Election 2022: Anthony Albanese cornered by teen reporter over trans issue

Labor leader Anthony has been grilled on transgender issues by a teenage journalist who demanded to know, "Are trans men men, yes or no?"

Welcome to the final day of the third week of the federal election campaign, with Aussies heading to the polls on May 21.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese returns to the campaign trail today after a week off with Covid, but the time away from the hustings does not appear to have hurt his chances.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's re-election hopes were delivered a fresh blow on Wednesday, with a shock 21-year high inflation reading of 5.1 per cent all but guaranteeing the Reserve Bank will be forced to raise the official cash rate next week.

The last time the RBA raised interest rates during an election campaign was back in 2007 – and it ended with Kevin Rudd defeating John Howard after 11 years of Coalition government.

Follow our live updates below.

Updates

9:24 pm April 29, 2022

'Deeply upset': Treasurer blasted over pub joke

The independent candidate running against Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has told news.com.au she is “really disappointed” in her Liberal opponent after he was busted making a joke about her elderly mother-in-law.

In the video recorded at a Melbourne pub Mr Frydenberg can be heard joking about a woman who he says said to him “(I’m) voting for you”.

“She goes, ‘I’m Monique Ryan’s mother-in-law’,” he says to a laughing crowd.

Ms Ryan said she was “deeply upset” and that Mr Frydenberg had been unfairly making fun of the woman.

Josh Frydenberg told a joke about his opponent's mother-in-law.

“I'm really disappointed for him. She's actually someone who admires him deeply. And this is how he cheapens his relationship with his electorate. It's not fair to make fun of an 87 year old lady,” Ms Ryan said.

“She's not a competitor in this, you know. She is very fond of him, should be rapt to run into him in the street.”

The clip was recorded on the same night as a candidates' forum Ms Ryan has criticised the Treasurer for failing to show up to.

“But while while I was doing the right thing by the people of Kooyong he was making fun of an 87 year old lady in the pub.”

Ms Ryan and Mr Frydenberg will come face to face in next week's Sky News People's Forum: Kooyong. The debate will be broadcast live on Sky News and available to live stream on news.com.au.

5:16 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'Where are we going?': Farcical scenes on Labor plane

Ben Graham

Farcical scenes are playing out on Labor's press pack plane, with a "minor fault" on the chartered aircraft forcing it to be turned around in the air – and angry reporters accusing political staffers of keeping them in the dark over safety issues mid-flight.

The plane filled with members of the press and Anthony Albanese's staffers was on its way to Perth from Sydney, but had to refuel in Adelaide.

Shortly after departing, the plane began to circle in the air with no explanation as to what was happening.

It was only because reporters were checking their phone maps that they realised the plane was flying back to Adelaide.

The captain then informed passengers the plane would be "landing" soon, leaving everyone to guess that they were landing back in Adelaide.

Reporters on board, some of whom said they had anxiety over flying, said the secrecy left them with serious concerns for their safety.

A message from a Labor staffer was sent to reporters saying there was a problem, but they only received it on landing.

This led to tense scenes with frustrated journalists accusing Labor of "drip-feeding" important safety information.

"This is not on," said one reporter to the Labor staffers. "We should be told what was happening when there was a problem and the plane started circling."

Many of the reporters joined in the criticism saying they felt uncomfortable.

A Labor staffer said they were not plane experts and knew as much as they did – they disagreed that safety information was being withheld from the media.

Eventually, passengers were told they had to get off the plane and board another because of the "minor issue".

As it stands they are all still stuck inside the plane – five hours after leaving Sydney – while they wait to be transferred to the terminal.

It's fair to say, they are not happy bunnies.

5:14 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

PM ends Friday with a hot lap

Ally Foster

Scott Morrison started his Friday with a whiskey and ended it with a hotlap in a ute.

The Prime Minister visited Latrobe Speedway in Tasmania's north this afternoon as part of a recent commitment to fund $410,700 to upgrade the trackside lighting.

Mr Morrison began the visit by taking a hot lap of the track, with the PM seen holding on tightly as the ute skidded around the muddy track.

His wife, Jenny Morrison, was also present, although she chose to stay trackside.

Mr Morrison then met some local speedway drivers and was able to inspect two of the local speed cars.

The funding for the track will reduce power costs and improve streaming and spectator viewing.

The PMl visited Latrobe Speedway as part of a recent election commitment to fund $410,700 to upgrade and improve trackside lighting. Picture: Jason Edwards

4:11 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'What right?': China's fury over ScoMo claim

Ally Foster

Beijing has responded with fury to Scott Morrison's claim that China building a military base in the Solomon Islands would be a "red line" for Australia.

China’s vice foreign minister Xie Feng asked "what right" Mr Morrison had to raise concerns about a deal between China and the Solomon Islands.

“What right do these countries have to point fingers at China? What qualifications does Australia have to draw a ‘red line’ against the Solomon Islands … and China, which is thousands of miles away?" he said during an online event.

Mr Xie branded such concerns "colonialist myths" and claimed they amounted to “disinformation, defamation, coercion and intimidation”.

Mr Morrison said the deal, which was signed during week two of the election campaign, was not only a concern for Australia but its allies too.

His comments about a Chinese military base being a "red line" for Australia came after a failed attempt to stop the deal going ahead.

3:05 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'Are trans men men?': Albo cornered by teen reporter

Frank Chung

Anthony Albanese has been grilled on transgender issues by a teenage journalist who demanded to know, "Are trans men men, yes or no?"

The Labor leader sat for an interview with 6 News founder Leonardo Puglisi and his political reporter Roman Mackinnon.

6 News posted a preview clip on Twitter of the interview, which airs on Tuesday at 8pm.

Picture: 6 News

Picture: 6 News

In the clip, the 14-year-old Puglisi asks Mr Albanese, "It's a yes or no question – are trans men men, yes or no?"

"Well, it's… it's up to them to define… people are able to define themselves," Mr Albanese responds.

The Year 9 students also interviewed Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier this month.

Yes, it's happening | #6NewsAU pic.twitter.com/StKkFOT2wb

— 6 News Australia (@6NewsAU) April 28, 2022

2:37 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'A lot to say about me': PM firm on Albo challenge

Ally Foster

Scott Morrison has remained firm that the "halls are booked" on Thursday and Sunday for a debate with Labor Leader Anthony Albanese.

Mr Albanese was grilled this morning over the timings of the next leaders debates, telling Sunrise that he has "another appointment" on Thursday but had provided Seven with a range of other dates he is available.

But Mr Morrison has remained firm on the Thursday and Saturday dates, saying he will "be there".

Picture: Steven Siewert/Pool/Getty Images

"He's had a lot to say about me over the last three years. In fact, he's had not much more to say than things about me," the PM said.

"Now, when he constantly said, let's debate, let's debate, and he has to step up and do it, all of a sudden, he's not available.

"Now it's unfortunate that he obviously had Covid last week, and I'm pleased that he's rejoined the campaign trail, and I'm pleased he's well. But we've got to catch up some time there."

2:27 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

Rising fuel and energy prices 'out of our control'

Ally Foster

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been repeatedly questioned over how he plans to keep energy and petrol prices down if he wins the election.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Morrison said there was "no doubt" the war in the Ukraine had pushed up energy prices, but said that situation was "out of our control".

"So we're gonna go we have been focusing on the things that we can control, taking on the big energy companies, putting those legislative mechanisms in place, ensuring that we're keeping the prices down on gas and in addition to that, investing in new generation capabilities, which is affordable and reliable," he said.

Mr Morrison then turned the attention to Labor, claiming energy prices would be even hire under their leadership.

Picture: Jason Edwards

"But prices are going up under your policies now," one reporter interjected.

Mr Morrison repeated that there was a "war in Europe" pushing up prices, but was cut off once more by another reporter.

"One-hundred-and-forty per cent in March quarter Prime Minister. That is before Ukraine," they said.

But Mr Morrison stuck to his assertion that rising oil and electricity prices are due to factors outside of his control.

"Oil prices have gone up around the world. And now we're seeing those thermal coal prices come down and to be fair mark over the course of the first quarter of this year," he said.

"The tensions in Europe were pretty apparent. It's not like the war in Ukraine just came out of nowhere."

2:15 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

PM accuses Solomons of parroting China

Frank Chung

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused his Solomon Islands counterpart of parroting Beijing's rhetoric, after Manasseh Sogavare slammed Australia for failing to consult with the Pacific nation prior to joining the AUKUS alliance.

Mr Sogavare's comments in Solomon Islands parliament come after the nation signed a controversial security pact with China, sparking criticism from Australia and warnings a naval base would be a "red line" for Canberra and Washington.

"I learnt of the AUKUS treaty in the media," Mr Sogavare said, per AAP.

"One would expect that as a member of the Pacific family, Solomon Islands and members of the Pacific should have been consulted to ensure this AUKUS treaty is transparent.

"I realise that Australia is a sovereign country, which can enter into any treaty it wants to, transparently or not, which is exactly what they did with AUKUS."

Picture: Sheng Jiapeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

Speaking to reporters in Tasmania on Friday, Mr Morrison said he had spoken with Mr Sogavare the day following the announcement, and defended the "highly sensitive nature" of the pact, under which Australia will acquire nuclear submarine technology.

"This is the most significant defence agreement that Australia has entered into since ANZUS, and it took a Liberal-National Government to conceive this, to work patiently to achieve it over pretty much an 18-month period, and because of the highly sensitive nature of this, then it's not obviously something that was going to have wide discussion before entering into it," he said.

"That, of course, would have been against Australia's national interests. But once we entered into it and we made our announcement, it was very important that we engage quickly with our allies and partners in the region, which is exactly what we did."

Asked if Mr Sogavare was "parroting" Beijing's rhetoric, Mr Morrison said there was a "remarkable similarity".

1:54 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'You can't necessarily change the price of a lettuce'

Frank Chung

OK, he's finally addressed the lettuce issue.

Scott Morrison was dragged back to grocery prices at the end of the press conference, asked how long Australian families are "going to be confronted with lettuce at $5, beans at $15 a kilo".

"The external influences on the economy are going to continue for some time, particularly when we see the disruption of the war in Europe and the disruption which comes from the pandemic," the Prime Minister said.

"Those are things beyond Australia's control. And so that's why it's so important, in the budget, we understood the impact that these things were having on Australian families.

Picture: Jason Edwards

"And that's why we took the decision, understanding those pressures, that we had to halve the petrol tax to support families deal with those higher prices. They're the things we can do.

"You can't necessarily change the price of a lettuce, but what you can do is you can halve petrol tax, and that's exactly what we did. You can make a $250 payment directly to pensioners and others on fixed-income support to help them with those costs, which we did.

"You can [enable] Australians to keep $420 of their own hard-earned dollars by providing that one-off tax relief, which we're doing on July 1. They're the things you can do to help people dealing with those cost-of-living pressures. But we also have to be up-front about these pressures being real."

1:43 pm April 29, 2022 Highlight

'How can you make a lettuce cheaper?'

Frank Chung

Scott Morrison has been asked how he can bring down the price of lettuce – now at $5.50 each as inflation soars.

Speaking to reporters in Tasmania, the Prime Minister was asked how Australians will save on their power bills and grocery bills if he wins re-election on May 21.

"On their grocery bills, how can you make a lettuce cheaper?" the reporter asked.

Picture: Supplied

Mr Morrison gave a lengthy response addressing the issue of electricity, saying the Coalition had taken a "big stick" to energy companies.

"There's no doubt that what is occurring with the war in Europe has pushed up the prices of energy," he said.

"It's one of the biggest energy price shocks we have seen since the 1970s. Now, they're things outside of our control. That's why we have been focusing on the things that we can control – taking on the big energy companies, putting those legislative mechanisms in place, ensuring that we're keeping the prices down on gas, and in addition to that, investing in new generation capability, which is affordable and reliable."

The PM did not address the lettuce question.