Australian election 2025: Wong slams Dutton over Indonesia-Russia military report

Popular independent Jacqui Lambie has taken aim at the Coalition for its failure to “do the work” and look “credible” on the May 3 election trail.

Popular independent senator Jacqui Lambie has delivered a searing blow to the Coalition, questioning their ability to function as a “credible opposition”.

With the five-week election campaign passing the crucial halfway point, the opposition has continued to languish in the polls, with Sunday’s Newspoll revealing its primary vote falling to 35 per cent, a figure even lower than its 2022 election loss.

Labor also continued to lead Peter Dutton’s Coalition 52-48.

Speaking to the ABC, the Tasmanian senator questioned why they had waited until week three of the campaign to roll out their major policies such as the on-off tax cut of $1200 for low and middle class income earners who earn up to $144,000 a year.

Senator Jacqui Lambie said the Coalition had failed to ‘do the work’ to appear as a credible opposition. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Peter Dutton also used his Sunday campaign launch to announce tax-deductible mortgages which would allow eligible borrowers to deduct their interest payments on the first $650,000 of their loan amount.

The Coalition has also continued to face questions over their nuclear policy, including how much waste would be generated, and how the party would bypass community dissent.

“What bothers me is the Liberal Party should have got this all done 12 months ago. They have been in opposition for three years, they don’t look like they’re in opposition at all. they’re really struggling with that,” she said.

“They should have had costings, they had plenty of time to get it ready and looking like a real smart outfit.

“They failed to do the work to make them look like a credible opposition.”

Senator Lambie also said given the school holidays, both party leaders would likely struggle to achieve cut through over the next two weeks, with people also switching off from the news due to the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.

“I don’t know how they’re going to go in the next two weeks campaigning. How difficult is it, when no-one wants to see your face, let’s be honest,” she said.

“The last thing you want is some bloke in front of you with his bloody jacket on.”

Russia’s cryptic statement on Indonesian base

Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia, Sergey Lavrov, has claimed there is nothing unusual about the militaty cooperation, and taken aim at Australia’s involvement in AUKUS in a cryptically worded statement.

“Concerning the inquiries coming from Canberra to the Indonesian officials about the alleged plans to establish in Indonesia a base for long-range aircrafts of the Russian Air-Space Forces, we would like to draw the attention to the following,” Sergei Tolchenov said.

“Military cooperation is an integral part of the intergovernmental relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia. It is solely of bilateral character and based on a relevant legal framework and the national legislation of each respective country.”

He claimed any challenges to regional stability were “more likely” to arise from “the rotational deployment of large military contingents from extra-regional states on Australian territory, including the provision of airfields for the landing of strategic bombers and port infrastructure for visits by nuclear-powered submarines.”

“Particularly alarming are the currently discussed plans to deploy the US’ intermediate-range missiles in Australia, which would put ASEAN countries – including Indonesia – within its range, as well as the acquisition by the Royal Australian Navy of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS trilateral partnership.

“The latter raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of established nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Asia-Pacific region, such as the South Pacific Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (Treaty of Rarotonga) and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (the Bangkok Treaty).”

Russia's ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov. Picture: Russian Embassy/ Instagram

Expert report urges pay rises for childcare, health workers

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has recommended pay rises for childcare and health workers of about 30 per cent after a review of wages into female-dominated industries.

The historic report, released on Wednesday afternoon, identified five awards which had been subject to “gender-based undervaluation” across dental, aged care, social work, pharmacy and childcare.

The expert panel recommended a raft of wage increases to the sectors, with childcare workers identified as needing the highest boost.

If implemented, some childcare workers would be given a 27.8 per cent pay rise which would be staggered across a five-year period.

The report also recommended a 29.9 pay rise of physiotherapists as well as a 31.16 per cent pay rise for entry level psychologists.

Both the Coalition and Labor have confirmed they will review the report in relation to pay increases.

The Parenthood’s Campaign Director Maddy Butler said early childhood workers were paid as little as $24 an hour, with nine out of ten staff members in the industry women.

“Early childhood educators play a huge role in young children’s learning, development and day-to-day happiness. As parents, we want the people who spend up to 40 hours a week with our children to be paid fairly and well supported,” Ms Butler said.

“We want our childcare and early learning centres to be attracting talented early education professionals, because that’s what it is – a profession.

“Too often the work that is usually performed by women is unrecognised and undervalued. It’s 2025 and it’s high time feminised workforces receive respect and proper pay.”

Question Dutton won’t answer on Indonesia

Earlier, Mr Dutton has refused to acknowledge he made a mistake implying the Indonesian president had confirmed Russia would base military aircraft on an Indonesian province, which Jakarta says will not happen.

“The reference I made is to a credible military website and that talked about government sources and the Prabowo government sources,” Mr Dutton told reporters at a campaign stop in the Melbourne electorate of Aston.

It was revealed on Tuesday, the military website Janes reported that Russia had lodged an official request to base several long-range aircraft at Manhua Air Force Base in Papua province.

It led to the Australian urgently seeking clarification from Indonesia.

Jakarta later said there would be no Russian presence in Papua.

In an interview with ABC TV Afternoon Briefing on Tuesday, Mr Dutton accused the Albanese government of a “catastrophic failure” if they didn’t have any forewarning from Indonesia, suggesting the Indonesian President had confirmed the story.

Peter Dutton has stood by his reaction to reports Russia had asked Indonesia for permission to base military aircraft on its province of Papua. Picture: Richard Dobson / Newswire

Mr Dutton was asked several times on Wednesday whether that had been a mistake, refusing to answer further saying he had dealt with the question, before attacking the government’s handling of recent national security matters.

“The government has reacted, as the Prime Minister did, as I did yesterday, to very credible media reports,” Mr Dutton said.

“The Prime Minister and defence minister and the foreign affairs minister found out about this from media reports as they did in relation to the advice about the Chinese naval ship, as they have done in relation to the tariffs.

“Penny Wong talks a big game but I don’t think she is a Foreign Minister on top of her brief.”

Anthony Albanese and senior minister have said Mr Dutton’s response to the incident shows he is “too reckless and aggressive” to be prime minister, accusing him of “fabricating” a statement from the Indonesian president.

‘Too reckless’: Albo blasts Dutton

The Prime Minister has blasted Peter Dutton for “verballing” the President of Indonesia, describing the Opposition Leader as “reckless”.

“What we saw from Peter Dutton yesterday was an extraordinary overreach, he verballed the President of Indonesia,” Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday morning.

“Yesterday you saw the contrast between a government that’s considered, that deals with our neighbours and deals internationally in a diplomatic way – that doesn’t jump to conclusions.”

Mr Albanese was campaigning in the ultra-marginal electorate of Deakin – held by the Coalition’s housing spokesman Michael Sukkar – on Wednesday morning, ostensibly to spruik his government’s Social Housing Accelerator.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail in Deakin. Picture: Mark Stewart / NewsWire

But he took the opportunity to call out Mr Dutton’s handling of national security issues, and questions at the press conference were dominated by Russia’s reported request to base long range aircraft in Indonesia’s Papua region, just 1300km from Australia.

“What I know is that there’s no statement from the Indonesian president, and what Peter Dutton said was not true,” Mr Albanese said.

A report from respected military website Janes on Tuesday reported Russia had lodged an official request to base several long-range aircraft at Manhua Air Force Base in Papua province.

It led to the Australian urgently seeking clarification from Indonesia, which later said there would be no Russian presence in Papua.

The Prime Minister refused to say if the government was aware of reports Russia had asked Indonesia to host a military base, first published in US defence journal Janes.

“I don’t intend to provide a running commentary, but what we do know … is what the Indonesian government has said itself,” he said.

“You’re assuming the Janes report is correct. And there is no basis for you assuming that … I’m saying, I’ll act diplomatically with our friends in Indonesia. That’s what I’m saying.”

In an interview with ABC TV Afternoon Briefing, Mr Dutton accused the Albanese government of a “catastrophic failure” if they didn’t have any forewarning from Indonesia, suggesting the Indonesian President had confirmed the story.

Host Patricia Karvelas asked him: “Where have you seen the Indonesian president confirm this? Aren’t you verballing him? He hasn’t talked publicly about it.”

“There’s comment that’s come out of the administration, out of the Prabowo

administration,” Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister knew nothing about it, neither did Penny Wong.

“But Penny Wong has set a standard here she hasn’t met herself. I hope she’s able to explain exactly what’s taken place.”

Albo predicts house prices to rise, supply to fall if Coalition elected

Visiting a social housing project in Melbourne’s east on Wednesday, the Prime Minister was keen to highlight the choice he says the country has been given on housing.

“I think a big difference between our plans and the plans of the Coalition; our plans are about supply as well as demand,” Anthony Albanese said.

“If you’re not dealing with supply, if you’re not building a single home, then you are just pushing up prices.”

Since Labor and the Coalition announced their campaigns on Sunday, both leaders have been keen to advertise the policies they say will deal with the housing crisis.

Anthony Albanese has spruiked the government’s housing policy during a campaign stop in the Melbourne seat of Deakin. Picture: Mark Stewart / NewsWire

Peter Dutton is promising a substantial cut to migration and a policy for first homebuyers to deduct mortgage interest payments from their tax over the next five years.

Under the plan, first-time buyers earning under a certain income threshold would be able to deduct interest payments on newly constructed homes – he claims the move will save buyers $11,000 annually.

Mr Albanese, on the other hand, is spruiking the $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund and government guarantor scheme for first homebuyers to get a mortgage with just a 5 per cent deposit.

The Prime Minister said 150,000 people had already used the deposit guarantor scheme to secure a home, with only three mortgage defaults over that period.

He predicted the Coalition’s policies would decrease housing supply in coming years, based on Mr Dutton’s plan to axe the Housing Australia Future Fund.

“28,000 homes under the Housing Australia Future Fund are under construction … and we know the Housing Australia Future Fund will be abolished if the Coalition are elected, like they’ll abolish free TAFE,” he said.

More housing sites for Dutton

Peter Dutton visited newly-built townhomes in the marginal Labor seat of Aston in Melbourne’s east on Wednesday morning.

Mary Doyle won the seat for Labor from former Morrison minister Alan Tudge at a by-election in April 2023, with a 3.6 per cent margin.

Mr Dutton spoke to young couple Corey Wilson-Glenister and Maxie Waaka along with their 17-month-son Leo.

Peter Dutton with Corey Wilson-Glenister with his partner Maxie Waaka and their baby son Leo talking to Aston candidate Manny Cicchiello at new homes building site in the suburb of Wantirna. Picture: Richard Dobson / Newswire

The couple also have a second baby on the way.

The pair currently rent but are hoping to own a home one day.

It the latest in a long run of visits by Mr Dutton to housing sites this week, spruiking the Coalitions.

PM not taking anything for granted ahead of debate

Anthony Albanese says he “doesn’t take anything for granted” heading into Wednesday night’s second leaders’ debate against Peter Dutton.

“I’m certain of one thing, which is that you have to take any campaign day by day,” he said.

“I don’t think the outcome of the last debate affects tonight’s debate at all, it’s very different.”

The Prime Minister was declared the winner of the Sky News/Daily Telegraph People’s Forum on April 8.

Out of 100 self-declared undecided voters, Mr Albanese was given 44 votes.

Mr Dutton was supported by 35 voters, while 21 remained undecided after the debate.

The two party leaders will face off at 8pm AEST in a debate hosted by the ABC from its Western Sydney studios, with Insiders host David Speers asking the questions.

MP joins OnlyFans

The Greens MP for the federal seat of Brisbane has created an OnlyFans account.

OnlyFans is widely associated with pornographic content, but Greens’ LGBTIQA+ spokesman Stephen Bates is posting on the platform to boost awareness of HIV medicines PrEP and PEP.

Despite being partially subsidised by the government, paying for PrEP can cost hundreds of dollars a year, Mr Bates says.

“In a cost of living crisis, that’s just too much. You shouldn’t have to pay a fortune to be sexually responsible.”

Stephen Bates polled third in the seat of Brisbane in 2022, but took the seat off the Coalition thanks to Labor preferences. Picture: NewsWire / Dylan Robinson

The OnlyFans page is free to subscribe to, and his first video is announcing the Greens will push for the medicines to be free.

“Ending HIV is too important to fly under the radar. I campaign on OnlyFans and Grindr because it gets attention,” he said in a statement.

“Sometimes you have to make a splash to make people pay attention to the things that matter.”

Leading into the last federal election, Mr Bates placed ads gay, bi, trans, and queer app Grindr.

“You always come first with the Greens,” one ad read. “Spice up Canberra with a third,” stated another.

‘Bit of fun with a rocket launcher!’

A Melbourne man who confronted Anthony Albanese in a hotel lobby has an affinity for rocket launchers and grenade launchers.

Security guard and martial arts teacher Daniel Jones accosted the Prime Minister in a hotel on Tuesday, firing questions about immigration being fair, and arguing with a security guard that voting gave him the right to approach Mr Albanese.

Mr Jones planned the confrontation with another man, Morgan Jonas, who tried similar aggressive tactics in the same lobby during a separate incident on Tuesday.

Mr Jones took to his business’ social media page early Wednesday to explain.

“I didn’t come with any ill-intent, any malicious intent.

“I wasn’t an active threat to Albanese.

“Getting in to speak to our elected officials, and Labor officials especially from my experience, is not that easy.

“There was no intent to harm at all.”

An image Melbourne man Daniel Jones posted online in December, captioned "Bit of fun with a rocket launcher". Picture: Facebook

He posted this image with an M79 grenade launcher the same day. Picture: Facebook

He goes on to say the prime ministerial security team needs to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

“I can see how we could be seen as a minor threat because it upsets people, (but) we’re not a major threat.”

Mr Jones said he would not divulge which hotel the Prime Minister stayed at so people did not flock there. He has previously advocated for vigilante community safety groups, which he denies are vigilante groups.

Photos posted by Mr Jones show him holding rocket launchers and grenade launchers.

“Bit of fun with a rocket launcher!,” he posted in December. He is holding an M79 grenade launcher in a photo posted on the same day.

PM plays down video of hotel confrontation

The Prime Minister says he has “faith in the Australian Federal Police” to keep him safe on the election campaign after the filmed confrontation in a hotel lobby on Tuesday evening.

The Prime Minster said recent disruptions at press conferences would not derail his campaign.

“Nothing stops me,” he said.

Anthony Albanese says he has faith in his protection team to keep him safe on the campaign trail. Picture: Mark Stewart / NewsWire

“I think it’s really important and it’s something that I’ve done, I go into uncontrolled environments, you’ve seen it happen time and time again.”

Dutton packs Buddy Bags for vulnerable kids

Peter Dutton is in the Melbourne electorate of Macnamara to commit $6m to the Alannah and Madeline Foundation to improve online safety for kids.

Mr Dutton visited the Melbourne headquarters on Wednesday where he met with staff.

He was joined by his communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh and her daughter.

Staff told Mr Dutton the not-for-profit sector was struggling with burnout among workers.

“That kind of burnout … is a real worry,” Sarah Davies, chief executive of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, said.

“It feels really hard … there is no easy fix.”

She also raised the issue of tech companies failing to protect children online.

“Tech companies need to take responsibility,” she said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton helped pack Buddy Bags for vulnerable kids, Picture: Richard Dobson / NewsWire

The group then met with representatives of Dolly’s Dream – a sister organisation that promotes more action on preventing bullying.

Mr Dutton also helped pack “buddy bags” to support kids fleeing difficult situations such as family violence.

“It’s amazing stuff you do,” Mr Dutton said as he packed a buddy bag with toiletries, pyjamas, a teddy bear and other goodies.

Coalition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh said she felt emotional packing the bags thinking about the difficult circumstances the children using them would be in.

“Sometimes they have garbage bags full of clothes,” co-ordinator Leanne Donley said.

“We want those children to think they are being thought of.”

Afterwards, Mr Dutton spoke about his time in the police force seeing many cases of domestic violence.

“I’ve walked into many crime scenes … where from the outside, everything looks perfectly intact.

“And you walk through the front door and, there is just a devastating incident that’s taking place.

“Kids should be living without trauma and without tragedy and living a life that we would all expect for our children.”

He said tech companies saw children as a “marketing opportunity” and a “profit line”.

“I’ve spent a number of years fighting against, some of these big tech companies. And we’re not going to lose this battle.”

‘Too reckless, too aggro’: Wong blasts Dutton

Peter Dutton is too reckless and aggressive to be prime minister, senior Labor ministers have said, accusing the Opposition Leader of “fabricating” a statement from the Indonesian president.

Reports emerged late on Tuesday that Russia wanted to base a long-range military aircraft in Indonesia, forcing Australian leaders to seek urgent clarification from Jakarta, which later said that would not happen.

“Reports of a prospect of a Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia are completely false, and Indonesia has no intention of doing this whatsoever,” Defence Minister Richard Marles later said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has criticised Peter Dutton over the Opposition Leader’s handling over a reported Russian military proposal for Indonesia. Picture: NewsWire / Tertius Pickard

He said on Wednesday it was obviously “very good news from our point of view” but called out Mr Dutton’s comments in an interview on ABC TV’s Afternoon Briefing on Tuesday.

“I think what is really concerning about what played out yesterday is, despite all of that, we had Peter Dutton asserting that President Prabowo (Subianto) had actually made such an announcement, which was completely wrong,” Mr Marles said.

“I mean, Peter Dutton is drawing inspiration from one president while seeking to put words in the mouths of another.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, campaigning in Melbourne on Tuesday, has been criticised to reaction to the Russia/Indonesia reports. Picture: Richard Dobson / NewsWire

Mr Dutton said he had “seen commentary” reported from an Indonesian spokesperson “that’s obviously come from the administration … of negotiations or discussions that have taken place between Russia and Indonesia”.

“If there was a functioning relationship with Indonesia, as there must be, because Indonesia is an important ally and friend, there we’ve been contact at a departmental or ministerial level,” Mr Dutton said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong was scathing of Mr Dutton’s response.

“Peter Dutton fabricated – fabricated – a statement by the Indonesian president,” she told Sevens Sunrise.

“Now, this is an extraordinary thing for a man who wants to be the prime minister to do – to actually try and verbal the President of Indonesia in order to make a domestic political point.

“He is simply too reckless and too aggro to be the prime minister.

“Indonesia made very clear to us they are not contemplating any Russian base operating out of Indonesian soil.”

The report surfaced in respected open source military website Janes on Tuesday.

Later in the day, the Indonesian Defence Minister released a statement saying the “the report is incorrect”, but did it was unclear if Russia had made the request at some stage.

Mr Marles has declined to elaborate on when and what the Australian government knew.

“Our knowledge of what is happening in the region is itself a sensitive issue. And I’m not about to canvas it in the media, national security matters need to be maintained at a classified level.”

Australia should “draw comfort” from Indonesia releasing an “unequivocal statement”, Mr Marles said.

“But this is the point … We had the alternative prime minister of this country, Peter Dutton, asserting that the president of Indonesia had actually made some announcement when that was completely false,” Mr Marles said.

The Russian military is active in the region, and Indonesian is a “non-aligned state”. The Russia-Indonesia story comes just weeks after Chinese warships circumnavigated Australia and conducted live fire drills between Australia and New Zealand.

Liberal Party frontbencher Jane Hume said “it appears” Australia was blindsided by the Russia’s inquiry of the Indonesians.

“This is really concerning,” the Opposition finance spokeswoman said.

“Obviously there are national security implications here. That’s why the coalition has written to the Defence Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs and asked for a briefing.

“We also want to understand exactly what it is that the Albanese government knew and when they knew it.”

She later took Senator Wong to task for what she said was the foreign minister’s “bizarre comment” about Mr Dutton.

“It sounds very defensive from a Foreign Minister. Clearly, she was blindsided by this report and has been on the back foot since,” Senator Hume said.

“We’re not going to apologise for having a strong leader that will stand up for national interests, particularly with a track record in national security, as opposed to Albanese, who’s been very weak on this.”

Janes reports Russia had lodged an official request to base several long-range aircraft at Manhua Air Force Base in Papua province.

The report quoted multiple unidentified Indonesian government sources. The air base is about 1300km from Darwin.

The request followed a visit by Russia’s Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu to Indonesia in February, Janes reports.

Leaders square off for second debate

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton will face off in the second leaders debate of the election campaign, just days after they released big spending policies at the respective campaign launches.

The Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader will return to Sydney for Wednesday evening’s event, to be hosted by the ABC.

It comes a week after the Sky News/Daily Telegraph People’s Forum was awarded to the Prime Minister by 44 of the 100 undecided voters in the audience.

Anthony Albanese was awarded the first leaders debate against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. (Photo by Jason Edwards / NewsWire)

Opinion polls are also putting Labor ahead of the Coalition, with just two and a half weeks to go till the May 3 election.

The latest Newspoll for The Australian, released on Monday, showed Labor had inched ahead, taking 52 per cent of the two-party preferred vote and increasing its primary to 33 per cent.

The polling also revealed the Coalition’s primary vote support had fallen yet another point to 35 per cent – meaning the party’s favourability is now lower than before they lost the 2022 election.

Another poll published by Nine Newspapers on Tuesday night, taken after the campaign launches, showed the Albanese government had impressed voters more on the key issue of housing by 40 per cent to 27 per cent.

Anthony Albanese’s policies on housing were favoured by voters 40 per cent to 27 per cent over the Coalition’s. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

Mr Dutton on Tuesday acknowledged he was the underdog in the race for the Lodge.

Speaking about his favourability at a press conference on Monday morning, Mr Dutton said he was still in the race.

“It’s hard to win after one term,” he said.

“This has been the worst government since 1931. I don’t think Australians can afford three more years of this bad government.”

Earlier, Mr Albanese hinted he would look for a third term if he won on May 3, but later said he was just assuring voters he would serve a full term.

Sunrise’s Nat Barr on Tuesday asked Mr Albanese if he was “measuring up the curtains”, something he accused Mr Dutton of doing when the Opposition Leader said he would live at Kirribilli House if he won the election.

“Certainly not. We’ve got a big mountain to climb,” Mr Albanese said.

Although the leaders were hoping to focus on their housing policies on Tuesday, a move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask Indonesia to allow Moscow to base aircraft at its province of Papua overtook campaigning.

Mr Dutton used it as a chance to attack the Albanese government on national security, while Mr Albanese said he had worked hard to build strong ties with Indonesia, while telling Russia it was not welcome in the region.

More to come

Originally published as Australian election 2025: Wong slams Dutton over Indonesia-Russia military report