Federal election 2016: Penalties, Greens dog Shorten; Turnbull in the NT
Frontbencher David Feeney has admitted to an embarrasing “omission” over a house in his electorate which was negatively geared.
- Labor attacked on border protection
- Credlin takes aim at Turnbull
- Attack on PM ‘wrong’
- Greens deliver penalties pitch
- PM’s bungling continues
- Backpacker tax backflip
- Shorten’s awkward kiss
- MP didn’t declare $2.3m home
Hello and welcome to Day Ten of the campaign. Malcolm Turnbull has been campaigning in the Northern Territory, while Bill Shorten visited Adelaide. Greens leader Richard Di Natale delivered a key speech in Sydney.
Who won the day?Read David Crowe’s verdict here.
10.20pm:Credlin defends immigration policy
Peta Credlin has defended the Coalition’s immigration policy on Sky News tonight in a debate with public policy fellow at Melbourne University Nicholas Reece.
The former Liberal Party chief of staff said the plans to increase the uptake of refugees, like the Greens plan announced today, were illogical without the funding and infrastructure to support them.
“Let’s be fair dinkum we are talking about public housing, we are talking about water shortages, we are talking about a range of issues, it’s not a simple hand on heart humanitarian response, it’s got to be hard-headed and it’s got to be paid for,” she said.
Read more of Credlin’s comments here.
8.18pm‘Immigration too high’
More than half of voters believe immigration to Australia over the past decade has been too high, including those born overseas, a new poll shows.
The Essential poll, commissioned by television station SBS, found 60 per cent of overseas-born voters agreed the level of immigration had been excessive over the past 10 years.
That’s the same amount as those born in Australia, the poll showed.
Overall, 59 per cent of voters agreed immigration has been too high, while 28 per cent disagreed.
However, almost two thirds believe migrants have overall made a positive contribution to Australian society and 62 per cent think cultural diversity has enriched the lives of Australians.
Just 28 per cent agreed Australia should increase its intake of refugees due to the crisis in Europe and 38 per cent believe accepting refugees is something a wealthy nation like Australia should do.
The poll surveyed 1020 people online from May 12 to 15.
6.17pm:Frontbencher’s embarrasing ‘omission’
Labor frontbencher David Feeney has admitted to an “omission” over a $2.3 million home in his Melbourne electorate after he failed to declare the asset on parliament’s official register of financial interests, writes David Crowe.
The embarrassing oversight is likely to be used against the Labor MP as the Greens try to dislodge him from the inner Melbourne seat of Batman, but he is insisting there was no conflict of interest in owning the property.
Feeney and his wife, lawyer Liberty Sanger, bought the property in December 2013 and have rented it out since then while hiring an architect and preparing for a builder to renovate the property.
Feeney confirmed to The Australian that the house in Northcote was negatively geared, the practice of counting rental losses against salary income in a common tax practice that Labor wants to scale back in order to generate $32.1 billion in revenue over a decade.
“The fact that my wife and I purchased a home in Northcote in 2013 is not a secret, it’s on the public record,” Feeney told The Australian.
“There is no conflict of interest in my wife and I owning a home in Northcote.”
6.00pm:Shorten’s trip adds to tram woes
In case you’ve been under a rock all day, Bill Shorten has been riding the tram and talking about trams.
And moments before boarding the Adelaide CBD tram, he was warned about congestion. “They’re jam-packed!” an exasperated commuter told the opposition leader as they both stood on the platform, reports AAP.
Using the journey to spruik Labor’s $500 million funding commitment for pre-construction work on a new tram network connecting the city to the suburbs, Shorten certainly got to see first-hand just how tight the squeeze was as he stepped on board accompanied by Adelaide Labor MP Kate Ellis, the South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill, Labor Senate leader Penny Wong - oh, and more than a dozen cameramen and journalists travelling with Mr Shorten.
He took selfies on the three-stop journey, with Mr Weatherill and some happy commuters.
Others surrounding the Labor leader appeared less impressed their daily commute had been bombarded by the media event.
One couple was visibly annoyed they couldn’t get off at their stop.
Others didn’t know what the fuss was about. One woman was staring off into the distance as Mr Shorten talked up his party’s tram plan to a man sitting next to her.
Shorten later spoke of the need to clear congestion on the roads with trams.
Too many people lost time sitting in cars, he said.
He also couldn’t resist a dig at the public-transport loving Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
“He’ll hop on the tram to take a selfie - he just won’t build a tram line,” he said.
5.40pm:More disapprove of Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull’s disapproval as prime minister has edged ahead of his approval rating for the first time. The latest Essential poll published today shows 42 per cent of voters disapprove of his job, while 40 per cent approve.
At its peak in November 2015, Turnbull’s approval rating was 56 per cent to 17 per cent disapproval.
The Australian’s most recent Newspoll showed Turnbull’s net satisfaction rating, which measures the difference between those who are satisfied and those who are dissatisfied, sits on -11 points, a sharp deterioration from late last year, when it was a positive 38 points.
3.10pm:‘Move on from Abbott’
Barnaby Joyce has offered up some advice to coalition voters still angry Tony Abbott was ousted as prime minister.
“At times you’ve got park things and move on, otherwise you live your whole life looking back over your shoulder and you are going to get angry and bitter,” the deputy prime minister told 2GB radio.
2.30pm:Don’t cry for me, Sophie
A bumper edition of Meanwhile, In Victoria today, including why there was more than a bit of hand-wringing in Liberal circles as hardheads examined the entrails of Sophie Mirabella’s emotional interview on the ABC’s 7.30 last night.
You can also read more about Tim Watts and the rather hipster fundraiser he is set to hold in his working class seat of Gellibrand next month.
2.15pm:Shorten’s awkward campaign kiss
Margo Carey, 49, says hello to the Opposition Leader. pic.twitter.com/qI4KMEJk48
— joe kelly (@joekellyoz) May 17, 2016
Margo Carey saw the opposition leader as he was walking through the city streets to meet locals.
She gave him a brief talking-to about tram access for people with a disability before grabbing and pulling him across her wheelchair and planting a kiss on the lips.
Mr Shorten’s wife Chloe was unfazed by the encounter, taking it in good humour.
“I don’t blame her!” she said in a statement.
“I’m thrilled that people are so happy to meet Bill.”
2pm: Election trail update, day 10
Here’s a lunchtime wrap of what’s happened so far today:
Darwin spending
Malcolm Turnbull has been in Darwin, where he announced $15m for a PET scanner for the Darwin Hospital, but was pipped at the post by the same announcement from Labor yesterday. He’s been in the seat of Solomon, held by Coalition MP Natasha Griggs by only 1.5 per cent. As political reporter Rosie Lewis, who is on the road with Mr Turnbull, reported, the Coalitional also announced $29.5m for the Barneson Boulevard road project, designed to ease congestion and improve access to the Darwin CBD. The PM attended a morning tea with Ms Griggs, which was also attended by the Coalition candidate for Lingiari, Tina MacFarlane. Lingiari, which covers all of the Northern Territory except Darwin, is held by Labor’s Warren Snowdon by 0.9 per cent. Mr Turnbull also visited East Arm Wharf to suvey a Cape Class Australian Border Force vessel. He took the opportunity to ramp up his attack on Bill Shorten’s border security policy, declaring Labor “will fail” in keeping Australia safe if it wins government. The PM is headed to Cairns, in far north Queensland, later today.
Backpacker tax backflip
The main story of the day has been the Coaliton’s decision to delay the introduction of its controversial backpacker tax. The Prime Minister hinted at the decision at a politics in the pub event in Darwin last night, and his deputy Barnaby Joyce has been telling people to “watch this space” for days. Small business minister Kelly O’Dwyer finally made the announcement in the Murrumbateman wine region north of Canberra, in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro. The tax, which was due to come into effect on July 1, would remove the $18,200 tax free threshold for working holiday visa holders and see them pay 32.5 per cent tax from the first dollar they earn. The government had claimed the 2014 budget measure would raise $540 million over four years. Ms O’Dwyer said Mr Joyce would chair a review of the tax as part of a broad review of the workforce shortages faced by the agriculture and tourism industries. The review will report by 14 October, allowing any changes to be introduced by 1 January next year, with the tax delayed in the meantime. Labor, the Greens and farming and tourism groups are calling for the government to dump the tax altogether. That may well be the result of the review.
Shorten’s jobs pitch
Bill Shorten has visited Adelaide, announcing $500 million for a new tram network, which Labor claims will create 2000 jobs. He’s tried to dig Labor out of its bind on penalty rates by saying that no case has been made to slash them, as political reporter Joe Kelly reports from the Opposition Leader’s campaign bus. Labor has gone on the offensive on penalty rates today, for fear of being wedged by the Greens on the issue. Shadow Employment Minister Brendan O’Connor issued a statement this afternoon highlight the fact that Greens have made no submissions to the Fair Work Commission on keeping penalty rates. Bill Shorten has also embraced the US Alliance as a strong and ongoing part of Australian foreign policy, after the Greens called for the ANZUS treaty to be reconsidered and warned it posed a risk to national security. Accompanied by an entourage including Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen and Education spokeswoman Kate Ellis, the Opposition Leader toured an advanced manufacturing plant in the safe Port Adelaide seat of Labor climate change spokesman Mark Butler. He also caught the Glenelg tram three short stops from State Parliament to Victoria Square.
Warning over US alliance
Greens leader Richard Di Natale has been in Sydney, addressing the Lowy Institute on why he believes Australia should distance itself from its defence alliance with the US, arguing that it is a risk to national security, costs an “enormous” amount of money and must be reconsidered in favour of developing an “independent” foreign policy. He earlier claimed the Greens were not playing games on boats. The Greens have launched an Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer policy package, pledging to commit $32 million to the full rollout of the Safe Schools program. Their policy also includes the removal of religious exemptions to federal anti-discrimination law and getting HIV prevention medication PrEP listed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
Credlin steals headlines again
Peta Credlin appears to have got her wires crossed in accusing Malcolm Turnbull of failing to appear with two candidates. While Ms Credlin, who was Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, was correct in asserting that controversial Fremantle candidate Sherry Sufi was absent as the Prime Minister toured his electorate yesterday, she was wrong in claiming he snubbed Nicolle Flint in the South Australian seat of Boothby and Chris Crewther in the Victorian seat of Dunkley last week. Mr Crewther was photographed alongside Mr Turnbull at a Mornington Peninsula brewery, while Ms Flint can be seen in The Australian’s video of Mr Turnbull’s tour of Boothby.
1.30pm:Palmer’s party misses the boat
Clive Palmer’s political party won’t have its logo on ballot papers for the July 2 federal election after it missed the deadline.
Palmer United Party is among a dozen minor parties whose logo applications were still being processed when the election writs were issued on Monday, freezing the register of parties.
An Australian Electoral Commission spokesman told AAP parties without registered logos would have a blank space next to the name of their candidates.
For the record, pictured on the right is what you won’t see on election day.
1.20pm: Greens warn of ‘regional arms race’
Greens leader Richard Di Natale has delivered his address to the Lowy Institute in Sydney, claiming our defence spending is contributing to a regional arms race which could put us in the middle of a proxy war between China and the US.
“Australia is rapidly escalating our military technology so as to join and contribute to a regional arms race, interceding in a South China Sea proxy war between two of our largest trading partners over 4000 kilometres from our shores, all without diplomatic efforts having even gotten out of first gear,” he said.
Senator Di Natale said the $50 billion purchase of 12 new submarines, $17 billion for joint strike fighters and the allocation of two per cent of national income to the defence budget were unnecessary, and amounted to billions of dollars Australia wasn’t putting into schools and hospitals.
He also argued that climate change should be treated like a national security threat.
Political Reporter Sarah Martin has more on Senator Di Natale’s speech here:
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten earlier reiterated Labor’s support for the American alliance.
“I think the Greens have got some silly positions on a whole range of matters,” he said on the campaign trail in Adelaide.
1.05pm:Turnbull admits ‘issues’ over backpacker debacle
Malcolm Turnbull has conceded the government’s controversial backpacker tax had “issues” and says the six-month delay is designed to stop any labour shortages.
The Prime Minister also defended the announcement being made by Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer and not by him, insisting Ms O’Dwyer was the most relevant minister as she was responsible for tax.
“As you know we’re having a six-month review of it and we’re listening to the concerns from the horticultural sector and hospitality sector in particular,” he said.
“There is no question that there have been issues with the so-called backpacker tax and that’s why we’re reviewing it.”
Earlier on Territory FM radio, Mr Turnbull said the review, instigated by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s office, would “ensure that we get the right balance”.
“Clearly there is a legitimate concern from businesses in not just the hospitality sector but in particular in horticulture, agriculture as well that this is going to be collecting tax on this level on these working holiday visitors (and) going to result in labour shortages and we don’t want to have that,” he said. “We’ve listened and we’re going to review it over the next six months.”
Mr Turrnbull said the cost of the delay would be reflected in the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
1pm:Hold the phone, it’s Tony Abbott
The former PM has gone from handing out fliers to working the phones with the Liberal Party faithful:
It was good to visit @LiberalVictoria this morning and do some phone canvassing with the team. pic.twitter.com/ITItpInDyJ
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) May 17, 2016
12.50pm:ALP returns Greens fire on penalties
Labor has gone on the offensive for fear of being wedged by the Greens on penalty rates.
Shadow Employment Minister Brendan O’Connor has issued a press release this afternoon, declaring the Greens’ stunts and political games have today been exposed by leader Richard Di Natale’s lack of familiarity with his party’s position on the subject.
“Despite claiming to be the great defender of penalty rates, the Leader of the Greens had no idea whether or not his Party had made a submission to the Fair Work Commission arguing to protect them,” Mr O’Connor said.
Senator Di Natale responded to a question about whether his party had made a submission to the commission in support of penalty rates at a press conference in Sydney this morning by saying, “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
Mr O’Connor said there was no need for Senator Di Natale to get back to anyone, because the Greens had not made a submission.
“There is also no mention of penalty rates in their employment and workplace relations platform,” Mr O’Connor said.
“This is despite the Greens political party saying they have a clear and unequivocal position when it comes to protecting penalty rates.
“The Greens’ simplistic and dangerous proposition to legislate penalty rates will open the door to put decisions on penalty rates in the hands of a future Liberal Government.
“Being 75 votes short of legislating anything, the grandstanding from the Greens must stop.”
Mr O’Connor also quoted a statement from Greens Tasmanian senator and former banker Peter Whish-Wilson, saying he believed penalty rates were outdated.
“I think we need a bigger discussion nationally about weekends versus weekdays. I think it’s just a white Anglo-Saxon cultural thing that we’ve inherited. Society is different now,” Senator Whish-Wilson told The Australian in 2013.
12.40pm: Shorten addresses Trump spectre
Bill Shorten has embraced the US Alliance as a strong and ongoing part of Australian foreign policy, after the Greens called for the ANZUS treaty to be reconsidered and warned it posed a risk to national security, Joe Kelly writes.
The Opposition Leader, who this morning toured an advanced manufacturing plant in the Port Adelaide seat of his climate change spokesman Mark Butler, said if he lived in the United States he would vote for Hillary Clinton and warned of difficulties with a Donald Trump presidency.
“In terms of the American Alliance, the Labor party sees it as part of our foreign policy - a strong ongoing maintenance of the American alliance,” he said.
The defence of the US Alliance comes as Greens Leader Richard Di Natale uses a speech to the Lowy Institute today to argue for a more independent foreign policy stance.
Senator Di Natale argues that the reliance on the US Alliance amounts to a repudiation of Australia as a confident 21st century country and meant Australia was complicit in the “terrible” consequences wrought by US foreign policy.
“I think the Greens have got some silly positions on a whole range of matters,” Mr Shorten said. “In terms of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, I have to say that if I was in America I’d be voting for Hillary Clinton.”
“Whoever America elects we’ll deal with, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Trump would be very difficult, I think, to deal with. But Australia -- we will stick to the American Alliance fullstop.”
When pressed on how Mr Trump would difficult to deal with, Mr Shorten said: “You have heard what he said?”
12.35pm: Greens commit to Safe Schools
The Greens have launched an Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer policy package, pledging to commit $32 million to the full rollout of the Safe Schools program.
Their policy also includes the removal of religious exemptions to federal anti-discrimination law and getting HIV prevention medication PrEP listed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
The policy was announced today by the Greens sexuality spokesman Robert Simms, and gender identity and intersex spokeswoman Janet Rice.
“We are proud to announce a full suite of policy positions on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia,” Senator Simms said.
“Under current anti-discrimination laws, a gay man can be fired from working at a private school and a transgender person can be turned away from a religious homeless shelter.
We shouldn’t be giving religious organisations a get-out-of-jail-free card and the right to discriminate.”
Senator Rice accused Malcolm Turnbull of a “cave-in to the dinosaurs on his back bench” on Safe Schools and marriage equality.
12.30pm:Tributes for parliament architect
Senate President Stephen Parry and Speaker Tony Smith have taken a break from campaigning to acknowledge the death yesterday of the architect of Parliament House, Romaldo “Aldo” Giurgola AO. Mr Giurgola died peacefully in Canberra yesterday at the age of 95.
As senior partner of Mitchell, Giurgola & Thorp architects Mr Giurgola was principal design architect for Parliament House from its inception in 1980 until 1999.
He once said, “an architect gives form to a building, and people give that building their own meaning.
The presiding officers said they were pleased to have been able to meet Mr Giurgola when he came to Parliament House in October last year for a morning tea to celebrate his birthday.
“We acknowledge Mr Giurgola not only as an exceptional architect of Parliament House but one who, along with a great team of architects, helped to make the Australian Parliament House the iconic symbol of democracy that it has become,” Senator Parry and Mr Smith said.
Born in Rome, Mr Giurgola’s career began in Italy, continued in the USA, and culminated in Australia.
He also had a distinguished academic career, including serving as head of the department of architecture at the Columbia University, New York.
Mr Giurgola was a proud Australian, making Canberra his home and becoming a citizen in 2000.
12.25pm: Independents fire warning to major parties
The two most high profile independents have ruled out doing deals which would allow the Coalition or Labor to form minority government in a hung parliament.
Independent MP Cathy McGowan, who is up against former Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella for the north east Victorian seat of Indi, and Tony Windsor, who is trying to win the northern NSW seat of New England back from Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, have both indicated they would sooner send voters back to the polls than back either side.
Ms McGowan said she would not give up the opportunity to vote for legislation on merit.
“I’m not going to sell my vote and lose my ability to vote on issues as they impact on my community,” she told ABC radio.
Mr Windsor also ruled out any deals.
“If there was another hung parliament ... I wouldn’t be signing any document with any side, I would remain independent,” he told The Conversation.
Mr Windsor, the Greens and fellow Independent Rob Oakeshott did a deal in 2010 to guarantee support for the Gillard minority government after the election resulted in a hung parliament.
12.10pm:Labor faces attack over border protection
Malcolm Turnbull has ramped up his attack on Bill Shorten’s border security policy declaring Labor “will fail” in keeping Australia safe if it wins government.
Using a visit to the East Arm Wharf in Darwin and an Australian Border Force vessel to launch the assault, the Prime Minister said the increasing number of Labor candidates and backbenchers who were against boat turnbacks and offshore processing were “just the tip of the iceberg”.
“They are the symptom of a fundamental problem that Mr Shorten has, which is that the Labor Party does not agree with the government’s strong policy on border protection,” Mr Turnbull said.
“They do not agree with turning the boats back. And regardless of what they say before the election, we know from the experience of Kevin Rudd’s government that they will not perform, that they will fail, that they lack the conviction to be strong in Australia’s interest.”
Mr Turnbull challenged Labor and specifically deputy leader Tanya Plibersek to tell voters how its asylum policy was different to the government’s.
“We know that the policies we have work and they are precisely the policies that worked under John Howard and the policies that I begged Kevin Rudd not to change ... not to undertake a massive experiment with Australia’s border security,” the PM said.
Asked if he was politicising the ABF, Mr Turnbull said border protection was a “political issue”.
Media had been told not to take photos of the Prime Minister with the ABF logo on the Cape Jervis vessel because the organisation didn’t want to be “politicised”.
“The protection of Australia’s borders is a political issue,” Mr Turnbull said.
“We should not be naive about this. The Australian Border Force .... will do a professional job for whichever government the Australian people elect on the 2nd of July ... but everything depends on whether there is a government that is committed to keeping our borders secure. Australians know my government is.”
12pm: Greens deny asylum-seeker ploy
Greens leader Richard Di Natale has denied that his party could trade its opposition to offshore processing of asylum-seekers in return for an increase in the refugee intake to 50,000.
Senator Di Natale said yesterday that the Greens’ position on asylum-seekers could be one area where “there may be some movement” so it could govern with Labor should there be a hung parliament.
Speaking in Sydney today before he addressed the Lowy Institute on the Greens foreign policy, he said: “The Greens want to see those offshore hell holes, those camps, closed. That’s our position, and it will continue to be our position”.
Read more in Mark Coultan’s story here
11.30am:Credlin’s wires crossed?
An update on our earlier story about Peta Credlin accusing Malcolm Turnbull of making a “mistake” in failing to appear with several of his candidates.
While Ms Credlin, who was Tony Abbott’s former chief of staff, was correct in asserting that controversial Fremantle candidate Sherry Sufi was absent as the Prime Minister toured his electorate yesterday, she was wrong in claiming he snubbed Nicolle Flint in the South Australian seat of Boothby and Chris Crewther in the Victorian seat of Dunkley last week.
Ms Credlin made the comments during her regular segment as a Sky News election commentator last night.
As stories our political reporter Sarah Martin wrote on the road with Mr Turnbull show, both candidates appeared with him at campaign events.
Mr Crewther was photographed alongside Mr Turnbull at a Mornington Peninsula brewery, while Ms Flint can be seen in The Australian’s video of Mr Turnbull’s tour of Boothby.
Ms Credlin last night claimed they had not been present.
“When it becomes a pattern, the pattern becomes a problem, and particularly the seat of Boothby and Dunkley, where he did not have the candidates, I think was a mistake” she said.
“They’re seats we must hold. We’ve got retiring 20 year members going and anything you can do to boost name recognition is important.”
Boothby, in Adelaide’s south, is being vacated by Andrew Southcott, who has held the seat since 1996 and currently has a margin of 7.2 per cent.
In Dunkley, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, former small business minister Bruce Billson, also of the class of 1996, is retiring.
Mr Billson has built the margin up to 5.5 per cent, but his personal vote is considered to be significant.
Today, we rededicate ourselves to removing discrimination from our laws and prejudice from our hearts. #IDAHOT pic.twitter.com/Tq9VxLJAro
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) May 17, 2016
11am:Out and about in the north
Facilities at East Arm Wharf, which Malcolm Turnbull is visiting, are operated by the Chinese company Landbridge as part of a controversial 99-year lease. Defence experts have called for the Chinese operator to be placed under scrutiny amid revelations in The Australian last year of Landbridge’s close and extensive links to the People’s Liberation Army and the group’s move to set up its own armed militia unit.
Mr Turnbull clearly has an eye on the Coalition’s fortunes in the NT:
The PM channels Arnold Schwarzenegger to finish NT radio interview "I'll be back". There are two marginal seats in NT #ausvotes @australian
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) May 17, 2016
10.50am:Shorten speaks out on penalties
Bill Shorten has stood by his defence of the industrial umpire in determining penalty rates for low paid workers, saying the case has not been made for a reduction in weekend loadings.
“The case hasn’t been made to slash penalty rates in this country,” the Opposition Leader told 5AA radio in Adelaide. “The best defence workers have is a strong independent umpire. That is the best protection.”
Mr Shorten said the Greens position to legislate in defence of penalty rates was “dangerously naive” because it would open the door to a future Liberal government to unilaterally cut penalty rates through the parliament.
10.35am:‘A win for agriculture’
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says the government’s decision to delay the backpacker tax shows it has listened to industry concerns about labour shortages.
The National Party Leader and Agriculture Minister says his review of the tax will form part of a broad review of the workforce shortages faced by the agriculture and tourism industries.
“The Coalition understands the agriculture sector faces ongoing challenges to secure an adequate workforce to pick the fruit, harvest the crops, process the meat and milk the cows,” Mr Joyce said.
“Upon our re-election, the Coalition will establish an inter-departmental Review into 417 and 462 Visa Labour which will report by 14 October 2016, allowing any changes to be introduced by 1 January 2017.
“Stakeholders have told the Government there are many factors impacting the availability of labour in agriculture, including but not exclusively backpackers, and the review will consider all of these.”
Budget just 2 weeks ago. Pathology backdown. Now backpackers. An economic plan for just a fortnight? Can someone,anyone, get serious on tax!
— Rob Oakeshott (@RobOakeshott1) May 16, 2016
The Greens have called for the government to dump the backpacker tax, rather than just delaying it. Party spokeswoman on agriculture Rachel Siewert said the delay was simply a tactic to hose down opposition ahead of the election.
“The Government’s backpacker tax is a grab for revenue that ignores the impact on growers,” Senator Siewert said.
“Growers rely on working holiday makers for key seasonal work, such workers will go elsewhere instead of Australia adversely affecting our farming sector.
“The Government’s delay of the tax is a cynical election move to delay the operation of the tax until after the election. The Government should abandon the tax now”.
10.30am: Coalition retreat on new tax
Assistant Treasurer and Small Business Minister Kelly O’Dwyer has announced the backpacker tax delay at a press conference in Murrumbateman, north of Canberra, in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro.
Ms O’Dwyer said the agriculture and tourism sectors had been very persuasive in their advocacy to have the tax, which was due to kick in on July 1, delayed.
The tax would remove the $18,200 tax free threshold for working holiday visa holders and see them pay 32.5 per cent tax from the first dollar they earn.
The government had hoped the 2014 budget measure would raise $540 million over four years.
Ms O’Dwyer highlighted the fact that Murrumbateman is a wine region which relies heavily on seasonal workers, many of whom are backpackers, before announcing that Deputy PM and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce would chair a review of the tax.
.@KellyODwyer announces a review of labour forces in response to negative reactions to govt's backpacker tax https://t.co/azbz3Xo6VW
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 16, 2016
“It is a review that will be conducted by Barnaby Joyce and it is a review that will be supplemented by the Minister for Immigration, the Minister for Employment, the Minister for Tourism and also the PM’s department and, of course, the Treasury,” whe said.
“This means, by necessity, that there will be a deferral of the commencement of the measures that were announced in the budget, two budgets ago.”
“It will mean that that commencement date does not begin on 1 July this year but will be deferred until the 6-month period goes past and that there is the full review and the outcomes of that review are known.
“The outcomes of the review, of course, will be considered by cabinet in October or November of this year and any outcomes following on from that review will commence from 1 January 2017.”
Ms O’Dwyer said the government had made the decision following extensive lobbying from its rural and regional MPs.
She said the delay would have a $40 million impact on the budget bottom line.
10.20am:Campaign state of play
A quick round-up of where everyone is today:
• Malcolm Turnbull campaigning in the Northern Territory, where he is expected to announce $15 million for a PET scanner for the Darwin Hospital so patients no longer have to travel to Adelaide. Labor made the same announcement yesterday.
• Bill Shorten is in Adelaide to announce $500 million for a new tram network. Labor says the funding will help create 2000 jobs and be used to pay for pre-construction work on the AdeLINK project.
• Greens leader Richard di Natale is in Sydney, where he’ll tell the Lowy Institute why he believes Australia should distance itself from its defence alliance with the US at lunch time. He’ll also hold a press conference before that to discuss the delay of the backpacker tax, which the Greens have opposed, and preview his speech.
• Treasurer Scott Morrison is spending a second day in Queensland, visiting the seat of Forde, in Brisbane’s south, with local MP Bert van Manen to talk small business at a local motorhomes saleyard.
• Assistant Treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer is in Murrumbateman, north of Canberra, and has announced the delay of the backpacker tax with Eden-Monaro MP Peter Hendy.
• Labor Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek is in Capricornia, on the central Queensland coast, with Labor candidate Leisa Neaton. They’re expected to visit a local retirement village.
• Shadow Transport, Infrastructure, Tourism and Cities Minister Anthony Albanese is spending a second day in Perth, campaigning with Labor’s candidates for Fremantle and the new seat of Burt, Josh Wilson and Matt Keogh. He’ll be making an infrastructure funding announcement in Burt, before heading to a football ground in Fremantle.
• Justice Minister Michael Keenan is in the Canberra suburb of Wanniassa to announce $470,000 for the Canberra Police Community Youth Club with ACT Senator Zed Seselja and Liberal Candidate for Canberra Jessica Adelan-Langford.
• Tourism and International Education Minister Richard Colbeck is in Sanctuary Cove, in the seat of Fadden, south of Brisbane, to deliver the opening address at the Australian Superyacht and Marine Export conference.
• Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh is on the Sunshine Coast with Labor’s candidate for Fisher, Bill Gissane, discussing the impact of the federal budget.
• A Labor contingent including Shadow Communications and Resources minister Jason Clare and Shadow Regional Communications Minister Stephen Jones will visit Bateman’s Bay, in the NSW south coast seat of Gilmore with local candidate Fiona Phillips to attend a business roundtable and discuss Labor’s NBN plan. They’ll also be attending a public forum on communications in Ulladulla tonight.
• Another Labor contingent including Shadow Vocational Education Minister Sharon Bird and Shadow Financial Services, Sport and Trade Minister Jim Chalmers will also visit the seat of Forde with local candidate Des Hardman. They’re visiting a panel beaters and a TAFE.
10am:PM targets marginal Darwin seat
Malcolm Turnbull has hit the hustings in Darwin. His first stop? A morning tea with Liberal MP Natasha Griggs in her seat of Solomon - held on a 1.4 per cent margin. The government’s candidate for Lingiari, Tina MacFarlane, is also at the event. Labor’s Warren Snowdon holds that seat on an even smaller margin of 0.9 per cent. The trio will talk about the benefits of a $15m cancer scanner, officially announced this morning but not before Labor matched the funding commitment. The PM will also head to East Arm Wharf to visit a Cape Class Australian Border Force vessel and, later on, make a roads announcement. The people of Darwin will also hear Mr Turnbull on radio shortly - he’s hitting the airwaves at 9.30am local time (10am AEST).
9.40am:Controversial new tax sent packing
The Coalition is expected to announce a delay in the introduction of its controversial backpacker tax today. Malcolm Turnbull was asked about the tax, which the agriculture and tourism industries fear will lead to seasonal worker shortages and fewer tourists, at a politics in the pub event in Darwin last night.
“This is something we’re very alert to. We’re looking at it, and watch this space,” the Prime Minister said.
The tax, due to come into effect on July 1, would remove the $18,200 tax free threshold for working holiday visa holders and see them pay 32.5 per cent tax from the first dollar they earn.
The government had claimed it would raise $540 million over four years, but has now decided to defer the tax for “further consideration”.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has called on the government to take more definitive action, and completely rule out the tax.
“It sends all the wrong signals to backpackers, many of whom are making the decision to travel to New Zealand or Canada instead of Australia,” he said.
The tourism industry has welcomed the government’s decision to delay the backpacker tax.
Tourism & Transport Forum chief executive Margie Osmond says the tourism and agriculture industries depend on backpacker labour and the decision will ensure the source of around 130,000 visitors to Australia annually did not diminish.
“We’re opening the door to a group of tourists who come to this country to work and spend their money in those regional communities,” Ms Osmond told ABC radio.
“One of the biggest issues for the tourism industry is in fact regional dispersal, and this assists with that greatly,” she said.
9.30am:Turnbull’s timing is out again
Malcolm Turnbull has bungled his second announcement in as many days after he was pipped at the post by Labor, who revealed it would match the government’s commitment to fund the Northern Territory’s first PET cancer scanner.
In a move that could undermine the Prime Minister’s morning campaigning in the territory, Labor got a heads up the government would contribute $15m for the scanner after Liberal Party MP Natasha Griggs went on local radio yesterday and confirmed the funding.
Despite Mr Turnbull talking about the scanner at last night’s politics in the pub event, the official announcement was embargoed until today.
But Labor managed to be the first party to announce the $15m yesterday, changing its campaigning plans when it realised the government was preparing its own announcement.
Up to 300 local patients are forced to travel interstate each year for their cancer scans but can receive radiation and chemotherapy in Darwin.
Ms Griggs promised Territorians in 2010 - when she first won her marginal seat - that the scanner was “on its way”.
The scanner confusion follows Mr Turnbull’s press conference in Perth’s Austal shipyard’s yesterday when he insisted his missing Fremantle candidate Sherry Sufi, who has made controversial comments about same-sex marriage and constitutional recognition, was not with him because he was a “national” announcement, not a local one.
The problem was that announcement only became clear after the press conference, when Coalition headquarters issued a press release saying the global shipbuilding company would use Australian “high-tensile steel” to build the 19 steel-hulled Pacific Patrol Boats.
This was lost in Mr Turnbull’s remarks, although he did mention halfway through his introduction that “these ships will be built here in Perth, in Australia, out of Australian steel”.
In another spending commitment today, the Turnbull government said if re-elected it would invest $29.5m into the Barneson Boulevard project to “ease congestion and improve access to the Darwin CBD”, with a 750m link from Tiger Brennan Drive to the city.
9.20am:Send in the clowns
Circus performers are set to rally outside ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja’s office to protest against what they say is the government’s inaction on climate change and support for the fossil fuel industry.
The protest will feature clowns, a ringmaster and performers dressed as coal barons who hope do draw attention to political donations the Coalition receives from coal and gas companies.
Senator Seselja is under threat from the Greens in his bid to retain the second ACT senate seat.
Labor has won the top spot since ACT senate seats were established in 1976.
It segues nicely into a mention of the NT News’s front page from today, which pokes fun at the major parties’ scramble to win over voters in the region.
The Greens are hoping Senator Seselja’s conservative views on climate change, same-sex marriage and racial discrimination will make him vulnerable in the left leaning capital, making the seat achievable for their candidate, economist and UN humanitarian worker Christina Hobbs.
Former Getup! activist Simon Sheikh won 19 per cent of the vote as Greens candidate in 2013, finishing third on preferences behind Labor’s Kate Lundy and Senator Seselja.
9.10am:A foreshadowing on interest rates?
The Reserve Bank is today due to release minutes of its recent board meeting, which may give an indication of the likelihood of another interest rate cut between now and polling day on July 2.
The minutes, to be released this afternoon, will detail the bank’s deliberations over its decision earlier this month to cut rates to a record low of 1.75 per cent.
The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan confidence survey will also be released today.
It may give an indication of any impact the election campaign is having on consumer confidence.
9am:Armoured and dangerous
On a lighter note, a Ned Kelly suit of armour made by independent senator John Madigan to fund his election campaign is fetching just over $2000 on auction site eBay.
The former blacksmith is selling the armour to raise money for his campaign and the auction ends on Friday.
Strewth revealed Madigan’s plans last week. So far it has attracted 47 bids and the highest is $2050.
8.45am:Cormann defends budget tax plan
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has reiterated the government’s rejection of an Australia Institute report which argued its planned company tax cuts would deliver a multi-billion dollar windfall to the US Treasury.
The Australia Institute says that under a tax treaty with the United States, the planned company tax cut here would mean US subsidiaries pay $11 billion over the next decade to their own government, rather than to ours.
Senator Cormann told ABC radio this morning the claim was “completely false”.
“It is an assertion made by a Greens aligned think tank,” he said.
“We all know that Greens don’t like business, they don’t like jobs, they don’t like growth.
The concern for Australia should be that Labor has jumped onto the anti-business, anti-growth, anti-jobs bandwagon of the Greens.”
Senator Cormann said every credible economist around the world believed that a more competitive company tax rate would boost investment, growth, and job creation and increase real wages.
He said the premise on which the Australia Institute report was based was false.
“None other than the independent Henry Tax Review which was commissioned by the previous Labor government actually looked at this whole issue of how a lower income tax rate in Australia would impact on, for example tax credits in the US. It found that the impact was limited,” he said.
8.10am:Credlin takes aim at Turnbull
Peta Credlin has again criticised Malcolm Turnbull’s campaign, weighing in during her regular segment as a Sky News commentator last night to declare the Prime Minister made a “mistake” yesterday when he failed to appear with controversial Fremantle candidate Sherry Sufi.
Ms Credlin played a key role in the Coalition’s strong campaigns in 2010 and 2013 as Tony Abbott’s chief of staff.
Last night she pointed out that Mr Turnbull had not only snubbed Mr Sufi, who has previously expressed controversial opinions on same-sex marriage and indigenous recognition, but similarly snubbed Liberal candidates in a South Australian and a Victorian seat.
“When it becomes a pattern, the pattern becomes a problem, and particularly the seat of Boothby and Dunkley, where he did not have the candidates, Nicolle Flint in Boothby and Chris Crewther in Dunkley, I think was a mistake” Ms Credlin said.
“They’re seats we must hold. We’ve got retiring 20 year members going and anything you can do to boost name recognition is important.”
Boothby, in Adelaide’s south, is being vacated by Andrew Southcott, who has held the seat since 1996 and currently has a margin of 7.2 per cent.
In Dunkley, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, former small business minister Bruce Billson, also of the class of 1996, is retiring.
Mr Billson has built the margin up to 5.5 per cent, but his personal vote is considered to be significant.
8.10am: What you need to know
A quick look at our top political stories and opinion pieces today:
• Bill Shorten is under mounting pressure on a key Labor campaign pledge to “keep” weekend penalty rates, after he failed to guarantee they would not be downgraded if Labor won office.
• An Australian Federal Police forensic team sent to investigate the shooting death of contractor Chris Betts at the Australian embassy faced visa delays entering Iraq.
• Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull have donated money to the Grattan Institute think tank, which has criticised the government for failing to tackle negative gearing and GST reform.
• Malcolm Turnbull is gaining stronger business support for the $48.2bn company tax cuts at the heart of his election campaign against taunts from Bill Shorten about giving tax relief to rich Americans like Donald Trump.
• The ACCC has secured its first victory against a string of private colleges, reaching an agreement with Careers Australia that will see the training provider forgo tens of millions of dollars in funding.
• The last-minute inclusion of mental illness in the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been bungled so badly that people will die or commit suicide as a result, according to service providers.
• The $60,000 raised for Duncan Storrar is unlikely to help him get his life back together, writes Nick Cater.
• National security is the dog that isn’t barking properly in this campaign, according to Greg Sheridan
• “It’s fully funded.” This is one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated by politicians to trick the voting public into thinking that more free stuff can be handed out by the government and still be affordable, and it’s popularity shows no sign of waning on the Labor side, according to Judith Sloan.
• Reformers like Keating and Hawke knew how to sell policy, Troy Bramston writes.
• Before Barnaby Joyce goes too far in his calls for special help for dairy farmers, it should be noted the key cause for concern is not industry-wide: it’s monumental mismanagement at one company, Murray Goulburn, writes John Durie.
7.45am:Shorten heads for the tram
Labor has released its daily media comment as Bill Shorten prepares to touch down in Adelaide to unveil a $500 million AdeLINK tram project, which he says will create 2000 jobs.
“Labor will create thousands of jobs and ease congestion by investing in key public transport projects whereas Mr Turnbull thinks public transport is just about selfies on the train,” Labor says.
“Labor understands that infrastructure is about nation-building, not ego-boosting.”
7.15am:Greens deliver penalties pitch
The Greens yesterday launched a penalty rates ad campaign, trying to capitalise on divisions within Labor over the issue. The Greens hope it will persuade voters that they are the only party which will legislate to protect penalty rates, and is prepared to ignore the recommendations of the Fair Work Commission. The ad is set in an organic food shop which pays penalty rates on the weekend, with a retail manager saying this allows staff who are also students to pay their rent while studying full time. It then switches to the audio of an interview Bill Shorten gave 3AW last month, where he committed Labor to accepting the Fair Work Commission’s ruling should it cut penalty rates. It had 30,000 hits in its first two hours of being released yesterday.
But as Australia’s small business and family enterprise ombudsman Kate Carnell told 7.30’s Leigh Sales last night, there are significant difficulties with the Greens plan to enshrine penalty rates in law.
“I don’t know how you’d do that because penalty rates are different in almost every award,” Ms Carnell said.
“So they’re different in my old award, the pharmacy award, they’re different in hospitality and retail and a whole lot of awards. What would you legislate? I have no idea.
“And we’ve got an independent commission, the Fair Work Commission that sets minimum wages, that looks at awards, looks at award changes and does that independently.
“That’s something that we should protect at all costs. We don’t want our political system setting penalty rates, setting minimum awards, getting involved in awards generally. This has to be done independently.”
Bill Shorten’s campaign bus hit trouble yesterday, Sid Maher writes, stopping it in its tracks
Political Correspondent David Crowe writes that Bill Shorten yesterday was in a tight spot over penalty rates as he announced $59 million to help automotive industry workers transition to new jobs in Geelong, and Malcolm Turnbull campaigning on shipbuilding in the Perth seat of Fremantle without the local candidate, who has previously made controversial statements about same sex marriage and indigenous recognition. Unpopular WA Premier Colin Barnett was also a no show. Turnbull then flew to Darwin for a politics in the pub event, where he gave a strong indication that the government will soon move to delay, and probably ultimately axe, its backpacker tax which is due to kick in on July 1.
Crowe’s verdict on yesterday?
“Monday meant little to the campaign on either side. Turnbull and Shorten fought on the same ground as usual, neither advancing or retreating. There will be more days like it ahead. The day was a draw. But don’t worry — there’s a rematch tomorrow.”
That rematch has Malcolm Turnbull campaigning in the Northern Territory, where he is expected to announce $15m for a PET scanner for the Darwin Hospital so patients no longer have to travel to Adelaide. He’ll have the wind taken out of his sails to some extent by the fact that Labor health spokeswoman Catherine King travelled to Darwin to make the very same announcement yesterday. The Northern Territory’s two lower house seats are Solomon, around Darwin, which is held by Coalition MP Natasha Griggs by only 1.5 per cent, and Lingiari, which takes up the rest of the Territory, and is held by Labor’s Warren Snowdon by and even more meagre 0.9 per cent. Expect both sides to head to the Territory reasonably frequently during the campaign.
Meanwhile, Bill Shorten is taking an early flight from Melbourne to Adelaide, where he is expected to announce $500 million for a new tram network. The funding will help create 2000 jobs and be used to pay for pre-construction work on the AdeLINK project.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale will be in Sydney to address the Lowy Institute. He’s expected to outline why he believes Australia should distance itself from its defence alliance with the US, arguing that it is a risk to national security, costs an “enormous” amount of money and must be reconsidered in favour of developing an “independent” foreign policy.
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