Federal election 2019, campaign Day 28: PM Scott Morrison defends outgoing minister Kelly O’Dwyer
As Bill Shorten took a dig at the Coalition’s departing ministers in the final leaders’ debate, the PM defended “dear friend” Kelly O’Dwyer.
- ‘Voters want higher standard’
- ‘The epitome of racism and sexism’
- Shorten’s tears for mum
- PM’s warning for business
- Keating, Hawke unite for Shorten
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on Day 28 of the federal election campaign.
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have faced off for the third and final time at the National Press Club in Canberra tonight. Read the key moments below.
Ben Packham, Greg Brown 9.23pm: Inside the Press Club tonight
With ten days to go until polling day, the election campaign entered the parallel dimension that is the Canberra “bubble”.
The third leaders’ debate — held in a darkened National Press Club just 1.4km from Parliament House — was theatre for political tragics set to a politically partisan applause track.
The room was split into two halves, like a staged version of question time with the addition of lobbyists and political hacks, and the ABC’s Sabra Lane playing the role of speaker.
When Shorten made a joke, the left side of the room laughed. When Morrison attacked Shorten, the right side of the venue applauded.
At times the debate was polite, even friendly. “I thank Bill for his question,” Morrison said.
And Shorten: “What was the second part of your question Scott?”
But it also got heated, in typical Canberra fashion.
“I asked you a simple question,” Morrison said, in attack mode.
“You heard the answer,” said Bill.
Unlike the first debate, when the leaders were uncomfortably perched on tiny stools, both appeared comfortable, standing behind solid lecterns.
The format kept the leaders separate. There were no “space invader” moments.
The Labor side was routinely amused. There were Left guffaws as Shorten pushed back against Morrison’s claim the budget was in surplus.
Morrison retorted: “I said next year. I said we brought the Budget back to surplus next year.”
Morrison attacked Shorten’s “shifty” argument that businesses weren’t concerned about the price of his climate change policy.
Like the previous two debates, the Prime Minister talked off the top of his head while Shorten scribbled on a notepad as he went.
Shorten’s cheesy grin of previous debates was gone. At times he leant on the lectern, at one point appearing to do a small stretch as if he’s pulled up tight after his morning run.
Quizzed on their role in past leadership coups, Shorten let loose a trademark zinger, saying Australia needs one more change of prime minister.
And Morrison batted away a question from his rival about departing Coalition frontbenchers. “No need to get nasty,” he quipped.
In a final bubble moment, Lane raised the perennial Canberra issue — the debate about the debates — asking whether the leaders would agree to an “independent debates commission”.
Punters across the nation scratched their heads.
Greg Brown 8.36pm: Debates commission given green light
And the final question is one for the punters. Not really.
After being asked by Sabra Lane, Morrison and Shorten agree to establish an independent debates commission to decide when and where future leaders debates are.
Shorten and Morrison shake hands with supporters before leaving.
Richard Ferguson 8.34pm: Leaders outline their vision for the nation
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten end by painting a picture of the Australia they want to see by 2030.
The Prime Minister says: “Well, for a start there will be 2.5 million more Australians employed in this country with jobs. We will have been, we will have achieved our 2030 emissions reduction target that we set for ourselves in 2030. We have ensured that we’ve maintained an increased funding at record levels for our hospitals and schools and our roads.”
The Labor leader says: “I want my kids to grow up in 2030 and see a more modern Australia. I want them to see a nation which has embraced climate change and action on climate change. I want to see half of our energy coming from renewable energy. I want to see the young women in my family, my daughters, being paid the same as my son.”
Richard Ferguson 8.33pm: Morrison defends outgoing minister
Bill Shorten has taken a dig at the number of cabinet ministers leaving Scott Morrison’s government at this election.
“If you win you’ll have more people to promote because so many of your current ministry is leaving,” he says.
“I’m sorry if you think that so many of your people leaving is the source of great amusement. I think it’s more a judgement on the government.”
The Prime Minister accuses the Labor leader of ignoring the personal decisions of ministers to retire, and brings up controversy today around stories on Mr Shorten’s late mother.
“He has just said that Kelly O’Dwyer, who is a dear friend of mine, who decided to retire from parliament because of her choices, about her own family, and I won’t allow that statement to stand,” he says.
“When Australians who have served in our parliament on either side, many of who have served on the Labor side and many on the Liberal side, when they decide to retire, politicicise a tough business. Today, our families shouldn’t be part of the things that happen in terms of politics and political exchange.”
Mr Shorten replies: “The point I was making today wasn’t about my own mum. It’s about thousands of Australian men and women who were denied a fair go by virtue of lack of financial opportunity.”
Greg Brown 8.30pm: Future ministers
The debate gets a bit willing when Morrison asks Shorten who his home affairs minister will be.
Shorten says he will decide if he becomes prime minister, leading to chuckles from Morrison’s corner.
Shorten hits back and asks if Melissa Price will remain environment minister of the Coalition wins.
Morrison says she will.
“Well where is she?” Shorten says, leading to chuckles from his corner of the room.
When Shorten answers a question, Morrison continually has a half smile on his face.
Shorten just looks annoyed and sometimes rolls his eyes.
Richard Ferguson 8.27pm: Negative gearing debated
Scott Morrison asks Bill Shorten to guarantee rents will not go up and house prices will not go down under his negative gearing reforms.
The Labor leader replies: “This is a scare campaign. Looking for some credibility. We’re not making changes to people who have currently invested in negative gearing.
“Can this country keep affording to give taxpayer expenditure to people who invest in
existing houses, who buy existing houses and make a loss?
“As for falling house prices, the biggest falls in house prices have happened under this Government’s watch.
“If you want to talk about renters, look at the reduction in the amount of social housing. This is an out of touch government.”
The Prime Minister asks again if Mr Shorten can guarantee rents will not go up and house prices will go down, and defends his government’s record on first home buyers.
“All I know, Bill, is first-home buyers now have reached up to the highest level of the housing markets in nine years. That’s what’s happened,” he says.
Mr Shorten replies: “We hear from the government, nothing to see here, move along, please. Climate change, childcare affordability, first-home buyers, no problems in Australia. They want more of the same of the last six years. Business as usual.”
Richard Ferguson 8.23pm: Labor ‘throwing money’ at childcare
Scott Morrison says Bill Shorten’s childcare policies are an example of Labor “throwing money” and will not solve issues with childcare.
“I think Australians have got to the point where they’ve grown tired of politicians who come and say give me all your money and I’ll solve all your problems,” he says.
“I think that’s what a lot of this election is about. Asking for $300 billion of higher taxes, thinking by spending all of that again you can solve all the problems of the world.
“Australians expect us to do things like we did on child care. Think it through, come up with a plan, reduce the costs, increase the support for those on low and middle incomes, legislate it, even when the Opposition opposes you and then follow it through.
“That’s my history of dealing with difficult problems.”
Richard Ferguson 8.20pm: Morrison calls out Shorten’s ‘shifty’ argument
Bill Shorten says it is not a “dumb question” to ask about the cost of his climate change policies, as he claimed on the ABC’s Q&A program, but it is a “dishonest” question.
“I accept the cost question is not a dumb question. I’ll rephrase that. I think it’s a dishonest question,” he says.
“The idea that you only look at the investments in new energy without looking at the consequences of not acting on climate change is a charlatan’s argument, it’s a crooked charlatan argument.
“What this Government calls a cost, I call a transition in our economy to a low carbon, much more productive economy.”
Scott Morrison says the Opposition Leader is being “shifty” and people want to know the cost of his policies.
“The shifty nature of this argument is this, is the assumption that the Leader of the Opposition is making, is that there is not action being taken on climate change,” he says.
“And that there is an increase investment in renewables and the companies he wants to put increased costs on are doing nothing. None of that is true. Action is being taken. Businesses are making investments. They’re making themselves more competitive.
“They’re simply saying, “Tell us the price, Bill. Tell us the price.” It’s not a dishonest question, it’s a fair question, because they’ll have to pay it.”
Greg Brown 8.17pm: Shorten stuck in his notes
Shorten is so engrossed in his notes that he continues taking them when Morrison finishes an answer on climate change.
“Are you still taking notes Mr Shorten,” moderator Sabra Lane asks.
Shorten looks up: “Ah no, I’d like to respond to that”.
He goes into say it is a “dishonest” argument to ask about the costs of emissions policy without taking the cost of climate change into account.
“Hear, hear,” his corner of the room says as they clap.
Shorten then uses a very long preamble in his question to Morrison about childcare policy.
“Is there a question coming?” host Sabra Lane asks.
Shorten doesn’t look impressed with her interjection.
Richard Ferguson 8.16pm: Labor climate policy … via Turnbull
Bill Shorten says he can end the “climate wars” because he has borrowed the policies of Malcolm Turnbull.
“Now the good news is if we win the election some of our ideas we borrowed from Malcolm Turnbull, so hopefully at least half the Liberal Party could back them in pretty comfortably,” he says.
“We need to take real action. We need to have ambitious targets. Climate change is a gigantic problem. I listened to Mr Morrison talking about fire and drought and there’s a role climate change plays in that.
“We want to go to 50 per cent renewables by 2030. We’ve want to get to 45 per cent reduction in our emissions.”
Scott Morrison says he agrees on climate action but it cannot be a choice between the environment and the economy.
“It’s important we act on climate change. I think that’s a matters of consensus between I think most all of the members of parliament,” he says.
“So the question here at this election is not should we be taking action on climate change, that is agreed.
“The question here is what is a responsible approach to take: should we be choosing between our economy, which my kids are interested in as well by the way, and the environment, and my view is you don’t have to pick between those two.”
Greg Brown 8.11pm: Leaders’ body language
Bill Shorten looks relaxed at the lectern and provides eye contact to the audience with his answers, as well as looking a camera.
Scott Morrison is looking directly into the camera throughout his responses. He is using firm hand movement and strong body language.
Richard Ferguson 8.10pm: Folau sanction leaves Shorten ‘uneasy’
Bill Shorten says he is “uneasy” about rugby union player Israel Folau’s sanction over his religious views on homosexuality.
“It’s a contractual negotiation at one level but I’m uneasy about where that debate’s gone. On one hand, I think Israel Folau is entitled to his views,” he says.
“And he shouldn’t suffer an employment penalty for it. So I’m uneasy about that part of it. But I also think that we’ve got to be mindful about the other side of the equation.
“People putting out on social media that if you’re gay you’re going to go to hell, I get that’s what he genuinely believes. When you’re a public figure, that has negative impact, a hurtful impact on other people.”
Scott Morrison says he will pursue a Religious Discrimination Act if he is re-elected.
“I spoke about the Lebanese Maronite community and they have come here to escape that and they want to be sure in the future their religious freedoms are protected. They want to be sure about it,” he says.
“That’s why we’d be pursuing a Religious Discrimination Act which would provide the same protections to those of gender and appropriate forms of discrimination we have.”
Greg Brown 8.06pm: Room hard to read
It is just about impossible to read the mood of the room given the partisan claps for each leader from their respective sides of the room at the National Press Club.
The room is different and smaller to the typical one where addresses are held at the venue in Canberra.
It is filled with dark colours, including purple curtains, a purple stage backdrop and brown carpet.
Four chandeliers provide a touch of light.
Richard Ferguson 8.01pm: Franking credits change a ‘heinous tax’
Scott Morrison calls Labor’s franking credit changes a “heinous tax” and denies the Coalition leadership group has considered similar changes.
“It’s not of interest to me,” he says.
“It’s a heinous tax on Australians who have worked hard all of their lives. And to be told they have to pay a higher rate of tax than others do on their dividends based on their marginal rate of tax I think is wrong.
“I think to treat retirees as if they’re self-funded retirees who have put themselves in that situation to say they’re no longer independent and a recipient of some special largess from the Government is very offensive to them.”
Bill Shorten says it is not fiscally sustainable to continue providing franking credits and labels it a “gift.”
“I can understand why some people don’t want to lose the money, I get it,” he says.
“But there’s no principle of tax law anywhere since the ancient Romans which says you get a tax refund when you haven’t paid income tax. It’s a gift. But it ain’t a principle of tax law.”
Mr Morrison rebuts the Labor leader and says it is a tax: “It is part of the tax law. It is a franking credit.
“As a Treasurer, I understand how the tax system works. And Mr Shorten is misrepresenting it.”
Richard Ferguson 7.57pm: Climate action can save budget slide: Shorten
Scott Morrison says he has already brought the Budget to surplus due to government fiscal discipline.
“We have brought our Budget back to surplus we’re the party and government that has done that. And I think Australians can trust us to keep it in surplus.”
Sabra Lane interjects and notes the surplus is projected for next year, not this year.
“I said next year. I said we brought the Budget back to surplus next year,” he says.
Bill Shorten says he can prevent a slide into budget deficit by tackling climate change.
“I waited to see if the PM would say that’s going to be a challenge in the future around the world and it is. It’s a very real challenge. We’ve got policies to tackle climate change,” he says.
“I don’t think you can be a government that’s serious about tackling future challenges if you don’t have a fair dinkum approach on climate change, which is what we do. The third strategy we offer, along with infrastructure and having policies on climate change, is investing in people.”
Greg Brown 7.56pm: Split in audience
Given the supporters for each leader are seated together, laughs and claps are heard by one side of the audience while the other sits silent.
When Bill Shorten says something funny or clever, his backers on the right side of the room laugh and clap while the audience to the left is silent.
For Morrison, the left side perks up when they approve while the right side sits silent.
Richard Ferguson 7.54pm: PM flags cancer plan support
Scott Morrison has opened the door to supporting Labor’s Medicare cancer plan if it can be afforded in the next budget.
“Our government has listed 130 drugs for cancer patients. Important medicines that become affordable for cancer patients to be able to access those medicines that save their lives and improve their lives and lengthen their lives,” he says.
“The Labor Party have put forward a proposal which is not frankly clear to us the details of that policy so we can properly assess it.
“If we’re elected I’m happy to assess it in the context of the next Budget.”
Bill Shorten accuses the Prime Minister of not answering his question. Mr Morrison then asks him what Medicare benefit items he would change, and how he would keep cancer care prices down.
“I was simply asking how you were going to ensure the specialists and others don’t put their fees up because subsidies lift prices?” Mr Morrison says.
Mr Shorten replies: “If you want to claim this item you have to 100 per cent bulk bill. If you want to go to someone else, they won’t be able to offer you the increased bulk bill item, the repayment or the payment from the item from Medicare.
“We believe, and we have spoken to oncologists and specialists, and some have been helpful, the competition which will mean if a special wants to be able to offer the full 100 per cent bulk billing, then that will keep the others honest.”
Greg Brown 7.50pm: Shorten stumbles
Bill Shorten stumbles when he forgets part of Scott Morrison’s second question to him.
Morrison asks how Shorten can ensure subsidies for cancer treatment won’t put prices up.
Shorten says he will ensure there is competition in the sector.
Richard Ferguson 7.49pm: ‘Super will still be preferably treated’
Scott Morrison asks Bill Shorten why he is “targeting” the superannuation funds of 800,000 self-employed Australians.
Mr Shorten replies: “Superannuation will still be preferably treated.
“What I mean by that is if you pay money into superannuation it is taxed more beneficially than it will be if you take it as income.
“So this general government scare campaign that somehow superannuation’s not going to be available to all is not correct. But we are making some changes. There’s no question about that. And in terms of the costings we’ll release our final costings on Friday.”
Greg Brown 7.48pm: Labor costings to be released Friday
Bill Shorten gets a rather partisan clap when he slams Scott Morrison’s preference deal with Clive Palmer.
“When you do a deal with Clive Palmer there is always a bill to pay,” he says.
Morrison asks his first of two allowed questions to Shorten and it is about Labor’s planned changes to superannuation.
The Labor Leader reveals costings would be released on Friday.
Shorten then gets a turn and asks if Morrison would back Labor’s $2 billlion-plus cancer policy.
.@billshortenmp: Superannuation will still be preferentially treated, we'll release our final costings on Friday.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
Sabra Lane: That's a bit of a cop-out. Not tonight?
Shorten: We intend to release them eight days before the election.
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The Prime Minister talks up cancer services already available on the public purse and through private health insurance.
Morrison also gets a partisan clap after his answer.
But Shorten asks if it is a “yes or a no”.
Morrison hits back and says he has not seen the policies.
Shorten says it shows Morrison is out of touch and tells anecdotes of people who have been out of pocket through cancer treatment.
The leaders look at each other as they ask questions but at the camera when they answer them.
Richard Ferguson 7.44pm: Turnbull axing must be last: PM
Scott Morrison says instability “has to end” with the downfall of Malcolm Turnbull and he will be Prime Minister for a whole term if he wins, unlike his two Liberal predecessors.
“This whole era of where PMs were changed during the course of elections of course began with the rolling of Kevin Rudd and it ended with Malcolm Turnbull, the end of his prime ministership and that’s where it must end and that’s where it should stop,” he says.
.@ScottMorrisonMP on leadership changes: It requires a special majority, even stronger majority than it requires to change in the Labor Party. I think that era is over and I set about changing the rules to make sure it was over.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
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“The Liberal Party has changed its rules. Our rules are the strongest change we’ve seen since Robert Menzies founded the party.
“For the first time since 2004 the Australian people can go to this election and they can be absolutely confident, because of the rules of both parties, that who they elect will be the PM for the next three years, either Bill Shorten or myself and that’s their choice.”
Richard Ferguson 7.43pm: Shorten ‘regrets’ role in leadership spills
Bill Shorten says he “regrets” his role in the downfalls of Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, but wants the nation to change prime minister “one more time.”
“I do regret we had the instability in our time, absolutely. But what I’m also sorry about is the Australian people, they’re fed up with politics as usual,” he says.
“Labor has the lived experience of the last six years. Whatever one says about all of our policies, we’ve demonstrated that we can be a united force in opposition.
“We’ve put in place rules, five or six years ago, but it’s more than just the rules. There’s no doubt that when you look at a united party, Labor is the better of the two mainstream parties.”
Richard Ferguson 7.42pm: Leaders outline asylum position
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have both reiterated their positions on the remaining 900 asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.
The Prime Minister says: “One of the first things I did as PM was continue the work to ensure we got every child and every family off Nauru.”
“They have been recognised as refugees in both of those countries for those who remain there.
“And the refugee resettlement program and the United Nations treaty, what it does is ensures people don’t return to the country in which they were persecuted. And that will not happen to them.”
.@billshortenmp: In terms of the remaining people on Manus Island and Nauru, if I was elected your PM, we would put as much effort as we humanly could to resettle them. We would contemplate using NZ as a source to resettle people.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
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Mr Shorten says he will seek a regional resettlement deal with New Zealand for remaining refugees.
“We agree that we want to discourage people coming here by boat. We want to discourage people being exploited by people smugglers and indeed risking their lives as we’ve seen with cost,” he says.
“We would contemplate using New Zealand as a source to resettle people and revisiting that offer from Jacinda Ardern”
Greg Brown 7.39pm: Shorten’s first zinger
Each leader is given two minutes to respond to each question, with a rebuttal given one minute.
Like the previous two debates, Shorten scribbles on a notepad as Morrison talks, while the Prime Minister goes off the top of his head.
And again, a Shorten zinger gets the first laugh from the audience.
When asked about the problem of leadership instability, Shorten says: “I think we need one more change of prime minister and then we can finish it”.
Richard Ferguson 7.37pm: Leaders’ most unpopular choices
National Press Club president Sabra Lane has kicked off the debate asking the leaders to provide an example of a decision they made which was unpopular but right.
Scott Morrison has nominated his work to stop the boats and retirement income reforms.
“Many of the policies we took to that election to secure our borders, to turn boats back where it was safe to do so were opposed by many people and the turnback policy wasn’t popular,” he says.
“But we did it and achieved the outcome. We saved thousands of lives and we were able to secure our borders and ensure that ultimately we have got every child out of detention and off Nauru.
.@ScottMorrisonMP on difficult political decisions: The turnback policy wasn’t popular. But we did it ... We saved thousands of lives and we were able to secure our borders ... We have got every child out of detention and off Nauru.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
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“As a Social Services Minister I reformed the retirement incomes. As a Treasurer, we’ve been bringing the Budget back to surplus for many years and that’s required difficult decisions, often disappointing many people on my own side of politics.”
Bill Shorten nominates his decision to adopt boat turnbacks, and also reaches back into his past as a union leader to when he had to deliver deals which workers may have disliked.
“Sometimes you have to say those people you’re representing that there was only so much which could be won for them but no more.
.@billshortenmp on dealing with unpopular policy: Some in my party didn't want to support boat turnbacks but I felt the experience of defeating people smugglers proved that Labor needed to change.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
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“Sometimes you’d have to argue in favour of workplace change which would see people have to change their work practices to maintain the long-term profitability of the organisation.
“I know for example that some in my party didn’t want to support boat turnbacks, that would have been easy to say to people that we shouldn’t change our policy in terms of boat turnbacks and regional processing, but I felt that the experience of defeating the people smugglers proved that Labor needed to change.”
Greg Brown 7.34pm: Debate begins
Chatter is halted after a bell is rung six times to start the debate.
Sabra Lane then welcomes both leaders into the room and the crowd of more than 100 people rise to their feat and clap.
Lane says it is the biggest audience of the three debates. She says the audience was chosen by the political parties.
Here we go #LeadersDebate! - single moderator, stand up podiums with few rules, live in prime time that allows for a free flowing discussion is far and away the best format for election debates #auspol #ausvotes
— Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) May 8, 2019
Shorten, wearing a Labor red tie, stands on the right lectern and Morrison, wearing a Liberal blue tie, is on the left lectern.
And we begin with a question of unpopular causes each leader has defended.
Morrison goes with his stance on boat policy and Shorten joins him.
“I felt Labor needed to change,” Shorten says.
Greg Brown 7.29pm: Leaders’ support teams
Jenny Morrison is seated closest to the lectern on Scott Morrison’s side on the support team, and will be well and truly in the Prime Minister’s eyeline when he is asked questions from moderator Sabra Lane. She is chatting away to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who is seated next to her.
Bill Shorten will have to do with his finance spokesman Jim Chalmers being in his line of sight, with the Queensland frontbencher closest to the lectern.
Greg Brown 7.22pm: Press Club at the ready
The crowd of journalists, politicians and lobbyists are piling into the studio of the National Press Club awaiting the third and final leaders’ debate between Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten.
It is far from an audience of undecided punters but security at the studio in Canberra is easily the most vigilant of the three debates.
Each person is forced to give their belongings to security and be waved over by a metal detector.
MPs and senators who are attending to support leaders have places reserved in the front row of seating.
Attending to support Mr Morrison is Finance Minister Mathias Corman, Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, ACT Senator Zed Seselja and factional backer Ben Morton. His wife Jenny Morrison also has a place reserved.
The Australian can not see a spot reserved for Chloe Shorten, but the Labor Leader is being supported by finance spokesman Jim Chalmers, NSW senator Kristina Keneally and ACT senator David Smith.
National Press Club chief executive Maurice Riley has addressed the audience and asked for no “cat calls” but just polite clapping when the leaders arrive.
He said the leaders would shake hands before the debate begins.
Moderator Sabra Lane, from the ABC, is at a podium opposite the stage and is greeting MPs as they arrive.
Richard Ferguson 7.19pm: Countdown to final debate
We’re not long from the third and final leaders’ debate at the National Press Club in Canberra, and the stage is all set.
Getting all set-up at the #NPC for tonight’s third and final leaders’ debate with Prime Minister, @ScottMorrisonMP and Leader of the Opposition, @billshortenmp, live on @abc & @SkyNews from 7:30pm. #AusVotes2019 pic.twitter.com/JoCqoSewOe
— National Press Club (@PressClubAust) May 8, 2019
Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison will stand behind two lecterns — not stools like in last week’s Seven Network debate — with National Press Club president Sabra Lane sitting in front of them.
The debate in Canberra will run for 60 minutes with questions on key election topics from Ms Lane, followed by time for the two leaders to rebut each other’s answers.
Luke Griffiths 5.49pm: Wong, Birmingham in clash
Penny Wong refused to shake the hand of Simon Birmingham just moments after she accused the Trade Minister of politicising Australia’s foreign policy.
The pair, both panellists at an SA Press Club debate in Adelaide today, clashed over comments made by Paul Keating this week.
The SA Press Club debate ended on a tense note this afternoon with @SenatorWong rejecting @Birmo’s handshake offer after he accused Labor of inconsistency on the issue of China.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 8, 2019
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The former Labor prime minister said Australia’s security chiefs had undermined the country’s relationship with China.
He said “the nutters are in charge” and had gone “berko” in their approach to Beijing.
Senator Birmingham enraged his fellow South Australian senator when he said Mr Keating’s attitude was not isolated within Labor ranks.
He named former foreign minister and NSW premier Bob Carr as someone who held similar views.
Throughout Senator Birmingham’s remarks, Senator Wong shook her head repeatedly and said: “This is really, really not appropriate. This is really desperate.”
An aghast Senator Wong, the would-be foreign minister under a Labor government, then rebuffed Senator Birmingham’s offer of a handshake as the debate concluded.
Senator Wong earlier said Australia’s relationship with China was of “great consequence and great complexity”.
“I have sought to take a very responsible approach in our relationship with China,” she said.
Luke Griffiths 5.15pm: Wong talks down economy
Penny Wong has become the latest senior Labor MP to pour cold water on the Australian economy, with the South Australian senator questioning why the Coalition government was campaigning so heavily on the issue.
Senator Wong, speaking at an SA Press Club debate in Adelaide today, said many people were missing out on economic prosperity because of the government’s policies, which she said favoured the top end of town, rather the everyday Australians.
“Corporate profits are growing five times the rate of wages,” she said.
“Go and talk to a lot of working people about their experience of their wage and their cost of living … people will tell you across the country that the cost of living is going up higher than their wages,” she told the audience at the Hotel Grand Chancellor.
“We’ve got a Coalition that is taking away people’s penalty rates, we’ve got a Coalition that is advocating for very high tax cuts to the highest income earners in Australia, most of which will not be seen by the overwhelming majority of South Australians given that these are really tax cuts which are targeted at wealthy electorates on east coast.
“I don’t think the economy is working for an overwhelming majority of Australians and I think that is clear.”
Senator Wong’s comments followed similar remarks by Labor leader Bill Shorten, who yesterday said that the economy was “going backwards”.
Labor’s treasury spokesman Chris Bowen said the economy had “underperformed” while the Coalition had been in power.
Senator Wong’s appraisal of the economy sparked a sharp rebuke from Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, a fellow panellist.
Senator Birmingham said the Coalition was leading its campaign on economic issues because outcomes under its watch had bucked an international downturn.
He highlighted trade deals with Japan, Korea and China that he said had greatly enhanced the earning potential of local exporters.
“Labor wants to renegotiate some of those (trade) agreements and that threatens that success that has fuelled our export growth, strengthened our businesses, and enabled us to create 1.3 million jobs,” Senator Birmingham said.
Cory Bernardi blamed a slide in the growth of per capita income on immigration.
“It is simply too high and no longer working in our economic, cultural or social interest,” he said.
Alice Workman 5.00pm: Labor handing out for Palmer in Dickson
A Labor volunteer in the marginal seat of Dickson has been spotted handing out how-to-vote cards for Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.
The pictures of the Labor campaigner, wearing an Ali France polo shirt, were taken at an early voting centre on Wednesday.
Bill Shorten has repeatedly criticised the Liberals preference deal with Mr Palmer.
“Mr Morrison has shown his hand — a vote for Scott Morrison is a vote for Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson,” Mr Shorten said last month.
“There’s an old saying, and I think that Mr Morrison is going to learn the truth, if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.”
Dickson is currently held by Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton on a margin of 1.7 per cent.
Luke Griffiths 4.05pm: ‘Voters want higher standard’
Sarah Hanson-Young believes election candidates from all political parties have “behaved inappropriately” on social media, but the Greens senator stopped short of calling for two of her party’s candidates to resign over offensive online activity.
Speaking at an SA Press Club debate in Adelaide today alongside Simon Birmingham, Penny Wong and Cory Bernardi, Senator Hanson-Young said political aspirants should not resort to “gutter-style muckiness” when posting online.
“Voters are sick of it and want a higher standard of political debate,” she said.
“We’d be doing a better service to everybody if we lifted that standard and led by example, and that’s what I’m up here doing today.
“I’d say to any candidate on any side, ‘If you’re not in politics because of issues you believe in, think again.”
Senator Hanson-Young’s comments come after the Greens’ candidate for the Melbourne seat of Lalor, Jay Dessi, and the Greens’ candidate for Lingiari in the Northern Territory, George Hanna, were linked to offensive online posts.
Mr Dessi has since resigned, but Mr Hanna, an Aboriginal man, remains as a candidate amid an internal review of his online activity, which includes him sharing a meme that called his Liberal opponent Jacinta Price a “coconut”.
Ms Price said today that Greens leader Richard Di Natale was condoning racial vilification by not demanding Ms Hanna’s resignation.
“So because I am an Aboriginal woman, it is okay for an Aboriginal man to racially vilify me?” she said.
“That in itself is the racism of low expectations. One rule for non-Indigenous and another for Indigenous.”
Mr Dessi was forced to quit today — thus becoming the first Greens candidate to stand aside in this federal election campaign — after numerous offensive social media posts of his between 2012 and 2015 emerged.
This included a racist joke in which he questioned “which eyes are the real eyes” of an Asian friend.
Mr Dessi’s resignation followed other revelations by The Australian that he had joked online about having sex with children and dead people, posted a cartoon about oral sex and liked a post which joked about abortion and child pornography.
Alice Workman 3.47pm: Morrison won’t discuss Scullin candidate
Scott Morrison has refused to answer questions about a Victorian Liberal candidate who linked marriage equality to paedophilia during a 2017 interview.
Gurpal Singh, the Liberal candidate for the very safe Labor seat of Scullin, said same-sex marriage was “against nature” and there was “also an issue of paedophilia” during an SBS radio interview in 2017.
The Liberal candidate for Wills was dumped last week for making similarly homophobic comments.
When asked about Mr Singh on Wednesday, the Prime Minister refused to weigh into the comments.
Journalist: Just to clear something up Prime Minister, last week you said the standard you walk past is the standard you accept in relation to Mr Creasey, I think it was and the comments he made. You got a candidate in Scullin who in an interview in 2017 linked paedophilia with same-sex marriage. Do you and the Liberal Party accept those comments from him?
Morrison: No that matter was dealt with by the party organisation several weeks ago —
Journalist: Why is he still the candidate?
Morrison: The party organisation dealt with that.
Journalist: What did they do to deal with it Prime Minister? You said that they dealt with it what did they do?
Morrison: His candidacy has continued.
Journalist: That means you think those comments are acceptable?
Morrison: I don’t accept that.
Mr Morrison told reporters in Melbourne last week after Labor’s candidate resigned: “All I can say is the standard you walk by is the standard you accept”.
Alice Workman 3.12pm: Shooting body refers ‘misleading’ ad to AEC
The Shooting Industry Foundation Australia has referred an ad about gun lobby donations made to Liberal MP Michael Sukkar to the Australian Electoral Commission, claiming it’s “misleading and counter-productive”.
Authorised by Trades Hall Victoria, the online ad claims Mr Sukkar took a $3,000 donation from the peak lobby group and asks what it will get in return.
“After Port Arthur we passed some of the world’s toughest gun laws,” the ad reads before the sound of a gunshot rings out.
Liberal MP Michael Sukkar took a $3000 donation from the gun lobby. What will they get in return? #auspol #AusVotes19 pic.twitter.com/6NI0Zj7W9P
— Vic Trades Hall (@VicUnions) May 7, 2019
“Now the gun lobby want to weaken these laws again,” it says followed by a series of gunshots, with bullet holes appearing on screen.
“Now the gun lobby want to weaken these laws again. And guess who’s taking money from the gun lobby?” the ad asks before showing a black and white picture of Mr Sukkar.
“Is this still your Liberal party?”
Rod Drew, executive officer at the Shooting Industry Foundation says the ad is incorrect. He suspects the ad refers to a donation made in 2016.
“SIFA is contributing exactly zero dollars to any party, politician or campaign during the federal election. To say otherwise is a lie,” Mr Drew said.
Mr Drew said many shooters are union members and Labor voters, so he was surprised Trades Hall would involve itself in “fear mongering and muckraking”.
Alice Workman 2.50pm: Eighteen candidates gone since election called
Eighteen candidates have stood aside or been dumped by their party since the federal election was called by Scott Morrison last month — nine Liberal, four Labor, two Independents, one National, one Green and one One Nation.
Here’s a rundown to refresh your memory.
Liberal: Helen Jackson in Cooper, Vaishali Ghosh in Wills, Kate Oski in Lalor, Sam Kayal in Werriwa, Courtney Nguyen in Fowler, Murray Angus in Corio, Jeremy Hearn in Isaacs, Peter Killin in Wills and Jessica Whelan in Lyons.
National: James Harker-Mortlock in Whitlam.
Labor: Mellissa Parke in Curtin, Luke Creasey in Melbourne, Mary Ross in the NSW Senate and Wayne Kurnoth in the NT Senate.
Greens: Jay Dessi in Lalor.
One Nation: Steve Dickson in QLD Senate.
Independents: Troy Delmege in North Sydney and Stephen Bailey in Fenner.
Amos Aikman 2.25pm: ‘The epitome of racism and sexism’
Coalition candidate for the outback seat of Lingiari, Jacinta Price, said Greens leader Richard Di Natale was condoning racial vilification by not sacking George Hanna. She said both men “resemble the epitome of racism and sexism”.
“What Di Natale has endorsed is exactly what I campaign against which is Aboriginal people attacking one another,” Ms Price said.
“So because I am an Aboriginal woman, it is okay for an Aboriginal man to racially vilify me?
“That in itself is the racism of low expectations. One rule for non-Indigenous and another for Indigenous.”
Ms Price said she had heard Mr Di Natale refer to Mr Hanna as “as a gentleman”.
“No gentleman tries to justify his actions by claiming that as a woman I am too outspoken and negative hence why he made the comments.
“As far as I am concerned, both these men resemble the epitome of racism and sexism.
“This is why Aboriginal women suffer the most, because for some strange and racist reason, we are viewed as less and somehow violence and attacks against us are acceptable if it comes from our own.”
Alice Workman 2.06pm: Punter puts $1m on Labor win
Online bookmaker Ladbrokes has confirmed it’s taken a whopping $1 million bet on Labor to win the May 18 election at $1.23.
The bet was placed by a male punter from NSW on Wednesday afternoon, who has previously only made two bets with the website.
The man will make $230,000 if Bill Shorten leads the next sworn-in government.
Ladbrokes said it’s the biggest single wager since the website entered the Australian market in 2013. The previous biggest political bet struck with Ladbrokes was $250,000 on the Coalition to win in 2016.
One punter has today laid $1 million at $1.23 on Labor to win with @ladbrokescomau. Biggest single bet with the online bookie since it entered the Australian market in 2013 #auspol
— rob harris (@rharris334) May 8, 2019
The biggest bets on the 2019 election, prior to today’s million dollar wager, were $15,000 on the Coalition at $4 on April 23 and $10,000 at $1.53 on Labor back in August last year.
“We’ve obviously seen some sizeable bets come through in recent times, many of them on Winx, but clearly this gentleman thinks the Labor Party is a safer bet than the now retired mighty mare,” Ladbrokes Australia Chief Executive, Jason Scott said.
Ladbrokes says the million dollar bet looks “a lot smarter” at this stage of the campaign that the $800 another person places on the United Australia Party to win government at odds of 300-1.
Luke Griffiths 2.02pm: Price ‘MIA’: Hanson-Young
Sarah Hanson-Young says Environment Minister Melissa Price is “missing in action” during the election campaign.
The Greens senator, speaking at today’s SA Press Club debate in Adelaide, labelled the May 18 election as a “referendum on our future”.
Following her tweet this morning that challenged Ms Price to a pre-election debate, Senator Hanson-Young told the audience at the Hotel Grand Chancellor that she her and Greens colleagues would “hold the bastards to account” on environmental issues.
“Our renewable energy industry is crying out for certainty … a proper renewable energy target of 100 per cent by 2030 would create hundreds of jobs,” she said.
Senator Hanson-Young also called for a national royal commission into the Murray Darling Basin plan and the abandonment of plans by Norwegian company Equinor to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight.
“We want it stopped,” she said.
Alice Workman 1.45pm: Extinction report ‘scary’
Agriculture minister David Littleproud says a United Nations report that found one million species face extinction “scares him”.
“Farmers have been facing a changing climate since we first put a till in the soil,” Mr Littleproud said during a debate at the National Press Club.
“We have to continue to invest in science and technology to make sure we give them the tools to adopt. That is why this biodiversity report scares me. We can’t generalise.”
Rachel Baxendale 1.20pm: Greens offensive posts emerge
As Greens leader Richard Di Natale awaits a briefing on offensive Facebook posts by Victorian Greens candidate Jay Dessi, The Australian can reveal full details of the posts.
With pressure mounting on Mr Dessi, the Greens candidate for Lalor — and George Hanna, the party’s candidate in the Northern Territory seat of Lingiari — over their social media activities, Senator Di Natale told the ABC this morning: “I’m getting a briefing on that. They have given a full apology, in particular the gentleman in the Northern Territory, himself an aboriginal man.”
Mr Dessi joked about having sex with children and dead people, made a racist joke about an Asian friend’s eyes, posted a cartoon about oral sex and liked a post which joked about abortion and child pornography. Mr Dessi made the comments on social media between 2012 and 2015.
To read the article in full, click here.
Cameron Stewart 1.10pm: Hockey to quit ambassador role
Joe Hockey will depart as Australian Ambassador to the US at the end of the year rather than seek an extension to his term.
Mr Hockey made the decision himself but did so amid growing speculation that a Labor government would not extend his four-year term for a year to allow him to stay until the US election, in November 2020.
To read the story in full, click here.
Alice Workman 12.52pm: Butler to be Youth Minister
Labor frontbencher Terri Butler has confirmed she will serve as Youth Minister under a Shorten government, if elected on May 18.
The ministerial role was scrapped by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2013.
Education Minister Dan Tehan hasn’t ruled out the Coalition reintroducing the role, telling the ABC: “We’ll see what happens after the election”.
The Morrison government doesn’t have anyone responsible in the youth portfolio, but does have a Minister for Senior Australia Ken Wyatt.
Alice Workman 12.50pm: Shorten’s tears for mum
An emotional Bill Shorten has praised the life and career of his late mother, Ann, crediting her as the driving force behind his time in politics.
In response to story in The Daily Telegraph today that accused him of skipping over the “inconvenient truth” of her time working as a barrister during Q&A on Monday night, the Opposition Leader opened up in detail about his mother’s life.
To read the article in full, click here.
Alice Workman 12.40pm: There’s preferencing and then there’s this
Spotted on the campaign trail … A Labor volunteer at an early voting centre in the marginal seat of Forde in Queensland handing out for the Greens.
Forde is currently held by the LNP’s Bert van Manen on a margin of 0.6 per cent.
Dennis Shanahan 12.30pm: No razzmatazz for Lib campaign launch
The Liberals are planning a radically different campaign launch to Labor’s crowded appeal to the faithful, with a more sombre presentation to a small crowd giving Scott Morrison the opportunity to present an “appeal to voters” rather than whipping up party devotees.
One MP who will be missing is Julie Bishop, the Liberal Party’s highest-profile and most popular female MP.
The former foreign minister will instead be in her home state of Western Australia, where she will hit the hustings with Liberal candidates.
Greg Brown 12.00pm: PM lashes Daley over Asian comments
Scott Morrison has lashed former NSW Labor leader Michael Daley’s anti-Asian comments in his visit to the marginal electorate of Reid in Sydney’s inner west, one of the most multicultural seats in the nation.
The Prime Minister used a street walk in the suburb of Burwood to deny the Liberal Party had been spreading fake news on Chinese-language social media platform WeChat.
But he did not miss in attacking Mr Daley for saying Asians were taking Australians jobs. Mr Daley’s comments are expected to make it harder for Labor to win the seat, which was held by outgoing MP Craig Laundy on a margin of 4.7 per cent.
“I can understand the Labor Party would be feeling rather sensitive about the things that the former Labor leader here in NSW said about the Chinese community and the Asian community at the last state election,” Mr Morrison said.
“It was a big issue here in the state election. The NSW leader of the Labor Party at the last election said that Asians were taking Australians’ jobs.
“Now, Bill Shorten said nothing about that until after the election was over. It was six days before he said a thing. So I can understand why Labor might be a bit sensitive about this.”
Mr Morrison walked through shops and restaurants in Burwood with his candidate, child psychologist Fiona Martin.
Labor’s candidate is the executive director of policy think tank, the McKell Institute.
Alice Workman 11.25am: Taylor denies Butler debate claim
The debate about debates continues!
Minister Angus Taylor says he’s not the one holding up a debate over energy policy, Labor is!
Labor’s climate and energy spokesman Mark Butler tweeted earlier today that Mr Taylor had refused the offer of TV debate this Friday, hosted by the National Press Club.
But he failed to mention that Mr Taylor had written to him on Monday, advising him that the NSW Business Chamber had already organising a debate for the pair in Sydney to answer questions from businesses and consumers.
“I will be there (with media), sorry to hear you won’t be,” Mr Taylor tweeted
Thanks @mark_butler_mp, you failed to mention I sent you this yesterday. As you know @NSWBC agreed to host our debate in Sydney this Friday, so we can take questions directly from businesses and consumers. I will be there (with media), sorry to hear you won’t be #auspol https://t.co/M01F2QDBYG pic.twitter.com/6sbk0Zs9hj
— Angus Taylor MP (@AngusTaylorMP) May 7, 2019
Greg Brown 11.15am: PM dodges flexible labour issue
Scott Morrison has dodged questions on whether he would consider rewriting legislation to make the labour market more flexible if he wins the election.
The Prime Minister denied he had raised the white flag on industrial relations reform but repeatedly refused to say whether he would consider calls from business to free up the labour market and make regulations less complex.
Instead he talked about Bill Shorten’s agenda and reforms passed under the Turnbull government.
“Under the government that I have been part of and under the government I have led 1.3 million jobs have been created and that is under the policies we have put in place,” Mr Morrison said.
“This includes restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission, ensuring that we pass the Registered Organisations Act, it ensures that we took up the fight for the owner-drivers in the transport industry.
“Labor wants to return all of those things back.”
Alice Workman 11.10am: Election ‘not about our mums’
Scott Morrison has described a story criticising Bill Shorten’s recollection of his mother’s career as “very upsetting”, saying this election is not about the families of politicians.
On Monday night, Mr Shorten spoke about how his mother’s ambitions to be a lawyer were thwarted by her working-class roots but omitted the fact that she went on to work as a barrister after a midlife occupation change.
“I can understand that Bill would have been very hurt by that story,” Mr Morrison said at a press conference in Sydney.
“I mean, Bill lost his mother five years ago and I can understand that would have upset him a great deal … I would only extend my best wishes to him.
“This election is not about our families … It’s not about our mums or our dads or kids or our wives, as great as they are, it’s about the choice between Bill Shorten and myself as Prime Minister and I know that Bill and I would very much want to keep focused on that choice, not on our families.”
Mr Morrison said he is looking forward to the third and final leaders debate tonight at the National Press Club in Canberra tonight.
“On the 19th of May, people will get up, they’ll wake up, they’ll look at what’s on the front page of the papers, and they’ll either be a picture of Bill Shorten there or who would be your next Prime Minister or me as continuing as your next Prime Minister.”
Alice Workman 10.40am: Hanson-Young challenges Price to debate
It’s not just Labor calling for Environment Minister Melissa Price to be released from Coalition witness protection.
Greens environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young has also challenged Ms Price to a debate in Adelaide before May 18.
“Melissa Price cannot keep hiding from her responsibilities to the environment or her accountability to voters,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“Melissa Price has been missing in action. Yesterday we laid eyes on the UN’s damning biodiversity report. Again we find this Government’s response lacking and our Environment Minister unable or unwilling to answer the hard questions.”
Alice Workman 10.10am: McCormack: too busy to spruik myself
Nationals leader Michael McCormack has laughed off having to explain to voters at pre-polling booths that he’s the deputy prime minister, saying he’s too busy delivering to go on TV and “spruik how good I am”.
“I’ve been out and about delivering the sorts of things that regional people want and deserve,” he told the ABC.
Mr McCormack said it wasn’t a problem that voters didn’t recognise him and won’t impact the Coalition’s chances on May 18.
He said regional voters are frustrated, but he thinks they’re frustrated by the prolonged drought and Labor’s lack of vision.
Mr McCormack said a re-elected Coalition government aims to legislation a $3.9 billion future drought fund. He said the fund should have been passed in the last parliament but didn’t get bipartisan support.
Greg Brown 10.00am: Egger ‘should be accountable’
Scott Morrison says the 24-year-old woman who allegedly tried to egg him yesterday showed “total selfishness” and should be legally accountable for her actions.
When asked if Amber Holt should be jailed for the incident, the Prime Minister said the matter would be dealt with by the NSW justice system.
“That is a matter for the police and the laws in each state, in this case in NSW, but I do think people should be accountable for their actions,” Mr Morrison told Perth radio station Mix 94.5.
“These days people think they can just go around and have a complete disregard for others. This young girl just showed no interest in the welfare of others.
“As angry or activist as she might be, that is fine, but you don’t get to disregard others and it is just total selfishness and people need to be accountable for their actions and that is what happened here.”
Alice Workman 9.20am: Keating, Hawke ‘inspiring'
Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers said it was “inspiring” to see former prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating reunite in an opinion piece endorsing Bill Shorten’s economic plan.
“I thought that it was amazing to see the bank back together. I thought it was inspiring, frankly,” he told the ABC this morning.
“A lot of us have joined the Labor Party because of Hawke and Keating. So to see them together and just speaking about Labor’s proud record of economic management compared to the Liberals, I found to be really uplifting.”
Mr Chalmers said he understands Mr Hawke and Mr Keating’s relationship has been “good” in recent years and shows Labor is “steady and stable and united”.
Greg Brown 9.08am: PM’s footy date
To finish up a short Q&A, Scott Morrison is asked if he will be “making or taking a call” on May 18 “after watching the footy”.
Morrison points out his Cronulla Sharks aren’t playing until May 19, the day after the election.
“The footy I will be watching will be on the 19th of May because that is when the Sharks will be playing the Sea Eagles,” Morrison says.
He says Australians should think about who they want as prime minister when they wake up on May 19.
“On Sunday morning they will wake up to either me being prime minister or Bill Shorten being prime minister,” he says.
“Do they want the big change with the big taxes and the big spending … at a time when we are facing the uncertainty we are.”
Greg Brown 9.05am: ‘Unions will control your business’
In a question-and-answer session with NSW Business Chamber public affairs manager Damian Kelly, Scott Morrison is asked about Labor’s industrial relations agenda.
He tells a room of business owners if Bill Shorten wins the election they will lose control of their businesses to unions and Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus.
“Sally McManus will now be a board member, figuratively, on every single one of your companies. The union movement will be in control of your businesses if the Labor Party are elected,” Mr Morrison says.
“They will be the ones who give final approval of what can you do with your businesses.
“So much for you running your business if Bill Shorten is elected.
“They want control of Australia’s building industry again. They want control of every site. They want control over every decision you make.
“If Bill Shorten is prime minister you can be sure Sally McManus will get her way.”
Alice Workman 9.00am: Pre-polling tops 1m
Approximately 1.15 million Australians have already cast their vote, a week and a half after early voting commenced.
The Australian Electoral Commission says around 240,000 people pre-polled on Tuesday and 255,000 on Monday.
660,000 votes were cast in the first week of early voting, up from 315,000 votes during the first week in 2016.
A record number of Australians are enrolled to vote this election.
Could this campaign already have been won? These are big numbers, and the bulk of it is coming from key electorates. https://t.co/cQdAPmbWlG
— Richard Ferguson (@RichAFerguson) May 7, 2019
Greg Brown 8.50am: ‘Big taxes, spending equals risk’
Scott Morrison today warned against changing governments in uncertain times and upped his attack on Labor’s negative gearing proposals.
Addressing the NSW Business Chamber in western Sydney, the Prime Minister said: “People matter and because people matter the economy matters. That’s why you hear me every day speaking about how important a strong economy is.”
He went on to talk about drugs that have been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme — including to treat cystic fibrosis- because of the growing economy.
“Two-thousand (PBS listings) we have done since we became government, over $10 billion of investments. We have been able to do that because we have presided over a strong economy,” he said.
.@ScottMorrisonMP says the economy is not about numbers on a chart, it’s about saving lives as he points to the 2,000 medicines listed on the PBS under the Coalition.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 7, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/cnxAXrLKY3 #firstedition pic.twitter.com/ICgsUBtxGB
He told the audience of business owners that “when you succeed” the government was able to deliver services.
“If you can’t manage money, which is what occurred last time Labor was in government and they stopped listing (medicine) on the PBS, that is the cost,” he said.
“Now is not the time to turn back. It puts at risks all the work you have done, all the things Australians have achieved. This is what is at stake.”
Mr Morrison also pointed out the global economic risks, including trade tensions between China and the United States and the drought.
“There are some uncertainties ahead, whether it is for our economy, our region or national security. These are not easy times. These are not plain sailing times. There will be challenges in the years ahead,” he said.
“We have a lot to do to ensure the economy remains strong.
“Big taxes and big spending equals big risk.”
Mr Morrison attacked Labor’s negative gearing reforms, declaring it would be a “significant risk” to the NSW economy and cull stamp duty revenue.
“You own a house, it will be worth less,” he said.
“The housing market has had a soft landing, the Labor Party will turn that into a concrete landing.
“It will take important revenue away from state and territory governments to pay for hospitals, schools and police officers.”
Earlier, NSW Business Chamber chief executive Stephen Cartwright indicated it would be a sympathetic audience for the Prime Minister, who will not be taking questions from journalists before the leaders debate at the National Press Club tonight.
“Probably a bit friendlier than what you will face at the National Press Club tonight and certainly more friendly than the CWA event yesterday,” Mr Cartwright said.
Alice Workman 8.45am: Taylor ‘refused climate debate offer’
Labor’s Mark Butler says he’s keen to take part in a debate on climate and energy policy, but can’t get anyone from the government to commit.
Mr Butler tweeted on Wednesday morning that Energy Minister Angus Taylor has refused the offer of a National Press Club TV debate and missing in action Environment Minister Melissa Price has yet to respond.
“Yes, I proposed a televised debate at the National Press Club — as Greg Hunt and I did last election, and as other portfolios are doing again this year. The Club is available this Friday, but @AngusTaylorMP refused my offer. I haven’t heard back from @Melissa4Durack”
Yes, I proposed a televised debate at the National Press Club - as Greg Hunt and I did last election, and as other portfolios are doing again this year. The Club is available this Friday, but @AngusTaylorMP refused my offer. I haven’t heard back from @Melissa4Durack https://t.co/Tuz4vFNkga
— Mark Butler MP (@Mark_Butler_MP) May 7, 2019
Michael Roddan 8.05am: Super sector worried by reforms
The $2.7 trillion superannuation sector remains in the dark over the impact of Labor’s franking credit reforms amid concerns from sections of the financial sector that rules requiring that savers be treated “equitably” will force an overhaul of the way member returns are calculated.
To read the article in full, click here.
Mark Schliebs 7.51am: Henderson target of trolls
Liberal MP Sarah Henderson has been targeted in a long-running online campaign that has escalated ahead of the election, amid separate attacks on her campaign signs that have led her to hire a private security company.
Since 2016, a person operating an anonymous Twitter account called SarahendersonMPNoWay has been doctoring videos of her, overdubbing them “so that they show (her) making crude, critical or damaging remarks about her campaign”, according to social media intelligence firm Storyful.
The person behind the videos has doctored them to portray Ms Henderson as mocking public school students, criticising the government’s policies and making fun of Scott Morrison’s religious beliefs.
To read the article in full, click here.
Alice Workman 7.50am: Keating, Hawke team up to endorse Shorten
Former prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating have teamed up for the first time in 28 years to attack Scott Morrison and endorse Bill Shorten’s economic plan.
The two former Labor leaders haven’t worked together since 1991, when Mr Keating resigned as Treasurer to challenge Mr Hawke for the top job.
But in a joint statement they claim full credit for the Labor Party for Australia’s 28-years of continuous economic growth.
“It is a blatant denial of history for Scott Morrison to allege that the Labor Party cannot manage the economy when he knows the design and structure of the modern Australian economy was put in place exclusively by the Labor Party,” the pair wrote in a long opinion piece in Nine News’ Sydney Morning Herald.
“The economy is Labor’s — Labor’s rejection of the closed economic model of an economy ring-fenced by tariffs with a managed exchange rate, a sclerotic financial market and centrally arbitrated wages bequeathed us in 1983.”
The joint statement comes after it emerged 89-year-old Mr Hawke was too frail to fly from his Sydney home to the Labor campaign launch in Brisbane on Sunday.
Mr Keating appeared at the launch, alongside Labor’s other infamous feuding pair Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, to pass the baton onto a new generation.
“But it is now more than 20 years since the era of the Hawke and Keating governments,” the two leaders write. “While we are proud of the achievements of our governments, the baton of reform is being grasped by the next generation of Labor leaders. Bill Shorten’s Labor Party presents the most comprehensive and well thought through agenda any opposition has provided to the Australian people.”
The pair attack Mr Morrison and claim the Liberal party has “completely given up the economic reform agenda”.
“And just as we modernised the economy in the face of the challenges of the day, Shorten’s Labor is the only party of government focused on the need to modernise the economy to deal with the major challenge of our time: human induced climate change.”
“And it is an agenda which represents an appropriate modernisation and rejuvenation of the governing principles which informed and underpinned our governments. Just as we stared down vociferous vested interests to modernise the tax system and make it fairer with the introduction of the capital gains and fringe benefits taxes, so Shorten and Chris Bowen have rightly tackled the blatant inequity and unsustainability of several concessions and tax expenditures — and much to their credit.”
Greg Brown 7.50am: PM to address NSW Business Chamber
Scott Morrison has arrived at a function room in the newly built Bankwest Stadium in western Sydney’s Parramatta, where he is set to address the NSW Business Chamber.
The Prime Minister will take questions from the business chamber but not from the media and is unlikely to do a doorstop today.
Also attending is Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Special Minister of State Alex Hawke and former trade minister Andrew Robb.
The Liberal Party’s candidate for the seat of Parramatta is Charles Camenzuli.
Alice Workman 7.35am: Leaders prepare for debate
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will be in Canberra today, ahead of the third and final leaders debate at the National Press Club.
The format of the one-hour show down will differ slightly from previous debates.
There will be no opening statements.
Each leader will be given two minutes to answer questions asked by a single host, ABC journalist Sabra Lane.
They will also be able to ask each other two questions.
The debate will air on the ABC from 7:30pm.
Alice Workman 7.25am: Di Natale stands by ‘racist’ candidates
Greens leader Richard Di Natale has stood by two of his candidates who made racist jokes on social media, despite condemning other parties over hate speech.
When asked if he would disendorse the candidate, Senator Di Natale told the ABC: “I am getting a briefing on that … and they’ve offered an apology.”
The Greens candidate for the seat of Lalor, Jay Dessi, joked about having sex with children and dead people, made a racist joke about an Asian man’s eyes, posted a cartoon about oral sex and liked a post about abortion and child pornography. Next to a photograph of an Asian friend wearing a frog hat, Mr Dessi wrote: “Which eyes are the real eyes?”
In the Northern Territory seat of Lingiari, Greens candidate George Hanna refused to apologise directly for sharing a meme in which Liberal candidate Jacinta Price was called a “coconut”.
Alice Workman 7.25am: Molan campaign upsets Libs
Senior Liberal party figures are “feeling really pissed off” at the grassroots below-the-line campaigning being run by NSW senator Jim Molan, according to a report by Sky News.
Senator Molan was relegated to the unwinnable third spot on the Coalition’s NSW Senate ticket last year. Last month he launched a re-election campaign to circumvent the party’s endorsed ticket, handing out how-to-vote cards asking people to vote for him below the line first.
Handing out the rogue how-to-vote cards could lead to members being kicked out of the party, one Liberal source told Sky News.
Alice Workman 7.10am: Live sheep trade ‘fundamentally important’
Barnaby Joyce has told Sky News that live sheep exports are fundamentally important to the Australian economy, despite it not being “politically popular”.
“I believe the live exports trade is fundamentally important to underpin the value of sheep,” Mr Joyce said during a People’s Forum in his electorate of New England on Tuesday night.
“I know that I was derided as the minister ‘cause I tried to drive it, to make it as big as possible. Where the live sheep trade will go is where the live cattle trade will go. The live cattle trade is vitally important, not only for the underpinning of the price of cattle and getting the best return back to the farm gate but also maintaining out good relationship with Indonesia.”
What is your stand on live exports?@Barnaby_Joyce: It's fundamentally important. Where the live sheep trade goes, the live cattle trade will go and so will transport. It's also important to maintain our good relationship with Indonesia.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 7, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/tb2LL9eh0s #PMLive pic.twitter.com/hfl5jJJ3Ug
Alice Workman 7.00am: Chalmers defends anti-vax preference
Jim Chalmers has defended Labor’s decision to preference an anti-vaccination party ahead of the Nationals in the seat of Richmond in northern NSW.
The electorate of Richmond consistently has one of the worst immunisation rates for children under the age of five, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
“Our preferences won’t be counted in Richmond,” Mr Chalmers told the ABC.
“And so who we preference at 6 and 7 will not impact on the outcome. From time to time, both parties, all parties, what they try to do is they work out who their key preference arrangements are, and then they try to make the how-to-vote card as simple as possible and that’s what we’ve done.”
Mr Chalmers said Labor’s strong position on vaccinations is well known and preferencing the Involuntary Medication Objectors Party number seven out of a ticket of eight won’t change that.
Alice Workman 6.50am: ‘New low’
Opposition frontbencher Jim Chalmers has called The Daily Telegraph story criticising Bill Shorten’s account of his later mother’s career a “disappointing new low”.
On Q&A on Monday night, Mr Shorten spoke about how his mother’s ambitions to be a lawyer were thwarted by her working-class roots but omitted the fact that she went on to work as a barrister after a midlife occupation change.
Mr Chalmers said the story is a “disappointing new low”.
“You don’t go after a bloke by using his mum. Bill Shorten has talked lovingly and glowingly about his mum who passed away about five years ago,” Mr Chalmers told ABC News Breakfast.
“If they want to go after Bill, they shouldn’t be bringing his mum into it. He’s very proud of his mum.”
Sascha O’Sullivan 6.45am: Shorten hits back over mum’s story
Bill Shorten has hit back at accusations from The Daily Telegraph that he misrepresented his dead mother’s story of having her hopes of becoming a lawyer dashed because of her working class background.
My mum. #auspol #qanda pic.twitter.com/VXi04aLoYS
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) May 7, 2019
“My mum passed away five years ago last month, but she’s still my biggest inspiration,” Mr Shorten said in a statement last night. “The Daily Telegraph has decided to use my mum’s life as a political attack on me, and her memory.”
Mr Shorten spent roughly four minutes telling his mum’s story on the ABC’s Q&A, on Monday, saying: “I can’t make it right for my mum but I can make it right for everyone else.”
The Daily Telegraph accused Mr Shorten of omitting from the story his mother’s later successful career as a barrister after she graduated with a first-class honours law degree from Monash University in 1985, and went on to practice for six years.
“(She was) first in her family to go to university. They weren’t rich. She wanted to do law but had to take a teacher’s scholarship to look after her younger siblings,” he said in the statement.
“She worked at Monash University for over three decades, but she always wanted to be in the law.”
He added that she qualified as a barrister in her late 50s.
Mr Shorten said he was not hiding his mum’s legal background, and mentioned his mother’s career at his women’s launch speech two weeks ago, where he told the crowd about his mother winning the Supreme Court prize.
What’s making news
• Tony Abbott claims the teaming up of Zali Steggall with 14 other independent candidates for a joint ad campaign promising to “work together cooperatively” if they are elected marks the creation of a new climate change party.
• The Liberals are planning a radically different campaign launch to Labor’s crowded appeal to the faithful, with a more sombre presentation to a small crowd giving Scott Morrison the opportunity to present an “appeal to voters” rather than whipping up party devotees.
• Bill Shorten has unleashed a $105 million cash splash in Corangamite as vulnerable Liberal MP Sarah Henderson continues her fight to hold on to the ultra-marginal Victorian seat.
• The federal Liberal Party has provided hundreds of thousands of extra dollars to its Victorian branch to bolster mail and TV amid uncertainty about future funding from the Cormack Foundation.
• Company tax deductions for international carbon credits purchased to meet Labor’s climate change ambitions could punch a $10 billion hole in the federal budget over the next 10 years due to the potential loss of tax revenue.
• Richard Di Natale has been accused of double standards after it emerged two of his candidates made racist jokes on social media as the Greens leader publicly condemned others over hate speech.
Minns says nurses video ‘an aberration’ as probe deepens
NSW Premier Chris Minns says he's confident the shocking video of two nurses threatening Jewish patients represents the views of a 'small, small fraction' of NSW health workers, as he moved to reassure on the safety and high quality of the state's hospitals.
Free market path to lift Indigenous
Labor has handed its new tsar for Aboriginal business extraordinary powers that could make remote-community residents the owners of defence infrastructure and the funders of energy projects.