Scott Morrison spent day three of the campaign spruiking a $250 million cash injection for local oil refineries, while Anthony Albanese promised to fund care clinics to take the pressure off hospitals.
Look back at how developments unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
- What are the chances the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election?
- 'People's right to exist should not be the fodder of political election campaigns', Bandt says
- Adam Bandt outlines Greens' plan to extend Medicare to include dentistry
- George Christensen will run on One Nation's Senate ticket, Hanson says
- Labor supporter gatecrashes private event, calls Scott Morrison 'a disgrace'
- Labor defends decision not to increase JobSeeker if elected
Live updates
By Kate Ainsworth
That's a wrap for day three of the campaign!
With Scott Morrison and Angus Taylor wrapping up their press conference, we're going to call it there for today's coverage.
Thanks to everyone for sticking with us today. There'll be more of the same for day four tomorrow. Until then, stay well.
By Jessica Riga
George Christensen's successor to inherit a diverse electorate where corals and coal collide
George Christensen was a thorn in the Liberal National Party's side until the end — sensationally quitting the party and parliament last week before pledging his allegiance to Pauline Hanson's One Nation party today to run on a Senate ticket.
By Kate Ainsworth
Ball in Labor's court on federal anti-corruption commission, Morrison says
The Prime Minister was asked about his promise during the 2019 election campaign that a federal anti-corruption commission would be established, and whether the proposal would be put to a vote in parliament this term should the Liberal party be re-elected.
"Our position on this has not changed, we have a very clear proposal," he said.
"I did table this in parliament and our view has been the same, that when the Labor party is prepared to support that legislation in that form, then we will proceed with it."
By Jessica Riga
Factory visited by Morrison to spruik job creation set to cut jobs, move some work to Vietnam
We've just heard the Prime Minister defend using the Rheem factory as his backdrop to announce the future job plan, which has since announced it would be letting workers go.
In case you missed it: Yesterday the Prime Minister spruiked a promise to create over a million jobs if re-elected at a factory that has since announced it will cut jobs at the facility and move them offshore to Vietnam.
Scott Morrison held an event at Rheem Australia's Rydalmere facility, where he promised a re-elected Coalition government would create 1.3 million jobs by 2027 — a promise similar to those of previous campaigns.
But while the Prime Minister was selling job creation, the facility housing the event is planning on cutting some of its positions in a restructure that will move more of its operations to Vietnam.
In a statement, Rheem managing director Chris Taylor said the more than 500 Rydalmere employees were told about the changes last year.
"The change is being made to ensure the ongoing competitiveness of the business against a growing range of imports, and to maintain the viability of its three existing Australian manufacturing facilities," he said.
"Unfortunately, there will be the loss of some roles at our Rydalmere facility as a result of this change."
By Kate Ainsworth
Morrison defends using Rheem factory to announce future job plan
Scott Morrison was asked whether the news that Rheem is sacking Australian workers at its factory that was used as a backdrop by the Liberals to announce their job plan yesterday was contradictory.
Here's what he said:
"Well, it is for Rheem to outline their future plans. They are also investing in their future and what you refer to voluntary redundancies. That is what they advised us.
"I can refer to their future employment plans for what I can point very clearly to is that companies like Rheem are investing in Australia, that manufacturing companies, and bounced only factoring companies by investing in Australia.
"We have delivered 375,000 jobs, more jobs than we had before the pandemic, and that is why Australians know that when we say that we can deliver 1.3 million jobs we have the economic plan to support that."
By Kate Ainsworth
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is speaking now
I'll bring you the latest of what he and Energy Minister Angus Taylor have to say.
By Georgia Hitch
Short trips, few questions and friendly territory Labor playing it safe in Melbourne
Political reporter Tom Lowrey is travelling with the Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese
After a rocky start to the election campaign, Anthony Albanese seems to be steering towards safer ground.
Nothing reinvigorates a leader shell-shocked after two difficult days like a room full of adoring fans, and his brief trip to Melbourne delivered.
The campaign staged its first rally in the Melbourne CBD this morning, with the Opposition Leader addressing a couple of hundred members of the nurses and midwives union, and other Labor types.
Shaking hands, taking selfies with young supporters, and listening on to chants of “Albo” would do wonders for the confidence.
The warm glow likely faded when the first question arrived at the subsequent press conference, back on his economic credentials.
After fielding only a handful of questions – covering topics like Labor’s dumped plans to review the JobSeeker rate, and whether his urgent care clinic promise was a re-heat from the 2007 Labor campaign – Mr Albanese called it quits.
It was, by far, the shortest press conference of the — admittedly very short — campaign, and a long way from his initial pledge to take every question.
And less than 24 hours after arriving in Melbourne, the campaign is off again.
It’s been a short, safe visit. A visit to the Father Bob Maguire Foundation — and an endorsement from Father Bob — yesterday, and a campaign rally, and the show is on the road.
The only seat visited was Macnamara — held by Labor on a 4.9 percent margin — if you don’t count the rally in Melbourne, held by the Greens’ Adam Bandt.
Labor wants a clear message, and a drama-free few days to get the campaign back on track.
It seems willing to play things pretty safe to make it happen.
By Jessica Riga
Here's everything you need to know about voting in the federal election
Rate it or hate it, the federal election has been called for Saturday, May 21, and that means it's time to brush up on your #AusPol knowledge.
Is this your first time voting? Or has it been a while since you've thought about the difference between the upper house and the lower house? Maybe you want to vote early and avoid the crowds?
*But I can tell you right now that, sadly, Zendaya and Billie Eilish won't be on the ballot.
By Jessica Riga
What are the chances the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election?
Greens leader Adam Bandt is very confident his party will hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election. What are the chances of that happening?
Here's more from political reporter Melissa Clarke:
Look, there is certainly a good chance that that will be the case. The Greens hold, currently, nine seats in the Senate.
Of those, three are up for re-election in this poll and they are quite confident of retaining those three Senate seats. Lidia Thorpe in Victoria, and Peter Whish-Wilson in Tasmania. They are also confident they can pick up another Senate seat there. Their best chances are probably either in South Australia or Queensland for doing that.
If that is the case, they could well hold the balance of power in their own right, and the reason there is a lot of emphasis being put on that by Adam Bandt is because what we have seen in the current parliament is that the government of the day, the Coalition, has been able to do deals with independent crossbenchers, which include Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.
They have two senators currently, and so the Greens have not really been able to be as effective as they have been in the past when they have held the balance of power by themselves and always had to be negotiated with in order to get legislation through parliament if Labor did not agree with the Coalition or vice versa.
So, Adam Bandt is hoping they can get back to that kind of scenario and hence his emphasis on the Senate.
Audience comment by Tell Your Trans Friends You Love Them!
Thank you for sharing the LGBTQIA+ helpline numbers
By Jessica Riga
Bandt on holding a referendum on a First Nations Voice to Parliament
Before we get into this question, and Bandt's reply, here's some background if you're out on the loop on this story.
Indigenous leaders are calling on the next Australian government to hold a referendum on a First Nations Voice to Parliament within two years, saying "the timing is right and it's now".
In 2017, after consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the nation, the former Referendum Council said Australia should create a powerful new First Nations assembly.
The body would be known as a Voice to Parliament, and it would have a say on laws and policies affecting all Indigenous communities.
Five years later, the authors of the Uluru Statement from the Heart have settled on their ideal dates to hold a referendum: May 27, 2023, or January 27, 2024. You can read more here.
Reporter: The Greens were the first party to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and deliberately called for Voice first, then treaty and then truth telling. But I think that you guys have treaty being first. I want to know if you're going to stick to that if Labor will put a Voice referendum to parliament in the first term. What will you do?
Bandt: We support the Statement from the Heart, the components are truth, treaty and Voice … Our view is that we need to tell the truth first. We need a process of truth telling in this country because otherwise we're going to continue to repeat the mistake and the violence of the past.
That's why we're taking to the election, a platform for a truth and justice commission at a national level, similar to what is happening in Victoria, to allow that process of truth telling to begin.
Then, next in line, is the need to strike a treaty with our First Nations people, A treaty of equals. Once we've done that, that will give the best chance of success for changes, including a Voice, to pass.
We don't want to see a change put up that is designed to increase First Nations rights fail, and we need to do the groundwork. And the groundwork starts by telling the truth and then having that truth and justice process.
By Jessica Riga
'People's right to exist should not be the fodder of political election campaigns', Bandt says
Greens leader Adam Bandt has been asked at the National Press Club if he shares the same views as Prime Minister Scott Morrison in regards to banning transgender women from competing in women's sport (if you're not across this story, you can catch up with our article here).
Here's the full exchange between David Crowe from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and Greens leader Adam Bandt.
DC: Transgender issues came up the other day because the Prime Minister was asked about this. He backed the Warringah candidate's position women on sports, transgender issues. There's been a lot of criticism of Scott Morrison on that. I'd be interested in your view on that. But I'm also interested in whether, on that question, it's about the fact that there's a strong opposition to Catherine Deaves proposing a change to the law or whether there's even a necessary change to the law. But across your policy platform, do you think that there is any need to any change of the law on transgender issues in Australia at the moment? Do you suggest any change to the law? Or is the law fine as it stands?
AB: Look, Scott Morrison said he was proposing those … or backing those changes because he was concerned about women. I mean — give me a break!
Scott Morrison — who has routinely turned his back on women who have come forward with some of the most serious allegations, and he's refused to investigate and then refused to tell the Parliament what is going on, and he's turned a blind eye to activities by his ministers, and refused to lift the minimum wage in a way that would help women, and left domestic violence services struggling to meet their funding — now says that he pretends to care about women? Give me a break!
What this is about from Scott Morrison is an attempt to start up a devastating culture war that has the potential to claim lives. And I've seen this before. When conservatives are behind in the polls, they punch down and they try to pick groups who are deserving of our support and in need of our attention and in need of the sensitive debate about how best to support those groups. Instead, he tries to weaponise it and turn it into a cultural war.
I will not be joining the Prime Minister in trying to prosecute a culture war when lives are at stake. Amongst young transgender people, nearly half of them have reported attempted suicide. We should be having a debate, if we're having a debate at all in this country, about how to support them. But trans rights are non-negotiable for the Greens, and that is crystal clear.
This is when his response was interrupted by applause.
AB: As to your question about what changes could be made — there is a need in this country to include gender-affirming surgery in Medicare. That is one thing that would make a big difference. But at this moment, can I say this: Having lived through the marriage equality debate, where people reported back to me that what they felt like and what they heard was their very right to exist being debated in parliament, we cannot afford another one of those. We cannot afford another one of those. People's right to exist should not be the fodder of political election campaigns. Trans people deserve our support.
There isn't always applause after every question is answered at the National Press Club, but there was after this one.
And if you need someone to talk to, here's a list of LGBTQI+ helplines and services.
By Jessica Riga
Bandt questioned on AUKUS
The Greens opposed the AUKUS submarine spending but, given the changing international environment, are they reconsidering the strength of their position?
Adam Bandt says Australia "should be part of is multilateral efforts to de-escalate tension — not multilateral efforts to escalate tension.
"We need a defence policy that keeps Australia safe, but is based on Australia's interests. And what concerns us is that successive governments, including under Peter Dutton, are contracting out Australia's defence policy to other countries, and in this case, the United States.
"You mentioned the submarines. I mean, the purchase of these floating Chernobyls, which will come in a couple of decades, if at all, is designed to have submarines that can travel much further outside of Australian waters than the current submarines can. Now, why is that? Other than a switch from being about Australia's self-defence to being offence and being an arm of another country — the United States' offensive capabilities.
So what we are really concerned about is that Australia, instead of trying to de-escalate tensions in the region, is actively taking steps to escalate them."
By Jessica Riga
Where are negotiations at with Labor on preferences?
Greens leader Adam Bandt didn't answer this directly but did say: "We made it very clear that want to see the Liberals gone, so don't expect to see them on a very high position on hour how-to-vote cards."
By Jessica Riga
Our first question is the Greens' climate policy
Laura Tingle: If you're in a balance-of-power position in both chambers, and you're negotiating to give support to one of the major parties, would that suite of policies be part of your negotiating position? Or would it just be about the question of opening new coal mines?
Adam Bandt: Firstly, we want the Liberals out. So Scott Morrison has got to go. If we're in that position, and we're certainly going to be in balance of power in the Senate, we do have a comprehensive plan and a comprehensive policy platform that includes those issues that I've just mentioned. But what we've been clear [about] during the course of the election campaign so people have a clear understanding of what our priorities are our priorities are stop opening coal and gas mines, [bring] dental and mental health into Medicare, fix the housing affordability crisis and wipe student debt. They're the things that would be at the top of the list.
By Jessica Riga
Adam Bandt outlines Greens' plan to extend Medicare to include dentistry
Adam Bandt is outlining the Greens' plan to extend Medicare to include dentistry.
Under the plan, everyone entitled to Medicare will be able to get dental care, including oral surgery and orthodontic treatment.
The policy has been costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office, and comes in at $8 billion a year.
"Dental care must be universal. It is a human right," he says.
"The lower your income, and the further you live from a major city, the less likely you are to be able to see a dentist.
"Low-income earners have twice the rate of untreated dental decay, and more than a third of people in remote and regional areas suffer untreated dental decay. And over half of all First Nations people live with untreated dental health issues.
"If you can't afford to see a dentist today, you have to pay for a root canal tomorrow."
By Jessica Riga
'We're not just facing a climate crisis, we're facing an inequality crisis,' Bandt says
Greens leader Adam Bandt says Australia "needs a pay rise" to combat widespread inequality and poverty.
"Currently, the gap between rich and poor has never been wider," he says.
"Many billionaires doubled their wealth during the pandemic. Clive Palmer is trying to buy himself a seat in Parliament, and Gina Rhinehart owns 1.2 per cent of the land in this country.
"Meanwhile, one in three big corporations pays no tax. When a nurse pays more tax than a multinational, something is seriously wrong.
"Liberal and Labor have designed a system which gives big corporations and billionaires too much power, increases the cost of everything and drives down wages."
By Jessica Riga
Bandt on the Greens' recent record
"The Greens are now poised to be the most powerful third party in the Parliament after the election," he says.
"We've just had a record vote in the South Australian election. We were the only party in Parliament whose vote grew in the Tasmanian election. We've doubled our seats in that bastion of democracy, the Queensland Parliament, and we've tripled our seats here in the ACT.
"We are fighting, we are growing and we are winning."
By Jessica Riga
Adam Bandt on climate policy
"Telling the truth is more important now than ever. And the truth is — we are at war. People are being chased from their homes by floods and fires. Our enemy is the climate crisis," he says.
"The enemy is fuelled by coal and gas. Mining and burning coal and gas is killing people. And Liberal and Labor want more. The war is bleaching our reef, burning our forest to the dropping rain bombs on our cities and towns, damaging our communities and our economy.
"Last month, I was in the flood-hit areas of Brisbane and Lismore. It was like a war zone. Floods had ripped through the towns, uprooting people from their homes, and this war isn't happening in 2030 or 2050, it is happening now.
"Liberal and Labor talk of a policy of appeasement, but their weak 2030 targets will cook our country by more than 3 degrees. Liberal and Labor haven't just given up, they are aiding the enemy by backing more coal and gas.
"Liberal and Labor are backing 114 new coal and gas projects around the country. And today, the Labor leader confirmed that Labor won't stop new coalmines. Just let that sink in for a moment."
