission reduction performance is better than the United States, many times over what’s been achieved in New Zealand and Canada, better than Japan, and we are investing $22 billion to take us to our meeting, our net zero by 2050 commitments, which is something that, as Prime Minister, bringing together the Liberals and the Nationals for the first time to be able to make that commitment to go to Glasgow and be able to put that on the table as a clear government policy and a plan of $22 billion to achieve it.
Because our way of reaching net zero by 2050 is, first of all, to do it through technology, not taxes. Secondly, to ensure that we are giving people choices - and good choices, not mandates.
It’s about ensuring that we’re investing in getting the costs of technology down. Now, this is incredibly important. Because if you can’t get the costs of technology that drives lower emissions usage in Australia around the world, you won’t see emissions fall in Indonesia. You won’t see it in India. You won’t see it in Vietnam or China or many of these other countries.
So, developed countries can access this technology, but developing countries - whose emissions are rising - won’t be able to. And that’s a great opportunity for Australia. Fourthly, you need to ensure that you’ve got affordable, reliable energy. That’s important for companies like this. You need to ensure that you can - there’s five points to the plan. I’m keen to go through all five.
On the fourth point, it’s about ensuring that we keep that reliable, affordable energy. That’s why we’ve leaned in to the gas-fired power station, which Anthony Albanese was against, and then he was for, and then he was against, and then he’s for. And then fifthly, it’s assuring accountability and transparency.
Australia has one of the most transparent and open systems of reporting our emissions reductions of almost any country in the world. So that’s our plan. You’ve asked me about young people. 220,000 apprentices in trade training today. That is the highest level we have seen since 1963.
We’re giving young people the opportunity for a great job. I mean, youth unemployment is down to 8.3%. Young Australians are coming out of training, out of school, out of university, and going into jobs. That wasn’t the case when I left university. It wasn’t the case when my generation left training.
They walked into joblessness and they walked into the question about “if” they would have a job, not what sort of job. And for young people today - for young people today, because of the strong economic management we’ve provided, they can look forward to their future with confidence. Because we’re getting the youth unemployment rate down.
[There are a lot of interjections from reporters].
Updated
Q: A prominent opposition MP in the Solomons has claimed that, following PM Sogavare’s comment that Australia’s threatened to invade, that’s paved the way for Chinese boots on the ground in the Solomons. Do you still believe that your comments about a red line were appropriate? Or has the language put Australia’s national security more at risk?
Scott Morrison:
No, I don’t believe it has.
I mean, we’ve been very clear – as we always have – about what Australia’s national security interests are. And we’ve also always been very clear about the very high levels of support that we’ve always provided to the people of Solomon Islands and the Solomon Islands government.
The Australian federal police are there right now. And they will be there until the end of 2023.
We’ve given those commitments. And we’ll continue to provide additional support as they require it. They have a secret arrangement with the Chinese government.
But I’ll tell you this – when it comes to dealing with the coercion that we see from the Chinese government – whether here in our region, in the south-west Pacific, or anywhere else across the Indo-Pacific - there is no government, there is no prime minister, that has been more forward-leaning in standing up to that coercion in face of the world ...
This is what a strong government does to protect Australia’s national interests. I will never step back from protecting Australia’s national interests.
Updated
Q: It’s been eight months since the French submarine contract was scrapped. What’s holding you back from finalising compensation agreements so voters can know exactly how much this saga costs them?
Scott Morrison:
It’s a process that’s being followed in the normal course of events. And it hasn’t concluded yet. I mean, it’s a commercial process that’s under way.
Q: Is it being delayed so voters don’t know the true cost before the election?
Morrison:
Of course not. What makes you say that?
Q: I’m asking you.
Morrison:
No, of course not.
Q: How much do you expect it will cost?
Morrison:
We don’t know at this point.
Q: You must have some idea ...
Morrison:
I’m not going to pre-empt any such commercial negotiation. That would be foolish. That would be reckless. And I don’t engage in recklessness on national security policy or commercial policy on behalf of the government.
Updated
Q: Do you think your government has done enough to address systemic issues among Indigenous Australians?
Scott Morrison:
That’s one of the most challenging and difficult areas of public policy in supporting Indigenous Australians, whether they be in our major capital cities or, particularly, in remote communities.
Ken Wyatt, the first-ever Australian to be the minister for Indigenous Australians, the first Indigenous Australian to ever sit in a cabinet – in my cabinet – I think has been very well-placed to inform the government’s response.
When I became prime minister, one of the things I wanted to change was how we were dealing with closing the gap. Because the problem with Closing the Gap – it was only dealing with things at a federal level.
And what I was able to do with Pat Turner, who heads the coalition of peak groups of Indigenous service providers is, we struck a new deal.
A deal that ensured that everybody has a role to play, including the federal government, including state governments and others, commit to the same outcomes and commit to the same plans with the funding to support that, as we’ve demonstrated now in several budgets since I’ve brought down that first agreement.
And that includes everything from the causal factors that go to Indigenous disadvantage with health and education and maternal health and child health and foetal alcohol syndrome and all of these types of things.
We’ve been increasing our investment and ensuring that those investments have been drawn up by the experiences on the ground. Now, we will take the same approach there in Wadeye, working with the local authorities to ensure that they get what they need from the commonwealth areas of responsibility. And that means it’s a tough issue and we will be guided by what is needed on the ground, and listen carefully to the requests for assistance that are made.
Updated
Q: Why won’t you support a royal commission into the handling of the pandemic?
Scott Morrison:
I said we’re still in the pandemic. And the pandemic hasn’t completed. In fact, as you will see – the reports on some new variants coming out of South Africa and I’ve been following those issues closely with the chief medical officer as you expect me to ... Our experts have been available to that inquiry each and every time.
Q: Why won’t you support a royal commission?
Morrison:
My focus is on continuing to manage Australia’s response ... to the pandemic. And there’ll be a time to address those issues once the pandemic has concluded.
Q: Would you support a royal commission?
Morrison goes to another question.
Updated
Q: [How are you] looking to win the voters who are looking to go independent back?
Scott Morrison:
What we’re seeing has been very disruptive times for our country. The last two years we’ve gone through things that none of us thought we would ever go through in our life time. And I think that’s really disrupted things.
We found out how strong we are as a people, but at the same time it’s making us think about a lot of issues. And that’s good. That’s what election campaigns are all about. That’s what elections are all about.
And I’m not surprised that after a time of so much disruption, and so much difficulty and hardship, that Australians are thinking carefully about the choice they’re going to make at this election.
And there’s still two weeks to go. Just over. And they’re seeking to make up their minds on these issues and that’s why I encourage them.
The choice you make at this election will have a very significant impact for you and your family, the place you work, the opportunities you have, the savings for your retirement, all of these things will be impacted. And so that’s why I make it very plain that the times are uncertain, that times are challenging.
And there’s a clear choice between the government you know with a clear plan to take Australia forward and the strength to back it up, and a weak Labor opposition that doesn’t have a plan and you don’t know.
Q: Given Malcolm Turnbull is now advocating for teal in the meantime, teal independents, should he be kicked out of the Liberal party, and will you resign if you lose the election?
Scott Morrison:
I’m focused on the choice that Australians have to make in just a couple of weeks’ time. Over the course of the campaign Australians are getting a keen sense of what that choice is about.
When we started the election, I said it was a choice between a government and Liberals and Nationals who have demonstrated that we have an economic plan for the future, one that’s taken us through these very difficult times.
And a Labor opposition that people don’t know. And as this campaign has gone on, we’ve soon just how much we don’t know about the Labor party and I think Australians are really starting to ask the question – is Anthony Albanese really up to this?
Now, when it comes to other former prime ministers have said, I have always treated former prime ministers of both political persuasions with the utmost of dignity and respect. I don’t share his view. My view I just explained to you.
That’s the chaos of a parliament driven by the daily musings of independents, who haven’t had the experience to deal with the serious security and economic challenges our country faces, that is going to hurt people’s incomes.
It’s going to hurt people’s jobs. It’s going to damage Australian security. As a result, as a result – I urge the return of the Liberal National government because that’s the strength that Australia needs in these times of great uncertainty.
You’re all talking over each other.
Q: Will you resign if you lose the election? [He takes another question]
Updated
Q: Your own predecessor seems to be telling Australians to do the opposite when it comes to polling day. What does it say about the government under your leadership?
Scott Morrison:
Well, the message remains exactly the same. And my warning to Australians is exactly the same. That I’ve said all along, we are facing some of the most serious economic and international security challenges that Australians have faced since the second world war and the Great Depression.
And what we’re announcing today here shows the fusion of economic security and national security. And making sure you are working those two issues together to keep Australians safe, and to keep our economy strong.
Now what the government needs to continue to do, and that’s why voting for the Liberals and Nationals achieves this, over the last three years in particular, we’ve had the strength of a majority government, if each and every day we had to go and negotiate for the government’s existence with a cavalcade of independents, pushed to and fro by others, Australia wouldn’t have the strength to go through the pandemic in the way we have.
My warning is very clear to those seats where people are thinking about independents, I would say this – if they won’t tell you how they would vote, how could you vote for them? Not just on who they support in government, but we can’t have a government that’s a weather vane.
We’ve seen the weakness in the leadership of the Labor party. Can you imagine having to go to that chorus of independents, the Greens, and everyone else, I mean, they’re weak enough as it is. Could you imagine the chaos of that type of a parliament when Australia needs to be strong. And that’s why our government is saying very clearly to Australians, the strength that we have demonstrated, the strength of our plan, particularly our economic plan to take Australia forward, is what Australia needs.
That’s the choice that’s before you. And only by voting for the Liberals and Nationals at this election can you get the strength and the certainty what you know is needed.
Updated
Scott Morrison makes another pitch for WA
The prime minister is holding his press conference in Perth, where the Coalition is trying to hold on to seats.
He opens with a statement on the GST:
They [WA Liberal MPs] are a terrific team. They stood up for Western Australia. I was happy to join them as treasurer and ensure that we carried that case. You didn’t have to convince West Australians about this, but we did need to convince of the rest of the country. That’s the fight I took on many years ago as treasurer and was able to complete as prime minister and every year now, WA’s funding on GST, more than $2bn extra, is coming into those coffers every single year because of the great work done by my WA team here, right across the state.
The announcement he is making is on “an extra 1,500 Australians will be trained up for jobs in the nation’s booming defence manufacturing and technology industry, as part of a $108.5 million commitment from a re-elected Morrison Government”.
Updated
For more on Malcolm Turnbull’s speech to the Washington Harvard Club (which was delivered this morning Australian time, but Thursday night US time) Katharine Murphy has written it up:
Queensland reports 11 Covid deaths
Queensland has posted its latest Covid figures:
Today we have recorded 7,040 new COVID-19 cases.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) May 6, 2022
Sadly, we have reported 11 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Full details➡️ https://t.co/MyDwPPidE5 pic.twitter.com/onQUGNyd6O
Updated
Victoria’s opposition leader Matthew Guy says his colleague Bernie Finn should consider if he wants to remain a Liberal MP after he said he was “praying” for abortion to be banned in Australia.
The Victoran Liberal MP made the comments his Facebook page after the leak of a draft decision showing a majority of US supreme court justices may overturn Roe v Wade, which makes abortion a constitutional right. In the post, Finn said: “Killing babies is criminal.”
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Guy said the Liberal party was “absolutely sick” of Finn’s social media posts.
Preselections will open in a couple of weeks and Bernie needs to work out whether he wants to be on the team as part of a parliamentary Liberal party.
Guy declined to say if he thought Finn should move to the crossbench.
In an interview with Guardian Australia this year, Guy dismissed reports Finn would be challenged for the No 1 position on the Western Metropolitan upper house ticket. He described the MP as a “very loud and proud conservative”.
The state’s minister for women, Gabrielle Williams, labelled Finn’s comments “deplorable”.
Updated
Anthony Albanese was asked about this in his press conference.
Calla Wahlquist has the detail behind it:
The Greens and animal welfare groups have called on Labor to commit to a timeline for phasing out live sheep exports, after the opposition said it still intended to ban the trade.
Labor told the Alliance for Animals that it will recommit to its policy of phasing out the live sheep export trade, which it announced in 2018 in response to whistleblower videos of a deadly voyage in which 2,400 sheep died.
But it has not put a timeline on the proposal, saying only that it will consult with sheep farmers in Western Australia, who are the only group currently selling into the trade, as well as the WA government.
Rosie Batty has called for more focus on funding to help domestic and family violence survivors, as AAP reports:
Family violence must be considered a key issue by both parties in the election campaign, former Australian of the year and activist Rosie Batty says.
But Liberal frontbencher Sussan Ley says the coalition has not waited for an election to take action on the issue, and has already invested billions of dollars in a prevention, response and recovery plan.
Meanwhile, women from underpaid and under-valued industries will gather in Melbourne with ACTU president Michele O’Neil to call out what they say is the failure of the Morrison government to close the gender pay gap and make workplaces safer.
While the coalition invested a lot of money in family violence prior to the election, Ms Batty said ultimately it remained “glaringly silent” the majority of the time.
“What have we been doing for the last 10 years?,” she said on ABC Radio National on Friday.
“This is a public health crisis and yet it remains glaringly silent in being prioritised as a key issue.”
Ms Batty launched the community-based Australian Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Recovery Alliance on Thursday to provide services for women and children affected by violence.
Ms Ley said since 2013 the government had invested more than $3.6 billion in women’s safety and security.
“I’ve listened to people’s stories, I am incredibly committed and as is the Morrison government, as you’ve seen by this record funding,” she told ABC Radio National.
Yet Ms Batty said organisations helping domestic violence survivors are still stretched.
“It sounds like a lot of money, but governments are very good at re-gifting money that’s already out there, packaging it up to look as if it’s a huge investment,” he said.
“This should be a key conversation that I’m hearing on the TV, or I’m listening to the radio, that is considered a serious issue and we all need to be part of the solution.”
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
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Updated
With early polling starting it would be interesting to know how the turnout is going, and whether we might be able to glean any deviation from the wider polls.
In 2019 about 40% of voters opted to vote early and the share has increased over time.
Those wanting to avoid Covid-linked delays may push that overall proportion closer to half – removing some of the sizzle on 21 May.
It’s a challenge to detect any shift in the political winds but the parties will have a crack.
One method they’ll probably avoid is the one deployed by your correspondent almost 30 years ago in Mongolia’s first direct presidential elections.
Back in June 1993, it was a two-horse race between a former communist and a more or less unreformed one (who was also editor of the Communist daily, Unen, or “Truth”.)
To solve the puzzle of how Ulaanbaatar-ites would vote, my trusty assistant Enkhbat and I visited the capital’s main open-air market, where there was just one exit point, complete with a metal turnstile.
Perhaps slightly illegally, we asked people as they left whether they backed former mining engineer Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat or Lodongiyn Tudev (the hack) – or the stile wouldn’t turn.
Anyway, some 2,000 ticks later – with very few “don’t knows” – we felt we had a decent straw poll. I AdamBandted it but Google didn’t throw up the precise figure I filed to Reuters on our unorthodox poll.
The result, though, was very close to the official outcome of 60% to 40%, in favour of Ochirbat. Beat that, Essential ... !
Updated
AEC refers Liberal Victorian candidate to AFP
The AEC has announced it has referred another candidate to the AFP for investigation, after questions were raised about the residential address provided on their form:
On Friday 22 April 2022 candidates for the federal election were formally declared at public events held across Australia, in accordance with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Electoral Act).
Mr Robbie Beaton was among those candidates declared – as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Australia in the Division of Isaacs (VIC).
The AEC is aware of comments made in the media recently by Mr Beaton about his enrolled address.
Following Mr Beaton’s candidate nomination for the 2022 federal election we have reviewed the declarations made on Mr Beaton’s enrolment and nomination forms. There is concern as to whether the information provided by him regarding his residential address on these forms is false.
The AEC has referred this matter to the AFP for investigation.
Candidate nominations for the Division of Isaacs must remain as they were formally declared on 22 April 2022. Ballot papers have been printed and distributed across the country for early voting to begin on Monday and many postal voters have already received their postal voting packs.
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Linda Reynolds, the minister with oversight of the NDIS, weighed in on Anthony Albanese’s press conference yesterday, while speaking to Sydney radio 2GB:
Well, it was completely embarrassing and initially, Jim, I was incredulous. But now on further reflection and hearing it again. I am so disappointed for the 518,668 NDIS participants, but also their families, who will be utterly dismayed and concerned that Albanese does not even know his own NDIS policy and it was only released two weeks ago, Jim, but then again, it’s not a surprise because he didn’t even turn up for the launch of his own NDIS policy.
But you think he could have at least read his own press release afterwards. So this is embarrassing, but it’s also just again, highlighting the stark choice and a contrast between Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison.
You know, in Scott Morrison, you’ve got somebody who understands the economy and can manage the economy, national security but people may not also know that Scott Morrison was the social services minister and I’ve seen firsthand at just how passionate he and the government is about delivering this amazing scheme. So it’s actually quite disgraceful.
Given why the NDIS is an election issue, given the number of stories of people having their funding cut with no warning or agreement entered into, there are a few other reasons the 518,668 on the scheme might be disappointed.
Updated
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has written to Scott Morrison urging the government to investigate comments by one of its appointees to the Fair Work Commission minimum wage panel bagging Labor’s policy.
Academic Mark Wooden, an expert member of the panel, told the Sydney Morning Herald the independent tribunal didn’t want the government “telling us what to do”.
He reportedly said:
As a member of the independent umpire, I’m very comfortably relieved the governments of the day don’t pressure us to make a particular decision ... Anthony Albanese is saying we will raise wages, which I think is very interesting since the only lever have to pull is wages of the public service ... when he says he’s raising wages, it’s just political games.
This is remarkable for a few reasons. First, a submission to the commission is just a suggestion, it isn’t a direction, and so it doesn’t compromise its independence. Secondly, although it is arguable therefore that Labor can’t directly lift the minimum wage, it is a bold intervention in the political debate that probably shouldn’t be made by a member of an independent body.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus wrote:
Wooden’s intervention undermines the independence and impartiality of the entire Annual Wage Review process. Working Australians can have no trust in this process when a member of the Expert Panel makes such an extraordinary political intervention right in the middle of the Federal election campaign. It is akin to a Member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia intervening in the political debate about interest rates, which I am sure you would condemn. The ACTU has deep concerns about his independence and ask you to commence an immediate investigation into today’s intervention to consider disciplinary action against him, including removal from the panel.
Guardian Australia has contacted the FWC and Wooden for comment.
Updated
Labor’s shadow foreign minister Penny Wong announced funding of $4.9m to the Australian Federation of Aids Organisations and the National Association of People Living with HIV Australia, both of which she said had funding cut under the Morrison government.
Wong said the Deves controversy had nothing to do with trans women and girls in sport:
This is ultimately actually not about the policy, we all know that … this is about a political tactic. [Prime minister Scott] Morrison’s reflex is to weaponise certain issues as a way of dividing the community.
I actually find it really quite distressing ... I have a couple of kids in my life, not my children but friends and family. This is a hard time for them, trying to work out who they are, and they hear this ... there is something really deeply wrong where they can target kids who are vulnerable, where they are more likely to self-harm.
Wong acknowledged Andrew Bragg was not one of those weaponising the comments but said, “I wish more of them were able to stop this,” adding the issue should not be weaponised in an election campaign “in a decent country”.
Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson Janet Rice said it had been appalling:
It’s been a very sad moment in Australian political history. And to be in the Senate and to hear openly transphobic, really dangerous and divisive speeches regularly by some of those Liberal senators is also incredibly distressing.
It’s not a debate, it’s an attack and we certainly over the last couple of weeks have really struggled with how much that’s inflaming these attacks.
Updated
Trans rights debate 'hugely regrettable', Liberal senator says
Andrew Bragg told a forum of LGBTIQ+ Australians last night that it was “hugely regrettable” that trans rights had been put into the heat of the election debate:
I’m sorry there’s been so much discussion about these issues during election campaign, I don’t think it is in anyone’s interests for these issues to be pushed into the heat of election campaign. I’m acutely aware of how vulnerable our trans community is. And as I say it’s hugely regrettable.
That would be due to his fellow Liberal, Warringah candidate Katherine Deves and her lengthy anti-trans Twitter history getting an airing during the first two weeks of the election campaign.
He told the audience that if Liberal senator Claire Chandler’s bill banning trans women and girls moves ahead in the next parliament, it should be referred to a committee, where he is sure the finding will be that the existing rules in the Sex Discrimination Act are working just fine.
Bragg also announced the Coalition would fund LGBTIQ Health Australia with $4.3m in funding for mental health programs.
Updated
The tax office is warning people against thinking about committing GST fraud. From its statement:
The ATO, through Operation Protego, is investigating around $850 million in potentially fraudulent payments made to around 40,000 individuals, with the average amount fraudulently claimed being $20,000.
We are working with financial institutions who have frozen suspected fraudulent amounts in bank accounts. The ATO has also stopped many more attempted frauds.
The fraud involves offenders inventing fake businesses and Australian business number (ABN) applications, many in their own names, then submitting fictious Business Activity Statements in an attempt to gain a false GST refund.
The ATO is reminding the community that:
■ The ATO does not offer loans. If you see someone advertising a way to get a loan from the ATO, this is a rort
■ The ATO does not administer government disaster payments
■ If you are not in business, you do not need an ABN
■ You should never share your myGov login details. You may be giving your identity directly to criminals who can use it to impersonate you, or sell it to other criminals
■ Backdating when a fake business is set up to seek a refund will flag you as high risk and we will take action
■ False declarations may impact eligibility for other government payments
■ We have the data matching ability to detect these patterns and stop the fraud
■ Stealing from the ATO is not a victimless crime, you are stealing from people in need of government support and people using public services such as schools and hospitals
■ The ATO shares information with a range of government partners when responding to fraud, including law enforcement agencies
■ If you engage in tax fraud, you will be caught
Updated
As expected, Australia’s share market opened lower, losing more than 2% in early trading.
As expected, Australian shares have opened lower, and have stopped their declines. pic.twitter.com/fvQEXg33MI
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) May 6, 2022
Wall Street set the tone, with falls of 3% to 5% for the main indexes. Bloomberg cited one trader as describing the rout as “the great puking” (though it does make you wonder how that trader will describe the market if it bounces back on Friday, US time).
But, what’s clear is markets are lately becoming more volatile, with the main gauge for such panicky sentiment up more than 13% so far today, and about one third for the past month.
(For six months, it’s closer to 40%.)
Meanwhile, the Australian market has rediscovered volatily lately. pic.twitter.com/GVQpXTyHqe
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) May 6, 2022
Now asset prices go up and down, and our sense of wealth (if we have assets) fluctuates with it. But food prices are something we can perhaps feel a bit more viscerally.
Here’s a view of what’s been happening to a bunch of food commodity prices from ANZ Research today:
A worrying look at food price changes today from @ANZ_Research ... with oils in particularly taking off. pic.twitter.com/cP3FwMvB44
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) May 6, 2022
Oils are the big riser, presumably after Indonesia’s palm oil export controls, but most others are heading in a direction that is going to make a lot of people a lot hungrier.
Updated
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus has written to the prime minister. Paul Karp will have more for you in just a moment, but here is the letter released to the media:
An Expert Panel of the Fair Work Commission conducts an Annual Wage Review every financial year. This is an important and uniquely Australian process designed to ensure that wages keep up with the cost of living and nobody gets left behind.
One in four workers relies on the annual wage review for their only pay rise
this year. Your Government has so far refused to endorse a pay rise in submissions to the Review. In fact, your submission dedicated an entire chapter to the importance of low paid work.
All submissions, including your own, seek to influence the decision of the Commission.
In an extraordinary and highly inappropriate intervention, Mark Wooden, who is part of the Expert Panel conducting this year’s Annual Wage Review, has inserted himself into the political debate about low wages growth and the skyrocketing cost of living by appearing in today’s media to back in the Government’s position.
Mr Wooden’s intervention undermines the independence and impartiality of the entire Annual Wage Review process.
Working Australians can have no trust in this process when a member of the Expert Panel makes such an extraordinary political intervention right in the middle of the Federal election campaign.
It is akin to a Member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia intervening in the political debate about interest rates, which I am sure you would condemn.
The ACTU has deep concerns about his independence and ask you to commence an immediate investigation into today’s intervention to consider disciplinary action against him, including removal from the panel.
Updated
The AEC has put out another statement after questions were raised about a candidate’s eligibility:
On Friday 22 April 2022 candidates for the federal election were formally declared at public events held across Australia, in accordance with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Electoral Act).
Ms Despi O’Connor was among those candidates declared – as an Independent candidate for the Division of Flinders (VIC).
The AEC is aware of comments made in the media recently by Ms O’Connor about her eligibility under section 44 (iv) of the Australian Constitution at the time of nomination.
Under section 44(iv) of the Constitution, any person who holds any office of profit under the Crown, or any pension payable during the pleasure of the Crown out of any of the revenues of the Commonwealth, at the time of nomination, shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a Senator or a Member of the House of Representatives.
The election in the seat of Flinders will proceed including all candidates as declared and Ms O’Connor’s name will appear on the ballot paper for the Division of Flinders. Ballot papers have been printed and distributed across the country for early voting to begin on Monday and many postal voters have already received their postal voting packs.
If Ms O’Connor is elected, her eligibility to serve as the Member for Flinders must be determined by the Court of Disputed Returns.
Q: Mr Albanese, there have been moments during this press conference where you have clearly gotten agitated. Why are you not able to answer our questions? If you were making funding announcements, for instance, we would have a lot more questions. The focus is now becoming but and your blunders. When will you make a funding announcement?
Anthony Albanese:
I have made announcements on a regular basis during this campaign and I will continue to do so. I will continue to make policy announcements.
Yesterday I gave a 30-minute speech. I haven’t got a question about it here this morning – a 30 minute speech to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the presence of 130 business leaders. They could have fitted 300, they tell me if they had enough room, in front of former prime minister Paul Keating.
It was a serious speech about economic productivity, about the way forward, about women’s economic participation.
I haven’t got a question here today about it, but I look forward to you reading the speech and maybe asking me a question tomorrow.
And the press conference ends.
Updated
Covid royal commission 'very important': Albanese
Q: A parliamentary inquiry that is chaired by your Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher recommended there would be a royal commission into the pandemic. That isn’t yet Labor policy, but what is your personal position on that? If Labor were to support the royal commission, how important is it done relatively quickly when the lessons are fresh in our mind?
Anthony Albanese:
Look, it is very important. This was a recommendation by the committee that Katy Gallagher chaired and that Katy Gallagher did a great job on, it must be said, and other members participated.
I cannot envisage a situation in which whoever wins government wouldn’t want to examine the once-in-a-century pandemic and the response. We have to examine it so that we learn the lessons, not as a political exercise, although some of it undoubtedly would be political.
You would want to understand how it is that even though the government was being warned that some companies were getting jobkeeper who were increasing their profits, they chose not to change any of that and we saw tens of billions of dollars go to companies that were increasing their profits at the same time, as we’ve seen here today, volunteers are coming down and packing food, some of which is to give credit where credit is due, some of this food comes from local businesses as well. There is an arrangement to give a free ad here, with Marrickville Metro.
Q: Will you give that commitment?
Albanese:
I agree, it is a serious question and I’m addressing it seriously. What I am saying is that we will examine it, but I support looking at it through a measure like a royal commission.
We haven’t finalised what the structure would be. We are still in the pandemic. I think – I found that out in the last weeks I have had Covid and on the day, one of the days that I was in isolation, 50 people died. This is still having an impact, this pandemic. This is real, the impact that it is having. We need to examine it.
We need to make sure that we learn the lessons which are there because this is a once-in-a-century impact. I think the pandemic also has shown – I mean, some of it is fed into our policy development. It has shown the strength of Australian society. The sacrifices that people have made.
The volunteers down here -– I mean, you know, Addy Road have – I am not sure how many staff they’ve got down here. Not enough. By and large they are just vollies. Craig Foster has brought in incredible people.
Those young women – I volunteer here without cameras, by the way, just so you know. In terms of those Afghani teenagers, young women, I mean, they are heroes. They escaped Kabul. They are right - there they are!
[He addresses the women]
You are heroes! And you will make great Australians, great Australians, and here you are, you haven’t been in the country for a year ...
[The crowd applauds]
And you are here helping people. Helping people. You know, one of the things that strikes me and it is something that – a value that I have from the people I grew up with, the most generous people in this country, I have found, are those who have less – are those who have less, and this is an incredible example of that, and I thank you for what you are doing here. I am glad you are safe here in Australia.
One of the women:
Please watch our documentary: Die or Die Trying, escaping from the Taliban.
Albanese:
It is a remarkable story how they got out of Afghanistan, by the way – a remarkable story of courage and resilience and that is why we have supported the Australian government increasing the number of refugees from Afghanistan. We need to do our bit. Last one.
Updated
Labor officially dumps super on paid parental leave policy (for now)
Q: Mr Albanese, last June Stephen Jones said paying super on parental leave has to be done. In April he called on the Morrison government to do it, saying it was Labor policy. Why have you backflipped? Can you please explain why?
Anthony Albanese:
We’ve just had questions about the economy, fiscal costs and policy. We are being very measured. Would this be a good thing to do? Yes, it would be. It is something that we will examine in government, but in a range of areas. What we are doing is being responsible. What we are not doing is saying one thing, to go to the last question as well – what we are doing is not doing is saying one thing before the election and saying something else afterwards, so that ...
Q: You were saying it was your policy as recently as last year.
Albanese:
No, policies are when I announce them or when they have been announced during this campaign.
Updated
Albanese bemoans media focus on 'word games'
Q: Just on the economy, leading economists are warning that neither you nor Mr Morrison has a plan to address Australia’s structural deficit and that spending forecasts have ramped up markedly over the last three years. Can you give a guarantee that Labor would not make any cuts to health, education or the NDIS?
Anthony Albanese:
Labor will always be better on health, education and NDIS.
Q: That is not a guarantee you won’t cut it though, Mr Albanese?
Albanese:
Labor governments will always be better on health, education and the NDIS. We have programs that are put in, committed to – committed to – additional funding in health, education and NDIS and we will stand by that additional funding.
[Reporter interrupts]
Albanese:
Wait. Seriously. This is an example of what putting people off politics. You cannot have a clearer answer than that Labor is putting additional funding into health, education and the NDIS, and we stand by it, and you know what puts people off politics? That sort of word game – word game – that is very clear. It can’t be clearer. We stand by our additional funding that. Is not a cut. That is more funding.
Updated
Well, this is a new one.
Q: On the question of yesterday’s press conference, do you think it was unfair to hound you on specific bullet points for NDIS policy? Do you think that line of questioning was unfair? And if so, how are you going to stand up to Xi Jinping if you can’t stand up to us?
Anthony Albanese:
People are entitled to ask questions.
Updated
Q: Have your own colleagues told you to be across the details?
Anthony Albanese:
My colleagues are part of a cohesive, strong, united, experienced team that have a plan for a better future for this country and one of the things that had debate is about ...
[Reporters interject]
Albanese:
I tell you what this is about. It is about serious plans on serious issues. What we have in this country is a cost-of-living crisis. We have a gender pay gap which is there. We have too many people who are being left behind. We have people who can’t get access through opportunity for education. We have women who can’t afford to work five days a week because the costs of childcare are too much. That is holding them back. It is also holding back the businesses that they work for. We have real issues in this country. Labor has real plans to fix them.
Updated
Q: In week one of the campaign after you did not know the Reserve Bank’s cash interest rate and you did not know Australia’s unemployment rate. You said you were human, you make mistakes and you fess up. Last night on Q+A on the ABC you said you were not given the opportunity to name the six points on your National Disability Insurance Scheme policy. Did you make the mistake and not forget, or were you not given the opportunity to respond? If so, will you fess up to making a mistake today? And is asking a question about your own policy unfair?
[I think someone from the crowd cuts in and the reporter yells more of his question]
Anthony Albanese:
You get the question and I have the answer.
Q: And is asking the question about one of your own policies really a gotcha question?
Albanese:
No. Let me tell you about what the NDIS is about. We have a signature policy, with I is what I said yesterday – a signature policy to put people at the centre of the NDIS. That’s why we created the NDIS and that’s why Labor will always defend the NDIS. Now, there are a range of things that we will do to that end – stopping the cuts, stopping the waste, making it more efficient. Making sure that people in regions can be looked after, but also lifting the cap on NDIA staff so that people can get those people-to-people relations.
But we will also then – that all combines to putting people at the centre of the NDIS, and one of the ways that we will do, with I is what I said yesterday – one of the ways that we will do that is by is making sure that people with disabilities are on the NDIS board, making sure that we double funding for the advocacy groups which are there as well.
Q: [Do you think it was a gotcha question?]
Albanese:
Let me tell you what the NDIS is about. It is not about gotcha questions. What it is about is providing ...
[Reporter interjects]
Hang on. You had your opportunity and now it is my turn to answer. So, just wait. What leadership is about is determining when there is a problem, identifying it, and then coming up with solutions. We did that in government. We created the NDIS. We are doing that from opposition under Bill Shorten who has had a role both in government and in opposition and he is coming up with solutions to stop the cuts and to put people back at the centre of the NDIS.
[Reporter interjects]
Albanese:
Right at the centre of the NDIS. I tell you why it is personal for me. Because where I grew up, not far from here, and will put in a bit of an appearance in a week there, I grew up with a mum who was not diagnosed properly with rheumatoid arthritis. It was a two-storey house. You have probably seen it on Channel Nine with Karl. We did an interview there.
My mum, because she wasn’t diagnosed and didn’t get the assistance for her health, couldn’t at one stage – two-storey place, the bedrooms are upstairs – she had to come down the steps, every day, every morning on her bum because she couldn’t walk down the steps. She couldn’t get the sort of support that she needed to use a knife and a fork to cut up food because her hands were crippled up.
When, as her health deteriorated, she couldn’t get – I remember the battles to try and get bars so that she had – it was an old council house that had the old bath systems and the old gas hot water. She couldn’t get bars to get in and out of a shower – those simple things that the NDIS provide to improve people’s lives.
That is what the NDIS is about. That is what a government that I lead will be about – providing real help for ...
Q: Can you answer the question, Mr Albanese.
Albanese:
Providing real help for real people and I have answered the question.
Q: You have not answered the question.
Updated
Q: Mr Albanese, why has Labor committed to ending live sheep exports and will you put a timeline as to when that end will take place?
Anthony Albanese:
No, we won’t and our policies have changed. The amount of live exports has halved in recent times and we will continue the summer ban, but we will consult with state governments, in particular the West Australian state government, but we will also consult with the agricultural sector about the issues around live sheep export.
Updated
Q: I have a two-part question.
Anthony Albanese:
You can have one.
Q: Right. The pace of your campaign is starkly different than Scott Morrison’s. He is racing between different electorates. It is a slower pace for you. I want to ask how are you feeling post-Covid? Are you still going to rest into polling day? But also on the other question, the teal independents, Monique Ryan changes on border policies, that you need to end offshore detention, will you horse trade on border protection?
Albanese:
No, we won’t. In terms of my health. Look, it is still – I think you have had Covid. It has an impact, doesn’t it.
Q: I haven’t needed to have a nap in the afternoon. You are running for prime minister. Are you match fit?
Albanese:
Well, yesterday I got up in the morning and did breakfast TV, I did radio into Victoria. I went into a smart energy expo in at the convention centre, I talked to providers there. I then did a press conference. I then did – went down and had a meeting with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
I then went up to the CPO, the commonwealth parliamentary offices and had more meetings. I then went and spoke at a lunch at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and gave a considered, extensive economic speech about a better future and about productivity. I then went into my electorate office in Marrickville and then I did Q+A last night. I think that’s a pretty good ...
Crowd: Woo-hoo!
Q: But any marginal seats though?
Albanese:
I think that’s a pretty heavy program. Well, the prime minister is trying to put out there that seats like McEwen are marginal seats. The truth is that Rob Mitchell will win a considerable margin in McEwen, and today I am doing this event and then doing some other work that needs to be done and them I will be in Parramatta later on. I look forward to seeing you in Parramatta.
Updated
Q: On cost of living again, I asked you about this a couple of weeks ago, this is about the jobseeker rate. Those who are the unemployed. Why won’t you commit to raising the jobseeker rate if you become prime minister?
Anthony Albanese:
I gave this answer the other day and it is the same answer today ... That’s right. That’s what Labor governments do.
[Reporters interrupt]
Albanese:
Order. When we had our last term in government, we had the largest-ever increase in pensions in Australian history, the largest-ever increase in pensions – hello. What is your name?
[A child interrupts the press conference]
Child:
Sammy.
Albanese:
Hello. How are you going? Where is your mum or dad? That’s your mummy. Hi, Mummy! Thanks very much for that contribution.
[A woman waves and quickly pulls her child towards her. The press conference continues]
Updated
Q: Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that a hung parliament wouldn’t necessarily cause the instability that both parties are warning of. You ruled out making a deal with the so-called teal independents. Are you honestly saying that in the event of a hung parliament you wouldn’t negotiate with them? How realistic is that?
Anthony Albanese:
I do note Malcolm Turnbull’s article or speech that he is giving this morning, and I also heard him on ABC Radio this morning.
He spoke about the fact that so many people who are traditional Liberals feel the modern Liberal party under Scott Morrison doesn’t represent them, and they are walking away from the Liberal party.
The Liberal party are divided. They are a rabble. They are led by a man who a whole lot of his own frontbench don’t want him anywhere near their seat and don’t want to appear with him in public. That stands in stark contrast to Labor. Labor which is united, Labor which is ready to form a united, cohesive government, Labor that has a clear plan for a better future. The Liberals are a mess – that is the truth of the matter.
Updated
Q: On Q+A last night you said you would put downward pressure on inflation through targeted spending but all of the signature policies you’ve mentioned take time to implement. What will you do to curtail rampant inflation by the end of the year?
Anthony Albanese:
We have a plan to make sure that all of our expenditures, the – expenditures, the ones that will grow the economy. That is why in particular we have singled out child care as the No 1 priority.
That is in consultation with what the business community is saying, that it will grow workforce participation, grow productivity, produce a return as well. So we are prioritising those investments, but we have also said, in terms of expenditure and putting downward pressure on, that we will have a review of government expenditure by Treasury and Finance.
We will go through line by line, where we can make a difference, and we will do that ...
Q: But will that take time?
Albanese:
No, we will do that by the end of year, which is what we have committed to.
Updated
Q: These organisations are run largely by kind-hearted community members, philanthropists and others – a whole collection of funding – and politicians love to come here and be photographed but they don’t leave any money behind. This place gets zero dollars in recurrent funding from any level of government to operate. Would you commit to funding organisations like this in some recurrent fashion so they continue to do this work?
Anthony Albanese:
Well, it certainly has merit, and one of the things that this community centre has benefited from is some of the community grants that have come through my electorate here.
This is the site of where the whalers trained during world war one before they left for the war. It is an old defence site and indeed a great legacy of the Whitlam government was to purchase this. This was up for development and it was purchased for community use. It has been run through many organisations – there is a whole range [of organisations] – there is a Greek theatre across the road there. It provides an incredible community service. I think it is an example, when we speak about where grants go from government, there is a real case for going to organisations like this, who are deserving – it is not about a colour-coded map in a minister’s office. These people do incredible work and they are worthy of support.
Updated
'The PM seems to think people have it easy right now,' Anthony Albanese says
Anthony Albanese is on familiar ground in his electorate of Grayndler, and is in front of the Addison Road community centre:
They help 8,000 people every week. One of the things I have noticed over the years that has really changed is it used to be people who are homeless, people who are unemployed. Now they are helping out the working poor as well.
Mums and dads who can’t afford to feed their kids, who can’t afford to get by with the cost of living. People in this community from outside will say the inner west is gentrified. Yes, it is. People are moving in here who are professional but it has more boarding house residents than any electorate in Australia. It also has a whole lot of people who are doing it so tough. Here at Addy Road, together with the other organisations who are here, like Youth off the Streets and Ethnic Community child care. They help people out every day.
The prime minister seems to think people have got it easy right now. He is out of touch with how tough people are doing it right now.
What we need isn’t just cost-of-living relief during an election campaign that disappears once people have cast their vote. What we actually need is strategies and plans to make sure that no one is left behind.
Something I have spoken about consistently during this election campaign. No one left behind and no one held back. That is Labor’s approach. That is where we will go.
Updated
It’s four weeks since we wrote here about the key numbers voters and politicians should know about during the election campaign.
As far as we know the leaders, including Scott Morrison, have not been asked about, say, how many mass bleachings there have been on the Great Barrier Reef in the past six years (or any time, for that matter). That’s even when they’ve visited Cairns and other reef-peeping hotspots.
Anyway, some of the numbers are changing, including the last on the list, which asked what the global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide were. Unfortunately, we have to update that figure to a new record.
🚨 For the first time in observational records, carbon dioxide (CO₂) averaged over 420 ppm (in April 2022)
— Zack Labe (@ZLabe) May 5, 2022
10 years ago April averaged ~396 ppm
+ Data (@NOAA_ESRL): https://t.co/81JQavZo7r pic.twitter.com/oGKxDow1bc
There are two leaders’ debates to go, anyone want to place a bet on a CO2 emissions question being asked?
Our colleague Adam Morton notes here that as for the party policies, the Coalition’s are aligned to a world that’s 3C warmer than pre-industrial times.
Globally, we’re about 1C warmer and, with the lagging effects of the greenhouse gas emissions we’ve already released, more warming is already locked in. Land warms faster than the average, so Australia’s 1.44C warming since 1900 is just a taste of things to come.
Updated
With two weeks to go, which seats will decide the election?
Sarah Martin has taken a look at the nation:
Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese are preparing for the final sprint to the 21 May election finish line when Australia will decide who forms government.
Labor can sniff victory, but the Liberals are not giving up, hoping the final fortnight may yet see the undecided voters stick with the devil they know.
While national polls show Labor clearly ahead of the Coalition and in line for a comfortable victory, both sides suggest the contest could still be close, with the low primary vote of each of the major parties making the result difficult to pick.
It got even harder:
Q: And then imagine a scenario where, you know, the Greens are the co-pilot. I mean, yesterday yesterday we saw the footage of Lidia Thorpe screaming at police officers, about 12 people who were in a special type of immigration detention because that either broken the law or that accused of breaking the law from things as serious as sexual assault to anything that takes you to be in jail for 12 months. She’s top of the ticket in Victoria and their No 1 preference. What does it say about who’s coming with this mob if they win?
Scott Morrison:
It’s an absolute carnival of chaos. And then you throw in other crossbench independents. See, he’s not particularly strong to start with. But then you throw him in in a parliament where he’s dealing with the teal independents, so-called independents. You got the Greens, let alone the unions and the factions in his own government. I don’t know who’s going to be running that show. I can tell you, it takes a lot of strength to be a prime minister, particularly in very difficult times.
Q: You take this bunch of polls, they say this is going to happen. You take this bunch of polls, that’s going to happen. Dennis Shanahan, I think quite deftly points out that no one has ever won from opposition if they’re not the preferred prime minister. You’re the preferred prime minister by some margin right the way around the country. But what do you see that those polls don’t tell us when we get them every week?
Morrison:
Australians, they’re they’re sizing us up and they haven’t made their decision yet. And this election’s a little different to many I’ve been involved in. And, you know, we’ve come through a pandemic where people have rightly been focused on their own lives, their own challenges, and that’s been really difficult, and it hasn’t been great, and I understand that. But as you get closer to the election and they know they have to make a decision, then they will make a choice between, I think what is best for the Australian economy and their job and their family, the economy that they will live in, that will determine their choices, how their business runs, the strength of their job, how they save for their retirement, what they’re able to earn. And a Labor opposition that we know does not have the strength to actually make the difficult decisions, whether it be on national security or our economy.
And they’ll make a choice. And they won’t make a choice like it’s you know Married at First Sight or something like that. That’s all that’s all fun and that’s all a lot of fun.
But Australians take the elections very seriously and I think as yet, they’re yet to make up their mind. And I think these last couple of weeks will be very important. And that’s why every single day I will just keep reminding Australians about the important choice they have, because the choice they make, just like three years ago, could you imagine if they’d chosen Bill Shorten? I wouldn’t want three years from now people having lived three years under Anthony Albanese, what with whatever’s coming next.
Must have been a sleepless night after that one.
Updated
Scott Morrison had a *very* hard time on Sky News with Paul Murray last night (yes, I am being sarcastic) where he faced an exceptionally difficult grilling, with questions like this:
Q: Labor is going with an overtly small target where they have a fistful of policies. Yet today, Albo couldn’t remember one of them.
Morrison:
Yeah, well he’s only had three years, look, and this is the challenge. I mean, he spent three years having a crack at me every day. This is his day has started, he gets up, what’s something I can have a crack at Scomo about for today? Goes out, says it, goes back. Every single day, he’s just got up and had a crack at me about how he could, you know, say how the game could be played on the Monday after the game, every single weekend. And, you know, after all this time, I would have thought this deep into the campaign, they would have had some clear plans. And the few plans that they have, he’d know what they are. And I think what we’re seeing as people look at this campaign, and it is a choice he wants to make in a referendum about me, as you know. But it is a choice. And people are looking in there going, I can’t see it in this guy.
Q: Yeah.
Morrison:
I can’t see it in that other guy from Labor. I can’t see it in Anthony Albanese.
Updated
Simon Birmingham admitted yesterday that the instant asset write-off scheme the government had in place as a pandemic measure would not be extended, despite cost-of-living pressures.
The National Farmers’ Federation has some (unhappy) thoughts (per its statement):
Farmers have been blindsided today by the Finance Minister’s admission the instant asset write-off may not have a place in a Coalition Government after 2023.
“The small business instant asset write-off was a stroke of genius by the current Government when introduced along with dedicated provisions for agriculture in 2015,” NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.
“Farmers must have certainty about its future, under either a Coalition or Labor Government.
“The measure helps provide the means and incentive for farmers to invest in the plant they need to gain efficiencies and improve productivity; to be more resilient, sustainable and to make their workspaces safer and less labour orientated.
“It supports farmers to invest in assets like tanks and solar water pumps to be better prepared for the next drought; to adopt safer farm equipment like side-by-side vehicles and to extend wifi across farms to enable digital adoption.”
Mr Mahar questioned why the Coalition would consider doing away with a tried and tested policy that had so successfully served farmers and other small businesses, including through the hardships of drought, bushfires and COVID.
Council of Small Business of Australia CEO Alexi Boyd said the reluctant admission by the Minister would be the subject of discussion in small businesses across the country.
“Minister Birmingham’s comments yesterday will have left many small business owners feeling stressed. A baseline instant asset write-off should be a permanent fixture of the tax system as it reduces accounting costs for small businesses and their trusted advisors, as well as the red tape associated with the need to depreciate assets.”
Updated
Jo Dyer switches preference suggestion to Labor
Independent candidate for Boothby Jo Dyer has changed her how-to-vote card. She will now suggest voters preference the Labor party over the Liberal party, after previously saying she would have a split ticket:
My disillusionment with both major parties is why I’m standing as an Independent candidate for the Federal seat of Boothby at the upcoming election.
Despite this, I am today announcing I have decided to preference Labor above the Liberals on my ‘How to Vote’ cards in Boothby – a change from my previous position that I’d publish a split ticket.
The polls suggest voting will be close and my priority is to ensure the Morrison Joyce Government is not re-elected. If it were to be a close vote, I would be disappointed if any of my decisions resulted in their re-election.
This decision is not the result of any deals, but of deep personal contemplations and discussions with my supporters. Many voters made it clear to me that they appreciate the guidance a How to Vote card can offer. It is patently also the case that, when reviewing the major parties’ policies on critical policy areas, they are not created equal, particularly on the following issues:
- Climate repair is the biggest issue confront our country and the world, with urgent action required to stave off catastrophe. The Morrison Joyce Government is full of climate deniers and has made a virtue of the fact it proposes to do nothing to reduce carbon emissions and to ensure it remains business as usual for the fossil fuel industry. Over the course of the campaign, members of the Government have explicitly stated that they are not committed to the 2050 Net Zero Emissions target.
- The Government’s proposed model for a National Integrity Commission is a sham at best, and at worst it has the potential to actually decrease scrutiny of our politicians. Scott Morrison has subsequently revealed that establishing even his own Government’s excuse of a model would not be a priority if re-elected. He is now claiming a robust Integrity Commission puts us at risk of “public autocracy” (whatever that means).
- The Government has consistently acted to enrich its donors and other allies at the expense of ordinary people. Whether Paladin, Canstruct, Aspen Medical, Empire Energy, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Whitehaven or any of the countless other corporate organisations the Government has prioritised above the community, the convergence of dirty money, corrupted policy development processes and poor policy outcomes is of grave concern to the wider community.
Not only does the Morrison Joyce Government not deserve re-election, another three years of it endangers our future.
I want more for our country than the Government offers and believe it is incumbent on all of us to do everything we can to ensure a change of Government and allow us to reset Canberra’s current toxic politics.
Despite my strong criticism of many of Labor’s policy positions, or, in some cases, their absence of policy positions entirely, I am aware that this decision will likely lead to another wave of attacks from the Government and their allies claiming I’m a “Labor stooge”. To me, that will only demonstrate that they are incapable of understanding that there are many Australians outside of the Labor Party who do not support Scott Morrison and what his Government represents.
My hope is that the voters of Boothby will elect me as their member to join a crossbench full of brilliant Independent MPs, re-elected and new, that will hold the balance of power and render my preferences irrelevant.
Suggested preference flows on ‘How to Vote’ cards are just that – a suggestion. I’ve every confidence that any Boothby voter discerning enough to put a ‘1’ next to my name will know exactly to whom they wish to direct their preferences in the clearly unthinkable event I’m eliminated early.
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For those wondering, Anthony Albanese is in his electorate of Grayndler this morning, while Scott Morrison is back in Perth.
The time difference means it could be some time before we hear from the PM today.
Both leaders are focused on the economy.
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Calla Wahlquist has taken a look at Kooyong:
Josh Frydenberg is in trouble, and he knows it. Three weeks before polling day, billboards asking voters to “keep Josh” started appearing in his Melbourne electorate of Kooyong.
At a forum hosted by Sky News on Thursday, the treasurer said the billboards were a reminder to voters that if they like him they should vote for him, regardless of their frustrations with the broader Liberal party:
“People need to know that if they want to keep me as the local member but they may have an issue with something that the Liberal party has said or done, and they want to give us a kick for that, at the end of the day that may not leave me as the local member,” he says. “Which is, of course, not what I want.”
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The corflute war continues:
Hi @zalisteggall Someone has gone to the trouble of printing corflutes with your image and a Greens logo and hung them across Mosman this morning. It’s not a sticker. pic.twitter.com/1FXca5KwYF
— Lisa Lintern (@lisa_lintern) May 5, 2022
NSW reports seven Covid deaths and Victoria nine deaths
COVID-19 update – Friday 6 May 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 5, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
- 96.2% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 94.8% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/W8TwxkMInn
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 5, 2022
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/Tlgf5OArwr
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Katharine Murphy and Josh Butler covered off Anthony Albanese’s Q+A appearance for those who missed it:
Anthony Albanese has bemoaned the fact the 2022 campaign is more focused on “soundbites rather than philosophies and values” – a trend he says is alienating voters and boosting support for political disrupters.
The Labor leader appeared solo on the ABC’s Q+A program on Thursday night to field questions from the audience, while Scott Morrison fronted another program on Sky News at the same time.
On the hustings earlier on Thursday, the Labor leader was initially unable to list the six points of his party’s plan to improve the national disability insurance scheme, and was later handed briefing notes by an adviser.
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It did seemingly cheer up Andrew Bragg though:
Well, I’m always an optimist, and I think what the campaign has revealed that the prime minister is a much more substantial person than Mr Albanese. He knows the information, he knows the policies, he knows the key stats.
I agree that the Australian people are over gotcha moments, but if you want to be prime minister, you into he had to know the basic stats are, you need to know what the unemployment rate is because that is the key indicator because we want to see more Australians in jobs and that has happened under us, so I’m optimistic.
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Anika Wells, Labor’s MP for Lilley, was asked on the ABC about Anthony Albanese’s stumble over Labor’s NDIS policy yesterday and said:
I’m glad that we are talking about the NDIS. I think it is good to have more attention on the NDIS and our policy to try to fix it because constituents talk about this all the time, on the doors, call our office every day and they are desperate for someone to do something. They’ve had their funding cut. Families in Australia have to fight their own government in the AAT to get the packages that they deserve of. They just want someone to fix it.
They know that Albo has a plan to do that, that spokesperson to do that and more discussion about whether Scott Morrison or Albo has a plan for the NDIS, that is a good thing.
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How does Andrew Bragg think Dave Sharma and Trent Zimmerman are feeling, given their seats are under threat:
As I say, I don’t agree with the analysis. I think the Liberal party has been a strong party of government because we have been able to represent a whole lot of different people across our country and we are doing that right now through things like strong climate policies, but also a social liberal agenda which protects minority groups such as the LGBTI community which I addressed last night at the Equality Forum.
Q: But it is far from helpful from your perspective as a Liberal party member?
Bragg:
Well, people are entitled to their opinions. I don’t always agree with everything you say and I don’t always agree with what my colleagues say. We are entitled to have our own views and cross the floor and make our own statements known where it is appropriate.
Q: Barnaby Joyce has accused Malcolm Turnbull of throwing a temper tantrum. What do you reckon?
Bragg:
I mean, I’m not a commentator on these things. People are entitled to their own views. I think I have been very clear we have a strong voice for people in the cities and people should absolutely vote for Dave Sharma and Trent because they’ve done a great job in standing up for their communities.
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Liberal senator Andrew Bragg – one of those moderates Malcolm Turnbull was talking about – says he disagrees with Turnbull’s opinions.
He has told the ABC:
I don’t agree with Mr Turnbull’s analysis. We have done important work for people who live in the inner cities on things like achieving the net zero 2050 commitment, and also developed economic policies which favour the inner city on things like fintech and cryptocurrency and we have made important commitments, as I spoke about last night to the equality forum, on HIV, listing Prep on the PBS.
The idea we are a party only for the bush or for the bushes is not true, or for the burbs is not true. We govern for all Australians.
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Aussie stocks are pointing to losses in the order of 2%
Economic issues might nudge their way back into the campaign today, with markets swooning overnight and needing a decent dose of smelling salts.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq index is a bit lighter this morning, losing almost 5% on Wall Street, while the Dow Jones Index dropped more than 1,000 points, reversing the earlier day’s 932-point gain.
The broader S&P 500 index’s 3.6% dive lopped an eye-watering $1.8tn (in Australian dollars) off that market’s value.
Australian shares are headed lower, of course, as is the Australian dollar, which dipped below 71 US cents before edging back a bit.
“Investors remain concerned about the ability of central banks to control inflation,” the CBA said in a briefing note, perhaps understating things a tad.
One trigger seems to be the Bank of England lifting its bank rate by 25 basis points for a fourth consecutive increase. It also warned of inflation reaching 10% by the year’s end and for the economy to start contracting. “Stagflation”, in other words, is real risk.
Central banks have been playing catch-up after betting inflation would be “transient” when it was related to Covid restrictions. They didn’t pick, perhaps not surprisingly, that Russia would invade Ukraine but they were also a bit too optimistic about Covid supply restrictions easing. China’s latest lockdowns point to lingering troubles on that front too.
The Reserve Bank of Australia, meanwhile, will release its quarterly statement on monetary policy at 11.30 AEST today. Given that governor Philip Lowe went to some lengths to add context to why the central bank raised its cash rate target by 25bp on Tuesday – more than any of the 32 economists surveyed by newswires – that territory has probably been covered.
Still, there may be additional information about what other central banks are up to, including the US Fed’s 50bps increase to its official rate since the RBA move.
Market turmoil in Australia might revive debate over the main parties’ economic plans.
The election itself might be adding sagging sentiment. Interestingly, planned property auctions this week are a little over 2,000, according to CoreLogic, or 23% lower than a week ago. This time a year ago, there were more than 3,000 auctions.
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When asked on ABC radio this morning if this was about revenge, Malcolm Turnbull said: “Of course not.”
Reminded of Peter Dutton’s previous comments that he was intent on retribution, Turnbull says:
Unfortunately, Peter Dutton always wants to play the man and not the ball. I mean, he is a headkicker. That is what he does.
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Malcolm Turnbull is wrapping up his speech to the Washington Harvard Club. Coming from someone who was leading the Liberal party and the country not so long ago, this will have an impact:
Political instability invariably comes from internal ructions within the major, governing parties, not from independents on the cross benches.
Imagine what it would mean here if traditional Republican voters were able to vote for an independent Republican who better represented their values than Mr Trump’s pick and who could go on to win a district on Democrat preferences.
By direct democratic action, voters could ensure they have, in this case, the centre right representatives that best share the values and political agendas of the majority of the electorate.
In other words, even if the members of a political party cannot escape from the thrall of the dominant faction, their traditional supporters in the electorate can do so by voting for an independent who has a real chance of success.
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The car lobby AAA has taken a look at transport costs:
The AAA data shows the average weekly household transport cost in capital city households is now $401.05 and $330.67 in regional households.
AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said: “Rising fuel prices continue to be a significant contributor to cost of living pressures across both regional and metropolitan Australia.
“Fuel costs have risen an average of $26.49 to $93.87 per week over the past twelve months in capital cities with Hobart ($100.18 pw), Sydney ($94.80 pw), Darwin ($94.36 pw) and Brisbane ($93.93 pw) the most expensive cities.
“Regionally costs are more expensive rising on average $27.89 to $96.65 per week with Bunbury ($116.31 pw), Geelong ($110.69 pw – Melbourne was $92.07) and Launceston ($109.37) the highest.”
Car loan repayments is the main cost component that has declined across the country due to a greater proportion of new car buyers choosing cheaper vehicles.
Sydney is still Australia’s most expensive capital city for transport costs averaging $474.43 per week, followed by Melbourne ($447.83) and Brisbane ($445.69). The introduction of a zone cap for public transport in Perth has also had an impact with the Western Australian capital dropping a spot on the rankings list to fifth, with Canberra now more expensive.
Bunbury is Australia’s most expensive regional city at $352.06 followed by Alice Springs ($350.45) and Geelong ($347.69).
Nationally transport costs are 14.7% of household income. The Tasmanian cities of Launceston (18.1%) and Hobart (17.9%), followed by Brisbane (17.1%) had the highest transport costs as a proportion of household income.
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Australia has a new (confirmed) ambassador from the US on the way.
Confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #899 Caroline Kennedy to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Commonwealth of Australia.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) May 5, 2022
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Asked about Peter Dutton’s repeated comments that China would want Labor to win the election and whether that is politicising national security, James Paterson says:
Over the last few months, whenever the government criticises Labour’s record on national security and defence we were accused of politicising the issue and told we should maintain bipartisanship.
But whenever the Labor party attacks the government on our record, the media doesn’t play that same policing role, saying they’re not allowed to politicise it.
Pushed on whether it is appropriate for the government to politicise these issues, Paterson says:
We’re in an election campaign and it’s absolutely appropriate to robustly examine each other’s records and policies on every area of life.
Isn’t that just what Labor is doing though?
Paterson:
I’ve never been one of those people who said that national security and defence shouldn’t be subject to robust political debate. However, I’m also suggesting that if you’re going to engage in that robust political debate, it should be a basis from the basis of being informed not wildly speculating, and I think that’s what some opposition have done.
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James Paterson is now speaking to ABC radio RN about how the government has handled Solomon Islands.
He says Anthony Albanese is “politicising” the situation, and implies the Labor leader has been dragging his feet in getting a security briefing:
I’m only pointing to comments that Mr Albanese made publicly on Tuesday, where he said he had not yet been briefed, but that he intended to take up that briefing when he could. And I’m suggesting, but until he’s had the benefit of that briefing, it might be wise for him to stop commenting publicly on something he’s clearly ill informed about.
Updated
Good morning
We have made it to the fourth Friday of this campaign – not that it means anything in a campaign that is just ramping up.
Malcolm Turnbull has re-entered the chat with a speech he plans on giving to the Washington Harvard Club at 8am AEST. The former Liberal leader says disillusioned major party voters can vote for the “teal” independents and that a hung parliament isn’t something to fear:
In many respects this may be the most interesting part of the whole election, because if more of these “teal” independents win, it will mean the capture of the Liberal party will be thwarted by direct, democratic action from voters. People power, you might say.
Of course the big parties’ arguments against independents is always the same – instability, chaos and so on.
But in truth, many parliaments, including in Australia, have operated with stability and good effect with major parties requiring the support of independents or minor parties to pass legislation and, in fact, in our Senate that has almost always been the case.
The former PM said it was one way to address what he said was a loss of moderate influence within the party he once led:
My own party called Liberal has in the past been a combination of both the liberal and conservative traditions, but since my deposition in 2018 it is fair to say that the liberal, or moderate, voices have been marginalised and their influence is much diminished and diminishing – especially on the toxically controversial issue of climate change where the political right, supported by Murdoch’s media, have opposed effective action for many years.
Speaking to ABC radio RN, Turnbull said the federal Liberal party’s “broad church … was narrowing”.
They’ve taken a few of the pews out …
The tide has really gone out for the small L liberals and the moderates and so the consequence is that people who were more comfortable with that side of the Liberal party, if you like, voting with their feet and supporting teal independents. Now you know that that’s their democratic right and and whether you want to vote for them or not, I’m not encouraging people to vote for any[one], I’m encouraging people to vote.
Turnbull also said while the major parties are always warning against hung parliaments – and he may have said something similar in the past – they weren’t the recipe for “chaos and confusion” many claimed.
His latest intervention has come with just over two weeks to go in the campaign.
Both leaders are still smarting after a less-than-ideal performance in their latest press conferences – Anthony Albanese went someway to defending his on his Q+A solo appearance last night.
We’ll follow all the day’s events – just make sure you have your snacks of choice. Things are going to get stress-eaty.
Ready?
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