Coalition rejects treasurer’s nuclear power plant claim – as it happened

Independents dismiss speaker role speculation

Independent MPs Rebekah Sharkie and Andrew Wilkie have both downplayed reports they have been in discussions with Labor and the Coalition about becoming speaker in the next parliament.

Shakie said she had “not had any formal discussions with either side of politics about the role of speaker”.

I presume this speculation is generated by the fact I was a member on the speaker’s panel during the last parliament. In any event, I feel it is somewhat presumptuous to have such a conversation, given no member, including me, is guaranteed of their job after Saturday.

Wilkie said there had been no engagements “that could be characterised as discussions”.

The speaker of the house does not vote on the floor of parliament, unless there is a tied outcome. Appointing an independent to the position of speaker could complicate the government’s ability to form a minority government if required.

Gambling on election ‘flat’ as bookies blame lack of excitement

It is often said there’s not much Australians won’t gamble on. But so far, the amount of money being gambled on this election is “flat”, according to multiple gambling industry sources.

One gambling insider who declined to be named so they could speak freely about their own revenue said they expected betting to pick up later this week, when more people start paying attention. They suggested the lack of money being gambled was due to a lack of excitement and cut-through in the campaign so far.

The media have published lots of commentary that this event is uninspiring and lacking a contest of ideas, vision and personality which is required to make this a mass-market event with lots of betting interest. There does not appear to be much expectation of a close contest, which also impacts betting appeal.

The betting odds are often referred to in media discussions about who is likely to win the election. But these references don’t coincide with the amount of money gambled. One source said all bets placed on this election “would be in the bottom 20% of individual AFL or NRL games we hold markets on”.

So far, punters were also more willing to bet on the outcome of the US election than their own:

The recent US election between Trump and Harris will hold four to five times more volume than this election between Albanese and Dutton.

Dutton hits play on Coalition’s cost-of-living policies in NSW Central Coast visit

Peter Dutton has arrived in Robertson, on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Joined by wife, Kirilly, he’s meeting Liberal candidate and former MP Lucy Wicks at a cafe in Gosford.

They’re meeting a local family – Joel and his two young children – for an afternoon tea. Dutton is talking up the Liberal cost-of-living policies, including fuel excise cuts and a $1,200 tax rebate.

Joel says the cheaper fuel would make a big difference for him because he does a lot of driving for work. He’s also concerned about rising power bills.

Thank you all for joining me on the blog today, I’ll leave you in the very capable hands of Kate Lyons to take you through the rest of the afternoon.

I’ll see you back here bright and early tomorrow as the campaign countdown continues!

What are the main spending and savings items in Labor’s costings?

The bottom line (the budget bottom line, that is) will improve by $1bn over the forward estimates.

So instead of cumulative of budget of $151.6bn, the government says the deficit will come in at $150.5bn.

Labor has promised to raise the money for its election commitments by cutting the number of consultants, contractors and labor hire workers in the public service, which it claims will save $6.4bn over the forwards.

It has also said it will raise an extra $760m by increasing the cost of student visa applications to $2,000 from 1 July – but that increase won’t apply to students from Pacific Islands or Timor-Leste.

The biggest spending item that Labor’s announced during the campaign, is the $1,000 instant tax deduction for work expenses. Over the forwards, that’ll cost about $2.4bn.

Chalmers: biggest risk to Australia’s AAA credit rating is Peter Dutton

As my colleague Patrick Commins reported earlier, S&P Global Ratings has warned that big spending election commitments from the big parties could risk further undermining Australia’s fiscal position and put the country’s “AAA” debt rating at risk.

The agency’s report said:

The budget is already regressing to moderate deficits as public spending hits postwar highs, global trade tensions intensify, and growth slows … How the elected government funds its campaign pledges and rising spending will be crucial for maintaining the rating.

Asked about the report and the level of campaign spending, Jim Chalmers throws the focus on to Peter Dutton.

The biggest risk to our AAA credit rating is Peter Dutton and the Coalition. They won’t come clean on their cuts. They’ve got more than $60bn of commitments.

Chalmers deflected questions about whether Labor will maintain a AAA credit rating, and if he is committed to cutting the forecast budget deficit.

He spoke more retrospectively about Labor’s budget surpluses and savings, and again attacked Dutton for not yet having released the Coalition’s costings.

I am sure the ratings agencies have noticed the record turn around, nominal turn around in the budget on our watch. Responsible economic management is ongoing, it is not a destination.

Chalmers: Labor’s cuts to number of consultants has improved the budget

Labor choosing to cut consultants continues the war between Labor and the Coalition on the size of the public sector.

Jim Chalmers accuses the previous government of having “hollowed out” the public sector, which led to consultants being hired to fill capability gaps.

We’ve invested in more capacity for the public service. We’ve gotten through all of that shameful backlog in Veterans’ claims, for example. And one of the ways that we’ve improved the budget is to wind back the wasteful spending of our predecessors on contractors and on consultants and some of these other areas.

Finance minister: Labor has saved, reprioritised $100bn

Katy Gallagher says that over the past three years, Labor has saved and reprioritised $100bn.

Today she says in the costings, Labor will save $6.4bn from “non-wage” expenses in another term of government.

She says this will come from further reducing contractors and consultants in the public service over the forward estimates.

We’ve managed in the first term to find about $5.3bn in savings in those areas. So this is really a continuation of that effort.

We’re very pleased that we’ve been able to do this hard work. We’ve been able to offset the commitments that we’ve made post-PEFO for those that were announced beforehand, we’ve found room in the budget for those.

*PEFO is the pre-election fiscal outlook.

Bandt: Liberals are ‘resorting to dangerous lies’ to save their election chances

Greens leader Adam Bandt has responded to Peter Dutton calling the Greens an “antisemitic, Jew-hating” party.

Bandt says the comments are “reprehensible, offensive and utterly untrue”.

In a statement to Guardian Australia, Bandt said the comments were also “dangerous”.

Those comments are reprehensible, offensive and utterly untrue, and moreover they are dangerous at a time when far-right movements are emboldened by Donald Trump’s presidency.

The Liberals are resorting to dangerous lies because their campaign is in freefall. I will not be lectured to by someone who has made a career out of punching down and trying to use race to win votes.

Inching closer but Dutton still staying clear of proposed nuclear power plant sites

You might have seen our coverage last week of Peter Dutton failing to go near the seven communities where the Coalition has pledged to build nuclear power plants.

Dutton has said he has visited some of the sites and has spoken to nearby communities, but he hasn’t done this since the PM called the election campaign.

So far, the closest he’s been is about 66km away from a proposed site, when he visited Maitland in the NSW Hunter region.

He had another opportunity today to visit a site in the same region, but was still 65kms away.

Selfies, handshakes, baby hugs – Albanese presses the flesh in Sydney’s Cabramatta

Albanese has just taken part in a rare event in modern elections – the street walk.

The prime minister and his candidate in the south-western Sydney seat of Fowler, Tu Le, enjoyed an afternoon stroll down Freedom Plaza in the heart of Cabramatta.

Not surprisingly, the sight of the prime minister – not to mention a throng television cameras – quickly drew a crowd of curious and excited onlookers.

Albanese and Le posed for selfies, shook hands, hugged babies – all without a single heckle.

Labor is keen to regain the seat from the independent Dai Le, who defeated then frontbencher Kristina Keneally in one of the biggest shocks of the 2022 election.

Australia’s Voice candidate accuses Albanese government of Gaza genocide complicity

Albanese is not wasting a minute on the hustings today.

He spent all of five minutes at an Eastwood early poll station with the Bennelong MP, Jerome Laxale, before the campaign caravan moved on.

Next stop is another polling station, this time in the suburb of Padstow in the seat of Banks.

As Albanese greeted voters, he was heckled by Emanie Darwiche, a NSW senate candidate for Australia’s Voice – the party founded by ex-Labor senator Fatima Payman.

Darwiche said the government was “complicit” in the genocide in Gaza.

“You are a hypocrite to the Australian Labor party,” she said.

Payman had a spectacular falling out with Labor after crossing the floor to support a Greens motion calling for Palestinian recognition.

The seat of Banks is held by the shadow foreign minister, David Coleman, on a margin of 2.6%.

Labor’s candidate is former diplomat Zhi Soon.

Bandt says he won’t take lectures from Dutton, after opposition leader calls Greens a ‘Jew-hating party’

Adam Bandt has responded to comments from opposition leader Peter Dutton who called the Greens an “antisemitic, Jew-hating party” at a press conference just an hour ago, saying he will not “take lectures from someone who has made a career out of punching down”.

In reference to Labor’s preferencing of the Greens across many electorates, Dutton told reporters:

This is an antisemitic, Jew-hating party. They have been involved in all sorts of horrible doxing and comments online that are repugnant but not repudiated by the prime minister

Asked about those comments in an interview on Seven News, Bandt, the Greens leader, said:

I’m not going to take lectures from someone who has made a career out of punching down and hurting marginalised communities in an attempt to win votes, because that’s what Peter Dutton has done, and he continues to do it to this day. We have been crystal clear. Australia is a multicultural society. We have always opposed antisemitism, Islamophobia, any form of racism. But we’ve also said clearly, look, armies have got to stop killing children. We are seeing a slaughter in Gaza. And we’re just saying really, really simply that the bombing has to stop.

Dutton won’t say if Fowler candidate should be disendorsed, calls ACT’s Barr ‘incompetent’

Asked again by another reporter about whether the Liberal candidate in Fowler, Vivek Singha, should be told to stand down or be disendorsed, Dutton won’t say.

I answered that question earlier.

However, he hasn’t said if the candidate should be stood down. Reporters had asked whether he was still an appropriate candidate, but Dutton only said that Singha had apologised, “and so he should have”.

Another reporter asks about ACT chief minister Andrew Barr’s comments that the Coalition’s public servants policy would put the territory into a recession.

Dutton again won’t address the question, and accuses Barr of being, “one of the most incompetent economic managers that Labor has produced.”

Dutton calls the Greens an ‘antisemitic, Jew-hating party’

Earlier on in the press conference, Dutton accused the Greens of being an “antisemitic, Jew-hating party”.

In reference to Labor’s preferencing of the Greens across many electorates, Dutton said:

This is an antisemitic, Jew-hating party. They have been involved in all sorts of horrible doxing and comments online that are repugnant but not repudiated by the prime minister

Dutton: welcome to country OK for ‘significant’ events, not for landing of Qantas planes

Last night, Peter Dutton called welcome to country ceremonies “overdone”. This morning he is asked when it’s appropriate to have those ceremonies.

Dutton says a “significant event” like the opening of parliament would warrant a ceremony, and hammers his point that he only wants to stand in front of one flag.

I want to provide support to practical reconciliation. The prime minister’s policy is to please inner-city greens, which is not something we signed up to.

Dutton is later pushed on whether Qantas, whose staff announce an acknowledgment of country when their planes land, is an example of “overdoing it”.

Dutton says:

I think that is over the top. I have been very clear about that.

Should Qantas abandon the acknowledgment?

I think it should be reserved for significant events of our country

Dutton says Coalition not planning road user charges for EVs

Dutton is asked about whether the Coalition is considering a road user charge on electric vehicles.

He says there are no plans to do that:

No, we don’t have plans in relation to that. Labor has spoken about it at a state level and maybe there is some policy that the government has got.

This debate has been going on for a long period of time in other parts of the world as well. We don’t have any proposal in relation to the tax.

Yesterday Bridget McKenzie wouldn’t rule it out, and neither would shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien this morning, who told ABC RN Breakfast, “We’ve made no decision on that. It’s certainly one of the big challenges for the next government”.

But shadow finance minister Jane Hume who was also on morning media, said the Coalition had no plans to change those road user charge rules.

Dutton doesn’t detail migration cuts but won’t ‘prioritise yoga teachers’

Our reporter Josh Butler follows up on that earlier question about where the Coalition’s migration cuts will come from.

Dutton says Albanese hadn’t spoken about his “big Australia policy” before the election.

We will cut the migration program, the permanent program by 25% and we will provide the settings once we have the economic advice in government. We have said we want to prioritise tradesmen and women who bring skills in to help build the houses. We won’t prioritise yoga teachers.

Where will the Coalition’s cuts to migration come from?

So far, the Coalition has left some holes in its policy for where exactly they’ll cut migration numbers.

They’ve promised permanent migration will drop by 25% next year under a Coalition government, and have said they’ll reduce international student numbers.

Dutton has said in the last week that he won’t touch partner visas, but other areas of temporary migration include visas for working holiday makers which Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said yesterday, wouldn’t be cut.

Dutton today says:

We have been clear in relation to migration…

We are going to reduce permanent migration by 25%. We are going to reduce the figure by 100,000 relative to where Labor’s is. We will take advice from the department of Treasury and finance and the central agencies about the settings within the economy and what we need to do.

Dutton questioned about offensive comments made by Liberal candidate for Fowler

Political reporter for the ABC Pablo Vinales asks Peter Dutton about a story by the public broadcaster about the Liberal candidate for Fowler in western Sydney using derogatory terms to refer to Indigenous Australians and making offensive remarks about Tanya Plibersek’s family, in social media posts.

Dutton says the candidate, Vivek Singha, has apologised.

Dutton then attacks the PM for preferencing the Greens across Australia and in his own seat.

[Singha] has apologised for the comments and so he should have. They were inappropriate and shouldn’t have been made. He has apologised for them. I won’t take a lecture from the prime minister who has a relationship with the Greens, [who] is accepting preferences from the Greens in his own seat.

Vinales tries to push back, asking whether the standard of candidates is acceptable.

Dutton ignores him, saying reporters are only getting “one question each”.

Dutton sidesteps question about the price of free-range eggs

On to questions, Dutton is asked whether it’s “bad” he doesn’t know how much eggs cost when he keeps talking about the rising cost of living.

He doesn’t engage on the personal element of that question, and repeats his line that the cost of “everything has gone up”.

To recap – last night both leaders were asked how much a dozen free range eggs cost.

Dutton said $4.20, while Albanese guessed $7, and added that was if you could find them on supermarket shelves.

Both were wrong according to Channel 7, who said the eggs they had cost more than $8.

Dutton: Labor’s renewable energy policy ‘a wrecking ball’

Peter Dutton is now standing up – he’s in the NSW Hunter region this morning.

He’s talking about the cost of energy and the cost of living, having just toured a food distribution centre.

The cost of everything is up. The renewables-only energy policy is a wrecking ball. It is driving up the cost of food and the cost of everything when you go to the supermarket.

Dutton then pivots to tax – and accuses Labor of planning to introduce a tax on unrealised capital gains.

When the government introduces its unrealised capital gains tax, Australians should know that means when the value of your shares go up or the value of your property goes up, you are going to pay tax on the gain before you sell the shares or before you sell the house.

Labor tried to introduce legislation to increase the tax on unrealised gains in superannuation balances above $3m. It had to abandon that policy because of a lack of support in the Senate.

S&P: election spending commitments could put Australia’s debt rating at risk

Big spending election commitments risk further undermining Australia’s fiscal position and could put our treasured “AAA” debt rating at risk, S&P Global Ratings says. In its report, the New York-based agency says:

The budget is already regressing to moderate deficits as public spending hits postwar highs, global trade tensions intensify, and growth slows.

How the elected government funds its campaign pledges and rising spending will be crucial for maintaining the rating.

While Labor and the Coalition trade blows on which side is more profligate, S&P pointed to spending commitments by all parties on cost of living, health, education, energy and housing, and by all parties.

The final design, costings, and funding arrangements of election commitments will be subject to negotiations …

These commitments, however, will need to be funded at a time when the government is grappling with rising international trade tensions, economic uncertainty, and fast-growing structural spending in areas such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme, defense, health, aged care, and interest on government debt.”

Australia can boast of being one of only nine countries to be rated AAA by all three big credit rating agencies.

It’s a source of great pride among politicians and officials, but also has real effects. International investors use the debt ratings when determining the price at which they will lend to different countries.

Essentially, the better the rating, the lower the borrowing rate is likely to be.

Which means a potential downgrade would be a blow politically and financially.

Albanese can afford to increase welfare payments but ‘prefers not to’, Antipoverty Centre says

The Antipoverty Centre says Anthony Albanese’s refusal to commit to increasing the jobseeker payment shows the government hasn’t “earned the respect of anyone who cares about people in poverty.”

Earlier during his presser, Dan Jervis-Bardy asked the PM if he would increase the payments.

Spokesperson for the Centre, Jay Coonan, said in a statement that the government can afford to lift all Centrelink payments now, but “it just prefers not to”.

A lot of poor people believed Labor when they said ‘no one left behind’, and that broken promise has caused a lot of pain.

Many of us are feeling worse off financially now than we did three years ago and the government has shown no signs that they care to address that …

The government can afford to lift all Centrelink payments to ensure no one is in poverty, it just prefers not to.

Albanese visits Sydney marginal seat of Bennelong

The prime minister’s next stop is in the ultra-marginal seat of Bennelong in Sydney’s north-western suburbs.

The Labor MP Jerome Laxale holds the seat but will need a positive swing to retain it after a boundary redraw turned it notionally Liberal.

Albanese is joining Laxale at a busy pre-poll station in Eastwood, where volunteers are handing out how-to-vote cards to people casting an early vote.

The prime minister’s choice of electorates to start the campaign’s final week is an early sign Labor is on the defensive, focused on holding – rather than gaining – seats.

Voting 101: above or below the line?

With just a handful of days to go (five to be precise, but who’s counting) to vote, the all important question of whether to number above or below the line on the Senate ballot arises.

Why vote above or below? What difference does it actually make?

Matilda Boseley has the answers for you:

Where will the Coalition’s 41,000 APS job cuts come from?

The Coalition has made it clear that its plans to slash the size of the federal public service by 41,000 positions by the end of the decade will only impact Canberra based roles.

According to government figures released at the end of 2024, there are 19 government agencies with 100% of staff based in Canberra. These include national cultural institutions, the emergency management agency and the war memorial.

Some of these agencies relate to national security and intelligence and will likely be excluded from any natural attrition or voluntary redundancy scheme under the Coalition. But this list gives a sense of the workforce in Canberra:

• The office of the inspector general of intelligence and security (47 jobs)

• The clean energy regulator (442 jobs)

• The Australian Research Council (137 jobs)

• Safe work Australia (110 jobs)

• The independent parliamentary expenses authority (61 jobs)

• Parliamentary workplace services (68 jobs)

• The Australian centre for international agriculture research (52 jobs)

• The national blood authority (95 jobs)

• The national health funding body (35 jobs)

• Professional services review (43 jobs)

• The national emergency management agency (426 jobs)

• The national capital authority (70 jobs)

• The National Library of Australia (461 jobs)

• The National Museum of Australia (295 jobs)

• The National Portrait Gallery of Australia (65 jobs)

• Old Parliament House (156 jobs)

• The Australian audit office (475 jobs)

• The Office of National Intelligence (425 jobs)

• The Australian War Memorial (375 jobs)

Dutton arrives to campaign in Paterson

Peter Dutton’s campaign has landed in Paterson, on the NSW Central Coast. He will tour a food distribution centre, and hold a press conference here in the next 30 to 45 minutes.

It’s Dutton’s third visit to Paterson this campaign, and his sixth in the last 18 months.

The Liberal campaign believes they have a strong shot of pinching the seat from Labor, who hold Paterson courtesy of Meryl Swanson.

Albanese avoids answering if his energy bills have risen

Albanese and Levy clash on energy bills as Albanese says he’s “privileged” to live in the lodge.

Levy asks Albanese whether his energy bills have risen over the last three years.

Albanese tries to skirt the question:

Levy: You don’t pay the cost of electricity at the lodge, but you do have a personal property in Sydney, is your electricity all gone up or down?

Albanese: Obviously, I am live a life of privilege serving in the Lodge property…

Levy: Prime Minister, has [it] gone up or down, your electricity bill?

Albanese: Well, I don’t have a private property. What I do is have …

Levy: So you don’t have residence anywhere?

Albanese: Yes, I do … I live a life of privilege …

Levy: Residences [electricity bill] gone up or down? It’s a very simple question.

Albanese: I live in the Lodge. That’s where I live.

Albanese reiterates that he won’t make deal with Greens in event of hung parliament

Following his presser, Albanese is now speaking to 2GB radio, again promising he won’t do any deals with the Greens in the event of a minority government.

Asked why – if he won’t do a deal with the Greens – he’s preferenced the minor party second in his own seat of Grayndler, Albanese says it won’t make a difference:

I win on primary [votes]. My preferences don’t go anywhere. The preferences only [count] if you run third in a seat. I got 54% last time. I don’t expect to go backwards this time.

So who would Albanese work with in the event of a hung parliament, asks host Mark Levy.

I’ll work with the parliament, work with myself … Now there’s 25 Labor senators out of 76, you know what? We’ve got[ten] stuff done, because that’s what I’ve been able to do …

I treat people with respect, but I won’t do deals.

What do we know about the under-16s social media ban so far?

During that press conference, the PM said everyone should watch the Netflix drama Adolescence, and said the government social media ban would stop kids under 16 to being exposed to harmful and misogynistic content.

But crucially, the ban gives YouTube a carve-out. Albanese said that is to ensure that the ban doesn’t get in the way of kids getting access to educational content and assured us there will be a consultation process before the ban is put in place in December.

We still don’t know exactly how the ban will work, so here’s Guardian Australia’s Josh Taylor to take you through what we do and don’t know so far:

A conga line of Liberal supporters stationed themselves outside the Gosford building where Albanese was making his first appearance of the day.

The Lucy Wicks supporters were holding signs promoting Liberal policies - including its promised 25 cent a litre cut to petrol prices.

Albanese declines to commit to restrict access to alcohol and gambling as part of domestic violence response

Back to the issue of domestic violence, Albanese is asked whether he follow recommendations from the government-commissioned rapid review to restrict access to alcohol and gambling.

Albanese won’t make a commitment to restrict either, and says the government is working through a “range of issues” with states and territories:

We’re working through a range of issues with state and territory governments as well. One of the issues, for example … a commitment that we made before the election was for 500 community service workers … we were unhappy with how slow that was to be implemented.

There’s not a single issue that you can say, if you do this, you will solve these problems in some cases.

Asked by another reporter why the government won’t ban YouTube in its social media ban for under 16s, Albanese says the government doesn’t want students to get “excluded” from educational content:

We have a 12-month consultation process. We do want to make sure as well that people don’t get excluded from access to things that they should have access to in terms of their education.

Albanese responds to reports Australian government knew Russia had requested access to Indonesian airbases

On reports from The Australian this morning that Labor knew of a request by Russia to base its military aircraft in Indonesia, Albanese gets on the defence and tries to turn the focus back on to Peter Dutton.

The Australian reports that Australia became aware of the Russian request after a meeting in February between ­Indonesia’s minister of defence, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and Russia’s Secretary of the Security Council, Sergei Shoigu.

The government has avoided saying whether Russia ever made that request, consistently stating that the Indonesian government had reassured Australia that there would be no Russian military aircraft on Indonesian bases. Albanese says:

Look, I don’t go through again. I refer to my previous answer … Adults, when it comes to intelligence, act like adults. They don’t engage in seeing every international issue as a domestic political opportunity.

What we don’t do, the key issue here is that Peter Dutton verballed the Indonesian president, that’s the issue here.

‘I don’t have Donald Trump’s number’ says PM

Following his comments last night that he wasn’t sure Donald Trump has a mobile phone, Albanese is asked whether it’s a failure that he hasn’t been able to get Trump on the phone again, after he implemented a second round of tariffs.

Albanese says, “not at all”.

I don’t have Donald Trump’s number. I didn’t have Joe Biden’s number. It’s not the way it works between the Australian prime minister and the US president.

There are formal processes [that] take place. I’ve had two very warm conversations with President Trump.

Albanese says ‘one death from violence against women is one too many’ on death of Audrey Griffin

Albanese is asked about the murder of Audrey Griffin, a Central Coast woman who was found dead in March with her body partly submerged in Erina Creek near a highway after she disappeared on her way home from a night out with friends. Albanese says:

Well, this is a tragic and horrific death, and my heart goes out to the family and the friends and loved ones of Audrey Griffin. This announcement [of a trauma centre], of course, wouldn’t have impacted on that.

One death from violence against women is one too many, and this is just an enormous tragedy.

The CEO of Central Coast women’s health says:

It’s just devastating, and it’s actually really hard to find the words, because how is it that we’re still in a time where a young woman can’t walk home safely … This trauma recovery center is fantastic, but let’s stop the trauma in the first place.

Albanese, asked about jobseeker, says ‘we did increase the rate’

Our reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy, who’s with the PM, asks about another vulnerable cohort – those living on jobseeker payments.

Dan asks whether the PM will commit to raising the rate in a second term of government, when living under the poverty line has significant impacts on health outcomes. Albanese says:

We did increase the rate. I make this point as well that one of the things that we have done is to provide opportunities for career paths into jobs, free Tafe [is] making an enormous difference in opening up those opportunities.

My government is a compassionate government that has provided support. We do so within the fiscal parameters as well of budgetary policy. So I reject the characterisation that you put forward.

Albanese also says that unemployment rates have been at their lowest in 50 years.

Albanese says ‘supply is key’ to lowering housing prices

Staying on young people, Albanese is asked whether young Australians have a reason to be “resentful” because the government won’t touch negative gearing to put downward pressure on the housing market. Albanese won’t say, but says “supply is key”.

Supply is the key. The housing Australia Future Fund is the key. The sort of support that we’re having here, that this organisation does in increasing social housing, but also affordable housing for rentals is important.

Albanese says Coalition would abolish housing Australia future fund

Anthony Albanese is up speaking to reporters after his meeting with staff at a community housing provider on the central coast of NSW.

Albanese starts on the scourge of domestic violence and his promise for a $20m women’s and children trauma recovery centre.

We must end the scourge of violence against women, it is too many tragedies. One death is too many, but we see time and time again, violence against women having an impact, and one of the issues we have to deal with is making sure that there are safe places and homes for people to go.

Albanese says his government has already spent $1.2bn on emergency and transitional accommodation for women and children escaping violence.

They’re [women and children are] benefiting from the housing Australia future fund, something that is dismissed still by the Coalition and that they would abolish if they’re successful on Saturday.

Labor also makes $20m trauma recovery centre announcement

Anthony Albanese, Gordon Reid, Dobell MP Emma McBride, senior ministers Mark Butler and Amanda Rishworth and the prime minister’s fiance, Jodie Haydon, are visiting staff at Pacific Link Housing, a community housing provider based in Gosford.

Labor has promised $20m for a new women’s and children trauma recovery centre, which will provide frontline services to up to 500 victims of domestic violence and sexual violence. Albanese said:

We must end the scourge of violence against women. We know we have a great deal more work to do and we cannot be satisfied until the violence stops.

The Coalition has already matched the commitment (see post below).

Dutton pledges $20m for DV trauma recovery centre in NSW

After finally getting the media bus unstuck from being wedged on a bike path in Sydney, Peter Dutton’s campaign is heading to the airport. Unclear where the Liberal leader will visit today, but a hint could be in a new announcement from his campaign this morning.

Dutton has pledged $20m for a domestic violence trauma recovery centre in Robertson on the NSW central coast. It’s a Labor-held seat, and the new centre at Gosford builds on the Liberal commitment of $90m for domestic violence services last week.

Dutton said the centre would help “children fleeing family and domestic violence with a “one-stop shop”, person-centred approach to trauma recovery, including counselling, mental health and social services support, childcare facilities, legal assistance, return to work assistance and audio-visual rooms for remote court hearings/appearances:

As a former police officer who attended numerous domestic violence call-outs, I know the trauma and lifelong impacts that can occur as a result of these horrific crimes.

A government I lead will be focused on delivering real change so that families, women and children are safer and we work toward reducing the impact of family and domestic violence.

Robertson was formerly held by a Liberal, but was won by Labor in 2022. Liberal sources say they have a chance of winning the seat back, but Labor thinks sitting MP Gordon Reid will hold on.

The Liberal candidate, Lucy Wicks, said she had long advocated for such a facility in Gosford “to address the many issues that face women and children after leaving an abusive relationship or incident”.

In pictures: we’ve got some more shots from Sydney, where the Dutton media bus has been stuck in the middle of the city.

Will there or won’t there be a road user charge for EVs under the Coalition?

Coalition figures are being asked this morning whether electric vehicle drivers will get slugged with rod user charges under a Coalition government. The Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie refused to rule out any changes yesterday:

But there seems to be a slight difference in opinion on the issue this morning.

Jane Hume, on ABC News Breakfast did rule it out, when asked whether road user charges would be introduced for EVs:

No, that is not our position. Our position, of course, is that at the moment, emission standards should remain, but the problem is the penalties that are being placed on retailers of all vehicles.

Asked by host James Glenday for a point-blank answer – are the road charges something the Coalition is looking at? – Hume replies:

No, that’s not something that we’re looking at.

But over on ABC RN Breakfast, the shadow energy minister, Ted O’Brien, sounded a lot more in line with McKenzie:

We’ve made no decision on that. It’s certainly one of the big challenges for the next government, whether it be Labor or whether it be a Coalition [election victory]. We need to ensure that investment can continue in our roads, and we need equity whether you drive an EV a diesel or a petrol car, you shouldn’t be treated differently from others.

Academics say Dutton’s ‘hate media’ comments ‘reminiscent’ of Trump

While Peter Dutton’s colleagues make light of him calling the Guardian and ABC “hate media” in last night’s debate, experts have raised concerns about the comments.

Academics and former journalists have told Guardian Australia the comments are “reminiscent” of Donald Trump and could backfire on the opposition leader.

You can read the full report by Ben Smee and Sarah Basford Canales here:

Katy Perry’s space trip ‘weird’, says PM

Anthony Albanese is on commercial radio this morning, speaking to Jonesy and Amanda. He’s playing “Don’t make it political” – one of those word association games.

First is rival commercial radio host Kyle Sandilands. Albanese says, “interesting character”.

He’s then asked about Katy Perry’s space flight and the PM doesn’t hold back, calling the trip “weird”:

That was weird. I love Katy Perry, but why did she go into space? I mean really!

Albanese begins final campaign week

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will start the final week of the election campaign sandbagging seats on the NSW central coast.

Fresh from winning last night’s leaders’ debate, Albanese will make his first stop on Monday in Gosford in the seat of Robertson.

Gordon Reid holds the seat on a margin of 2.2% after defeating Liberal Lucy Wicks at the 2022 election.

Wicks is running again in 2025 and the Liberals are optimistic of flipping the bellwether seat.

Dutton’s comments on hate media ‘tongue in cheek’, ‘made in jest’, Coalition says

Jane Hume, on ABC News Breakfast, has now called Peter Dutton’s comments that the ABC and the Guardian are “hate media” a “tongue in cheek” comment.

Hume, who has spoken to two ABC programs this morning, says she’s appeared on the public broadcaster many times.

I have appeared on the ABC many times. I doubt you would hear that from me. However, you can safely say that was a tongue-in-cheek comment by Peter Dutton yesterday.

Asked whether the comments have an echo of Donald Trump, Hume says:

I don’t think so, no. Look, that is entirely irrelevant. I think this is quite, frankly, a Labor beat-up. This idea that you can somehow align Peter Dutton with Donald Trump is a nonsense.

Over on RN Breakfast, the shadow energy minister, Ted O’Brien, was also asked about the comments. He said the comment was made “in jest”.

Look, I think he was being bit flippant with … that. I’m sure the ABC, the Guardian and others who have certainly played interviews hard would take that on the chin, as just being a comment in jest.

Clare cautious over positive polling results

Cabinet minister and Labor spokesperson Jason Clare is continuing his media rounds this morning.

On RN Breakfast he’s asked about the latest polling showing Labor ahead, but he tries not to get too giddy, saying it’ll be “very, very tight” on the weekend.

Clare reflects too on last night’s debate, calling Peter Dutton “aggro”.

In Peter Dutton, you saw all of that aggro and negativity that you see in the parliament in that debate, and very little optimism.

Asked about what the mood is like in Western Sydney, where Clare lives, he says:

It’s not homogenous. Western Sydney, [it’s] big, millions of people. It’s different in Campbelltown, than [it] is in Bankstown and it is in Parramatta than it is in Penrith.

… I think one of the most chilling parts of that debate was Peter Dutton defending his decision to try to introduce a tax to go to the doctor. Ask people in Western Sydney what’s on their mind, a lot of people will talk about Medicare.

Asked whether he believes there should be a minister for Western Sydney in the government, Clare argues there’s five. Sally Sara points out while there may be five ministers representing Western Sydney, there’s no standalone minister.

With the Magic Round on the election weekend, AEC tells fans to ‘vote before you go’

With the NRL Magic Round (1-4 May) coinciding with the 2025 federal election on Saturday 3 May, fans are being encouraged to “vote before you go” by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

In excess of 150,000 fans from outside Brisbane are expected to attend Suncorp stadium for NRL Magic Round across the four days, prompting the AEC to urge fans to vote before they travel. Early voting is available at more than 550 early voting centres open around the country.

Evan Ekin-Smyth, an AEC national spokesperson, said the AEC was working with clubs to remind fans of the voting options available to them ahead of the round.

With all the excitement of a major event, we know that voting may not be top of mind when NRL fans arrive in Brisbane.

We also know fans will be busy and not wanting to spend some of their Magic Round weekend at a polling centre, so we’re encouraging them to cast their vote early so they can focus on enjoying the footy.

If interstate voters aren’t able to vote early, it’s important to visit an interstate voting centre as not all polling places facilitate interstate voting. We’ve increased capacity at three inner-city locations to accommodate NRL fans.

Early voting centres are available to all voters – including interstate travellers. Early voting locations available across Brisbane include:

• Brisbane city hall

• West End Uniting Church

• St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Indooroopilly

• St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Enoggera

• The Gap Uniting Church

• Mcleod country golf club, Mount Ommaney

• Geebung Uniting Church Hall

• St Gerard Majella Church Hall, Chermside West

Sometimes pollies can be nice to one another

Occasionally we do see some nice moments between politicians who sit across party lines.

The usually fiery duo of Tanya Plibersek and Barnaby Joyce did their usual battle on Sunrise this morning, arguing about costings and the cost of living.

Plibersek argued that Labor has outlined its costings through its March budget and mid-year economic update in December, and attacked the Coalition on trying to introduce a GP co-payment under the Abbott era. Joyce fired back, claiming Labor’s debt and interest bill has skyrocketed.

But at the end of the panel, host Nat Barr challenged them both to say something nice about each other. Plibersek says:

There’s lots of nice things about him. I would say that he has a really colourful turn of phrase that really sticks with people.

Joyce says:

Tanya is a wonderful mum. When you have the privilege of meeting her beautiful daughters, you can see in their eyes that they love their mum, and that’s the best recommendation in life. Be a good parent, and Tanya’s definitely one.

Clare on welcome to country: ‘I don’t think any of us want to be on the same side as neo-Nazis’

There were a few standout moments in the debate last night which are put to cabinet minister Jason Clare this morning.

On ABC News Breakfast, Clare is asked about whether welcome to country ceremonies are “overdone – a claim Peter Dutton made. Clare says he hopes the issue won’t become a political football in the final days of the election.

I hope not. This is about a bit of respect …

Remember where all of this began on Friday, it spawned out of the actions of neo-Nazis interrupting an Anzac Day Dawn Service. I don’t think any of us want to find ourselves on the same side of this argument as neo-Nazis.

Clare is also asked about the PM’s assertion that Donald Trump doesn’t have a mobile phone (and therefore Albanese can’t contact Trump that way). Clare says the way leaders interact is through a “formal process”:

From some of the other things that you have seen happen in defence in the US recently, the appropriate way for leaders to interact is through secure rooms and secure lines.

A bit of a pointed reference there to the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth there.

The Greens will again demand the federal government back no new coal or gas projects in the event of a minority parliament situation. The minor party says the federal government would already have the legal powers to block new projects.

The Greens are critical that Labor has backed some new fossil fuel projects, and that greenhouse gas emissions haven’t decreased by a larger amount - saying Labor’s emissions are “flatlining” compared to the previous Coalition government.

Adam Bandt will campaign in the seat of environment minister Tanya Plibersek on Monday, criticising her role in approving new coal and gas. The Greens are pointing to research they’ve commissioned from the parliamentary library, which says that the climate minister does have the power to stop new coal and gas projects, under provisions of Labor’s own safeguard mechanism.

The library research, seen by Guardian Australia, says “it would be possible for the Minister to amend the Safeguard Rule to specify that the baseline for a class of facilities, such as coal mines, is 0 (zero) or another specified number”.

The Greens say this would allow the Labor government to block new coal and gas, which Bandt says would be one of his priorities if Labor ended up in a minority government situation and requiring Greens support.

PM Anthony Albanese has repeatedly ruled out making a deal with the Greens in the event of a hung parliament - which many published polls say is a likely outcome after Saturday’s election. Bandt said:

The Greens gave the Climate Minister the power to stop new coal and gas mines with the stroke of a pen, and with more Greens in minority Parliament we’ll get him to use it.

NSW Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi claimed “every one of Labor’s more than 30 coal and gas approvals puts more people at risk.”

The impacts of the climate crisis are here, people are being devastated and traumatised again and again by climate-driven disasters. The science is clear: tackling the climate crisis means no new coal and gas. With more Greens in parliament, we will get Labor to act so we can power past coal and gas.