Election 2022: Qld Senate candidate arrested, Albanese responds to Howard’s brutal comments

A Qld Senate candidate has been arrested. It comes after Anthony Albanese has responded John Howard’s attack. Scott Morrison will also keep pushing his religious freedom bill despite an internal backlash.

It’s Mother's Day and both parties are courting the female vote – the Liberals by announcing a program to slash the cost of IVF, Labor by expanding access to playgroups and promising wage growth.

Anthony Albanese has responded to former prime minister John Howard’s cutting assessment of him as a policy lightweight, while Scott Morrison has faced questions on whether his religious discrimination laws will put LGBTQ youth at risk.

But Sunday’s election centrepiece will be the second leaders debate from 8.45pm AEST – we’ll be blogging it live.

Follow today’s rolling updates from the campaign trail below.

SKY NEWS LIVE

Watch the latest election coverage from Sky News Australia here.

QLD SENATE CANDIDATE ARRESTED

Queensland senate candidate and political activist Drew Pavlou was arrested on Saturday night following an anti-China protest in Sydney, where the 22-year-old held a sign that read “Free Hong Kong, Free Tibet, Free the Uyghurs and down with the CCP”.

The protest, which took place at Eastwood shopping centre included about 30 people with a police presence, but Mr Pavlou said tensions escalated when pro CCP supporters started yelling and swearing at Mr Pavlou’s Chinese friend.

After the verbal altercation, Mr Pavlou said he was pulled aside to be given a court notice for profanity for a sign he held earlier this month that read ‘’F*ck Xi Jinping”.

Australian human rights campaigner Drew Pavlou is pictured wearing a "Where is Peng Shuai?" T-shirt. Picture: AFP

Following this, Mr Pavlou said he rejoined the crowd and after shouting ‘Free Hong Kong’, the senate candidate was pulled aside again and threatened with a move on notice and when he resisted, police arrested him.

“They put me in the patty wagon and they took me to the police station and I was in the cell for about five hours... I had to do fingerprints and get a mugshot,” he said.

“I’m running for parliament, it’s part of my campaign so if we’re having candidates arrested for simply campaigning during the election season, then what does that say about our democracy?”

Mr Pavlou said that he was the only person arrested last night and would be pursuing a wrongful arrest claim against NSW Police.

ALBO SNAPS BACK AT HOWARD

Mr Albanese visited Mr Howard’s old seat of Bennelong on Sunday morning and bit back at the former prime minister’s withering character assassination.

Mr Howard said the Opposition Leader was “not really up to it” and “a blank piece of paper on policy”.

“I respectfully am untroubled by John Howard,” Mr Albanese said. “John Howard, if he was sitting in the caucus today would not recognise the rabble that is the Liberal Party under Scott Morrison.”

The Labor leader used Mr Howard’s comments to compare the views of other Liberal leaders.

“You know what’s amazing, the former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who can’t say that people should vote Liberals, can’t say that he will vote at this election – that’s what’s remarkable,” he said.

“One of the things about Scott Morrison is that those people who’ve worked closely with him, whether it’s Malcolm Turnbull, or whether it be Barnaby Joyce, his deputy prime minister, whether it be Gladys Berejiklian … they all say that the more you know him the less trustworthy he’s regarded.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese samples a rhubarb doughnut during his visit to Ryde Wharf Market on Sunday with Bennelong candidate Jerome Laxale. Picture: Liam Kidston

In an exclusive interview with News Corp, Mr Howard offered a brutal assessment of the Labor leader’s election gaffes, saying “his inability to get across the detail must ask the question is he really up to the job of being Prime Minister”.

“It’s a hard job and you’ve got to be across detail,” Mr Howard said.

“In modern times nobody has gone to an election so policy-light as this bloke.

“But there’s nothing. I mean this fellow, he’s a blank piece of paper on policy and that’s what makes, in my view, his failure be across the detail all the more blameworthy because there’s not a lot of detail to be across.”

Mr Albanese entered parliament the same year Mr Howard became PM, but the Liberal elder statesman said he “didn’t rate him very highly, he just seemed to be me to be a left-wing inner-city bomb thrower”.

“I didn’t think he had any policy substance and I didn’t think he was a particularly strong debater. I had nothing against him, but I just didn’t see him as somebody who would ever be leader.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny meet a young guest at Melbourne IVF on Sunday. Picture: Jason Edwards

PM GRILLED ON LGBTQ PROTECTIONS

Scott Morrison insists there is no evidence of LGBTQ students being expelled from religious schools.

The Prime Minister on Sunday doubled down on his commitment to introduce his prized religious discrimination bill before activating amendments to protect LGBTQ students in faith-based schools.

The contentious legislation would provide protections for people of religious faith, including in schools and hospitals.

But Mr Morrison was unable to clarify when amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act would be passed, and if the changes would be subject to a 12-month review by the Australian Law Reform Commission.

“There is no new position here,” he said. “Our position has always been the position ... that both would be pursued and would be pursued sequentially.”

But asked what “sequentially” looked like, he failed to commit to a firm timeline.

Scott Morrison addresses a Liberal campaign rally in Melbourne on Sunday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Asked if he was comfortable with religious schools having the right to expel students on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity, Mr Morrison denied that was occurring.

“We’ve been having this conversation for about the last four years and on each occasion there has been (said) that apparently students are being expelled each and every day, each and every week, or each and every year,” he said. “There is no evidence of that at all. There is none.”

The Prime Minister’s comments could further inflame internal divisions within the party over the bill.

The promise to amend the SDA to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity was first made during the Wentworth by-election in 2018.

“You may not agree with everything the government has done or I have done,” Mr Morrison said in Melbourne.

“A government that does not pretend to be perfect but it is a government that knows how to be strong. It is a government that knows how to stand up for Australia’s national interest in a very dangerous world.”

Five Liberal MPs crossed the floor to vote against the government in order to protect LGBTQ students in a late-night sitting of parliament in February.

One of them was Katie Allen, who said on Sunday her position was unchanged and she was still prepared to defy her leader.

“I will stick with my position, because I believe in the protection of gay and transgender (students),” she said.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese declined to outline how he would deal with the Religious Discrimination Bill if he wins the election.

“We do need religious discrimination legislation and it should include anti-vilification as well,” Mr Albanese said. “If people don’t think that some young people are discriminated against and vilified because of their sexuality, then that just doesn’t reflect reality.”

Mr Morrison later attended a Liberal rally in the seat of Maribyrnong, where he spoke about the importance of a loving family and a strong economy.

It’s the third campaign rally the PM has attended in seven days, as he hopes to pump up the troops in the final fortnight on the hustings.

JOBS PLEDGE LIGHT ON DETAIL

Anthony Albanese has not specified how many of the 604,000 new jobs in his flagship plan will go to women, as he fights to paint Labor as the party that will boost women’s participation and economic security.

The opposition leader spent the week speaking about policies in his plan to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.

Asked on Sunday how many of the new jobs would be for women, given energy and manufacturing are traditionally male-dominated industries, Mr Albanese said Labor’s plan “will be good for men and it’ll be good for women”.

Anthony Albanese discusses Labor’s policy for women as he campaigns in northern Sydney. Picture: Liam Kidston

“If you lower power prices for businesses and for households, what you do is turbocharge employment across … feminised industries, as well as more male-dominated industries,” he said.

“It could be a small business, which relies upon women for the workforce, you’ll lower their costs.”

He said modern manufacturing lines did not have people on assembly lines but behind computers. “You see women and men working in manufacturing,” he said.

Advocacy groups have long been calling for more measures to increase women’s participation in science, engineering and information technology.

Labor’s Powering Australia plan aims to create 604,000 jobs. Of those, 64,000 will be direct and 540,000 will be indirect.

There will also be 10,000 New Energy Apprentices and a $10m New Energy Skills Program to ensure training pathways are fit-for-purpose.

Asked whether Labor would commit to adding superannuation under the paid parental leave scheme – an idea rejected by the government – Mr Albanese said: “I would like to do it”.

“We’ll consider it in government,” he said. “But what I will do is under-promise and over-deliver.”

ALBO’S MOTHER’S DAY HEARTACHE

Anthony Albanese paid tribute to mothers and acknowledged today was a difficult day for him following the death of his own mother two decades ago.

The Labor leader revealed his mum had a brain aneurysm on Mother’s Day in 2002 and never returned home.

Mr Albanese said he was going to visit her at home in Camperdown, after returning from a trip to Canberra.

Anthony Albanese with his late mother Maryanne.

“I knew something was up because the door was open,” he said. “She went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and she never she never came home. It’s very sad day for me.”

Mr Albanese acknowledged mothers across Australia, including those who have died.

“I honour her memory in what I’m doing in this campaign,” he said, adding he would think about what his mum would do if he is elected prime minister.

“She gave me unconditional love and that is what mums do.”

PRE-POLL VOTING BEGINS

More than 500 pre-polling booths will open across the nation on Monday morning and remain open until 6pm on May 20 – the day before election day.

People unable to make a polling station can apply for a postal vote, which must be done before May 18.

Labor remains in the box seat to win the election according to the latest Newspoll, prompting Anthony Albanese to urge voters to get to pre-polling booths and make their voices heard.

“I want people to vote in elections, whether it’s on polling day or whenever it’s convenient for them,” he said. “Our democracy is precious.”

At the 2019 federal election, 4.8 million votes, or 31.6 per cent of the turnout, were cast early – up from 22 per cent in 2016.

It is understood both parties are holding back on a major advertising spend in the last week of the campaign to sway the remaining undecided voters.

SHOW US THE SUMS, SAYS ALBANESE

Anthony Albanese has made a last-ditch pitch to voters ahead of pre-polling starting on Monday and declared voters had “no idea” about the Coalition’s policies or costings.

The Opposition Leader encouraged people to get out and vote but said the government was yet to detail its plan.

Mr Albanese made his third visit to the electorate of Bennelong on Sunday morning where Labor’s Jerome Laxale hopes to win the seat following the retirement of sitting Liberal MP John Alexander.

Anthony Albanese visits Ryde Wharf Market in the Sydney seat of Bennelong on Sunday. Picture: Liam Kidston

He said cost of living relief would not be immediately possible if Labor wins the election.

The Reserve Bank has warned real wages will fall 3 per cent by the end of the year.

“What you can’t do is undo a decade of damage where a government has consciously held down wages,” Mr Albanese said.

“We will put in place mechanisms that provide positive living relief through cheaper childcare, cheaper electricity prices and cheaper medicines. The truth is though that on day one, you can’t undo 10 years of damage.”

Labor’s Mother’s Day announcement was pledging to invest $11m to help new parents connect with local playgroups and improve the school readiness of children.

Mr Albanese said his government would offer the cash package to help the groups recover from Covid-19 disruptions and expand.

“Over 90 per cent of human brain development occurs in the first five years,” he said.

“Playgroups play a critical role in that development with kids learning together and developing social skills, as well as creating a vital network for parents.

“On Mother’s Day, I can’t think of a better way to come out of the pandemic than by strengthening the communities that are built for mums and kids through increasing funding to grow and support playgroups all over the country.”

He also shifted his pitch to women and fair pay.

In an interview with Nine Newspapers, Mr Albanese said he wanted to improve women’s career options and salaries – while frontbencher Tanya Plibersek hammered this message on morning television.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese campaigning with education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek in Melbourne last week. Picture: Liam Kidston

PLIBERSEK: PM HAS ‘GIVEN UP’

Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek has accused Scott Morrison of having “completely given up” on supporting families struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

The opposition’s education spokeswoman reiterated Labor’s promise it will do more to lift wages if it is elected to government to counter soaring inflation.

“Our plan to help with wages means helping business with their productivity,” Ms Plibersek told ABC’s Insiders program.

“So making sure we are investing in cheaper power, better NBN connections, bringing down the cost of doing business, investing in training and education so they have more skilled workers.”

Ms Plibersek said a Labor government would tackle Australia’s workplace laws, which she said were contributing to sluggish pay increases.

“This government has engineered an industrial relations system that keeps wages low.”

Ms Plibersek said the Prime Minister and the Liberals had “already said” that low wages growth was a deliberate design feature of their economic management.

Labor has during this year’s election campaign seized on comments former Liberal finance minister Mathias Cormann made about wages growth in 2019.

Mr Cormann said at the time low wage growth was a “deliberate design feature of our economic architecture” with the intention of preventing “massive spikes in unemployment”.

SPENDING TO HELP PARENTS ACCESS IVF

Scott Morrison and wife Jenny have kicked off Mother's Day at an IVF clinic in Melbourne.

People with cancer who are hoping to become parents would be able to access cheaper IVF under a $53m Coalition election promise, which Labor says it will match.

To start in November, the Coalition says it will help 6200 Australians to access reproductive services and post-natal care, saving them each about $600.

The Prime Minister, flanked by Health Minister Greg Hunt and his anointed replacement Anne Ruston, toured the Melbourne facility on Sunday morning.

Professor David Gardner showed them a timelapse video of an embryo developing. In one room alone, there were some 30,000 embryos.

“It’s the most densely populated area of Melbourne,” the Prime Minister joked.

Scott and Jenny Morrison tour the Melbourne IVF embryo storage facility alongside Gidget Foundation representatives. Picture: Jason Edwards Picture: Jason Edwards

The Coalition’s promised measures for parents include $14.4m to cover the cost of storing eggs, sperm or embryos for people with cancer or those who are at risk of passing on genetic diseases or conditions.

This includes $9.9 million to subsidise the cost of storage for cancer patients.

Women will be promised new economic measures to achieve gender equity with their salaries and improve their career options in a message about the boost to economic growth by making women a bigger part of the workforce.

Under the changes, thousands of Australians will have the costs for reproductive services, pregnancy planning and post-natal care slashed, with more mental health support also offered to prospective and new parents.

Corinne Gebert has the BRCA2 mutation – putting her at higher risk of breast cancer. She was one of the guests at the Prime Minister’s announcement of funding to help cancer patients access IVF. Picture: David Caird

From November, people with cancer or at risk of passing on genetic diseases will have their egg, sperm and embryo storage paid for by the Commonwealth, saving about 6200 patients approximately $600.

Mr Morrison, whose daughters Abbey and Lily were born thanks to IVF, said he understood the hurdles and difficulties many Australians faced in trying to have children.

“I want to help thousands more Australians achieve their dream of becoming parents,” Mr Morrison said.

“For people battling cancer or staring down the risk of genetic diseases it’s already a difficult battle and this new subsidy will help give them more options about their aspirations to become parents.”

Jo Coghill and Timothy Shakespeare with their son Henry.

Jo Coghill, 35, and her fiance Tim Shakespeare, who live in Newport in Melbourne, welcomed their son Henry in September.

A few years ago she was diagnosed as a carrier of ocular albinism, which was can cause blindness, during a routine eye check.

The condition doesn’t affect her eyesight but can affect her children.

“It was a bit of a shock and in weird way empowerment because knowledge is power,” she said.

The couple ended up spending tens of thousands on gene testing and IVF which made sure she gave birth to a baby without the condition.

She welcomed any move that would cut the costs for parents-to-be.

“I think we were in a fortunate position at the time we were able to go through this process but not many families are in position to do such a thing and I personally think every family should have the opportunity to do this,” she said.

Yuliana Sopian and Luke Martin have a six-year-old, Emily, who has inherited the COL4A2 gene. They have had IVF and genetic testing to conceive their two-year-old daughter Bridget, who was born free of the condition.

Mr Hunt said a re-elected Coalition government would also deliver more support to parents planning pregnancy and in the first 12 months.

The package will include $13.7 million to streamline access to information and services to support new parents from during the pregnancy planning stage until its first birthday by expanding the Birth of a Child Life Event Service pilot program.

The government will also update clinical pregnancy care and post-natal guidelines and strengthen advice to government on improving maternity services for families in rural areas.

And another 20 Gidget Foundation Australia peri-natal mental health and wellbeing services will be opened across the country under a re-elected Morrison Government.

“Thinking about having a child, let alone those first few months of a newborn’s life, can be overwhelming and we want to do what we can to make it that bit easier,” Mr Hunt said.

SPENDER NOT PLAYING FAVOURITES

High-profile “teal” independent Allegra Spender says she is open to negotiate with either Labor or the Coalition in the event of a hung parliament.

Ms Spender, who is hoping to oust Liberal Dave Sharma in the eastern Sydney seat of Wentworth, said she didn’t have a personal problem with Scott Morrison.

“I’m open to (backing him) and open to negotiating with everyone,” she told ABC’s Insiders.

The businesswoman turned Climate 200-backed candidate vowed to put her local electorate’s interests first if she is elected on May 21.

“For me, this is what I can do to give a moderate, sensible, centrist government that is looking after the long-term of Australia,” she said.

“What I have said to people in Wentworth is that I will negotiate with either side if it comes to forming government, but on an issue, I will vote on the interest of Wentworth.”

The battle for Wentworth is between Liberal MP Dave Sharma and independent challenger Allegra Spender.

Ms Spender promised to “consult widely” with the community as well as with experts when voting on any future legislation.

“I think that is crucial. It is about bringing the people and experts back into politics,” she said.

Like those of other Climate-200 candidates, Ms Spender’s campaign platform centres on climate change and government integrity.

She said it was “crucial” to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and the target shouldn’t be incompatible with a conservative government.

“I think climate change is one of the most important factors in terms of what is right for the environment but is also a huge economic opportunity for Australia,” she said.

Ms Spender and other independent candidates have called loudly for an independent federal integrity watchdog.

But asked on Sunday about a $500,000 government grant that went towards the Redleaf Beach swimming area in the Wentworth electorate, she said it “wasn’t for me to say what is corruption”.

“I think we are looking at corruption that is, you know, large-scale and significant, and I’m not going to comment on those,” she said.

Ms Spender also used her interview to call for a review of the tax system including considering raising the GST and changing stamp duty, which she described as a “drag on the economy”.

‘BOGAN VOTES COUNT TOO’

Maverick Nationals Senator Matt Canavan is being deployed into mining seats across Australia as the Coalition tries to navigate a working class path to victory in the final two weeks of the campaign.

Queensland Senator Canavan, who is campaigning against “woke’’ activism and climate change, will this week return to the Hunter Valley in NSW, where crucial coalmining votes could swing the election either way.

He said the Liberal/National Coalition was increasingly the party of choice for working class and poorer voters, and there was no need to fear the “boganisation’’ of the parties.

And he said he didn’t get into politics to muffle his ultra-conservative views, no matter what impact that has on moderate Coalition colleagues trying to protect their seats against teal independents campaigning on climate change.

Read the full interview with Senator Canavan here

POLICE PROBE ANOTHER CANDIDATE

The Liberal National Party candidate for the ultra-marginal Queensland seat of Lilley has been referred to the Australian Federal Police over concerns he lied about where he lives.

Vivian Lobo told the Australian Electoral Commission he and his wife lived at an Everton Park address within the electorate of Lilley.

But it was later revealed that house was dilapidated and unfurnished – and Mr Lobo was actually living in Windsor.

In a statement on Sunday, the Australian Electoral Commission said it had referred the matter to the AFP due to “concern as to whether the information provided by him regarding his residential address on these forms is false”.

The dilapidated house in Everton Park where Vivian Lobo claimed to be living. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Ballot papers have already been printed so regardless of the outcome of any investigation Mr Lobo’s name will remain on voting slips.

While it is not uncommon for MPs and candidates to live outside the electorate, it is a criminal offence to make false declarations to the AEC. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison or a $12,600 fine.

Mr Lobo has maintained that he had planned to move into the property after leasing it but campaign commitments and difficulty getting tradies in to make it liveable delayed him doing so.
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