Hello readers, and welcome to today’s election edition of Afternoon Update.
We’ve made it to day six of the campaign and gaffes about the price of bread or the rate of unemployment have not made headlines (yet?).
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton both started their days in Victoria, talking big on the economy before the Trump administration’s latest tariff announcement.
The PM jetted off to Tasmania before midday to plug a healthcare hub but still had time to read to small children in Melbourne, while the opposition leader toured the outskirts of the city, partaking in tea with a mortgage-stressed family and visiting a mental health centre.
Meanwhile, the Greens have been in the flood-stricken NSW town of Richmond, launching an election plan to increase environment spending.
Today’s big stories
The Greens have promised to push the government to boost environment spending to $7.8bn – 1% of the federal budget – next financial year if they hold the balance of power after the election.
The party’s pitch came as the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor (pictured), delivered his budget reply at the National Press Club in Canberra, declaring the “election is about the economy” and flagging a small business policy package to be unveiled “over the coming weeks”.
Speaking of things yet to be unveiled (the clock’s ticking!), Dutton hasn’t ruled out cuts to the ABC and is still refusing to say which public servants will be axed as part of his plan to slash 41,000 jobs.
Pressed on when the costings would be released, Taylor said he wouldn’t delve into the “sausage-making process” but it would be before the federal election.
What they said
“If I needed to have a fight with Donald Trump … I’d do it in a heartbeat, and I’ll put the Americans on notice.”
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Dutton channelled his inner “shirtfronting” Tony Abbott on Sky by talking tough on his ability to stand up to world leaders in the national interest.
The opposition leader was asked whether Labor’s repeated comparisons of the Coalition to the Trump administration were hurting the Liberal campaign, including the treasurer calling him “Doge-y Dutton” in reference to the US department of government efficiency.
How social media saw it
The Coalition wasted no time in rolling out official campaign posters poking fun at Monique Ryan, whose husband Peter Jordan was filmed last month removing a promotional sign for Kooyong’s Liberal candidate, Amelia Hamer.
Jordan later apologised, admitting he made a “mistake” in taking the sign – which he thought was illegally placed – from outside the home of a Coalition supporter.
If you thought that would be the end of the matter, think again. The Liberal party took to X to share their new creation, which reads, “Monique, please DO NOT take this sign!” We have four more weeks of this.
The big picture
Election campaigns go by fast. Sometimes it’s nice to stop and smell the roses. Or, in this case, the sunflowers.
Dutton had a chance to do just that when he left a press conference at the estate home of a family in Donnybrook, north of Melbourne, who had an impressive bed of sunflowers in their front garden.
The outer suburban, mortgage belt electorate is held by Labor, but only by a 3.8% margin. The Coalition needs to flip 19 seats to gain a majority, making marginal contests like this critical for Dutton to secure a path to victory.
Watch
The electoral roll will snap closed at 8pm on 7 April, meaning you only have a few days to enrol to vote or update your details.
As part of Guardian Australia’s Voting 101 series, Matilda Boseley guides you through what you need to do to make sure you’ll be able to turn up and vote on election day
And in other news …
Val Kilmer, star of Top Gun and The Doors, dies aged 65, NYT reports
Myanmar earthquake deaths set to pass 3,000 as looming monsoon sparks urgent call for aid
Australian exporters brace for immediate US tariffs on Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’
Jacinta Allan denies Victoria police force is in chaos as another top cop quits
RPA hospital closes HIV psychiatry clinic with 200 patients after staff resignations
Ukraine war briefing: US pressure builds on Russia over refusal to accept ceasefire
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: ILIA. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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