Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live coverage of Day 14 of the federal election campaign. Scott Morrison will be in Darwin today, promising a $63m package for military veterans. Bill Shorten will be in Townsville, promising casual workers a clear path to permanent positions.
Top story: One United Australia Party candidate has bowed out over a section 44-related eligibility issue.
5.58pm: Minor party secures top spot
A minor party that opposed same-sex marriage and advocates against multiculturalism have secured top spot on the Senate ballot paper in NSW. Rise Up Australia on Wednesday drew the coveted first spot on the ballot, ahead of the Liberal-Nationals in fourth place and Labor in 10th, in a list of more than 100 candidates.
One Nation is 19th on the list, ahead of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, which has drawn an unfavourable 26th position on the far right of the paper.
In the battleground seat of Wentworth, recently elected member Kerryn Phelps placed last in the list of seven, while her main challenger, Liberal Dave Sharma, received fifth spot.
Labor’s Tim Murray placed second in Malcolm Turnbull’s old seat, behind independent Matthew Drake-Brockman.
Further west, Labor’s new candidate for Lindsay, former state MP Diane Beamer, placed second ahead of Liberal candidate Melissa McIntosh in third. Ms Beamer has replaced replaced Emma Husar, who was dumped by the party over a scandal about her treatment of staff.
The Christian Democrats placed first in the northern electorate of Cowper, which is held by the Nationals, whose new candidate Pat Conaghan drew second. Independent Rob Oakeshott placed fifth in the list of eight. Back in the Senate, the Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party will appear between both major parties on the ballot papers in seventh and eighth position, respectively.
The Help End Marijuana Prohibition HEMP Party is among the top six spots on the ballot paper, along with the Health Australia Party, the Pirate Party and the Affordable Housing Party.
The Animal Justice Party, which snagged one seat in the NSW upper house at the March 23 state election, drew 29th on the Senate ballot paper. The 105 candidates competing for NSW Senate seats on May 18 also include the Involuntary Medication Objectors (Vaccination/Fluoride) Party, Seniors United Party of Australia, Vote Flux Party and Socialist Alliance.
Liberal MP Steve Irons drew top spot in his seat of Swan, with Labor listed last on the ballot.
Andrew Burrell 5.53pm: Porter draws third ballot spot
Attorney-General Christian Porter has drawn third spot on the ballot paper in his knife-edge West Australian seat of Pearce, below Labor candidate Kim Travers (second) and One Nation’s Sandra Old (first).
Mr Porter is facing a struggle to retain Pearce after Newspoll data this week showed the Liberal Party’s primary vote had fallen 5.4 percentage points to 40 per cent since the 2016 election.
This suggests preferences from One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party could determine whether Ms Travers, a former police officer, is able to unseat Mr Porter next month.
UAP’s Rob Forster drew eighth spot in the 10-candidate contest in Pearce.
In the marginal seat of Hasluck, Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt will take third spot on the ballot, just ahead of his main rival, Labor’s James Martin.
In the Senate ballot for WA, One Nation received a major boost by drawing top spot, ahead of the Liberal Party (third), the Greens (fourth) and Labor (seventh).
Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John said he could lose his seat to One Nation as a result of the draw.
“Our seat here in WA is under threat from the politics of fear, hate and division at a time when we need compassion, and urgent action on the issues facing all of us: climate change, growing economic inequality and corporate influence in our democracy,” he said.
5.09pm: Details for Monday’s debate
Basil Zempilas will host the first debate between PM Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten in Perth on Monday night.
The debate, to be moderated by Seven’s political editor Mark Riley and The West Australian’s Lanai Scarr in front of a live audience, will air from 7.00pm AEST on 7TWO.
Primrose Riordan 5.00pm: US Marine rotation to meet target
The rotation of US Marines in Darwin will finally reach the 2500 target set by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US president Barack Obama in 2011.
The target of 2500 US troops was set to be reached in 2017 under the Obama-Gillard deal, but it has hovered around the 1,500 mark.
This year 1700 troops have so far arrived in the territory and 2500 troops are expected to have landed in Darwin by July.
Greg Brown 4.36pm: Shorten lands in Darwin
Bill Shorten has arrived in Darwin and will tonight attend a church service to mourn victims of the Sri Lanka terror bombings.
He will attend an Anzac Day dawn service in the city tomorrow morning.
Rachel Baxendale 4.30pm: Anning’s Victorian candidates
Fraser Anning is running candidates in the suburban Melbourne seats of Bruce, Calwell and Dunkley, and the regional Victorian seats of Bendigo, Gippsland and Mallee.
Former Bendigo councillor Julie Hoskin, who played a key role in an unsuccessful campaign to block the town’s first mosque, is running in the seat of Bendigo, having been declared bankrupt and quit as a city councillor last year.
Rosie Lewis 4.23pm: Culleton targets Senate return
There is a small number of former politicians who seem unable to give up the public spotlight.
Ex-senator Rod Culleton, who was disqualified for being a bankrupt, is one of those people.
The Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed Mr Culleton has been declared a candidate for the Western Australian senate race at the May 18 election.
He has lodged a nomination form, a mandatory qualification checklist and paid the required $2000.
Mr Culleton is still listed as an undischarged bankrupt on the National Personal Insolvency Index, so the AEC has referred his nomination to the Australian Federal Police to examine if a false declaration has been made.
“The Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia (WA) will proceed with the election of senators for Western Australia, as declared, and Mr Culleton’s name will appear on the WA Senate ballot paper in the 2019 federal election,” the AEC said in a statement.
“The outcome of the AFP’s examination of this matter will be a matter for the AFP to advise in due course.
“If the AEC is presented with compelling evidence that other candidates in the 2019 federal election may have also signed a false declaration we will consider whether similar referrals to the AFP are warranted to ascertain if the candidate has committed an offence.”
In his short political career Mr Culleton was a One Nation senator before quitting the party to become an independent following a bitter falling out with leader Pauline Hanson.
Rosie Lewis 4.10pm: One Nation, UAP, Anning moves confirmed
.@PaulineHansonOz's One Nation will contest every Queensland lower house seat at the federal election except @RealBobKatter's electorate of Kennedy #ausvotes
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) April 24, 2019
And Fraser Anning has fielded a candidate in each of the 30 Queensland electorates #ausvotes https://t.co/znkJLeQSPh
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) April 24, 2019
Clive Palmer's United Australia Party, like Fraser Anning's party, also has a candidate running in every Queensland seat #ausvotes
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) April 24, 2019
Ben Packham 4.05pm: Palmer loses candidate
Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has lost one of its candidates over a section 44-related eligibility issue.
The UAP’s endorsed candidate in the NSW seat of Greenway, Iranian-born lawyer Fardin Nikjoo, told The Australian he had stood down before the close of nominations on Tuesday because his Iranian citizenship renunciation was not confirmed in time.
He was replaced by Scott Feeney as UAP’s Greenway candidate.
Rachel Baxendale 3.57pm: Wilson gets fifth spot … again
Liberal MP Tim Wilson has scored fifth spot in the ballot for his bayside Melbourne seat of Goldstein.
Labor candidate Daniel Pollock nabbed the third spot, below Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party candidate Wayne Connolly and Sustainable Australia’s Brandon Hoult.
Mr Wilson said he had drawn fifth position at the 2016 election and received “the best result in the seat’s history”.
The backbencher holds Goldstein with a healthy 12.7 per cent margin, but a pattern of voting at the state election in November — which saw larger swings against the Liberals in eastern suburbs blue ribbon seats closer to the city than in more marginal seats further out — has Labor on the attack.
Goldstein overlaps with the state seat of Brighton, held by the Liberals by just 1.12 per cent in November, and the seat of Sandringham, where the party held on by just 0.65 per cent.
Victorian Trades Hall Polling last month showed Labor ahead in Goldstein 52-48 on a two-party-preferred basis, but pundits on both sides are still predicting Mr Wilson will hold the seat.
Joe Kelly 3.27pm: Shorten’s comments ‘untrue, defamatory’: Palmer
Clive Palmer has taken aim at Bill Shorten after the Labor leader accused him of neglecting workers at his Townsville-based nickel refinery, with the Queensland businessman saying the comments were “untrue and defamatory”.
Mr Shorten today blasted the leader of the United Australia Party because the government had been forced to step in and bring forward payments after 787 workers were sacked from the refinery without receiving their entitlements.
“He (Palmer) can find the money to advertise on the billboards,” the Labor Leader said. “But … 787 employees had to be paid by the government $74 million.”
“And let me decode who the commonwealth is. You. Me. The camera crews. The taxpayers,” Mr Shorten said. “As for Palmer, every time he sends you a text message, you should
send one back and say where is the money for the other people of Townsville?”
In a media statement issued today, Mr Palmer hit back arguing that Mr Shorten had made untrue and defamatory comments “merely because I have offered to serve the Australian people.’’
“We need to be positive in this country and it is not helpful to Australia if we continue to attack individuals merely because they offer themselves for public service.
“Public service has no reward, history is its only reward,’’ Mr Palmer said.
“Politicians of all political parties should be positive and put forward the best ideas for Australia.
“We have to put Australia first and do all we can to improve the living standards of our fellow Australians.”
Campaigning in Gladstone yesterday, Mr Shorten deflected a question on whether the political resurrection of Clive Palmer posed a threat to his election on May 18.
“There’s only one person who has ever been resurrected and I’m not going to compare Clive Palmer to him,” Mr Shorten said. “The point about it is, I’m not going to get distracted by Clive Palmer.”
Luke Griffiths 3.17pm: I’m target of ‘smear and fear’: Sharkie
Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie has accused the Liberal Party of reigniting a “smear and fear” campaign against her that she said was prevalent during last year’s by-election campaign.
Speaking this afternoon after she drew the sixth and last spot on the ballot paper, Ms Sharkie expressed disappointment over the Liberals’ campaign tactics, which include labelling her as a Labor patsy and using “horrible pictures” of her.
“We’re already starting to see, through people’s letterboxes, another smear and fear campaign,” she said.
“It’s really quite disgusting that that happens and it’s something the major parties do, but we run a positive campaign and every time others go low, I go high.”
Ms Sharkie last week called for an investigation after being told Mayo voters had received robocalls purporting to be from her.
The Australian has not heard a recording of the call and the Liberal Party said it was not using robocalls in Mayo, which stretches from the Adelaide Hills in the north to Kangaroo Island in the south.
Liberal candidate for Mayo, Georgina Downer, the daughter of former Liberal leader Alexander Downer, who held Mayo from 1984 to 2008, drew top spot on the ballot paper.
Ms Sharkie comfortably defeated Ms Downer in a by-election that was brought about by the Centre Alliance MP falling foul of citizenship laws.
Rachel Baxendale 2.53pm: Sukkar above Labor rival
Liberal MP Michael Sukkar’s name will appear above that of his Labor rival Shireen Morris on the ballot paper for the outer eastern Melbourne seat of Deakin.
Mr Sukkar drew fourth place, below Hinch Justice Party candidate Ellie Jean Sullivan, independent Vickie Janson and Green Sophia Sun.
Ms Morris has seventh place.
Mr Sukkar holds Deakin with a 6.4 per cent margin, but Monday’s Newspoll had his lead down to just one per cent, 51-49 on a two-party-preferred basis.
The former frontbencher’s campaigning skills should not be underestimated.
In 2016 he secured a 2.5 per cent two-party-preferred swing, despite a 3.07 per cent swing against the Liberals in Victoria.
Labor can be expected to highlight the fact that Mr Sukkar supported Peter Dutton in last year’s leadership spill at every opportunity.
Rachel Baxendale 2.35pm: Labor takes top spot in Corangamite
In Liberal Sarah Henderson’s knife-edge seat of Corangamite, southwest of Geelong, Labor’s Libby Coker stands to benefit from the Donkey vote.
Ms Coker has secured second place on the ballot paper, with Green Simon Northeast third, and Ms Henderson sixth.
The seat is notionally Labor with a 0.03 per cent margin following a redistribution, with both major parties campaigning hard to win it.
Rick Morton 2.12pm: PM visits troops in Darwin
Scott Morrison has had lunch with troops at Robertson Barracks in Darwin on the day before Anzac Day where he praised their service and welcomed news that the US Marines will be increasing their rotation to 2500 people come July.
“Tomorrow, we will remember those who are no longer with us,” he said during an informal address.
“And we will remember those who have served overseas who are with us still, the people who fought for our freedom. That freedom has been paid for with a great price.”
Mr Morrison said Anzac Day must be used as a reminder to “stand together” as a nation and invoked the camaraderie between the Australian and US Forces on the base.
“It’s particularly exciting to welcome our friends from the US Marines who are with us,” he said.
The number of those troops on rotation in Darwin will soon rise to 2500.
“There will be some great times, there will be great stories. And a lot of fun will be had at each others’ expense,” he said.
“But I’ve seen the camaraderie, kinship and spirit between our forces and it is something which cannot be manufactured.”
2.10pm: Downer wins top spot in Mayo
High-profile Liberal candidate Georgina Downer has taken top spot on the ballot paper for the South Australian seat of Mayo at the May 18 election. Ms Downer, the daughter of long-serving foreign minister Alexander Downer, is bidding to win back his former seat for the Liberals from Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie.
AAP
Rachel Baxendale 2.07pm: Frydenberg draws fourth spot in Kooyong
Independent candidate Oliver Yates has drawn second spot on the ballot paper, above Josh Frydenberg, in the Treasurer’s leafy eastern Melbourne seat of Kooyong.
Mr Frydenberg drew the fourth position, above the Greens’ Julian Burnside in seventh.
The Treasurer holds Kooyong with a healthy 12.8 per cent margin, but Mr Yates and Mr Burnside are campaigning strongly against him on the issue of climate change, with support from left wing activist group GetUp.
“Seven is a lucky number,” Mr Burnside told AAP after Wednesday’s ballot draw, which Mr Frydenberg and Mr Yates did not attend.
“I’ve fought some very hard fights. Winning is good, losing sucks. I plan to win this.”
Another Liberal heartland under fire as Kelly O’Dwyer relinquishes the blue- ribbon seat of Higgins.
The Greens are hoping to steal the seat, with former AFL player and LGBTIQ candidate Jason Ball.
He drew first place on the ballot, followed by Liberal candidate Katie Allen in fourth spot and Labor’s Fiona McLeod in fifth.
The race for Health Minister Greg Hunt’s Mornington Peninsula electorate of Flinders is also attracting plenty of attention, with Liberal-turned-independent Julia Banks trying to snatch the seat.
Mr Hunt drew third place on the ballot, ahead of Ms Banks’ eighth placing.
KOOYONG
1. Steven D’Elia (United Australia Party) 2. Oliver Yates (independent) 3. Angelina Zubac (independent) 4. Josh Frydenberg (Liberal) 5. Jana Stewart (Labor) 6. Davina Hinkley (Animal Justice Party) 7. Julian Burnside (Greens) 8. Bill Chandler (independent)
HIGGINS
1. Jason Ball (Greens) 2. Michaela Moran (Sustainable Australia Party) 3. Alicia Walker (Animal Justice Party) 4. Katie Allen (Liberal) 5. Fiona McLeod (Labor) 6. Tim Ryan (United Australia Party)
FLINDERS
1. Harry Dreger (independent) 2. James Persson (Animal Justice Party) 3. Greg Hunt (Liberal) 4. Reade Smith (Sustainable Australia) 5. Josh Sinclair (Labor) 6. Nathan Lesslie (Greens) 7. Christine McShane (United Australia Party) 8. Julia Banks (independent) 9. Susie Beveridge (independent)
With AAP
1.50pm: Dutton draws second on ballot for Dickson
Liberal heavyweight Peter Dutton will take second place on the ballot paper in his marginal Queensland seat, with Labor’s Ali France right behind him. A draw of the ballot for the marginal seat of Dickson on Wednesday put Greens candidate Benedict Coyne in the top spot, followed by the incumbent Mr Dutton, Ms France, independent Thor Prohaska, the United Australia Party’s Steve Austin and One Nation’s Carrol Halliwell.
Mr Dutton is in the fight for his political life in a seat he has held for 18 years on Brisbane’s northern outskirts, with left-leaning lobbyist GetUp spending big to unseat him along with a 14-month long campaign by Ms France. Mr France said she was thrilled to be in the contest, and says now is the time for change.
“The first comment I get from people is ‘I’m sick of the chaos in Canberra and the instability’,” she said.
The cost of health services, stagnant wages and the burden of expensive bills were common issues raised on the hustings, she added.
Meanwhile Mr Coyne says the Greens are focused on keeping Senator Larissa Waters in office, and sending a message to Labor and the Coalition about disillusionment among voters.
Mr Dutton did not attend the draw.
Meanwhile the Liberal National Party’s Terry Young got top pick on the ballot for neighbouring Longman, where Labor incumbent Suzanne Lamb took the fourth spot.
And in Petrie, United Australia Party’s Troy Hopkins drew number one, LNP incumbent Luke Howarth drew second and One Nation’s Nikhil Aai Reddy drew third.
AAP
Rachel Baxendale 1.43pm: Boost for Indi independent
Cathy McGowan’s prospective successor in the northeast Victorian seat of Indi, independent candidate Helen Haines, has won a position above her Coalition rivals on the ballot paper.
Dr Haines’s name will appear third, ahead of Liberal candidate Steve Martin in fourth place, and National Party candidate Mark Byatt in fifth.
Greens candidate Helen Robinson has first place, ahead of the Animal Justice Party’s Jason Whalley in second.
Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party candidate Shane Wheatland drew sixth spot, followed by Labor’s Eric Kerr in seventh.
Indi is widely seen as the only Victorian seat the Coalition has any hope of regaining.
Ms McGowan’s key rival when she won the seat in 2013 and 2016 was former Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella, whose lack of popularity in the electorate saw Nationals votes leak to McGowan.
This time both Coalition partners are running strong campaigns, with preferences expected to flow strongly between them.
Jared Owens 1.16pm: One Nation, UAP take prominent spots in Qld
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party have drawn second and third position on the Senate ballot paper in Queensland.
A prominent ranking on the ballot paper typically helps candidates as preferences are counted, as famously occurred when little-known libertarian David Leyonhjelm was elected from NSW’s column A in 2013.
A boost for One Nation and Clive Palmer in QLD Senate Ballot draw. #ausvotes #auspol
A: Rise Up Aust
— Jared Owens (@jaredowens) April 24, 2019
B: One Nation
C: Clive Palmer UAP
D: LNP
...
H: Greens
I: Fraser Anning
J: Labor
...
P: Labour DLP
Q: Katter Party
R: Hetty Johnston
...
Z: CEC
The first position on the 26-group ballot paper was allocated to the Rise Up Australia microparty, which is unlikely to win a seat.
The Liberal National Party drew fourth position and Labor came tenth. The Greens, who are battling to save deputy leader Larissa Waters, drew eighth position.
Sascha O’Sullivan 1.03pm: ‘It was unbelievably tacky’
Tony Abbott has slammed GetUp for their ad depicting him as a lifesaver refusing to save a drowning swimmers.
“It was unbelievably tacky and it’s really up to GetUp and the candidates that GetUp backs to apologise,” Mr Abbott said.
The activist group was forced to pull the ad down this morning after backlash from lifesavers and social media.
“I believe they have (taken the ad down) but they should never have thought it’s a smart thing to demean the work of 150,000 or so volunteer lifesavers,” the former prime minister said as he faced off with independent candidate Zali Steggall at the ballot draw.
Ms Steggall also condemned the ad.
“I don’t approve of that kind of advertising, I think you need to focus on policies and not smear campaigns in relation to people,” she said.
When asked if she had been in contact with GetUp about keeping the campaign clean, she said she had no association with the activist group.
“I don’t have anything to do with GetUp so I’m not speaking to them,” she told reporters.
Primrose Riordan 12.38pm: PM all-but confirms Palmer talks
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has effectively confirmed the Liberal Party is in talks with controversial businessman Clive Palmer — whose businesses have been accused of failing to pay workers properly — about preferences.
“Well, at the moment, there are no such arrangements that have been concluded and, to the extent there are any discussions, where they land is where they land,” he said.
“The party organisation will make any further comment about that. It’s not something I have any direct involvement with.
“But it’s not unusual for political parties … once nominations close and prepolling opens, that you’ll have some discussions.”
Sascha O’Sullivan 12.28pm: Abbott’s early Warringah advantage
Tony Abbott has won a spot above independent candidate Zali Steggall on the ballot for the beachside electorate of Warringah.
Mr Abbott has been placed on the sixth spot on the ballot, with Ms Steggall on the eighth spot.
Mr Abbott said his position on the ballot is “just part of the process”.
“In the end it’s up to electors on what they do and they’re always pretty good at navigating the ballot paper one way or another,” Mr Abbott told reporters outside the crowded AEC office in Manly.
Ms Steggall said she felt good about her spot on the ballot, and likened it to her experience as an Olympian.
“I remember being at the draw of the Olympic Games where your start number is getting pulled out of a hat,” Ms Steggall said. “Funnily (the ballot draw) was actually reminiscent of that.”
“This is about people choosing (candidates) and focusing on policies,” Ms Steggall said.
Primrose Riordan 12.24pm: Shorten defends ‘high-earners’ tax cuts call
Bill Shorten has defended comments he made to a coal terminal worker that Labor would “look at” tax cuts for high earners, saying it was correct as Labor said it would consider removing the budget repair levy after 2022.
“What I said is that I understood his point of view. He’s frustrated, does a lot of overtime and he wants to make sure that he’s making ends meet,” Mr Shorten said today.
“What I have made very clear on many occasions is that in 2022-2023, we will remove the budget repair levy.
“So, that’s when the budget will be in a proper surplus and sustainable. So, absolutely I can say to people that we get that everybody feels they’re paying too much income tax … but it’s a matter of priorities.”
He also commented on the latest flat economic figures.
“Zero per cent is a problem … that tells you this is an economy running on empty,” he said.
“What it tells me is this nation’s growth is very fragile. What it shows me is that this government’s budget is already in disarray. What it shows me is that people are closing their wallets and purses because they are spending household savings just to make ends meet.”
Mr Shorten also attacked GetUp after it was forced to pull an add critical of Tony Abbott.
“I think it’s a really stupid ad and grossly disrespectful to … surf life savers.
“In terms of GetUp they’re independent from us. Some is of the stuff they say I haven’t agreed with, some of the stuff in the past I have, but this ad is well out of line.
“You can have your disagreements with Tony Abbott but I respect the fact that he he’s a surf lifesaver.”
Amid division among Labor MPs and candidates on whether the party would review the Adani mine’s groundwater approval if elected, Mr Shorten slightly hardened his position.
“I have no plans to review Adani full stop,” he said on the visit to Townsville.
Rick Morton 11.38am: PM unveils NT health plan
A $95 million Northern Territory Health plan has been announced by Scott Morrison in Darwin this morning.
The new commitment includes almost $19m to extend the Remote Area Health Corps program which places health professionals in remote health clinics and Aboriginal controlled organisations for placements of three to 12 weeks.
The Corps will be extended for a further three years.
There is also $2m for new consulting rooms in Katherine, $14m for a new adult mental health centre in Darwin and $9m to tackle foot problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetes.
More than $40m of initiatives announced in this years’s budget form part of the plan.
11.35am: Wong lashes Libs’ ‘fake news’
Heidi Han , Primrose Riordan
Labor frontbencher Penny Wong has accused the Liberal Party of spreading “fake news” on Chinese social media platform WeChat that Labor is set to introduce a death tax.
Senator Wong conducted a question-and-answer session on WeChat this morning where she chose not to answer a number of questions including on the US-Australia alliance, Taiwan, Refugees and the handling of the case of detained Australian Yang Hengjun.
Senator Wong conducted the session with Labor’s Banks candidate Chris Gambian.
The opposition’s foreign affairs spokeswoman said the rumours were a cruel hoax.
“If Mr Coleman wants to talk about cruel hoaxes we should talk about the fake news around a death tax,” she said via WeChat’s voice message function.
“This is totally untrue, there is no death tax and it’s incredibly disrespectful that Liberal Party is spreading this false news on platforms like WeChat and other platforms.”
Participants who appeared to be Liberal supporters asked why their questions on the Australia-US alliance, Taiwan and refugees were not answered.
A Labor supporter named “Zhao” explained: “It’s just due to time limit. It’s impossible to answer every question.”
Senator Wong also criticised One Nation, Pauline Hanson and warned against anti-Chinese sentiment.
She said it was really important that Australia’s disagreements with the Chinese government did not generate prejudice and discrimination against Chinese Australians.
This was Senator Wong’s first WeChat live chat, and she used it to advocate for more diversity in parliament.
“Of course we (need more diversity). Parliament (works) best when it is more close to reflecting the community. Diversity is a good thing for our party, our parliament and the country to have more diverse backgrounds in our parliament.”
She also answered questions about excluding Chinese company Huawei from supplying Australia’s 5G network, repeating the party’s position which echoes that of the government.
She told Chinese Australians that a Labor government “will be willing” to engage with China’s BRI on the “case-by-case basis”, but there were concerns about unsustainable debt.
Rick Morton 11.05am: Morrison spruiks veterans policies
Scott Morrison is visiting a defence contractor in the electorate of Lingiari, which has been held by Labor since 2001.
The Prime Minister has backed the model of RGM Manufacturing, which not only contracts with defence on heavy vehicle maintenance, but has employed 25 veterans as part of its 230-strong workforce across the Northern Territory and Queensland.
Scott Morrison is at a defence maintenance contractor in Lingiari. They have 25 veterans on their staff of 230. Also, trucks. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/Z7MYVV1wy3
— Rick Morton (@SquigglyRick) April 24, 2019
Mr Morrison wants to talk up his veterans policies which include more than $16m to help ex-servicemen and women find meaningful employment after life in the force.
He will be joined by the Country Liberal candidate for Lingiari, Jacinta Price, and the candidate for Solomon Kathy Ganley.
RGM also supports Defence apprentices with on the job training, putting 100 apprentices through workshops each year. Owner Russell Newman is a big supporter and says ex-ADF employees make an important contribution to his business.
Alice Workman 10.18am: Bulk-bill ad rekindles ALP’s Mediscare row
Pathologists have reignited the battle over bulk billing that erupted during the 2016 Labor “Mediscare” scare campaign, launching a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign claiming access to free blood testing will collapse if the Coalition doesn’t boost funding.
The ad, authorised by the Pathology Providers of Australia, claims “pathology services have not received an increase in government funding for 20 years”.“Soon, we will no longer be able to afford to bulk bill,” it says.
Pathologists have launched a multi-million-dollar TV, social media and mobile billboard advertising campaign claiming access to free blood testing will collapse if the Coalition doesn’t boost funding. https://t.co/oh6TtOV8vx pic.twitter.com/U8VEv5m9cG
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) April 24, 2019
“So many Australians will simply not be able to afford the tests they need. That will cost Australians’ lives. Saving pathology bulk billing will save lives.
“Bill Shorten has agreed to increase the funding. What about you, Mr Morrison?”
A media buyer confirmed to The Australian that the ads started running nationally on social media and commercial network television on Monday night. They said the campaign willwould start slowly and ramp up with a range of ads as the May 18 poll draws closer.
A mobile billboard was also spotted driving around in the electorate of Ballarat on Monday that read: “Catherine King will protect pathology bulk billing. Why won’t Scott Morrison?”
Ms King holds the safe Labor seat of Ballarat on a margin of 7.4 per cent.
Primrose Riordan 10.00am: Shorten ‘completely disingenuous’: Birmingham
Liberal campaign spokesman Simon Birmingham has said Bill Shorten’s comment that he will ‘look at’ tax cuts for high paid workers shows the Labor leader is “completely disingenuous” on the campaign trail.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann also chimed in on Twitter to criticise the opposition leader over his remarks.
Labor’s Ed Husic on @SkyNewsAust having great difficulty explaining Bill Shorten’s pledge to “look at” tax cuts for those earning over $250k. Either Labor don’t understand their tax policy, or Bill Shorten lied to the worker in Gladstone yesterday. #AusVotes2019 #auspol
— Mathias Cormann (@MathiasCormann) April 23, 2019
“Either Labor don’t understand their tax policy, or Bill Shorten lied to the worker in Gladstone yesterday,” Senator Cormann said.
Senator Birmingham also criticised campaign organisation GetUp over their advertisement which featured Tony Abbott sitting on a beach eating an onion and refusing to save a drowning swimmer. GetUp have since pulled the ad.
He said it “makes you wonder” about the ethics of the organisation.
Sascha O’Sullivan 9.50am: GetUp’s Abbott backdown
GetUp has been forced to remove a campaign ad depicting Tony Abbott dressed as a lifeguard, sitting on a beach eating an onion and refusing to save a drowning swimmer after widespread condemnation.
GetUp will release an ad featuring 'Tony Abbott' in the electorate of Kooyong.
GetUp is in full campaign mode against Mr Abbott, who is facing a challenge from independent candidate Zali Steggall in his northern beaches Sydney seat of Warringah.
But the activist group pulled the ad after it was branded “inappropriate” and “distasteful” by the Royal Life Saving Society and in the wake of the deaths of two lifeguards who drowned trying to rescue a swimmer at Port Campbell over the Easter weekend. A further five people drowned over the long weekend.
Greg Brown 9.00am: Second candidate presses Shorten on Adani
Bill Shorten is set to face further pressure on the Adani coalmine, as a second Labor candidate from Queensland has declared a future Shorten government would review the federal environmental approvals of the controversial project.
Labor’s candidate for the Gold Coast seat of McPherson, Aaron Santelises, told a forum this month Labor would review the approvals ticked off by Environment Minister Melissa Price two days before the election.
It comes after Labor’s Dawson candidate Belinda Hassan yesterday contradicted the Opposition Leader by claiming there may be a review of the approvals if Labor won the election.
“In relation to the recent scenario that’s happened with the commonwealth scientific industry report, we are sceptical about how that has passed and we believe that there is something that has occurred, we will review that report if we are in government and apply the law,” Mr Santelises said at a forum at the Currumbin RSL on April 16.
“We are concerned … how this process has gone in the commonwealth level and the Labor Party is committed to reviewing the project and ensuring it is compliant with the environmental standards.
“In the end it needs to proceed in terms of procedural fairness, we don’t want to create sovereign risk by stopping a project and it also prejudices the actual government if we stop a project and don’t allow it to go through to the relevant checks.”
Mr Santelises’ comments showcase divisions in Labor on the Adani mine, with regional Queensland candidates strongly supportive of the project. Mr Shorten yesterday declared he would not sign the CFMEU’s pledge calling for support of the coal mining industry and, in reference to the proposed Adani mine, for “coal mining developments that meet regulatory requirements”.
That puts Mr Shorten at odds with Labor’s candidate for Flynn, Zac Beers, who has signed the pledge, along with Ms Hassan and Capricornia candidate Russell Robertson.
Herbert MP Cathy O’Toole, whose ultra marginal seat takes in the city of Townsville, has signed a business pledge to support the mine but not the CFMEU pledge.
Mr Shorten said yesterday Labor had “no plans” to review approvals for Adani’s groundwater management scheme for the coalmine in the Galilee Basin.
But he has repeatedly refused to rule out a review.
McPherson is held by Industry Minister Karen Andrews on a margin of 11.64 per cent.
Primrose Riordan 8.50am: ‘Don’t get worked up’
Labor frontbencher Ed Husic has said the media should not get “worked up” over a comment from Bill Shorten yesterday when he told a coal export terminal worker on Queensland’s central coast he would “look at” reducing taxes for workers earning $250,000.
“It would be good to see higher-wage income earners given a tax break,” the worker said.
Mr Shorten responded: “We’re going to look at that.”
Mr Husic declined to directly contradict the statement, simply saying that Labor had already laid out its tax plans.
But he suggested that journalists should not put ‘a lot of stock’ in the remark.
“I think you’re putting a lot of stock into one remark as opposed to the bulk of work that we have done in spelling out our policies.”
“Let’s not get too worked up about one comment made,” he said.
He said that politicians could not be dismissive of voters who came up to them during election campaigns.
Rick Morton 8.45am: NT Labor ‘worst in country’
Scott Morrison has used his first event in Darwin this morning to slam the territory Labor government as “the worst government in the country” and warned them that electing Bill Shorten would have consequences.
“The Gunner Labor government is the worst government in the country, they have made an absolute hash of this job,” he told a business breakfast this morning.
“I say that, not to be overly political about it, but to make the point that if you can’t manage money you can’t manage the territory. The Gunner government has proved that. You see the cost that comes.”
Mr Morrison wasn’t just searching for a protest vote, however, and added his view that Mr Shorten would, in government, let the territory government off the book on spending accountability.
“Bill Shorten will let them get away with it, he won’t hold the Gunner Labor government to account,” he said.
Mr Morrison was flanked by the Coalition’s candidate for the seat of Solomon Kathy Ganley and retiring Senator Nigel Scullion.
Lingiari candidate Jacinta Price was also at the function alongside the party’s senate ticket leader replacing Senator Scullion, veterinarian Sam McMahon.
Mr Morrison called the trip of candidates a “power packed team of Territory women.”
.@ScottMorrisonMP hoping he can capitalise on dissatisfaction with territory Labor government and is not mucking around. Tells breakfast “the Gunner Labor Government is the worst government in the country” .@fanniebay @SkyNewsAust #AUSVote19 #auspol pic.twitter.com/I84oNpJrlq
— Annelise Nielsen (@annelisenews) April 23, 2019
Greg Brown 8.15am: Shorten runs with JT
Bill Shorten opened his final day in Townsville with an early morning run with local hero Johnathan Thurston.
The Opposition Leader ran for about half an hour with the former North Queensland Cowboys captain.
Labor pre-empted the Coalition by announcing support for the construction of a new football stadium in Townsville before the 2016 election.
Primrose Riordan 7.55am: Julie, Julia’s ‘accidental’ latte
Julie Bishop and Julia Banks say they met by “pure coincidence” at a cafe in the Mornington Peninsula in the seat where the Liberal Party defector is attempting to topple Liberal frontbencher Greg Hunt.
The friendly meeting, reported in The Herald Sun today has raised eyebrows among some Liberals and comes amid a falling-out between Liberal Senator Jane Hume and Ms Banks.
The former foreign minister’s spokeswoman told the newspaper that Ms Banks was simply walking past the DOC Mornington restaurant when Ms Bishop was having a coffee on Monday.
Rick Morton 7.50am: PM to hit NT Labor government
Scott Morrison is due to address a business breakfast in Darwin this morning, sharpening a message against the NT Labor Government.
The Prime Minister is in the Northern Territory for a slew of announcements on veterans support and health.
The city seat of Solomon, currently held by Labor’s Luke Gosling, used to be a Country Liberal stronghold but is now much more competitive between the two parties.
Mr Morrison is expected to make a pitch for federal office here by telling voters they can protest the financial mismanagement of the Gunner Labor government which recently announced the slashing of top public service jobs in order to bring spiralling costs under control.
Primrose Riordan 7.45am: ‘Clive won’t preference Labor’
Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek has appeared to ruled out a preference deal with Clive Palmer amid revelations about Liberal talks with the controversial businessman.
“I’m certain that Clive Palmer won’t be preferencing Labor,” Ms Plibersek told the ABC.
“It is a constant surprise given the way that he treated his workforce that anybody would want to vote for him.”
“He loves to make big promises and he leaves behind a very, well, a trail of destruction frankly.”
She has again raised concerns about the Coalition grant of a key water approval to the Adani coal mine, despite leader Bill Shorten saying there were “no plans” to review the licence.
“We think that (Environment Minister Melissa Price) should answer questions about why she made the decision and the way that she did it at that very last moment and there are still a number of approvals and contracting arrangements that need to be gone through,” she said.
Ms Plibersek also said Labor would go through the “proper approval” process if elected, and criticised the Indian company.
“We need to go through the proper approvals processes. This company has missed deadline after deadline.”
“They have overstated the potential jobs more than once. We are looking very closely at what they’re proposing, but there is still more information that needs to be obtained about this project.”
Ms Plibersek has previously said “we’ll see what the situation is after the election” when asked if a Labor government would revisit approvals Adani had already received.
Greg Brown 7.25am: ALP Adani splits on display
Bill Shorten will this morning campaign in the ultra marginal north Queensland seat of Herbert, where he will face continued pressure over Labor’s division on the Adani coalmine.
The Opposition Leader will campaign with Labor MP Cathy O’Toole, who has called on the state Labor government to give the mine the green light.
Labor’s Dawson candidate, who will also be campaigning in Herbert, yesterday contradicted the Opposition Leader by declaring a future Labor government may review the federal environmental approvals of Adani.
Herbert, the most marginal electorate in the country, is one of the few seats at risk of changing from Labor to the Coalition. Ms O’Toole won the seat by 37 votes in 2016.
Yesterday’s Newspoll showed Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party had a primary vote of 14 per cent in Herbert, making his preferences crucial. The Australian reported this morning the Coalition was on the verge of striking a preference deal with Mr Palmer.
Primrose Riordan 7.15am: ALP defends climate policies
Labor has said new Coalition company by company costings of their climate policies are “rubbish”, based on false assumptions and simply part of a “rolling scare campaign”.
Government analysis of Labor’s climate policy, based on a future international carbon price of $62 a tonne, estimates large companies could have to shell out hundreds of thousands to purchase offsets to reduce their total emissions.
Labor energy spokesman Mark Butler said the costings assumed companies do not make any internal changes to their organisations to reduce emissions and assume a an offset cost four times as high as the price used in the government’s own costings.
The government costings also suggest companies producing household groceries will also be affected, pushing up prices.
Mr Butler said under the previous carbon price, Woolworths had given evidence five of their products changed price as a result.
He also questioned the source of the modelling, saying he had been assured by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet that the public service had not costed their policies.
7.10am: PM promises $63m for veterans
On the eve of Anzac Day, the coalition is promising a $63 million package to look after those who have served in Australia’s defence forces. Prime Minister Scott Morrison will unveil the pledge in Darwin, home to more than 5000 defence personnel and their families, where he is campaigning on Wednesday for the first time this election.
He’s also expected to visit US Marines based in Darwin.
Mr Morrison will announce that if re-elected on May 18, the coalition would spend $30 million building veterans’ wellbeing centres in Darwin, Townsville, Adelaide, Perth, Nowra and Wodonga.
The centres would be service hubs integrating government assistance, health services, advocacy and wellbeing support tailored to those who have served. Another $16.2 million would go to Soldier On, Team Rubicon and RSL state branches for programs to help former servicemen and women find meaningful civilian jobs in their post-military life.
The government will exempt veterans who are totally and permanently incapacitated from a new limit of 12 sessions with allied health providers such as physiotherapists, in a move expected to cost $17 million. This restriction was due to start on July 1 and allied health workers told a Productivity Commission inquiry the measure was an “archaic” model of care that would have led to people missing out on much-needed treatment. The government will also make it easier for veterans to access schemes that help them to find a home after their service and get building insurance. Veterans’ Affairs Minister Darren Chester says these are practical measures that veterans want.
“I’ve met with hundreds of veterans this year and listened to their ideas on additional measures the government could take to support veterans in their communities,” he said.
“These are men and women who signed up to the Australian Defence Force prepared to put their lives on the line for our nation so we need to do more to both respect and recognise our returned service men and women.”
What’s making news:
Scott Morrison is on the verge of securing a preference deal with Clive Palmer that would all but guarantee the Queensland billionaire a Senate spot and help ring-fence marginal seats the Coalition must hold to retain government.
Political Editor Simon Benson explains what this means.
Paul Kelly writes: Clive Palmer’s PUP damaged the Abbott Coalition and his United Australia Party will have the same effect this year.
Australia’s top companies — including food manufacturers, miners and retailers — will be hit with carbon bills ranging from several million dollars to up to $1.6 billion each to meet Labor’s emissions-reduction targets by 2030.
More than one million casual workers will be able to apply for permanency and legally challenge if their boss unreasonably refuses their request under changes proposed by Bill Shorten to wind back the number of long-term casuals.
Labor’s pledge to introduce an uncapped visa allowing migrant households to sponsor up to four ageing parents will be “very popular” among those facing waits of up to 30 years for permanent parents’ visas, experts say.
Judith Sloan writes: The Coalition’s immigration policies are definitely dumb, but Labor’s are dumber.
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