Good afternoon, readers, and welcome to today’s election edition of Afternoon Update.
It might be April Fools’ Day but Tuesday’s campaign trail has given up precious few gags, with Labor and Coalition talking points dominated by healthcare, “wokeism” and transport.
The Greens, however, had a crack, pledging to give Australians a public holiday on 20 April (4/20, get it?) to celebrate “national chill out day”, while independent senator Lidia Thorpe pretended to resign after listening to “the advice I regularly receive” on social media.
In Melbourne, Peter Dutton pledged an extra $1.5bn to the city’s airport rail link – the most famous train line to never exist – by scrapping a $2bn federal commitment to Victoria’s contentious Suburban Rail Loop.
Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese was in Adelaide – brandishing his Medicare card, petting a giant dog and talking tough on Donald Trump – before heading for Melbourne where Labor is defending seats perceived as vulnerable in Victoria.
Today’s big stories
Albanese told reporters he would not bend to the Trump administration after the US’s trade body put multiple Australian industries in its tariff crosshairs.
Asked whether Australia would weaken biosecurity laws to negotiate a deal with the US, Albanese was firm: “Not on my watch”.
Elsewhere, the independent candidate for Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, has apologised for allegedly making a sexual joke at a hairdressing salon in Sydney; and Peter Dutton floated making school funding conditional on institutions not promoting an “agenda” or being “woke”.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said Dutton’s threats were “right from the Doge playbook”, renaming the opposition leader “Doge-y Dutton” – referencing the US cost cutting unit led by the billionaire Elon Musk.
Speaking of finance, the Reserve Bank of Australia this afternoon left rates on hold at 4.1% in a widely anticipated decision that keeps the independent central bank on the sidelines amid a hotly contested election campaign.
What they said
***
“That’s what our advancers told us to do.”
Bridget McKenzie’s justification for why the Coalition posed for an airport rail link photo opportunity at a location nowhere near the proposed airport rail link, or the airport, had reporters a little confused this morning.
McKenzie posed alongside Peter Dutton and local Liberal candidates at a winery on a hill in the seat of Calwell in Victoria, alongside a printed map of the rail link.
But when the media asked where they currently were on the map, there was an awkward moment before one of the candidates conceded their physical location – apparently chosen for aesthetics – wasn’t on it.
How social media saw it
The founder of 6 News Australia, Leonardo Puglisi, had some April Fools’ fun on X on Tuesday when the famously underage broadcaster claimed to be running for the Greens in the Senate at the federal election.
The giveaway? The photoshopped tie. Greens candidates never wear a tie in their campaign photos.
Campaign dog of the day
It’s taken a few days, but we’ve finally reached the dog-petting phase of the election campaign. Meet “Big George”, a five-year-old Newfoundland based in Adelaide.
“Is he a dog or a horse?” the prime minister quipped before giving him a pat.
Watch
The former Liberal prime minister Malcom Turnbull dealt with Trump during his first administration.
The second time around, Turnbull has been outspoken in warning Australia against engaging in a race of “sucking up” to the US president, arguing the global rules based order that has governed since 1945 is no longer tenable.
In a speech aimed at current politicians, he told the National Press Club to “get off your knees and stand up for Australia”.
And in other news …
RBA holds interest rates at 4.1% as markets predict cut soon after May election
Kamala Harris to speak at Gold Coast real estate event, but not to local media
Mark Haines coronial inquiry: police initially misidentified teenager’s body
Trump prepares to unveil reciprocal tariffs as markets brace for trade war
Matildas veteran backs Sam Kerr to resume as captain on return to playing
The wrestler with nine lives: how Saraya survived alcohol, abuse, injury and a leaked sex tape
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: LUX . You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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