What we learned: Sunday 30 March
And that’s where we’ll leave you tonight, and for this week. Here’s a snippet of what we learned today:
Anthony Albanese promised that a re-elected Labor government would make price-gouging illegal in Australia, promising heavy fines where supermarkets step out of line.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, says Labor has been copying Greens’ policy with its announcement.
The supermarket giants have pushed back against Labor’s pledge on price gouging, saying the ACCC’s inquiry had not concluded they were engaging in the practice.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said the Coalition would also support a ban on price gouging, saying “we’re happy to make it illegal”, while Peter Dutton attacked Anthony Albanese as being “weak as water” on the issue.
Albanese says his government has “been continuing to engage constructively with the US administration” on the tariffs issue.
Labor has lifted its electoral fortunes but remains set to fall one seat short of a majority government, according to a new YouGov poll.
Dutton refused to commit to Australia hosting a future COP on the issue of climate change, saying Australia can’t afford it right now.
Greenpeace responded to Dutton’s comments ruling out a Cop, saying it’s a “betrayal of the Pacific”.
The Reserve Bank is expected to leave rates on hold at its next meeting despite the expected negative impact of more US tariffs on Australia’s economic growth.
A series of flood warnings remain in place on Sunday for vast areas of Queensland and NSW after days of rain, while WA residents are urged to remain alert as ex-Tropical Cyclone Diane moves inland bringing heavy rainfall.
A search continues for an elderly man washed into flood waters after he drove a caravan into a flooded causeway.
See you back here again, bright and early tomorrow morning, for more live news. Look after yourselves until then.
Updated
Albanese campaign touches down in Perth
Anthony Albanese’s campaign has touched down in Perth for his first visit to WA of the federal election campaign.
WA has been a Labor stronghold ever since former premier Mark McGowan closed the border at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering Albanese four extra seats (Swan, Pearce, Tangney and Hasluck) at the 2022 election.
Although McGowan has retired and pandemic-era politics are now a distant memory, his successor Roger Cook’s thumping state election victory showed the Labor brand remains strong.
In contrast, the Liberals – which were almost wiped off the map at a state and federal level – continue to struggle, winning just seven of 59 seats at the 8 March state poll.
The question for Albanese and opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is how much of the state result will translate to the federal election.
Dutton’s best hopes of gaining ground in WA are in Kate Chaney’s seat of Curtin, the Labor-held seat of Tangney and the new electorate of Bullwinkel.
Updated
Police are investigating after a man’s body was found on the Hume Freeway, north of Albury this morning.
Emergency services were called about 4.50am today after reports of a man lying on the road, NSW police said in a statement.
On arrival, officers were told the man had been hit by two cars. The 21-year-old died at the scene. He has not yet been formally identified.
Two drivers, a man and a woman, were taken to hospital for mandatory testing. A crime scene was established and investigations continue.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Updated
Greenpeace: Dutton's refusal to commit to Cop31 a 'betrayal of the Pacific'
Greenpeace has responded to Peter Dutton’s comments that Australia can’t afford to host a future Cop on the issue of climate change, saying it’s a “betrayal of the Pacific”.
Shiva Gounden, head of Pacific at Greenpeace Asia Pacific, said in a statement:
Peter Dutton’s refusal to commit to hosting Cop31 is more than just a political decision – it is a betrayal of the Pacific, a region where climate change is not a future threat but a present and relentless crisis. For our islands, every moment of inaction brings rising seas, stronger storms, and the heartbreaking loss of land, culture, and identity.
Cop31 is not just another conference; it is a platform for the voices of those living on the frontline of this emergency, a moment for Australia to prove that its partnership with the Pacific is more than just words. Any Australian government must understand that hosting Cop31 is not optional – it is a moral responsibility. Turning away from this commitment is turning away from the Pacific’s future, from the families fighting to stay above water, and from the global effort to secure a livable planet for all.
Updated
South Australia’s domestic violence disclosure scheme provides relief and freedom
When Sophie* attended a domestic violence disclosure meeting with South Australian police and a domestic violence support worker, she was curled in on herself and could barely speak.
Her friend, who accompanied her as a support person, had been the one to apply on Sophie’s behalf to the disclosure scheme, which allows victims of family violence to be told of their partner’s history of violent crimes, so that Sophie could find out information about her partner.
After a screening process, with Sophie’s consent, and under strict confidentiality arrangements, police were able to meet with Sophie, and tell her that her partner did in fact have a history of reported violent behaviour toward a former partner.
After hearing this news, Sophie’s transformation was remarkable.
“She began to weep,” the caseworker wrote in their notes of the meeting.
It was evident that [she] realised, in that moment, that she was not responsible for his use of violence towards her … This information had a profound impact on [her] as her entire physicality changed.
Read the full story here:
Further to the previous post, Coles has also responded to Labor’s election promise, with a spokesperson saying:
Despite a 12-month inquiry into supermarkets, neither the government or the ACCC found evidence of price gouging.
What’s needed are measures that tackle the real factors driving higher grocery prices, which are rising costs such as energy, fuel, labour, insurance, production, freight and distribution.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) on Sunday called the announcement “a distraction from the broader community and business policies Australians deserve during an election campaign”.
ARA’s chief industry affairs officer Fleur Brown said:
The ACCC’s findings clearly states that grocery inflation has been driven higher by the cost of wages, energy and fuel. Yet instead of hearing how the government will address these issues which significantly affect all Australian retailers and consumers, we unfortunately see more taxpayer-funded deflection.
The ARA calls on government to focus on policies that drive down the cost of doing business in Australia, which will have a direct impact on grocery prices and the cost of living for Australian families.
Updated
Woolworths reject claims of price gouging
The supermarket giants have pushed back against Labor’s pledge on price gouging, saying the ACCC’s inquiry had not concluded they were engaging in the practice.
A spokesperson from Woolworths Group said they had explained to the 12-month inquiry into the supermarket sector that “economy wide inflation was impacting our suppliers and our business and … we are always working to deliver value to our customers.”
The spokesperson continued:
Following this year-long inquiry into supermarkets, the final report found no evidence of price gouging.
We fully understand that customers want us to make it easier to find value, especially as they remain under immense cost of living pressure.
We recognise our customers have experienced several years of significant inflation, with an escalation in the cost of mortgages, rent, transport, insurance, energy, food and many other household essentials.
Year on year prices in our Australian Food business have now declined for four consecutive quarters, as noted at our F25 Half Year Financial Result.
We play an important role in the lives of millions of Australians, more than 200,000 team members, and our suppliers.
As we said following the release of the ACCC report, where no evidence of price gouging was found, we have already taken action on many of the report’s recommendations to improve the experience and transparency for customers and suppliers.
Updated
Dutton shows his caring side
Opposition leader Peter Dutton wrapping up a speech at an Assyrian community event in Sydney where he has just finished telling a story about his time as immigration minister, where he sat with an Syrian family whose visa he approved. That decision, he said, allowed the family to flee persecution from Syria and start a new life in Australia.
It was a chance for the opposition leader to show another side given that he has invested so much time over the years, and even during this campaign, in talking up how many deportations he has carried out during his time in politics.
Updated
Contamination fears: supermarkets pull popular products
Stepping away from politics for a moment, five supermarket chains have pulled dozens of products from their shelves, warning customers of a potential health risk.
Coles has pulled more than a dozen products from its shelves across much of Australia and is urging customers to seek medical advice if they have consumed the items and feel unwell.
The pre-packed spinach was included in 17 items sold across Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, NSW and the ACT, as well as some products in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Woolworths, Aldi and Metcash Australia, which runs IGA and Drakes supermarkets, have also issued recalls in recent days.
The Coles salad products, with use-by dates up to and including 9 April, might contain microbial contamination.
The Coles products were sold between Thursday, 20 March and Saturday, 29 March.
Customers can return the products for a full refund.
The major retailer said.
We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience.
- AAP
Updated
AFP says it won’t stop public from ‘attending political events’
We’ve got a statement from the AFP on the recent protests at Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton’s campaign events, with police saying it’s not their responsibility “to interfere with democracy” or stop the public from attending political events.
Albanese had a heckler at his press conference yesterday, while green group Rising Tide interrupted two of Dutton’s events with protests against his gas and nuclear plan. So far today, we haven’t had any protests or interruptions.
Dutton earlier claimed some protesters had “fake IDs” getting into his events, and praised the AFP response.
We reached out to federal police for a comment. An AFP spokesperson told us that their “responsibility is to maintain the safety of the principal (parliamentarians/high office holders) and preserve their dignity”.
It is not the responsibility of the AFP to interfere in democracy or stop members of the public from attending political events.
The AFP works closely with state and territory agencies to ensure the balance is right.
Updated
The Coalition claims grocery prices have risen by 30%. But is it true ?
To circle back, there have been many claims by the Coalition on Sunday about what’s happening out there in the world and with the government’s policies, including a claim that the grocery prices have risen 30%.
This is a line that Opposition leader Peter Dutton has been using, but the Coalition spokesperson James Paterson repeated the same detail during an interview with ABC Insiders host David Speers.
Here’s the line:
It’s [Labor’s] fifth review into supermarket prices. If it was such a good idea, why didn’t they do it three years ago for a 30% increase in grocery prices?
But is it true?
My Guardian colleagues previously went back in an attempt to find the source of that 30% figure, among others, and found it did not appear to have any basis in fact.
As they found, Dutton appears to have taken the 30% figure from a Daily Telegraph secret shopping study in March. The ABS puts the increase in food costs at about 14% with only fats and oils surpassing the 30% increase mark.
For more, read the full fact check:
Updated
‘Greens vote is up right across the country,’ Bandt says
Asked about a YouGov poll published on Sunday that found Labor in a stronger position to win government, Bandt is asked about the finding that the Greens could lose ground they’ve gained in Brisbane and Griffith.
The poll that was out this morning shows the Greens vote is up right across the country. And you can see why, with even the government now adopting Greens policies like making price gouging illegal, the people who put together that poll also have made it clear themselves that those polls don’t always do a terrific job of telling you what’s going to happen in these seats where the Greens have MPs or are on the verge of winning.
Bandt said the result from Western Australia where the party picked up three extra seats for a total of four suggests people are increasingly responsive to the Greens’ pitch.
Updated
Bandt says ‘another day, another Greens policy adopted’ by Albanese after Labor’s price-gouging pledge
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, says he was getting ready to go for a run on Sunday morning when he heard Labor was adopting a plan to outlaw price gouging by supermarkets – and he was happy about it.
Another day and another Greens policy that the prime minister has adopted. Their first step is to say no and then they adopt them. And we take that as a really good sign.
Bandt says the Greens have already introduced a bill to parliament that defines price gouging.
It’s about when these supermarkets are abusing their power and ripping off customers. That’s basically what it boils down to. And other countries have laws that can that say really clearly when supermarkets are just abusing their power and ripping off customers, then they should be fined for it.
The Greens leader says that any fine should “depend on the size of how much they’re ripping people off”.
These supermarkets are making billions of dollars of profits. The fines do need to be high to make sure that the supermarkets listen. But even more than that, what the Greens want to see is the supermarkets know that they could be broken up as well if they keep on abusing shoppers and abusing their market power, that’s where the penalty should be.
Updated
Dutton and Bowen make moves in Fowler
The Dutton campaign has landed in Fowler, in western Sydney, at an Assyrian cultural festival in Fairfield. There’s been a funny encounter with the energy minister, Chris Bowen, whose electorate of McMahon we were just visiting.
The two men joined up in a procession of musicians and dancers, standing together slightly awkwardly as the procession moved on.
The seat is held by independent Dai Le, who won it off Labor at the last election, and Anthony Albanese would dearly love to win it back with their candidate Tu Le.
The Liberals don’t really have much shot of winning, but we’re told Dutton was invited here by Dai Le – whose support he would probably need if he was in a position to try to cobble together a minority government.
There’s a lot of colour and movement here, with dancers, music, lots of food and kids’ entertainment. Dutton joined Liberal senator Dave Sharma here, and they were surrounded by dancers and musicians as part of a procession toward the stage, where Dutton will soon speak.
Dutton campaign now in electorate of FOWLER, at an Assyrian community festival - also here are NSW premier Chris Minns, and energy minister Chris Bowen, and they're all now in a procession surrounded by dancers and music
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) March 30, 2025
Bit going on here pic.twitter.com/GUYXL2iNyc
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, is here too. More to come shortly.
Updated
Trump’s tariffs threat hang over Australian economy
The Reserve Bank is expected to leave rates on hold at its next meeting despite the expected negative impact of more US tariffs on Australia’s economic growth.
US President Donald Trump’s promised “liberation day” is coming next Wednesday, threatening to add a unpredictable wildcard in to the election campaign, particular given the number of Australian mortgage holders hoping to for interest rates to fall.
The Reserve Bank’s cash rate decision meeting usually ranks as the biggest economic event of any given week.
But with most analysts and the market confident of no change, all eyes turn to Washington where the biggest round yet of tariffs imposed on American imports is set to be announced on Wednesday, US time.
Australian steel and aluminium producers have already been hit by 25 per cent tariffs, but so-called reciprocal levies could impact all export industries if Trump follows through on his threat to treat Australia’s 10 per cent goods and services tax as a trade impediment.
- AAP
Brisbane city council blocks plans for fridge-sized communities batteries over loss of green space
The Brisbane city council has stymied a federal government renewable energy scheme by denying three development applications for community batteries the size of a fridge due to loss of green space.
The PowerShaper XL batteries, which range in capacity between 90kW and 180kWh, are about the size of an NBN or traffic signal box – or a fridge.
But development applications for three sites, at an old Scouts Hall in Nundah, a substation in Newmarket and the Penley Street end of Woodbine Street in the Gap, were denied by Brisbane city council. All up, the trio would cost about $2.24m.
The batteries were funded through the commonwealth’s $200m communities batteries for household solar program.
Energy Queensland won federal grant funding for batteries in 12 communities, including other Brisbane suburbs. It has approval to install them in Coorparoo and Moorooka.
The civic cabinet chair for environment, parks and sustainability, Tracy Davis, a former LNP MP, said the council does not support “plonking giant batteries in public parks”.
For more on this report, read the full story by Guardian Australia’s Andrew Messenger:
Schools closed, freight affected by Queensland rains
Crisafulli says freight routes are affected and information is being communicated on different platforms. He says six schools are closed, along with 12 early learning centres.
The premier says there is a “real prospect” of homes being inundated in some areas, so residents are urged to be cautious and not to get complacent.
He says 20 residents of Jundah have been evacuated and taken to Longreach, with only a few residents remaining in the town.
We have community recovery staff who will be on the ground tomorrow in Longreach and it will be a hub that opens from Tuesday morning and we will make sure they will continue to hubs throughout the region as communities get back on their feet. We have put a lot of health staff into these different communities to make sure that we are able to provide those services as well.
Updated
Impact of flooding significant, Crisafulli says
People have lost everything and the impact on business and agriculture from flooding across Queensland is significant, the Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, says.
The premier is giving an update on the situation in his state as rain begins to ease on Sunday.
Crisafulli says that “due to the volume of water that is in many of the catchments, a number of communities are yet to see the worst of the flooding event”.
Flood warnings are currently in place for several rivers and catchments, including Cooper Creek, the Balloo River, the Warrego, the Paroo River and the Warrego. The Thompson and Mary River river peaked overnight.
Crisafulli says there are over 140 state-owned roads that are out of action, which is an improvement on the 160 that were closed by floodwater as of 11am this morning.
Updated
Australia can’t afford to host Cop, Dutton says
The Opposition has promised to build nuclear power stations, more gas and and fast-tracked coal and gas projects, but has not committed Australia to host a future Cop on the issue of climate change – a key demand of Pacific Island nations during the Albanese government’s efforts to re-engage. The question is whether the Coalition “can be taken seriously in the Pacific” given this.
Dutton says Australia can’t afford this right now:
This morning I saw Albanese catching up with an elderly lady and I hope he told her, she is struggling with the cost-of-living prices under Labor but the government is planning to spend tens of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on hosting a Cop process that will not bring down power prices and will sign a Labor government up to giving tens or hundreds of millions of dollars out to third party countries.
And that’s a wrap.
Updated
In an extended response on cost-of-living pressures, Dutton refuses to give a dollar figure for how much he thinks Australians will save under the Coalition’s gas plan.
Instead, he accused the government of “choking off” the supply of gas to the east coast. As mentioned previously, groups like The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) have done considerable work on this which shows issues with supply and prices of gas on Australia’s east coast are tied to the start of export of Australian natural gas.
But Dutton goes further, saying that if the factory where he is giving a press conference closes, “it is a disaster for the local economy”.
Because it affects not just the, you know, the workers directly here but it’s also the, you know, the local residents who work in associated industries.
This concern for the future of Australian manufacturing is interesting, given that it was the Abbott Coalition government that oversaw the closure of the Australian car industry and the closure of the Holden factory – events that had nothing to do with the price of gas.
Updated
Coalition better placed to deal with Trump on tariffs, Dutton says
Dutton says he wants US ambassador Kevin Rudd to be successful in his negotiations with the Trump administration on tariffs.
I am going to quote his response to the question as it is revealing for how a future Coalition government may engage with the Trump administration.
When we were in government were able to negotiate the Aukus arrangement as a Coalition government with a Democrat administration and we did that respectfully and negotiated hard because the fantastic outcome for our country the Aukus submarines will underpin our national security for the next century.
And we were able to negotiate with the Trump administration before but to make sure that Australia was spared from the tariffs and Mr Albanese has not been able to do that because it is not just in Australia that Mr Albanese is seen as weak – but he is also seen as weak on the world stage and I strongly believe that I would be able to drive a better deal for Australia in our negotiations with the US than a weak Anthony Albanese.
For a refresher on tariffs:
Updated
Dutton kicked out ‘rapists and paedophiles’ as immigration minister
On Dutton’s proposal for a referendum on deporting dual citizens who commit serious offences, the opposition leader is invited to talk through his reasoning on this one.
Dutton, however, does not address the logistics of holding this referendum if elected to government, instead talking about his track record as immigration minister, saying he kicked out more “rapists and paedophiles” than the current government.
One of the reasons that I think Australians will support a Coalition government at the next election is because we have a greater capacity to keep women and children safer, and a greater ability to keep our communities safer and our country safer as well.
Dutton, however, does not say how, only that “if it is proven that they are not sufficient in the eyes of the court, then in a break last scenario we can look at options that are available to us”.
Updated
Dutton presses attack on government over energy prices
Asked about Labor’s price gouging bill, Peter Dutton says that Anthony Albanese is “weak as water” and that the major supermarkets know it.
The opposition leader then returns to a theme he mentioned previously, talking about energy prices and comparing them to the US.
I just make this point. If the power bill here is three times the cost of what a comparable factory is in the United States to make bricks, that’s happening for farmers. It’s happening for the delivery of goods to the supermarket.
This is an interesting gambit from the opposition leader given the prime minister’s implied comparison between Dutton and US president Donald Trump, who is a deeply divisive figure.
Dutton is also not mentioning climate change or the energy transition, but he is attacking the government over energy prices.
I’m not going to give the prime minister a free pass here, which is what he is after. He can try to blame every Australian, he can try and blame every farmer for charging more for their produce. He can try and blame Bluescope, he can try and blame brickworks for increasing their costs. The fact is the common ingredient here is Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese, and I think they are demonstrating that on a regular basis.
Much of what is being said here is happening at the level of subtext – this is an attack on policies to transition to a clean economy, without explicitly stating it in a way that would raise the question: how does the Coalition plan to transition to renewable energy?
Updated
Dutton: ‘No referendum’ on Indigenous constitutional recognition
Dutton is asked about his support of a referendum for Indigenous constitutional recognition and to walk through the process of how that would work.
Dutton says he wants “practical support for Indigenous Australians” and links – without evidence – criminal activity in Alice Springs to the removal of the cashless debit card.
It takes until his second point before there is an answer to the question: Dutton says there “will be no referendum until there is a position of bipartisanship”.
Clearly there is no bipartisanship on this issue and there will be no referendum over the course of the next term of parliament. The prime minister has made it very clear.
Keep in mind that throughout the referendum on the Indigenous voice to parliament, Dutton and the no campaign promised symbolic recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.
This all but ensures there will be nothing.
Updated
Labor policy will result in higher energy prices, Dutton says
Opposition leader Peter Dutton is on the attack in Chris Bowen’s seat in Western Sydney.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, the opposition leader is accusing Labor of promising to raise prices and broken promises to reduce prices. It is the Coalition, he says, who has the real plan to address cost of living.
I think this prime minister is out of touch with how much pain Australians are feeling. Unless we manage the economy well, we’re not going to deal with these issues.
Dutton is also making a series of claims about the cost of production. At Austral Brickworks, where he is holding this press conference, the opposition leader says they are paying three times the cost of energy compared to their plants in the US.
Just think about that. Each month the gas bill here is in the millions of dollars. In the United States it is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And of course, that means that young Australians are paying much more to construct their home.
If we think about this a moment, there are key differences between the US and Australia, starting with the difference in minimum wage.
Updated
Back off anti-migrant rhetoric, race discrimination commissioner says
Australia’s race discrimination commissioner has warned politicians not to “exploit” racist rhetoric against migrants over the cost-of-living and housing crises, and said the country has seen the “bile of racism” spill out during heated political debates.
Giridharan Sivaraman said that no politician, regardless of their political stance, should pit communities against one other – against the backdrop of a budget and election campaign where the cost-of living crisis, conflict in the Middle East, and rising antisemitism and Islamophobia have become political battlegrounds.
Economic inequality shouldn’t be exploited by rhetoric that blames migration for what are usually far more complex and deeply trenched problems.
We need to be really careful in our debates that we don’t dehumanise migrants in making arguments about economic inequality.
The Coalition has drawn a direct line between migration and the housing crisis, and Labor has been accused of “scapegoating international students” – by independent senator David Pocock and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi – on the same issue.
For more on this story read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Krishani Dhanji:
Updated
PM’s mystery tour continues
The press pack trailing Anthony Albanese is about to depart Canberra, bound for … we don’t know!
The prime minister spent the morning in the nation’s capital – just about the safest Labor territory in the country – spruiking the government’s plan to outlaw supermarket price gouging.
I’ll keep you posted as soon as we touch down at our next destination.
Updated
Opposition leader Peter Dutton is expected to speak at a press conference held at a brick factory shortly.
We will bring you all the latest as it happens.
Residents of northern WA advised to remain cautious following cyclone
Stepping away from politics for a moment, communities in Western Australia are not out of the woods as ex-Tropical Cyclone Diane moves inland after crossing the coast on Saturday morning.
Diane has dumped 150mm of rain on the small Kimberley town of Derby and another 60mm has fallen over southern parts of the region.
Heavy rainfall is expected further inland on Sunday as the quick-moving weather system tracks toward the Northern Territory border.
The rain could push down as far south as Alice Springs and Uluru and is expected to completely clear out of WA by late Monday into Tuesday.
- AAP
Updated
Dutton stops in Sydney seat of McMahon
Peter Dutton’s first Sydney stop of the campaign is in the unexpected seat of McMahon - held by energy minister Chris Bowen, in Sydney’s west.
It’s on a 10% margin, so the Liberals probably aren’t really confident of actually winning this. It’s a visit probably more akin to Anthony Albanese opening his campaign in Dutton’s seat of Dickson, closer to being a bit of a troll rather than a legitimate shot at winning (although Dutton’s margin is a lot slimmer).
We’re at a brick factory, for a press conference we imagine will be focused on Dutton’s gas plan. This morning on 2GB Dutton said lowering the price of gas would help lower the prices of other goods (giving bricks as a specific example) which use a lot of power to produce.
For your first fun fact of the day, this facility makes 334,000 bricks each day. We’ll expect a press conference around midday Sydney time.
Updated
Duttons says climate protesters had ‘fake IDS’, dismisses Labor’s ‘wet lettuce’ supermarket crackdown
Peter Dutton claims climate protesters disrupting his campaign events “had fake IDs”, but that he has faith in the federal police to provide security on the campaign trail.
In a 2GB radio interview this morning, the opposition leader shrugged off yesterday’s protests at Brisbane events, from environmental group Rising Tide, against his gas and nuclear plans.
Asked about security arrangements, he said “the AFP take care of all of that, and they do a fantastic job.”
But I mean, some of these people had fake IDs, etc. So the message that they’ve got is all about climate extremism, and I think most Australians would see through it.
Dutton called Labor’s news this morning seeking to further crack down on supermarket price gouging as a “wet lettuce”, saying the government had already set up numerous committees and investigations, with little improvement to grocery prices.
He backed the Coalition’s plan to forcibly divest supermarkets if they engaged in bad behaviour.
Updated
Flood warnings remain for vast areas of Queensland and NSW
A series of flood warnings remain in place on Sunday for vast areas of Queensland and NSW after days of rain.
Parts of the Gold Coast, Hinterland, Brisbane, Capricornia and the Northern Tropical Coast received more than 50mm of rain on Saturday.
The Sunshine Coast copped double that in certain areas.
In NSW, the Illawarra Coast recorded isolated totals of more than 100mm and another 50mm-plus fell over the Northern Slopes and Mid-North Coast.
Sydney was spared the worst of the deluge, with 24-hour totals between 5mm to 15mm.
Senior meteorologist Jonathan How said the storm clouds have cleared in most of eastern Queensland and NSW, but flood and wind warnings wouldn’t be withdrawn for now.
That water will take quite some time to flow through so we are expecting those flood warnings to persist.
Several major NSW roads are still closed due to flooding, including parts of the Silver City Highway from Broken Hill to the Queensland border.
Dozens of outback Queenslanders were flown to safety on Saturday as floodwaters took over their towns and properties.
Central Queensland’s Stonehenge and Windorah have been hit hard after some areas recorded almost double their average yearly rainfall, triggering flooding not seen since 1974.
Personal hardship assistance has been activated, with concessional loans and freight subsidies to help primary producers in a string of western Queensland communities.
- AAP
Updated
Search for elderly man washed away in flood waters, as community faces six weeks of isolation
Platz says an elderly man has been washed away into flood waters after he drove a caravan into a flooded causeway, with a search currently underway.
She also said that 22 people are still surrounded by flood waters at a campground in a national park 100km from Taree, with a multi-agency effort underway to rescue them.
Platz warned about an second weather system incoming, saying that communities along the Paroo River and the Warrego River, particularly Willara Crossing, could face up to six weeks of isolation.
We need you to start preparing for that isolation. We as part of the SES have already prepositioned many assets ride around the state so that we are prepared to assist people, to rescue them, to prepare people and also to resupply people.
So we have prepositioned helicopter assets, we have prepositioned high clearance vehicles along with a number of resources of volunteers and also staff. But what we need community to do now is to absolutely be alert.
Updated
NSW residents should be ‘alert at all times’ after heavy rain, multiple rescues
NSW SES has carried out 19 flood rescues in the last 24 hours after heavy rain drenched Queensland and New South Wales overnight.
NSW SES deputy commissioner Deb Platz is giving an update, and says the state operation centre has taken over 1700 calls for help, with 586 jobs logged so far.
What we know is that this unpredictable system has already brought significant rainfall to some areas. While the rainfall may ease today, we’re going to have wind. That is going to whip up the surf, because coastal erosion, and of course, with the saturated land, it means that we will see trees coming down. In fact, most of the damage that we are seeing at the moment is from fallen trees on houses and vehicles stop so once again, we need people to be prepared.
Heavy rain has been recorded in the Hunter, Northern Tablelands, mid-north Coast and South Coast areas, with the highest rain in the South Coast at Currawong.
Platz says residents “right across New South Wales” should be “alert at all times”.
Updated
Dutton campaign bus in Sydney
Good morning from the Dutton campaign bus, where we’ve just landed in Sydney, after a day in Brisbane yesterday.
Dutton is about to appear on 2GB radio for an interview.
No word on where we’re heading yet for today’s campaigning activities – and I’d imagine his team will be keeping schedules under even tighter wraps, after a few protesters yesterday – but there’s a number of seats in the harbour city that the Liberals have their eyes on.
One of these tightest races in the country, Bennelong, is here; other target seats include Reid, and a bit further out, Werriwa or Macquarie, and the teal seats of Wentworth and Mackellar. At the same time, the Liberals need to hold off challenges in the likes of Bradfield, under siege from a strong independent challenge.
Well let you know where we end up.
Updated
Gallagher: ‘The public service is at risk under Peter Dutton’
A question for Gallagher on growth in the public service. She says that it has taken “three years to basically undo the damage on the 10 years of Liberal attacks on the public service”.
We have invested where it is necessary. Those additional staff, the vast majority of them are in frontline service positions whether it be Services Australia, Veterans’ Affairs, the NDIA, they are defence and National Security agencies, that’s where the additional resourcing has gone. They are all at risk was the work we’ve done to rebuild and rebalance the public service is at risk under Peter Dutton.
Gallagher says a lack of investment in Veterans Affairs by the previous government was a scandal “on par with Robodebt”.
They can’t pretend they didn’t know about it.
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Australia monitoring situation in Myanmar after quake
The PM is asked about a massive earthquake that struck Myanmar, saying that as a regional neighbour, Australia stands ready to help those affected.
My heart goes out to everyone directly affected this tragedy but also my heart goes out to the many Australians who will have relatives and friends who are impacted by this.
Albanese says the government has already authorised $2m in support for aid to those affect and is continuing to monitor the situation.
Australia always helps out. We are good neighbours in this region and we will always do what we can.
Updated
After a series of questions, Albanese is being asked why Australians might just be tuning out the major parties. The PM is attempting to characterise the choice at the upcoming federal election as one between Labor, that is “prepared to continue to provide cost-of-living relief while building on the foundations laid during this term” and the Coalition which is “for people to work longer for less, to take away the gains that have been made”.
No mention of the Greens, Independents, or minor parties waiting in the wings.
Updated
Albanese: ‘Price gouging is when supermarkets are taking the piss’
In response to another question, and following criticism from the Coalition this morning, Albanese offers a couple of definitions of price gouging, suggesting that Australia could follow the EU example that treats price gouging as “a price is unfair” when “it has no reasonable relation of economic value of the product supply”.
So there are examples there can use. And quite frankly, I got asked today by someone as well, how do you know what’s price gouging? Price gouging is when supermarkets are taking the piss of Australian consumers. That’s what price gouging is.
Updated
PM pressed on latest polling
The PM is asked “why his message isn’t cutting through” after YouGov polling this morning suggested Labor is one seat off forming majority government. This is after the poll showed a turnaround in Labor’s fortunes after a poor showing in previous weeks.
Albanese is also keen to make this point.
Maybe you saw different polling than from what I did this morning, but the YouGov polling showed that we were on 75 seats. The previous polling showed we were on ... I am not sure what the number was, but it certainly wasn’t that.
On the price-gouging announcement, Albanese is asked why the government’s plan is “to come up with a plan to have a plan in six month’s time”. He says the government has already taken substantial action and that this will build on previous reforms.
The job of reform is never done.
Updated
Questions now.
The prime minister says he is not interested in changing term limits for political leaders and has no intention to a referendum in his next term of government if re-elected for another four year term.
The PM had a lot to say about four-year terms and the Coalition’s record, but on the issue of referendums themselves, he summarised the situation quite succinctly:
Referendums are hard.
Gallagher is asked a question about whether the government has considered indexing the tax cuts to stop bracket creep.
The changes that we have put in the budget, in this budget in the past week, help deal with bracket creep as well, returning bracket creep to working people, and we think that makes a difference. This is ... Part of the prime minister’s focus is how do we make sure that we can give lasting cost-of-living relief, ongoing cost-of-living relief, and part of that is through the income tax system.
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Cheaper childcare and public service jobs ‘at risk’ under Dutton government, Gallagher says
The minister for finance, Katy Gallagher, is speaking now and is framing the price-gouging announcement in terms of cost-of-living pressures and inflation-busting.
The Anthony Albanese government is focused on responding to those cost-of-living pressures. We have heard Australians are under pressure. We know prices at the supermarket have hit household budgets, and that’s why this government for the last three years has been focused on doing what we can to take pressure off households without adding to inflation.
Gallagher is also using the opportunity to put the boot into the Opposition leader, highlighting how he has pledged to sack public services, repeal tax cuts and build “$600bn nuclear reactors”.
Whether it be the attacks on areas like cheaper childcare, on our work to help people with their energy bills - all of these areas are at risk under a Dutton led government. We know that because he has told us that.
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PM reiterates pledge on price gouging
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking at a press conference in Canberra after spending the morning with a family, where he is continue to promote Labor’s latest announcement that it will crack down on price gouging.
Australians deserve a fair go at the checkout, and my government will hold the big supermarket chains to account.
This appearance follows his extended interview on ABC Insiders this morning, with the PM is \developing the same themes, reiterating that a re-elected Labor government will establish a taskforce on price gouging.
We want Australians to have this protection. This is good for Australian families. It is good for Australian workers as well, and Australian farmers, to make sure that everyone is getting a fair crack. Because that is the Australian way, that is what my government will deliver.
Updated
After the family gifted him a pair of cavoodle-themed socks (his dog Toto is a cavoodle), Albanese is tucking into the morning tea.
“I’m trying to keep fit on the campaign and I’m breaking all of my rules,” he laughs.
Albanese will hold a press conference in the backyard to the home very shortly. Stay tuned.
Updated
A hung parliament is a real possibility – but what does that mean?
For the first time in living memory Australia is going into an election campaign facingnot just an outside chance, but a strong probability, of a hung parliament.
A mid-February YouGov poll with an impressive sample size put the likelihood that neither party would reach the magic figure of 76 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives at 78%. Fresh YouGov polling released today puts the chance of a hung parliament at 61.3%.
Before the 2022 election the Coalition held up the spectre of “instability and chaos” if no party was returned with a majority. Labor won just enough seats to govern in its own right, but 16 crossbenchers were elected in the House of Representatives, the largest number since 1934. Since then two Liberal MPs (Russell Broadbent and Ian Goodenough) and one National (Andrew Gee) have left their parties to also sit on the crossbench.
Given the changed arithmetic in 2025, dire predictions of what might eventuate have been expressed in some quarters. The Australian has warned against an impending “parliamentary flea circus” and a “godawful mess”.
Rob Oakeshott, one of the independents who held the balance of power after the 2010 election, says fears of chaos are misplaced.
He says the current crop of crossbenchers, many of whom are likely to return, are “pretty smart operators” who will be able to negotiate well in the country’s interest.
For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Tory Shepherd:
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PM takes a struffoli break
After wrapping up his Insiders interview, Anthony Albanese has made a short drive north to a home in the Canberra suburb of Downer, where he’s meeting single mum Ren Kerr, her mother Filomena and her children Hawkins, two, and Teilo, 11, to discuss Labor’s election pledge to “outlaw” supermarket price gouging.
Filomena has put on a serious spread for the guest of honour, baking a cheesecake, shortbread and struffoli - a dessert from her native Italy.
Filomena tells us she cooks and bakes far less than she used to because of spiralling grocery prices.
“The supermarket is out of control,” she said, naming lasagne as one dish that’s not on the menu quite as often as it once.
Updated
New poll puts Labor on cusp of majority government
Labor has lifted its electoral fortunes but remains set to fall one seat short of a majority government, according to a new YouGov poll.
If the YouGov poll findings, released on Sunday, were replicated on election day, Labor would win 75 seats, losing five seats to the Coalition but picking up one from the opposition and two from the Greens.
The outcome would mean Labor would have to negotiate with crossbenchers to form government in the 48th parliament.
Interestingly, the polling suggests the Greens would lose two seats in Brisbane to Labor, including that of its outspoken housing spokesperson, Max Chandler-Mather.
The polling, based on a multilevel regression with post-stratification model (or MRP, more on that below), also shows Labor’s primary vote would drop 2.8 percentage points to 29.8% from the 2022 federal election while the Coalition’s would drop 0.2% to 35.5%.
The Greens’ primary vote would lift by 0.9 percentage points to 13.2% and the independents’ vote share would increase to 8.3% from 5.3%.
YouGov’s polling predicts the Coalition will lose two of its frontbenchers - Dan Tehan in Wannon to independent challenger Alex Dyson, and Michael Sukkar to Labor in Deakin.
And in the Nationals seat on the NSW’s mid-north coast, the polling suggests the Nationals would lose to Climate 200-backed independent Caz Heise.
MRP modelling uses a number of sources, including online surveys and demographics data, and is more complex than a standard political poll. It’s been considered more accurate than standard polls on a federal level for vote share but less reliable in predicting individual seat contests.
Updated
Dutton will negotiate with crossbench in event of minority government, Paterson says
Paterson says the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, will negotiate with the crossbench if the result on election night is a minority government.
Of course we aim to form a of government in our own right. We’re confident of our ability. If we fall short by a couple of seats … a negotiation with the crossbench. We’re clear about the policy agenda we are taking to the election. We will stand by that agenda in those negotiations.
As to what will be on the table during negotiations such as gas or climate targets?
We are taking an agenda to the Australian people. We’re seeking a mandate from them. If we are able to form a government after the election, we will implement our election commitments exactly as we have outlined them in the campaign.
And that’s it for this one.
Updated
Paterson ‘very concerned’ at protesters disrupting campaign events
“Ratbag” protesters who crashed both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton’s election campaigns may represent at threat to parliamentarians, Paterson says.
Asked about protesters who crashed both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton’s campaign, Paterson says he is “very concerned”.
It comes in the context of the federal police saying that threats to parliamentarians are the highest they have ever been and it means police have to divert significant resources to protecting politicians at campaign events that could otherwise be out there solving crimes in the community and it’s very regrettable.
Paterson added that “these ratbag protesters turning up at events might think they are clever, but they will only make our politicians more removed from the public”.
There is no evidence or allegations that the protesters engaged in any crimes by interrupted a press conference during an election campaign to raise specific political issues.
Updated
Coalition won’t commit to sending ADF peacekeepers to Ukraine
On Ukraine, Paterson has reiterated the Coalition’s policy that it stands with and supports Ukraine but won’t commit to sending peacekeepers as part of a multi-national force.
We strongly support the war in Ukraine. There is no more grave decision for the government than to deploy Australian troops to a war zone. This is the front-line, with nuclear power, hundreds of thousands have lost their lives. It is not clear at this stage whether there would be an implicit or explicit American security guarantee. There is not a time in recent decades Australia has deployed troops without an American security guarantee. Frankly, that is a reckless thing for the prime minister in a press conference before an election when he’s trying to look tough, to say he will contemplate deploying Australian troops in those circumstances.
Paterson is asked whether the Coalition would reconsider if there was a security guarantee, but says “the ADF is more stretched than need be”.
We are not in a position to deploy Australian troops to the frontline of a war zone on the other side of the world. We have enough problems.
Paterson says the Coalition does not want to bring back the 100 ADF personnel helping to train Ukrainian troops.
An aside, but this is an interesting turn for the party that followed the US into Iraq under the leadership of John Howard.
Updated
Detail on Coalition policies on migration and gas still to come
Paterson has again linked migration and temporary migration to housing prices, saying that the Coalition “will announce a policy on how we will reduce permanent migration and temporary migration so that net overseas migration is reduced from what it is now”.
Paterson did not provide details or a timeline and is again pulled up on this by David Speers, who asks if voters are being asked to wait for details on both the Coalition’s gas policy and its immigration policy.
Long before the first Australian casts their vote, these policy also be out in the public domain for people to scrutinise.
So again, stay tuned.
Updated
Coalition would support a ban on price gouging, Paterson says
On the government’s price-gouging policy, Paterson says the prime minister “can’t define price gouging.”
He said he will ban it, but if he can’t tell you what it is, how on earth will they do it? The truth is this is an insulting policy to the Australian people. It’s their fifth review into supermarket prices. If it was such a good idea, why didn’t they do it three years ago for a 30% increase in grocery prices.
Paterson said the Coalition would also support a ban on price gouging, saying “we’re happy to make it illegal”. This suggests there is broad cross-party support for this policy, with Labor, the Coalition and the Greens all in support of it – and the Greens claiming credit for it.
On the Coalition’s place to temporarily lower fuel prices by cutting the fuel excise, he says a Coalition government would review the policy after a year “if it is necessary” – suggesting that the policy may not be so temporary.
David, we plan to get the cost of living under control, to get inflation down. Every time you go to the petrol station under a Peter Dutton government you will get a tax cut.
Worth remembering that the way to avoid fuel prices entirely is to buy an EV – and the transition to zero-emissions transport would also be slowed by this policy.
Updated
Gas producers face fines under Coalition plan for gas redirection
An elected Coalition government will consider fining gas producers if they refuse or fail to redirect gas to the Australian market.
If that is what is necessary to bring the gas in, we will do it. We are investing in supply and transportation and exploration. So over $1.3bn plan for more exploitation and exploration of gas and moving the gas around the country where it needs to be, particularly the southern states a billion dollars on gas pipelines.
Updated
Gas from spot market will be diverted to decrease prices, Paterson says
Asked how the Coalition plans to force gas companies to direct more gas to the local market, Paterson says a Coalition will “require that gas producers divert” 50-to-100pjs of gas of the 1,500 that is exported each year “into the domestic market to drive prices down”.
We will develop a mechanism in consultation with the industry, we will legislate it, it will require them to divert that into the domestic market.
Paterson says this gas will be drawn from the spot market, “the short-term contracts”.
We will legislate using the commonwealth’s significant legislative power to require that happens. I hope the gas producers would work with the government to make sure that happens. Frankly, it’s in their interest. We have measures to increase supply. We need to fast-track approvals. The north-west shelf is a good example. Six years of environmental assessment by the state government and this federal government has kicked that can down the road, refusing to graft that approval.
This is a very interesting statement from Paterson – essentially the deal the Coalition is offering Australian gas producers is “support us on this, and we’ll fast-track several massive gas projects around the country”. In other words: short term pain for long-term gain.
There is a question about what the Coalition policy will do to export markets, which is where these companies really make their money – and whether that pain is worth it.
Updated
Paterson rules out ‘dollar figure’ on gas bill reductions under Coalition plan
Paterson says the Coalition is “not planning on a dollar figure” that measures how much the average person’s gas bill will go down, but says there has been a “30% increase in gas prices for households, industry is smashed” under Labor, adding “no wonder 29,000 business has failed on their watch”.
We referred to the analysis in terms of the price-per-gigajoule about $14 now, we say it will get down to $10. We won’t make a specific house promise. We won’t lie to the Australian people as Anthony Albanese did. We don’t think that is an adult, decent way to engage with if public.
It is worth mentioning that worked by The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has shown Australian domestic demand for gas has been falling for some time and price rises and business closures have coincided with the export of Australian gas through Gladstone in Queensland.
Updated
Coalition gas policy to come ‘very soon’, Paterson says
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson denies the Coalition is “hiding” on its gas policy.
The Coalition has been criticised for making announcements about gas policy without releasing its modelling to the public.
Patterson is speaking to ABC Insiders host David Speers. He says he has been “briefed” on the Coalition’s energy modelling but has not seen it. Nevertheless, Patterson has full confidence that “it will drive down prices”.
Patterson says the Coalition, will release the modelling but did not provide a timeline for when it will be published.
You will see it very soon, David. We’ve been working on this plan for more than a year.
Updated
Peter Dutton will always appeal to ‘the darker side’, PM says
There is some discussion about Albanese’s management of the budget deficit, before Speers asks the PM whether he thinks he will “win this one”.
This is a lay-up.
Yeah, I do. I think that Australians, when faced with a clear choice between Labor, building Australia’s future and providing immediate relief, and Peter Dutton’s plan for cuts, we will support the government and we will want a positive agenda going forward.
Peter Dutton will always appeal to the darker side. I want to be optimistic and positive about Australia’s future. Together Australians have made incredible progress and I want that to continue.
And that’s a wrap.
Updated
Labor will continue to invest in defence, PM says
A re-elected Labor government will continue to “invest” in its own defence, Albanese says, as the US president, Donald Trump, has said he would like Australia to boost its defence spend to 3% of GDP.
The question: will this be enough?
Absolutely. We are investing in the assets that we need. Now, some of them are coming online. You can’t make a decision one year and then launch the ship the next year. What we are doing is offering a range of initiatives that we have bought already, those assets, but we’re also investing in our manufacturing capacity. We have a plan to use defence manufacturing as well to build up our capability in other areas.
Updated
PM defends work of public service as Dutton touts job cuts
Speers then asks the PM directly about whether Peter Dutton is copying Donald Trump with his proposal to slash the public service.
Albanese pushes back.
Speers: What about his policies on job cuts?
Albanese: Sacking public servants. Where is he borrowing that from? I’m not the commentator, are you.
Speers: You are suggesting he is photocopying ...
Albanese: I’m not the commentator, you are.
Speers: You are the prime minister
Albanese: People will draw conclusions themselves when they see mass job cuts. He is talking here, David, about 41,000 public servants. He is talking about the 15 people who are working out of a caravan in Hervey Bay providing support for people in flood relief. He is talking about the extra public servants. We’ve put $13bn into veterans’ affairs because there was 42,000 men and women who had worn our uniform who weren’t getting the entitlements that they deserve offed, and some of them, passing away while that occurred. Now, we’ve got that queue down. He is talking about the emergency management authority that has people right around Australia, that has people right now, in Queensland, working, helping in those floods.
Updated
Albanese says he believes Australia can rely on Trump
After some more back and forth on the negotiations with the US over tariffs, Speers gets to the curly question: Albanese’s counterpart in Canada, Mark Carney says the United States is “no longer a reliable partner” due to his tariffs and threats to make Canada the 52nd state. Does the PM agree?
Albanese: We regard the United States as a friend and partner.
Speers: Reliable?
Albanese: We regard the United States as a friend and partner and we have been able to rely on them for a long period of time.
Speers: Can you rely on Donald Trump?
Albanese: I believe we can. I’ve had two constructive discussions with Donald Trump and I will continue to engage constructively.
Albanese is then asked whether it is “helpful” to “be using Donald Trump as a political weapon against your opponent”?
Albanese: I’m not.
Speers: You accused Peter Dutton of photocopying policy ideas. Are you talking about Donald Trump?
Albanese: Am I? Or am I talking about, well, Scott Morrison or Tony Abbott or John Howard?’
Speers: You tell me. Who are you talking about?
Updated
Labor ‘engaging through officials’ on Trump tariffs
On Donald Trump and the impending imposition of tariffs for what the US president is calling “liberation day”, Albanese says his government has “been continuing to engage constructively with the US administration”.
We are putting Australia’s case. Tariffs are an increase in price for the purchases of the goods and services, so they impose increased costs on American buyers. They don’t change the price structure here in Australia. We believe in free and fair trade. The US enjoys a trade surplus with Australia. We are pointing that out very clearly.
The PM is asked whether he has any idea about what’s going to happen, and he largely just repeats his previous statement – though Albanese does say that he appears to be placing weight on face-to-face meetings with Trump.
What we are doing is engaging through officials. What happens at the leadership level consistently is that you have attempted to get an agreement. If we have an agreement, we will have a face-to-face or one-on-one.
Updated
PM hints at housing policy announcement
Albanese is asked about the housing issue, with Speers saying it is an issue that gets repeated attention from viewers and listeners.
Albanese: You will have to stay tuned in the next five weeks, David.
Speers: That’s a hint.
So, stay tuned for more on that front.
Updated
‘Gas has a role to play’ in energy mix: Albanese
Australia needs more gas, Albanese says, which will be unlocked through the future gas strategy.
We think that the future of our energy supply in Australia is renewables, but backed up by firming capacity of gas, hydro and battery. We think that is the future of energy policy in Australia, not saying we’ll stop the rollout of all of that investment, we will promise some time in the 2040s to have a $600 billion nuclear plan that will provide 4% of Australia’s energy needs.
There is no mention of climate change, but the PM says he was in Gladstone “just last week”.
We have supported appropriate gas. We think that gas has a role to play, and just last week I was in Gladstone. Now, what Rio Tinto are doing there with its aluminium refinery is to make sure that they are powering that more and more with renewables, but you need that firming capacity, that security, in order to encourage the investment.
It is worth remembering that the International Energy Agency in 2021 said that if the world was to meet its climate targets under the Paris Agreement, there could be no new investment in oil, gas and coal as the world had enough to cover its needs.
Australia is also one of the biggest exporters of gas, often vying with Qatar and the US for the dominant position. The bulk of Australian gas is often shipped overseas.
Updated
PM claims Labor has halved gas spot price while in office
The PM is asked about energy policy now and the Coalition’s plan for a gas reservation policy, Albanese says: “We secured six times more gas than what Peter Dutton committed to securing on Thursday night”.
The PM then refers to the code of conduct for gas producers that he says boosted supply for Australia’s east coast. He says the measures Labor put in place included a price cap of $12 and a cap on coal.
They lost it completely. They said this was socialism in action, we were taking control of the market and it was outrageous. They opposed it. What we’ve done is make a difference. Gas, when we came to office, the spot price was around $30. Today it’s $13. Thirteen. It is more than halved on our watch because of the measures that we have put in place. And Peter Dutton can’t explain anything about his policies, how it will work, how it will make a difference.
Albanese also digs into Dutton saying “he mentioned ‘gas’ a few times on Thursday night. He used the ‘nuclear’ word just once” – which is not a bad observation given reports of unease from within the Coalition about the party’s nuclear suggestion.
Updated
PM spruiks ‘permanent change’ of tax cuts over Coalition’s fuel excise pledge
Albanese says that though there has been no “comprehensive ripping off by any particular company” a re-elected Labor government wants to “make sure they know that they’re being watched”.
They know that the government is prepared to take strong action and crack down. We will introduce legislation making price gouging illegal by the end of this year.
Turning to the Coalition’s proposed cut to fuel excise to temporarily lower fuel prices, Albanese says Labor wants “permanent change” through its proposed tax cuts.
What we have with all of our cost-of-living measures, whether it is free Tafe, cheaper child care, the tax cuts that we are now topping up so that Australians will benefit by $2,500, extra dollars in their pocket, is what’s making a difference. Our wage increases where real wages are increasing. We want people to earn more and keep more of what they earn. Peter Dutton wants people to work longer for less.
Updated
Anthony Albanese promises ‘heavy fines’ for supermarkets to crack down on price gouging
Price gouging is illegal in the UK and EU, and with a re-elected Labor government the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says it will also be illegal in Australia, promising heavy fines where supermarkets step out of line.
Anthony Albanese: “We will fine them. We will fine them with heavy fines.”
David Speers: “Heavy fines?”
Albanese: “Heavy fines to make sure that they know that if they’re ripping people off, then they are in the gun to pay a heavy penalty for it.”
The PM is speaking to ABC Insiders about Labor’s policy announcement on Sunday promising to outlaw price gouging by supermarkets.
Updated
Greens say Labor copying their homework on price gouging
Adam Bandt has accused the Albanese government of borrowing from the Greens with its election announcement that it will ban price gouging by supermarkets.
In a post to social media, the Greens leader suggested that if Labor was “looking for some more homework to copy” the Prime Minister might consider adopting more of the party’s policies, such as getting dental and mental healthcare into Medicare, wiping student debt, capping rent increases and stopping new coal and gas developments.
If you want to see what Labor’s likely to announce next, head on over to greens.org.au.
Updated
Labor promises price-gouging crackdown on supermarkets
Anthony Albanese has promised that a re-elected Labor government will outlaw price gouging by supermarkets, marking the first big policy announcement of the campaign.
The prime minister on Sunday will announce Labor will act on recommendations made by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to improve transparency about supermarket prices, promotions and loyalty programs.
Labor will also establish a taskforce to provide advice on introducing an “excessive pricing regime” for supermarkets, which would be enforced by the ACCC.
Labor will make price gouging by supermarkets illegal.
Because Australian families deserve a fair price at the checkout and Australian farmers deserve a fair price for their goods.
The taskforce, which will include experts from Treasury, the ACCC and other market and regulatory bodies, is expected to report back to the government within six months with a proposed course of action. However, few details were provided about what the pricing regime might entail.
For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Benita Kolovos:
Updated
PM isn’t going far on third day of the campaign
Anthony Albanese will start day three of the federal election campaign where it all started - in Canberra.
After flying visits on Saturday to the Queensland seats of Dickson and Hinkler and Eden-Monaro in NSW, the prime minister will begin Sunday with an interview with David Speers on ABC’s Insiders program at 9am.
Among other topics, we can expect Albanese to be asked about Labor’s first big policy pledge of the campaign - a commitment to outlaw supermarket price gouging.
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday Guardian live blog.
Anthony Albanese is beginning the third day of his campaign at the beginning: in Canberra. Peter Dutton’s plane is reportedly in the air but where the opposition leader will land is currently unknown.
A returned Labor government has pledged to crack down on price gouging by supermarkets by outlawing the practice. The first major policy announcement of the campaign will involve the establishment of a taskforce to advise on creating an “excessive pricing regime” for supermarkets to be enforced by the ACCC.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs and I’ll be taking the blog through the day.
With that, let’s get started ...
