Federal election 2019, campaign day 23: Voters hand Shorten narrow debate win
The Opposition Leader finishes slightly ahead as voters deliver their verdict following the second leaders’ debate.
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on Day 23 of the federal election campaign. Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have faced off again at the Sky News People’s Forum in Brisbane, with the audience handing the Opposition Leader a narrow win.
Earlier today, disgraced Liberal candidate Jessica Whelan quit over anti-Muslim Facebook posts, while embattled ALP candidate Luke Creasey was forced to resign after a series of offensive posts emerged.
8.48pm: Our debate verdict
Bill Shorten got the audience vote, but now our experts weigh in on how the leaders fared in the second debate. Read how Paul Kelly, Troy Bramston and Caroline Overington saw tonight’s face-off.
Greg Brown 8.13pm: Narrow win for Shorten
Bill Shorten has won over the crowd in the second leaders debate at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Forty-three per cent of undecided voters thought the Opposition Leader performed better in the Sky News People’s Forum, compared to 41 per cent who backed Scott Morrison.
Sixteen per cent of the audience were undecided.
Greg Brown 8.11pm: Voters’ verdict
As undecided voters leave the forum and cast their votes, they tell The Australian who they believe came out on top.
Account manager Sam Oneissy said Scott Morrison looked more statesmanlike and put his vote in favour of the government.
“I think Scott Morrison was a bit more statesmanlike in his approach to the answers and the questions and I think Bill Shorten was still glossing over the hard and fast answers,” Mr Oneissy said.
“His body language showed me he was confident in those answers he was giving.”
He did not like the lack of detail around Mr Shorten’s climate change policy.
“Not wanting to be seen as a climate denier, those targets they are saying we are going to get, I don’t see how we are going to get there especially when the rest of the world doesn’t give a damn.”
Rebecca Baxter said Mr Shorten won the evening and was more forthright in his answers.
“He wasn’t afraid to answer questions whereas our current prime minister kept repeating on his answers. He would butt into Bill and just keep saying the same thing,” she said.
Olivia Howe said Scott Morrison swayed her to vote for the Liberal National Party at the upcoming poll.
“Definitely Scott Morrison won. I just sort of thought Bill Shorten was good at avoiding every single question,” Ms Howe said.
“He is up to scratch on his media training but in terms of answering the question and leading the country I don’t think he will do a very good job.
“I think for a lot of millennials they are very confused about what the policies are and he was just able to clearly detail that in a nice succinct way.
“Bill Shorten just couldn’t really provide that, he just sort of looped around all the different questions.”
But she thought it was “unprofessional” when Mr Morrison went up in Mr Shorten’s face to debate him about tax.
Primrose Riordan 8.01pm: Voters have their say
Bookkeeper Liz Brener said she came out of the debate undecided as she believed both leaders failed to outline a vision of how they would improve the country.
“I felt there was a lot … it was really concentrated on the taxes,” she said.
“I didn’t hear what are you going to do.”
Property Manager Richard Adams said he voted for Scott Morrison as he got a positive impression of the Liberal leader during the debate and said he came across as a “good listener”. He said he believed Mr Shorten was a “good guy” but lacked substance.
Sky News has released the figures from the audience — and it was a narrow victory for Mr Shorten. The Labor leader won 43 votes, Mr Morrison took 41, while 16 were still undecided.
Rosie Lewis 7.44pm: ‘It’s time for change’
Bill Shorten says the choice is more of the same or his ambitious agenda.
“This economy is not working in the interests of working people ... It’s time for a change.” He says a vote for Labor will see pensioners getting proper dental support, real action on climate change, childcare support and a host of other things.
“We can do this because we’re united, because we’re stable.”
Rosie Lewis 7.43pm: ‘We’ll be able to steward you through’
There’s a fight over Labor’s climate policy now. The people’s forum is running over time. We’re onto closing statements. Scott Morrison begins.
“The choice is between a government that knows how to manage money ... a government that wants to lower your taxes, all of your taxes, so you can keep more of what you earn ... We are facing some very difficult times in the years ahead in our economy. Now is not the time to turn back ... We’ll be able to steward you through.”
Greg Brown 7.42pm: ‘Now not time to risk economy’
Morrison’s final statement is all about the risk of Shorten.
“Now is not the time to risk the economy,” he says.
Shorten says it is a choice between change or “more of the same”.
“This economy is not working in the interests of working people,” he says.
The audience claps and Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison shake hands with audience members before they vote on the winner.
Greg Brown 7.41pm: ‘Invest in renewables, create more jobs’
The final question is on Bill Shorten’s turf: action on climate change.
Morrison says both parties have climate change policies.
“We do need to take action on climate change,” before attacking the lack of costings on Labor’s 45 per cent target.
Shorten says his policies won’t cost jobs.
“If we invest in more renewables it will create more jobs,” he says.
Morrison then admits emissions have gone up under the Coalition but claims victory for hitting the Kyoto targets.
Shorten hits back with a zinger: “it is like the old surgeons comment: the operation was a success but the patient died”.
He then randomly walks to the other side of the stage to answer questions around the lack of costings if his emissions policy.
Shorten claims the question is like firefighters being asked: “why don’t you have a committee meeting to find out the cost of water in a hose?”.
Rosie Lewis 7.39pm: What about the NEG?
What was wrong with the National Energy Guarantee? Speers asks Scott Morrison.
The emissions reduction target is still there, the PM says, so there has always been certainty about what the government’s emissions reduction target was. What was not certain was the amount of baseload power going into the system.
And then Speers asks Bill Shorten why can’t he tell us how much his climate policy will cost to businesses, jobs and wages.
“Practically nil,” he says.
“We’ve not got this number though on the cost,” Speers says.
The Labor leader says every business will do it (reduce emissions) a different way, so there’s no one cost.
Rosie Lewis 7.34pm: Forum ends on climate
We’re squeezing in a final and 11th question from the audience: What’s happening in the space of climate change and renewables? That’s an issue that’s going to get worse.
“Both parties have plans to take action on climate change, both of us do,” Scott Morrison stresses.
The Prime Minister lays out the major parties’ two emissions reduction targets. “When we set targets, we meet them. We do need to take action on climate change ... What we don’t agree on is the target.”
He says Labor cannot tell you what its target will mean to peoples’ jobs.
Bill Shorten says he’s very passionate about taking action on climate change.
He says the carbon pollution Australia is pumping out has been “going up” since Tony Abbott was elected in 2013.
“We recognise if we invest more in renewables it’ll create more jobs.
“If you think this government is going to do something on climate change, Malcolm Turnbull would still be the prime minister,” the Labor leader says as he ends his answer.
That well-trodden line gets a laugh from the audience.
Rosie Lewis 7.28pm: ‘I want say on where taxes go’
Questioner 10 wants to know when Australians can have more say on where their taxes go?
“We know how to manage money, that means we know how to spend it,” Scott Morrison says.
Bill Shorten says he can’t promise that individuals will be able to put taxes where they want them.
“What you should know is what we spend our scarce government resources on.”
“This government would believe the last six years have been an unmitigated success,” the Labor leader declares.
“There’s a million people in Australia right now who are holding down two jobs just to make ends meets.”
Rosie Lewis 7.25pm: ‘I don’t want to see another friend has died any more’
Officially we’re up to question eight from the audience. What is the government going to do to support men and women in the defence force serve and then come back and have to struggle with life? “I don’t want to see on Facebook another friend has died any more. Too much,” the questioner says. She gets a round of applause.
Scott Morrison says every veteran well get mental health care free of charge.
Challenged on whether he’s ever worked with DVA, he says the waiting times for DVA have come down but they haven’t come down fast enough.
The questioner says she has friends and family who have fought DVA and are still fighting DVA and they keep road blocking them every step of the way.
She says her ex-husband was damaged in the military and he still can’t get compensated.
Both Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison offer to take her details.
Rosie Lewis 7.23pm: Things get a little … silly
The debate is getting a little silly. Scott Morrison asks Bill Shorten why he couldn’t look a Gladstone worker in the eye last week and tell him that he was going to tax those on more than $250,000 two per cent more.
“You’re a classic space invader,” the Labor leader tells his opponent as the Prime Minister edges closer and closer to him.
Thirty-six per cent of tax revenue will be collected on those on the top marginal tax rate under the Coalition’s plan, Scott Morrison says. They will pay an even greater share under my plan, he says.
Bill Shorten says when the budget is in a “proper” surplus Labor will look at income tax cuts across the board. “The answer is yes.”
Greg Brown 7.21pm: Debate fires up
The debate heats up as Morrison starts arguing right up in Shorten’s face about tax.
He criticises Shorten for last week saying he would “look at” lowering taxes for workers earning $250,000.
The Prime Minister goes over to Shorten’s table and points his finger at the Labor Leader, making Shorten clearly uncomfortable.
Shorten eventually calls him a “space invader” and steps away.
When Shorten responds he says: “I won’t get up in his face”.
Greg Brown 7.20pm: Shorten’s complaint
Shorten complains to umpire David Speers he is getting unfair treatment, after the Labor leader tries to respond to Morrison’s criticisms of the so-called “retirees tax”.
“Fairs fair, each time my opposite number has a jab you say it is time to move on,” Shorten says.
He goes onto reveal Labor’s costings would be released “next Thursday or Friday”.
Rosie Lewis 7.17pm: ‘I wouldn’t trust your maths, Bill’
We quickly change to personal income tax cuts. Speers asks how much will go to those on the highest incomes? For those earning more than $180,000 a year?
Bill Shorten offers to help out here. Scott Morrison quips: “I wouldn’t trust your maths in a heartbeat Bill.”
The Labor leader then puts up an estimate on a piece of paper of $77bn. It’s dismissed as an estimate from the Australia Institute.
Rosie Lewis 7.16pm: Big surpluses coming: Shorten
Question seven is on the budget for Bill Shorten: Do you plan to have a budget surplus in the next three years or is it more a ten-year plan?
Bill Shorten says he plans to have a surplus every year he’s in government and Labor will release its detail next Thursday or Friday.
Will the surpluses be bigger than the Coalition’s? Yes, Bill Shorten says.
Greg Brown 7.15pm: Shorten in his element
Shorten goes into his element as the topic goes to eduction and teacher quality.
He even drops in an anecdote about his late mother.
“The smartest woman I ever met was my mum and she was a teacher,” Shorten says.
The debate so far has been fairly polite with no big blows landed.
Rosie Lewis 7.14pm: ‘The smartest woman I ever met was my mum’
Bill Shorten responds to Mr Morrison — he says the Coalition is not doing enough to invest in education.
Of course teacher quality is important, he says, noting his mum was a teacher for years. “The smartest woman I ever met was my mum.”
He says he’s not talking about more funding for school halls but funding teachers for children with special needs.”
“We don’t think we’re spending enough and that’s why we’re spending more.”
Bill Shorten says under Labor’s plan every three-year-old will get access to kindy.
Local schools will be able to employ more teachers, take kids on school camps without asking parents to pay. Another 200,000 students will be able to go to university.
“Practical, real” reforms, the Labor leader says.
Scott Morrison says under Labor federal taxpayers will pay more, state taxpayers will pay less and schools will get the same.
Rosie Lewis 7.10pm: Education under the microscope
Thirty-five minutes in we’re up to question six: We’re talking about education.
“Australia is not leading the world in terms of education of children at an early age,” Bill Shorten begins.
He says Labor has agreed to fund universal pre-school. The Labor will “put back” the $14 billion the Liberals have chosen not to give to public schools.
“No country ever went backwards by investing in universities.”
And TAFE gets a mention — Mr Shorten says Labor wants to put money back into TAFE. “We’ve got a vision ...for the education and investment in our young people.”
Scott Morrison says the government has been investing $400m annually for four-year-olds to attend pre-school. He agrees early childhood education is important but those funds have to be matched by state and territory governments.
On public schools, he says the Coalition has increased funding since it was elected.
“Spending money on schools is obviously important but what you’re spending money on is the most important thing.” He says investment in teachers is key.
“Give me a great teacher for my kids any day over a school hall any day of the week.
“We’ve got to be more interested in how we spend the money, not just how much we spend.”
Rosie Lewis 7.04pm: Future of Australia Post
Fifth question: What action would the major parties take to prevent further licenced post offices from closing around the country?
The PM says we need to support small and family businesses. He spruiks the government’s instant asset write off. The Coalition has also provided mental health support for small and family businesses.
When it comes to Australia Post the government did increase the prices of letters. “The way businesses do better is our economy is more healthy,” the way to do this, he says, is if there’s a lower tax burden.
“No government has done more to lower the cost and lower the paperwork as our government has.”
Bill Shorten says there’s around 3000 Australia Post outlets in Australia, it has one of the best regional networks. He says having an Australia Post in your town is a sign of health.
“There’s more we could do if we looked at giving these businesses in Australia Post the ability to compete with the banks of Australia.”
The Labor leader talks about investing in their technology.
“Wouldn’t it be good if we could use Australia Post to provide opportunities to put more competition on banks to be able to provide services in the bank.”
But he wouldn’t necessarily want them lending money, he says.
Greg Brown 7.01pm: Shorten’s personal question
Shorten goes to the audience response to a personal question.
He asks people to put up their hands if they know someone who has committed suicide.
Most audience members instantly put their hand up, including Scott Morrison.
Rosie Lewis 7.00pm: Funding for Headspace, Kids Helpline
On the fourth question we’re on the issue of youth mental health. Why does Labor and the Liberal Party keep funding Headspace when it’s “failing” young Australians? And will there be any more funding for Kids Helpline?
Scott Morrison says he does believe Headspace is working. He cannot think of a greater priority than stopping young people who have given up hope on life from killing themselves.
Bill Shorten has a question for the audience, to which Scott Morrison also raises his hand. How many people here have either known someone in their family or know a family where someone has taken their own life? There is a large show of hands.
Greg Brown 6.57pm: Freedom of speech a hot topic
An audience member is not happy with Shorten on his answer on whether he believes religious freedoms should be more firmly protected.
So the Labor leader challenges her.
“What is it you fell you can’t say how?”
She bings up the example of Israel Folau.
“You can’t say something like abortion wrong because abortion is killing a baby.”
But Morrison ends up responding to her, defending his delayed response to proposals of legislating religious freedoms.
Shorten goes next, declaring he wants “civility” to enter the national debate.
He says he does not think Christians are being persecuted although he accepts there is intolerance.
Rosie Lewis 6.56pm: Religious Discrimination Act priority if re-elected: PM
The third question is on religious freedom for Bill Shorten. What’s the Labor Party’s attitude towards people who identify as Christians when they speak on social media or public forums about their beliefs? The questioner is referring to issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.
The Labor leader responds: “People of faith are entitled to practice their faith. There should be freedom of religion in this country.”
Mr Shorten wants to know what the questioner feels they can’t say now. She responds: “You can’t really say abortion is wrong because abortion is killing a baby.” She doesn’t think the government can have a law but can lead by example.
Scott Morrison says the Ruddock Review recommended a Religious Discrimination Act. Freedom of religion is so important to who we are as a people, he says. The same protections should be there for people of religious faith.
Why didn’t the government get around to this, legislating a Religious Discrimination Act, Speers asks? “We had other priorities moving into the budget,” Mr Morrison says. He says it’s an important priority for the Coalition if it’s re-elected.
Bill Shorten says social media platforms need to be a lot more accountable for what is said on it.
Rosie Lewis 6.52pm: Shorten hints at multinational tax measures
Bill Shorten hints at announcing new measures to make multinationals like Facebook pay more tax at Labor’s campaign launch on Sunday.
Scott Morrison says: “We legislated to make them pay more ... and the Labor Party voted against it. We’re working through the G20 on these issues.”
Speers asks Mr Shorten: “Should multinationals pay a percentage of what they make in Australia?”
The Labor leader responds: “I think multinationals ... need to be accountable in the taxation system in Australia. I’m not going to say it should be a blanket percentage.”
Greg Brown 6.49pm: ‘He’s got a lot to explain’
Shorten again won’t cop a Speers interjection.
“I’ll be another 10, or 30 seconds,” Shorten says.
Morrison hits back: “He has got a lot to explain”.
Shorten reveals Labor will announce more measures to crackdown on multinationals at the Labor campaign launch on Sunday.
Shorten starts to get cranky when Speers asks him to tell an anecdote “very quickly”.
“I’m answering your question,” Shorten says.
It is Morrison who continuously more successfully interrupts Shorten through the sheer force of his voice.
Greg Brown 6.48pm: Speers tries to get a word in
Host David Speers stands towards the back of the audience as the leaders answer their questions, keeping a firm watch to make sure they don’t diverge from the topic.
Speers tries to interject for the first time on a Shorten answer but the Labor leader won’t let him.
“I’ll come back to that when I’m finished,” he says.
Speers tries again: “just quickly Mr Shorten”.
Shorten keeps talking but it is Scott Morrison who successfully intervenes and gets his first laugh.
“I don’t mind him talking longer because he needs more time to explain his taxes,” Morrison says.
Both leaders are making use of their hands and arms as they attempt to persuade the audience.
Rosie Lewis 6.47pm: Franking credits debated
Scott Morrison responds to Bill Shorten’s suggestion that the loophole for franking credits is unsustainable.
“The suggestion these people have not paid tax, we’re talking about retirees, we’re talking about mums and dads, we’re talking about nan and pop. This is the money they rely on not to go onto the pension.”
The Prime Minister says the Labor policy is not sustainable.
Bill Shorten responds to the PM: “It’s not illegal (receiving franking credits) but the point about it is there’s no rational reason to give someone an income tax refund when they haven’t paid income tax. Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
Rosie Lewis 6.43pm: Will Labor slap big tax on Facebook?
Bill Shorten targets Facebook — he says it makes $600m in revenue but it only pays $12m in taxes.
Host David Speers jumps in — will Labor make Facebook pay more tax? We don’t get an answer yet.
The Opposition Leader is defending his party’s platform. He questions why do so many big companies practically pay no tax in Australia.
“This government hasn’t been tough on multinationals ... Mr Morrison says somehow there’s $55bn being slugged on retirees, this is a lie.”
Rachel Baxendale 6.42pm: Camera to avoid anything ‘untoward’
Victorian Liberal Party President Robert Clark has been photographed wearing a body camera at a pre-poll booth in the eastern suburban marginal seat of Chisholm today.
Mr Clark told The Australian he had come to the booth wearing the camera following reports Liberal Chisholm candidate Gladys Liu was being “harassed by Labor helpers”.
“I put the camera on to make sure nothing untoward was happening,” Mr Clark said.
He declined to describe the nature of the alleged harassment of Ms Liu, saying he had not personally witnessed it.
Chisholm, currently held by Liberal-turned-independent Julia Banks by 3.4 per cent, is high on Labor’s list of targets in Victoria.
Earlier this week Ms Liu courted controversy, blaming “nerves” for claiming during two public debates and on social media that she is an AFL multicultural ambassador, despite resigning from the role last year.
Greg Brown 6.40pm: Shorten gets early laugh
A Bill Shorten zinger gets a laugh in his opening statement, unlike Scott Morrison’s more serious statement.
“You vote for Mr Morrison you may get Clive Palmer who knows,” Shorten says.
Host David Speers has to tell the audience “you can clap” when the leaders’ statements are over.
Not a sign they have impressed.
Shorten’s tie is Labor red and Morrison’s is Liberal blue.
They are both pretty much in agreeance on the first question: that sexual assault is unacceptable.
The leaders are both standing for the debate, unlike the seated debate in Perth.
Shorten’s scribbles on his notepad behind a table when receiving questions, but Morrison is going off the top of his head.
Rosie Lewis 6.39pm: Not enough time for policy costing: Shorten
Bill Shorten says an hour won’t allow him to go through all the policies but he’ll lead the first opposition in a long while not to just detail policies in the last two weeks of an election campaign.
“It’s all a matter of priority. At the end of the day I think this nation functions best when working and middle class people are getting a fair go.”
He says he’d rather spend money on childcare than give tax subsidies to the top end of town.
Scott Morrison responds here:
“They (Labor) are spending more, they are taxing more ... Of all the taxes they’re raising, only $2bn over that next 10 years will be for multinationals. $54bn will be what they’re taxing retirees. They’re taxing retirees 27 times more than multinationals.”
Rosie Lewis 6.38pm: Labor pressed on costings
We’re on to the second question: What number of policies does the Labor Party have in total and what are the costings?
The questioner wants to know how much the Australian people will be paying in tax to make the policies happen.
Rosie Lewis 6.37pm: ‘We can’t tolerate disrespect of women’
Scott Morrison says he can’t imagine a more disturbing prospect.
He says it must be addressed at the core — and that’s the disrespect of women.
While disrespect doesn’t always end in violence it’s certainly where it starts, Mr Morrison says. He talks up the government’s record spending to combat domestic violence.
“We cannot tolerate disrespect of women.”
Bill Shorten says we can do even more to protect women in violent situations — invest in more refuges in cities and country towns, introduce family violence leave, additional funding.
He says at the end of the day the government has to deal with degrading attitudes towards women.
Bill Shorten says there is a difference between the Coalition’s and Labor’s policy on family violence leave — Labor thinks it should be paid.
Labor is proposing 10 days of paid family violence leave.
Rosie Lewis 6.35pm: Forum begins in assault
The first question is for both leaders: Most people do not report their sexual assault, for those who do the majority of cases don’t make it to court. Less than one per cent of rapists are jailed, this is wrong. How are you going to address this issue?
Rosie Lewis 6.34pm: Leaders begin
Scott Morrison tells voters they’ll get direct and honest answers from him to their questions.
He says one particular theme he’ll keep addressing is that Australia is the best country in the world and he has a plan to keep it that way, but it depends on how the economy is managed.
Bill Shorten begins his opening address with: “Australia needs a change.”
He says he has a plan for all Australians.
Greg Brown 6.33pm: Shake longer ‘for the front pages’
Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison enter centre stage and shake hands.
They finish up but host David Speers asks them to shake for longer “for the front pages”.
It gets a laugh and Mr Morrison’s opening statement begins.
Greg Brown 6.31pm: Audible analysis
Scott Morrison is also standing on the side of the audience, near his wife Jenny.
The crowd is silent and can hear every bit of Paul Murray’s and Peta Credlin’s on-air analysis.
Let’s see if the leaders keep it in mind.
Greg Brown 6.28pm: Security stops Chloe Shorten
Security was all over Chloe Shorten for not having a pass to get into the event.
Sky News reporter Annalise Neilson intervenes: “she is the Opposition Leader’s wife”.
With that, she is let in.
“That’s OK,” Ms Shorten says after receiving an apology from security.
Meanwhile, Bill Shorten has arrived and is standing near the audience, waving and smiling at people. He must be hoping a bit of pre-debate charm gets him across the line.
Greg Brown 6.25pm: Moments away from debate
Host David Speers addresses the audience of 100 swing voters, telling them to not feel any question is silly.
“Thank you all for coming along I really appreciate it,” Speers tells the audience.
“Don’t feel any question is a silly question.”
Speers tells them it is a “terrific” and “rare” opportunity to grill the nation’s leaders.
“They are always fascinating events,” he says.
“Over to you to the questions; I will try and get them back to the question you asked.”
He begins talking to individual guests about their questions.
The Australian has been told Jenny Morrison is in attendance cheering her husband, while Labor senator Kristina Keneally has also been spotted.
On a small stage near the audience, Sky News commentators Peta Credlin and Paul Murray are giving on-camera analysis.
Primrose Riordan 6.20pm: AFP receives Whelan referral
The Australian Federal Police has confirmed it has received a referral to investigate former Liberal Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan’s social media posts.
Greg Brown 6.13pm: Morrison wins the toss
Scott Morrison has won the toss for the second leaders debate at the GABBA ground in Brisbane.
The Prime Minister elected to open with his statement at the Sky News People’s Forum, at a function room in the cricket ground.
Mr Morrison also won the toss in Monday’s debate but the Perth audience gave the final victory to Mr Shorten.
The audience of 100 undecided voters are seated and ready to ask the leaders questions, with host David Speers to make sure they get answered properly.
Chloe Shorten has arrived at the venue as Mr Shorten’s number one supporter, while Liberal MP and strategist Ben Morton is cheering on the Prime Minister.
Andrew Burrell 4.48pm: Palmer blames CITIC for charity inaction
Billionaire election candidate Clive Palmer has blamed his 11-year failure to deliver on a pledge to donate $100 million to Aboriginal communities on his long legal battle with Chinese state-owned giant Citic.
The Australian revealed last month that the charitable fund Mr Palmer created to make the donations has a cash balance of just $109.
According to filings with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Palmer Care Foundation is inactive and has no employees.
The West Australian government has since launched an investigation into whether it can compel Mr Palmer to donate the money towards medical research and indigenous communities in the state.
Read more here
4.00pm: New episode of The Scrutineers
In the latest episode of our federal politics podcast, Alice Workman chats to Troy Bramston and Rick Morton on: dirt units undoing candidates over social media posts, Shorten on Big Macs, Labor’s climate costings and much more.
Listen below, on the podcast page or via the podcast app of your choice.
2.55pm: Full list of candidates who have stepped down
- Jessica Whelan (Liberal, Lyons) - anti-Muslim social media comments
- Peter Killin (Liberal, Wills) - writing about dangers of gay people and insulting fellow Liberal Tim Wilson
- Jeremy Hearn (Liberal, Isaacs) - Facebook slur against Muslims
- Murray Angus (Liberal, Corio) - friendly comments about Labor candidate
- Kate Oski (Liberal, Lalor) - citizenship doubts
- Vaishali Ghosh (Liberal, Wills) - citizenship doubts
- Helen Jackson (Liberal, Cooper) - public servant
- Courtney Nguyen (Liberal, Fowler) - citizenship doubts
- Sam Kayal (Liberal, Werriwa) - citizenship doubts
- James Harker-Mortlock (Nationals, Whitlam) - citizenship doubts
- Steve Dickson (One Nation, Queensland Senate) - strip club scandal
- Wayne Kurnoth (Labor, NT Senate) - offensive social media posts
- Melissa Parke - (Labor, Curtin) - Comments on Palestine
- Mary Ross (Labor, NSW Senate) - citizenship doubts
- Luke Creasey (Labor, Melbourne) - vulgar social media comments about women, posted seven years ago
Question mark
- Rod Culleton (Great Australian Party, WA Senate) - referred to federal police over an alleged false statement denying his bankruptcy
- Ross Macdonald (One Nation, Leichhardt) - racist and sexist social media posts
AAP
Richard Ferguson 2.45pm: Liberal volunteers handing out in Isaacs
Jeremy Hearn may not be the Liberal candidate for Isaacs anymore, but that has not stopped Liberal volunteers manning pre-poll booths.
Photos emerged on the campaign trail of Liberal pre-pollers handing out how-to-vote cards with Mr Hearn’s face on them — two days after he was made to quit for anti-Muslim rants online.
Disendorsed candidates can still get elected, as disendorsed Liberal candidate Pauline Hanson was in 1996.
Richard Ferguson 2.34pm: Bandt welcomes Creasey call
Greens MP Adam Bandt has welcomed the decision of his local Labor foe Luke Creasey to quit.
“Violence against women and sexual violence is unacceptable, in any circumstances. The decision of the Labor candidate to resign is the right one”, Mr Bandt said.
“Melbourne is now a contest between the Greens and the conservatives, so if voters want to change the government and get real action on climate change, they need to vote Greens.
“I won’t take this seat for granted. I will continue to campaign hard, talking to voters and seeking their support for my re-election right up to 6pm on election day.”
Mr Bandt is now all but assured victory and the Greens are set to shift resources to other key seats like Wills, Macnamara, Higgins and Kooyong.
Richard Ferguson 2.30pm: Curtains for Creasey’s campaign
Luke Creasey’s campaign comes to an end on the pre-poll booths.
This video from a Melbourne early voting centre shows Labor voters rolling down banners for Mr Creasey, just minutes after he quit the race over a string of offensive Facebook posts.
Mr Creasey’s decision to step aside could now see Green and Labor resources move to other inner-seat battlegrounds like Wills and Macnamara.
Matthew Denholm 2.25pm: Dumped Lib to run as independent
Dumped Liberal candidate Jessica Whelan has confirmed she will sit as an independent if elected but pledged to work with her former party.
“I’m still on the ballot paper, so I guess that makes me an independent,” she was quoted as telling The Examiner newspaper.
“I have put in so much effort and I feel free of the Liberals to defend myself … If I’m elected, there’s a good chance I will work with the Liberal Party. I resigned because I knew I had to for the party, but I can now defend myself.”
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1.54pm: Stream leaders’ debate live tonight
After the developments today, the leaders’ debate tonight is sure to be a lively affair. You will be able to watch it right here in our live blog, PoliticsNow, from 6.30pm AEST. Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will go head-to-head, with the debate to be hosted by David Speers.
Rachel Baxendale 1.35pm: Activists protest outside Hunt offices
More than 100 climate activists led by Get Up! and including schoolchildren have held a protest outside Greg Hunt’s office in Somerville, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
Mr Hunt is facing a battle in the previously safe Liberal seat he has held for 18 years, as Liberal-turned-Independent Julia Banks and Labor campaign with strong support from the activist group.
Richard Ferguson 1.30pm: Creasey quits
Luke Creasey has quit as Labor’s candidate for Melbourne after a string of offensive Facebook posts emerged over the past few days.
Mr Creasey apologised for letting Labor voters down and warned young people running for parliament in the future about watching what they say on social media.
“Today, I have called the ALP National Secretary and advised that I will be withdrawing as Labor’s candidate,” he said in a statement.
“While I made those awful comments many years ago and they in no way reflect the views I hold today, I understand, especially as a member of the LGBTIQ community, that we need to be careful about what we share or like on social media.
“I think this is a really important lesson for young people that your social media footprint will follow you.
“I stood for Labor because we are a progressive party that believes in making our society fairer and better for everyone from pensioners to working people. It is clear the right thing for me to do is stand down.
“I would like to thank everyone that has helped me, both within the party and across the community. I am sorry if I have let you down. I wish Bill and the team all the very best for the election.”
Sascha O’Sullivan 1.15pm: Kids demand climate action
More than 100 school students have swarmed on Labor MP for Grayndler Anthony Albanese’s office in Marrickville to demand action on climate change.
Hundreds of students around the country descended on politicians offices including Tony Abbott’s Warringah office in northern Sydney and Mr Albanese’s office as part of children-lead movement to strike on climate change instead of going to school.
Some young children were trying to climb up gates at Mr Albanese’s office as they demanded the Labor MP come out of his office and address their concerns.
At Tony Abbott’s office in Warringah people were dressed up as dinosaurs as a way of telling Mr Abbott he is stuck in the past. They are the same costumes GetUp! volunteers have been wearing throughout the week while targeting pre-polling stations in Warringah and other electorates.
Richard Ferguson 1.05pm: New post on child abuse
Disgraced Labor candidate Luke Creasey shared a social media post which appears to make light of child abuse, as more questions emerge about his eligibility to sit in parliament.
In 2011, Mr Creasey shared a Facebook meme which reads: “Religion is like a penis / It’s fine to have one / It’s fine to be proud of it / but please don’t whip it around in public and start waving it around / and PLEASE don’t shove it down our children’s throats.”
The meme, shared when he was 21, is among a litany of offensive posts he either wrote or shared about rape, group sex, and pornography.
Mr Creasey is also currently listed on the federal parliamentary email system and directory as a staffer for Labor MP Julian Hill.
Mr Hill has not responded to questions from The Australian on whether Mr Creasey continues to work for him.
If Mr Creasey is still a staff member, or was a staff member when he nominated, he would likely be ineligible to sit in parliament under section 44 of the Constitution, due to earning a profit from the Crown.
The Labor campaign has been contacted.
Rosie Lewis 1.00pm: Creasey’s former boss reacts
The school principal who Labor’s embattled candidate Luke Creasey used to work for has criticised his lewd posts that will likely lead to the end of his political career.
In a message reportedly sent to school parents, Coburg High School principal Stewart Milner says the school does not condone the content of his posts, which predated his employment as a teacher there. “A number of students, staff and parents have taken offence at the particular Facebook posts, which are clearly inappropriate,” Mr Milner said. “They certainly do not reflect who we are as a school.”
Mr Milner said Mr Creasey’s “professional conduct and performance” during the year he was a food technology teacher at Coburg was not in question.
Mr Creasey resigned from Coburg to fight the election.
Message sent from Coburg High School principal re: former employee Luke Creasey pic.twitter.com/f7BXM2nUkE
— Andrew Greene (@AndrewBGreene) May 3, 2019
Greg Brown 12.45pm: Shorten requests Creasey briefing
Bill Shorten says he has requested a briefing on Labor’s Melbourne candidate Luke Creasey’s social media posts over new revelations of lewd messages.
After standing by the candidate this morning, Mr Shorten said: “While I was talking to people with disabilities some new social media posts have been brought to my attention by the candidate in Melbourne,” Mr Shorten said.
“I have now asked the secretary of the Victorian Labor Party to give me a full briefing in the next couple of hours so we can get to the bottom of everything that has actually been said.”
When asked why Mr Creasey has not been dumped, Mr Shorten said: “I think I should get a full brief now that more material has arrived but we want to put an end to this matter one way or the other today”.
Richard Ferguson 12.30pm: Creasey set to be disendorsed
Disgraced Labor candidate for Melbourne Luke Creasey is set to be disendorsed, according to multiple reports.
Bill Shorten has said he would re-evaluate Mr Creasey’s position after new, lewd comments emerged today. Mr Shorten earlier backed Mr Creasey over his remarks. .
Victorian Labor’s factions have been divided over whether to axe the 29-year-old candidate, who has a history of lewd and offensive Facebook posts.
Richard Ferguson 12.10pm: Victims of internet’s memory
Embattled Labor candidate Luke Creasey has become the latest candidate to fall foul of the internet’s long memory after posts emerged showing he joked online about watching his female friend have sex with multiple people and about her wanting someone to “roughly take her virginity”.
As the Liberal’s Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan this morning stood down over anti-Muslim posts she had posted on Facebook, Labor leader Bill Shorten defended Mr Creasey over his posts from 2012, saying he had apologised and therefore would remain as the party’s candidate for Melbourne..
He is the fourth candidate to be exposed by crude and offensive online remarks.
To read the article in full, click here.
Sascha O’Sullivan 11.35am: ALP ‘no position to lecture’ on racism
Scott Morrison has attacked Bill Shorten’s failure to rebuke, prior to the NSW state election, former Labor leader Michael Daley over his comments about Asian workers “stealing” jobs from Australians.
After Opposition Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong this week linked the Coalition’s preferencing arrangements with minor parties such as One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party to the White Australia policy, the Prime Minister unleashed on the Opposition Leader for failing to rebuke Mr Daley in the six days before the NSW election over his Chinese comments.
“I won’t take a lecture from the Labor party who, in the New South Wales election, the New South Wales Labor leader said that Asians are taking your jobs. Bill Shorten said nothing about that all the way to election day,” Mr Morrison said.
“Bill Shorten stood by the New South Wales Labor leader all the way to election day when it was clear he said Asians take your jobs,” he said.
Mr Morrison turned his attack to Labor Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek too.
“In this election as well, we have had the deputy leader of the Labor party, Tanya Plibersek, saying Indian companies can’t be trusted to create jobs. The Labor party, on this issue, is in no position to lecture and when it comes to the Labor party lecturing on candidates, all I can say is the standard you walk by is the standard you accept.”
11.20am: Pre-poll numbers double 2016’s
Nearly twice as many people have pre-polled compared with the number at the same time in 2016.
The AEC pre-polling numbers shows that 510,000 people have voted early this year compared with 315,000 in 2016.
Seats that have cracekd over 6000 in four days include tFlinders, held by Greg Hunt (7469) and Alan Tudge’s seat of Aston (6,826).
AEC says around 510k people have pre-polled, compared to 315k at the same time in 2016 election.
— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) May 3, 2019
Interesting a few seats have cracked 6k in 4 days, including those held by ministers Greg Hunt and Alan Tudge.
Figures are just the number of votes cast, not the results #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/fHYTynvuCM
Richard Ferguson 11.02am: More lewd posts emerge
Embattled Labor candidate Luke Creasey joked online about watching his female friend have sex with multiple people and about her wanting someone to “roughly take her virginity” in Facebook posts that emerged today.
To read the article in full, click here.
Rosie Lewis 10.24am: Whelan ‘lied to me’
Scott Morrison says the resignation of the Liberal candidate for Lyons, Jessica Whelan, over a series of contentious anti-Muslim posts on social media was appropriate.
Initial posts that came to light which Ms Whelan denied she made will still be referred to the Australian Federal Police.
“It became clear that other posts, there was no explanation from that was satisfactory, and as a result Jessica has resigned as the Liberal candidate as is appropriate,” the Prime Minister said.
“These matters were not disclosed to the Liberal Party at the time that she nominated and was endorsed as a candidate and under our rules if you don’t do that, and if you’re not straight up with the party about these sorts of things then the party deserves its right (to ask you to step down). In those circumstances Jessica has resigned her candidacy … for the election and that’s the appropriate thing to do. Whether from that point on what her views is, they are matters for her.”
Asked if he had been lied to Mr Morrison said: “Yes.
“Her views were her views and they do not represent the views of the party I lead.”
.@ScottMorrisonMP on Jessica Whelan’s resignation: We announced the matter was going to be referred to the Federal Police. The fact that these things had been said was enough for myself & the Party to ensure we got to the bottom of it.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 3, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/bZO9mASfZp #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/R7tXgtn8CO
Richard Ferguson 10.15am: Age ‘no excuse’
Scott Morrison has said Mr Creasey’s age was no excuse for the lewd content of his Facebook posts and Bill Shorten should deal with his embattled candidate.
“ That is not a defence, it is not an excuse. He may well be contrite but the issue is not whether he’s contrite, it is whether that’s a standard that Bill Shorten is prepared to accept,” he said in Melbourne.
“And only Bill Shorten can explain why he’s prepared to accept the young man’s defence when it comes to excusing this sort of behaviour.”
Melbourne Labor candidate once shared a rape joke & pornographic material online.@ScottMorrisonMP: @billshortenmp is standing by this man, when his excuse is he was a 22-year-old man. If you're in your 20’s that is not an excuse.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 3, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/bZO9mAAF7R #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/UxWIIYaOHx
Richard Ferguson 9.50am: ‘Creasey sorry, so he’ll stay’
Bill Shorten has slammed embattled Labor candidate Luke Creasey’s “deeply offensive and stupid remarks” but says he will remain because he has apologised and made them when he was young.
“The candidate’s remarks were deeply offensive. I’m not going to defend the remarks, they are shocking and stupid,” he said in Melbourne this morning.
“He’s also come forward to say he was 22 at the time. He’s mortified and so he should be. He has apologised deeply and certainly he doesn’t hold those views now ... stupid is stupid is stupid.”
Mr Shorten’s defence of the embattled ALP candidate for Melbourne comes as more social media posts were released showing Mr Creasey making lewd jokes about lesbians and former 0prime minister Tony Abbott.
There are also lingering questions around Mr Creasey’s eligibility to sit in parliament due to his Ukrainian grandmother, who was made stateless in World War Two. Labor denies Mr Creasey has a Section 44 problem.
Victorian Labor’s factions have been fighting over whether to dump Mr Creasey from the ALP’s ticket in the seat of Melbourne. Figures in the Opposition Leader’s right faction have pushed for him to go, but premier Daniel Andrews’ Left faction have wanted him to stay.
Mr Andrews, who slammed the Greens in last year’s state election for candidates who posted offensive social media comments about women, also defended him.
“It’s not okay, and he himself has made it very clear,” the Premier said.
“The difference here is that he’s made an apology, he’s owned it and I believe him to be sincere.”
In response of Greens candidates embroiled in social media scandals in 2018, Mr Andrews said: “I will not sit down, never sit down and negotiate with people who refuse to call out denigration of women.”
Mr Andrews also denied that his faction was protecting Mr Creasey from disendorsement.
Labor candidate for Melbourne Luke Creasey is under fire for making offensive remarks about women: @J_C_Campbell: It’s just crazy that Labor thinks they can hold on here. What is the upside in keeping this guy?
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 2, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/DOkPkK1E6M #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/YPMrSrluz4
Primrose Riordan 9.35am: Threatened species on menu
Scott Morrison will join Josh Frydenberg to make an announcement about the Coalition’s environment policy, threatened species and recycling in Kooyong, the only seat he will campaign in on this trip to Victoria.
Environment Minister Melissa Price is not expected to attend despite the announcement being in her portfolio.
Richard Ferguson 8.55am: Dump ‘disgraceful’ Creasey
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has ramped up calls for Labor’s embattled candidate in Melbourne, Luke Creasey, to be dumped over a series of lewd Facebook posts.
“They’re disgraceful comments, they are completely unacceptable, they are not befitting someone who wants to represent Australians in the federal parliament,” he said.
“It’s time for Bill Shorten to show some leadership ... I believe Labor needs to disendorse this candidate and they need to do so today.”
Mr Cormann would not answer questions over whether the Liberals would continue to preference Mr Creasey ahead of Melbourne Greens MP Adam Bandt if the 29-year-old ALP candidate remained.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese today said Mr Creasey would not go because the Facebook posts were made seven years ago when he was in his early twenties, and the candidate had apologised.
.@MathiasCormann: Labor candidate for Melbourne Luke Creasey made disgraceful comments not befitting someone who wants to represent Australians. It’s time for @billshortenmp to step up and disendorse this candidate.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 2, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/DOkPkK1E6M #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/yFDf99B85b
Richard Ferguson 8.40am: Leaders prep for second debate
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will fight for votes at tonight’s Sky News People’s Forum, but more than half a million Australians have already made their choice.
The Australian Electoral Commission revealed today that nearly 510,000 people have voted in the first four days of pre-poll voting, up from 315,000 pre-poll voters in the same period at the 2016 federal election.
Many more Australians are expected to vote before May 18, so tonight’s debate could cement thousands of more votes cast in the next few days.
Jessica Whelan has resigned as the Liberal candidate for Lyons over ‘inappropriate’ online comments. @MathiasCormann: Those comments were unacceptable and I can confirm that she’s resigned.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 2, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/DOkPkK1E6M #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/G9OEHxhzZW
Richard Ferguson 8.30am: Whelan quits
Disgraced Liberal Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan has resigned after more claims of anti-Muslim facebook posts were revealed this morning.
Ms Whelan claims the posts are “digitally altered” and that she will refer them to police, but confirmed she would quit today.
To read the story in full, click here.
#BREAKING: Yesterday she was an embattled candidate - now she’s a former candidate. Jessica Whelan pulls out admitting she made anti-Muslim and anti-refugee comments. But maintains yesterday’s comment was fake. @SkyNewsAust pic.twitter.com/TJzaKrCpyI
— James O'Doherty (@jmodoh) May 2, 2019
Greg Brown 8.10am: $2bn for Melbourne Metro Tunnel
Bill Shorten will spend the morning in Melbourne with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, announcing $2 billion of federal funding for the Metro Tunnel project if Labor wins the election.
The Opposition Leader will visit a construction site for the $11 billion project in the marginal electorate of Macnamara, which Labor is fighting to hold in a three cornered contest with the Liberal Party and the Greens.
The money will be redirected from the federal government’s commitment to the stalled East West Link.
“This investment means the Andrews Government will have a real partner in Canberra, so they can get on with delivering the pipeline of transport infrastructure that Victoria needs,” Mr Shorten said in a statement this morning.
“Despite Victoria being home to one in four Australians, the Liberals and Nationals in Canberra have slashed the state’s share of the federal infrastructure budget to as low as seven per cent.”
Mr Shorten will later make a speech in his own electorate of Maribyrnong, promoting Labor’s commitment to create a future fund for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
He will then jet to Brisbane and prepare for tonight’s leaders debate on Sky News.
Sascha O’Sullivan 8.00am: ALP bulk billing ‘scandal’
Health Minister Greg Hunt has called Labor’s policy of bulk billing for pathology a “scandal” which gives money to big business without any discernible benefit for patients, and one of the companies benefiting from the company is associated with former Labor Senator and major donor Sam Dastyari.
Mr Shorten’s pledge to give $200 million in incentives for pathology companies to encourage bulk billing has been slammed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as a waste of money.
“This is a scandal,” Mr Hunt told Radio 2GB this morning. “What has happened here is bulk billing.. is at 99 per cent for pathology it’s just gone up from 99.3 per cent to 99.4 per cent so it couldn’t be stronger.
“Labor miraculously, suddenly donated $200 million to boost bulk billing for pathology,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said the major pathology companies all saw their share prices soar in the wake of Mr Shorten’s promise, and one of those companies is owned by private equity firm which former Labor Senator and major ALP donor Sam Dastyari works at as a consultant and is “overseeing the campaign for Labor on this”.
“In other words, (Labor has given) money for a problem that doesn’t exit that’s been completely fabricated 99 per cent (of pathology is bulk billed) … they give them $200 million and say it’s for cancer and then Australian Clinical Labs which is owned by the firm for whom Sam Dastyari consults has registered a campaign called Save Pathology Bulk Billing,” Mr Hunt said.
“That is a scandal, and they need to answer who Dastyari has been meeting in with Labor… and does he receive a success fee? Does he have access to Labor polling?” Mr Hunt continued.
Richard Ferguson 7.45am: Lewd posts error ‘of a young bloke’
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has rushed to the defence of embattled ALP candidate Luke Creasey over his history of lewd Facebook posts.
The Labor candidate for Melbourne is under pressure to resign as more Facebook posts making lewd jokes about vaginas were uncovered, as well questions raised about his citizenship status.
Mr Albanese today said Mr Creasey’s circumstances could not be compared to Liberal candidates like Tasmanian Jessica Whelan who have been forced out for anti-Muslim comments online.
“The Liberal candidate for Lyons made Islamophobic posts, like multiple, now, contemporaneously,” he told the Nine Network.
“With regard to Luke Creasey, he made posts when he was in his early twenties. He apologised, he fessed up, no cover up. It was a long time ago. He made errors when he was a young bloke.
“If we’re going to hold young people to account ... for everything they’re putting online when they’re 22 years old or 20 years old then we’ll have a real problem.”
Coalition campaign spokesman Simon Birmingham said it was “double standards” and Mr Creasey should be disendorsed.
Richard Ferguson 7.30am: Whelan set to go
Liberal Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan is set to be dumped after more claims of anti-Muslim facebook posts were revealed this morning.
To read the article in full, click here.
Sascha O’Sullivan 6.55am: CCTV footage of Abbott vandals
Police have released CCTV footage of two men believed to “be able to assist” with inquiries into the offensive posters of former prime minister and Liberal candidate for Warringah Tony Abbott.
The posters went up in four very busy spots around the electorate, and depict Mr Abbott with the words “Pell” and “c****” plastered over his face.
One of the posters was plastered up on the wall of a child care centre, who started receiving abusive phone calls about the posters.
What’s making news:
Adani’s proposed coalmine was dealt a massive blow last night when the Queensland Labor government rejected the company’s critical environment management plan to protect an endangered bird that inhabits the region around the project site.
Labor will move to a longer term rollout of its pledge to double foreign aid amid claims by the government that to reach its target over a 10-year horizon would require an additional $68 billion.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong risks diminishing Australia’s reputation by linking the Coalition’s preferencing arrangements with minor parties like One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party to the White Australia policy, foreign affairs experts say.
An unnerved Brian Fisher is considering walking away from future independent economic modelling after his analysis of Labor’s climate policy led to his family home being egged when prominent clean energy activist Simon Holmes a Court posted his address online.
Zali Steggall has declared she would be more likely to support the Coalition forming a government if there was a hung parliament after the election, but conceded that she views Labor’s emissions reduction goal of 45 per cent by 2030 as a minimum target.
Human rights lawyer and Greens candidate Julian Burnside has received help from more than 30 unpaid interns in recent years, despite his party’s opposition to unpaid internships.
Federal Labor will delay giving trade unions the legal right to pursue multi-employer and industry-wide pay claims by at least a year if it wins the election
The petroleum industry has warned that improving the nation’s fuel standards — which would be necessary for Labor to meet its proposed vehicle emissions target — would significantly add to the amount of greenhouse pollution pumped out by the nation’s refiners.
Graham Richardson writes: This campaign is boring, the PM and Shorten are so scripted it is hard to make a mistake. We have become so adept at scripting our pollies, we have finally chloroformed politics to the point of exhaustion.
Greg Sheridan writes: Penny Wong thinks a Shorten Labor government will manage the China relationship better than the Coalition has done.
Henry Ergas writes: If the ACTU has launched the largest advertising campaign in its history, it is hardly out of altruism. It is because it is on a promise, and a good one at that.
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