Latest poll shows Albanese on track for minority government. Follow today’s news livePolls tracker; Election guide; Interactive seat explorerParty policies; Micro parties explained; Full election coverageListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFollowing the prime minister, Peter Dutton joins ABC AM to deliver his final pitch to voters.Sabra Lane asks where the Coalition’s campaign has gone wrong, when polling shows the party and Dutton have been losing support.I think we’re seeing a 2019 situation, where you’ve got a lot of interesting contests playing on the ground, where we’ve had a very significant effort by great candidates. And I think there’ll be some big surprises on election night, because people have had enough. Continue reading…Latest poll shows Albanese on track for minority government. Follow today’s news livePolls tracker; Election guide; Interactive seat explorerParty policies; Micro parties explained; Full election coverageListen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFollowing the prime minister, Peter Dutton joins ABC AM to deliver his final pitch to voters.Sabra Lane asks where the Coalition’s campaign has gone wrong, when polling shows the party and Dutton have been losing support.I think we’re seeing a 2019 situation, where you’ve got a lot of interesting contests playing on the ground, where we’ve had a very significant effort by great candidates. And I think there’ll be some big surprises on election night, because people have had enough. Continue reading…
Nurses, midwives and educators criticise Coalition’s last-minute decision to scrap prac payments for students
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has added its voice expressing “extreme concern” that a Coalition government under Peter Dutton would axe paid prac placements.
From July this year, eligible students including nurses and midwives will receive more than $300 per week while undertaking their mandatory 800 hours of clinical placement training.
The ANMF federal secretary, Annie Butler, said Dutton’s announcement that a Coalition government, would axe paid prac placements, as well as university-loan debts and fee-free Tafe, which would combine to have a devastating impact on the predominantly-female nursing and midwifery workforce:
We know that placement poverty is a real issue for students who lose income from their regular paid jobs and then have to pay for a whole range of everyday costs, like finding an affordable rental property, parking, tolls, childcare, uniforms and other clinical tools while they’re training.
It’s certainly impacted our ability to build the nursing and midwifery workforce, with students forced to quit their courses and abandon their chosen profession.
That’s why the commonwealth prac placement, which will be implemented by the Albanese government, is so welcome as it will help alleviate the financial burden experienced by students as they complete their essential clinical training and, in turn, will encourage a generation of new students into nursing and midwifery.
The ANMF has experienced a government with Peter Dutton as health minister, which didn’t go well for nurses, midwives and care-workers. We’re concerned that a government led by Peter Dutton wouldn’t be any different. The ANMF has been asking Peter Dutton and the Coalition if they’re supporting nurses and midwives this election – now we know the answer.
Our professions can’t risk a government led by Peter Dutton.
Dutton ‘clear’ about stance on Paris climate agreement
Dutton says there has been “no change” to the Coalition’s policy, to commit to the Paris climate agreement.
Shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien confirmed his party was committed in April, just hours after he’d left the door open to leaving, during a national press club debate with energy minister Chris Bowen.
The journalist puts to Dutton, that Pauline Hanson has said the Coalition would have to commit to pulling out of the agreement to get her vote. They ask if that’s something they’ll do.
Dutton says his position is “clear”.
We have been clear in relation to the policy on the matter.
The reporter asks for clarity, asking again, “you wouldn’t pull out?”
No, we have stated our policy in relation to that matter.
We stated our policy in relation to that matter. There is no change.
Dutton guarantees he can make life cheaper for families
Holding up the prop in his hand (the newspaper headline of Albanese promising to make life better in 2022), Dutton is asked if he can guarantee life will be “cheaper” under the Coalition.
Dutton says he can.
Life will be cheaper under a Coalition government because we have gotten rid of the worst biggest-spending government in 40 years. And we will manage the economy as John Howard and Peter Costello did.
Dutton then touts his record of having worked with Howard and Costello back in the early 2000s as an assistant treasurer.
Dutton promises to visit WA at least 10 times a year if he becomes PM
If that number seems a bit random to you, it’s because at the last election, Albanese promised to visit the state 10 times a year as PM, and he’s kept that promise, visiting more than 30 times.
Dutton says he has no doubt he can win back seats in the state, and makes a similar pledge.
I’ll be back here more than 10 times a year, I’m certain of that.
Dutton pushed to explain cost of public servants policy
You might remember, that this morning shadow treasurer Angus Taylor told RN Breakfast that under the Coalition’s policy to cut 41,000 public servants, some could be “migrated”:
Natural attrition happens everywhere, but we’ll move people around appropriately to meet the needs of regional areas and frontline services …
We will migrate people around to make sure that we keep our numbers where they are in regional areas.
Asked if the Coalition has modelled the cost of moving public servants around and reminded that when the pesticides regulator was moved to Armidale, workers were given payouts of, on average, $60,000, Dutton says:
Look, we have worked with the [Parliamentary Budget Office] in relation to all those costings and Angus [Taylor] has presented that. What it shows is we’re $40bn less in debt under a Coalition government.
Dutton defends Liberal budget costings
Dutton defends his party’s costings, released yesterday, that show a Coalition government would increase the nation’s deficit in the first two years compared with Labor.
A journalist points out that $8.3bn of the $21bn promised to defence hasn’t been included in the costings, and that the regional Australia future fund is off-budget.
Dutton repeats the line that the costings show the bottom line will be better off after four years by $40bn.
We’ll have $40bn less debt than Labor, that means less pressure on interest rates.
Asked if the costings are missing “quite a lot of money”, Dutton says, “no”.
Dutton: Curtin MP Kate Chaney in ‘lock-step’ with Labor and Greens
On to questions, and Peter Dutton is asked how he defends his party’s preference swap with One Nation – and whether he’s using the minor party to get his Liberal candidate into the teal-held seat of Curtin.
Dutton doesn’t mention One Nation in his answer, but attacks Labor’s decision to preference the Greens.
He also attacks Kate Chaney, who now holds Curtin.
The last thing Australians want is to have a Green-Labor government and, don’t forget that the teal Kate Chaney is working in lock-step with the Labor Party. The Labor party is running soft in Curtin to support somebody they know is a fellow traveller and Kate Chaney would support a Labor-Greens Government and that would be bad for WA.
Dutton reminds voters of Albanese 2022 promise that life would be cheaper under Labor
Peter Dutton is speaking to reporters in the Perth seat of Tangey, which the Liberals lost at the last election.
He has brought along a prop – a print out of a newspaper from 2022 that show that Labor had promised life would be cheaper under its government.
Now, it’s 12 months to the day and you’d remember this headline because this was the prime minister’s main pitch going into the last election. ‘Life will be cheaper under me,’ he said. I haven’t found one Australian who can say they’re paying less for their power.
WikiLeaks founder endorses Anthony Albanese for PM
Julian Assange has endorsed Anthony Albanese, praising the PM’s efforts to release him from jail.
Assange was detained for more than five years in London, charged with espionage and computer hacking, for publishing classified US military documents on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
In a statement, he said Albanese “has the backbone to stand up for Australians on other tough issues”.
The truth is, in what became an impressive field of advocates, Albo did more to secure my freedom than any other politician or public figure, even more than the late Pope, whose support was both moving and significant.
Against all expectations for an Australian politician, once elected, he kept his word.
Albanese lobbied former US president Joe Biden at several meetings, pushing for Assange’s release.
The WikiLeaks founder was released, and returned to Australia after agreeing to a plea deal in June.
Get yourself a democracy sausage and don’t forget to vote – it’s compulsory!
The AEC is reminding everyone (as am I!) that voting is compulsory.
More than 7 million people have already voted, meaning there’s about 11 million of you yet to get to the ballot box.
The AEC says there are more than 7,000 polling places, which you can search for here.
Polling centres will be open from 8am to 6pm tomorrow, and if you’re in the line at 6pm tomorrow you will still be able to cast your vote.
We love democracy!
Albanese and Dutton crisscross the country in last minute election dash
Both leaders have travelled halfway across the country already today. From Brisbane, Anthony Albanese is now in Tasmania, in the seat of Braddon.
Braddon is held by the Liberals on a safe margin, but with incumbent MP Gavin Pearce retiring, senator Anne Urquhart has made the switch to become a lower house candidate to try to win the seat for Labor.
Albanese’s been out patting the dogs too.
Meanwhile, Peter Dutton has travelled all the way to Perth where the Liberals are hoping to gain ground. They lost several heartland seats in the west back in 2022.