Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live coverage on Day 13 of the federal election campaign.
Scott Morrison has refused to distance himself from Clive Palmer or reject preference deals with his newly resurgent United Australia Party.
Greg Brown 7.47pm: Shorten’s vows to ‘look at’ taxes for higher earners
Bill Shorten has told a coal export terminal worker in central Queensland he would “look at” reducing taxes for workers earning $250,000.
The Opposition Leader made the pledge after he was confronted by the worker in Gladstone while promoting Labor’s industrial relations agenda.
The worker said many blue-collared employees at the export terminal earned $250,000 a year through overtime and evening shifts.
“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”.
Labor’s policy is to restore the deficit levy - and increase taxes - for workers earning more than $180,000 a year.
Greg Brown 3.52pm: Candidate at odds with Shorten over Adani
Labor’s candidate for Dawson Belinda Hassan says a future Labor government may review the environmental approvals for the Adani coalmine, after Bill Shorten has spent two days refusing to rule a review out.
Ms Hassan attended a media appearance in Mackay with the Opposition Leader but was not available for questions.
When approached by The Australian on her comments last week -- when she said a future Labor government could review the environmental approvals -- Ms Hassan said: “I said they may be, it depends on whether we get into government”.
She refused to take further questions and rushed out of the Harrup Park Country Club with the Opposition Leader and his advisers.
Mr Shorten said today he had “no plans” to review the Morrison government’s approval but has not ruled it out.
Last week, Ms Hassan said: “The water licence does seem to have been pushed through very quickly right before the election, so there may be some looking at that to make sure it was done with due process.”
Rosie Lewis 2.05pm: ‘Further questions’ on Joyce and water
Labor’s water spokesman Tony Burke is somewhat sceptical about the government’s request the ANAO investigate all water purchases in the Murray Darling basin from 2008.
“This referral is an admission that the government has a problem,” Mr Burke said.
“While some issues can be addressed by the ANAO , the questions of Barnaby Joyce’s conduct go beyond the remit of the ANAO.
“There is a further question that applies to Barnaby Joyce that applies to no other water minister from either side of politics - was he actively seeking to scuttle to implementation of the MDB plan when he was minister?
“Labor is still waiting for the department to release the documents we asked for. We expect this today.”
Rosie Lewis 2.01pm: Labor ‘not serious about climate’
Greens leader Richard Di Natale has vowed to try and block Bill Shorten’s $1.5 billion plan to unlock gas supply in Queensland and the Northern Territory, declaring Labor “just isn’t serious about tackling dangerous climate change”.
Labor today announced it would abolish the “failed” $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and establish a new fund aimed at unlocking Queensland gas reserves in a bid to bring down gas prices and transform Darwin into a manufacturing and export powerhouse.
Under the changes $1.5bn would be set aside to fast-track the development of gas reserves in the Galilee and Bowen basins in Queensland and the Beetaloo basin in the NT.
“We are in the middle of a climate emergency and we can’t be opening up any more coal, oil or gas fields if we are going to hand over a sustainable environment to our children and grandchildren,” Senator Di Natale said.
“Australia’s fastest growing source of emissions is leaking methane from gas projects and Labor’s plan will simply add to Australia’s growing emissions when they need to be going the other way.
“The Greens will use our numbers in the new Senate to exclude any NAIF funding for fossil fuel projects because taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to continue subsidising polluting industries.”
Rick Morton 1.54pm: All eyes on Boothby
Scott Morrison is about to arrive in the seaside Adelaide suburb of Seacliff to launch Nicolle Flint’s campaign for the marginal seat of Boothby.
Ms Flint held the seat on a margin of more than 6 per cent but that has fallen to less than 3 per cent after redistribution by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Prime Minister did a quick picture opportunity with Mayo candidate Georgina Downer this morning but he has spent most of his sole day inAdelaide so far focused on Ms Flint’s seat.
That means no visit today for Sturt which is being vacated by veteranmoderate Christopher Pyne.
Mr Morrison will be joined at the launch by SA Premier Steven Marshall and Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham, who ran a gauntlet of union and GetUp! protesters on the way into the Seacliff Surf Lifesaving Club.
Adrian McMurray 1.20pm: Treasurer kicking goals on the hustings
Josh Frydenberg has shown he’s not just a handy tennis player, kicking a goal from forward pocket at the Paddington end of the SCG today.
April 23, 2019. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg kicks the footy at the SCG after a press conference to announce funding for new facilities for women athletes. The Treasurer takes a few snaps at goal from the Paddington End, pocketing a couple of majors. (AAP Video/Michael Wade)
The Treasurer appeared alongside Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie and Swans players to announce funding for new facilities for women athletes at the historic venue.
Meanwhile, the PM was dodging balls in Adelaide.
Sascha O’Sullivan 12.50pm: ALP, LNP confrontation
Labor Senator Penny Wong was out courting the Chinese vote with Labor’s candidate for Reid Sam Crosby.
Ms Wong and Mr Crosby walked up the main street in Burwood, only an hour after John Howard was campaigning with Liberal candidate Fiona Martin.
The Labor campaign drew a crowd not because of Ms Wong’s star power, but from the two costumed Chinese dragons and drummers that escorted them up the street.
Volunteers from the Liberal and Labor campaigns ended up in a confrontation, after Labor volunteers accused their Liberal counterparts of stealing their media opportunity, when they held up signs for Ms Martin behind the sea of red t-shirts.
Rosie Lewis 12.30pm: ‘I won’t sign CFMEU pledge’
Bill Shorten still can’t say nearly two weeks into the federal election campaign if his future government would review the environmental approvals for Adani’s Carmichael mine, leaving Labor exposed in key Queensland coal mining seats.
Campaigning in the Nationals-held electorate of Flynn, the Opposition Leader 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”.
.@jmodoh: Mr Shorten are you confirming you will not sign the CFMEU pledge to not stand in the way of Adani?@billshortenmp: I’m not going to sign it, resources projects have to stack up scientifically. @zac_beers: I signed it because it reflects the views of Qld people. pic.twitter.com/UFOLthGKx4
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 23, 2019
Joe Kelly 12.20pm: Joyce confident on watergate
Mr Joyce today said he was “absolutely confident that we have done absolutely nothing wrong” and that he was one hundred per cent certain that he would be cleared by the ANAO report.
“I took advice form the department. And I did not change that advice. I had confidence that what they had done had been a diligent and forensic process and, on their advice, we went forward … I am not responsible for either the vendor or the purchase.”
Labor’s legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus described the water buy back deal earlier today as an “extraordinary potential scandal.”
ScoMo must be loving this bonus dose of campaign magic pic.twitter.com/ckZloAbOnT
— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) April 23, 2019
Greg Brown 12.17pm: Shorten silent on coal
Bill Shorten has addressed workers at a coal terminal in central Queensland’s Gladstone, but failed to mention Labor’s support of the resource.
The Opposition Leader talked up Labor’s plans for exporting gas and hydrogen but had nothing to say about coal.
He also promoted Labor’s policy, announced today, to increase wages of workers of 457 visas so they do not undercut local wages.
“We want to reform the use of temporary work visas for people who are overseas,” Me Shorten said.
“We should not have a skills shortage in Australia for one day longer than it takes an Australian to win that job.”
12.15pm: ‘The most complete electoral roll in history’
A record 96.8% of eligible Australians are enrolled for the 2019 federal election. This is the most complete electoral roll in history with youth enrolment also an all-time high of 88.8% (18-24 YOs) #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/CjIK5Dl5gX
— AEC (@AusElectoralCom) April 23, 2019
Joe Kelly 12.05pm: Auditor General asked for water audit
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has written to the Auditor General asking for the Australian National Audit Office to examine all water purchases in the Murray Darling basin from 2008 onwards.
The letter comes amid concern over an $80 million buyback deal with Eastern Australia Agriculture which was signed-off in 2017 by then water minister Barnaby Joyce.
The company was previously linked to Energy Minister Angus Taylor and the government has been dogged by questions about whether the deal represented value for money.
But the scope of the inquiry requested by Mr Littleproud will also capture the decision of the Labor government in 2009 to buy $303 million worth of water from Twynam Agricultural Group -- a deal made when Penny Wong was water minister.
Mr Littleproud said the examination of water purchases was important to give “confidence” to the Australian people that the Murray Darling basin was being properly managed.
“Where we need to get a review by institutions like the Auditor General, then we will,” Mr Littleproud said.
Rick Morton 11.45am: PM dodges UAP preference
Scott Morrison has left open the prospect of potential preference deals with Clive Palmer and the United Australia Party after today’s Newspoll revealed a $30m advertising spend has put the mining billionaire in a powerful position this election.
But the Prime Minister told reporters in Adelaide, in the marginal seat of Boothby, that he has not spoken personally with Mr Palmer. He did not rule out a future discussion personally.
“I did see some comments (Mr Palmer made) about our approach when we made a criticism of him some years ago but I’m not going to be held back by that,” Mr Morrison said.
“Nor am I here to offer any defences of Mr Palmer. He’s big enough to do that for himself. Parties will have discussions at the close of nominations and the preference tickets will be issued next week in the normal course of events.”
Mr Morrison said there was no “equivalency” to be made between Clive Palmer and One Nation and that his party’s position on Pauline Hanson’s ticket was “made some weeks ago.”
“If we are talking about preference deals what I want to understand is why the Labor Party is preferencing the Greens ahead of the Coalition when the Greens are for death taxes and shutting down jobs in central Queensland,” he said.
“What I am saying is that people should vote Liberal. I’m not suggesting anyone should vote for any other party other than the Liberals or Nationals and if you vote for us our plan is to ensure that the preferences are not distributed at all.
“No, I haven’t had a chat to Clive. What we are seeking to do is to ensure that a Coalition majority government is elected.”
.@ScottMorrisonMP on @CliveFPalmer preferences: I’m not suggesting anyone should vote for any other party, other than the Liberals and the Nationals.
MORE: https://t.co/cnxAXrua6v #newsday pic.twitter.com/2gZo2zxIyk
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 23, 2019
Sascha O’Sullivan 11.45am: Howard visits Reid
Former prime minister John Howard spent the morning campaigning with Liberal candidate for Reid Fiona Martin.
Mr Howard visited small shop owners in Burwood, and stopped to talk to locals concerns for the area and introduce them to Ms Martin.
Mr Howard’s political star power drew a crowd of people hoping to get a selfie with the former prime minister.
Reid is held by the Liberal Party with a tiny margin of just over 4 per cent.
Mr Howard joked with Ms Martin about a shop sign which read “tax, tax, tax”.
“That will need to be a bigger sign if (the Labor party) is elected,” he said.
“(Ms Martin) will be a very energetic representative,” he told locals who stopped to greet him.
Rosie Lewis 10.50am: Howard hits the hustings
The Liberal Party has unleashed some star power in Sydney, with former prime minister John Howard hitting the hustings for the first time in the seat of Reid. He’s pressing the flesh with voters alongside Liberal candidate Fiona Martin. The electorate was held by popular local publican and Liberal MP Craig Laundy, who announced he would not contest the election due to family reasons. Mr Laundy was a staunch Turnbull ally and upset after the August leadership spill. Scott Morrison also spent time in Reid in the first week of the election campaign. Mr Laundy conceded the party must retain the seat in order to form government after May 18.
Rick Morton 10.20am: PM to promise small biz growth
Mr Morrison is due to meet with South Australian Premier Steven Marshall and the member for Boothby Nicolle Flint at another local business this morning.
The Prime Minister is visiting Blackwood shire to speak more about the government’s pledge to grow small and family businesses over the next five years by 250,000 places.
It’s a small promise in light of the fact these businesses grew by 230,000 over the previous five years. But Mr Morrison’s key pitch is that voters will not hear Bill Shorten promise the same.
Simon Benson 10.15am: Palmer campaign hits paydirt.
A surge in support for Clive Palmer on the back of a $30 million advertising campaign has given the billionaire the power to act as kingmaker in marginal seats, as the Coalition closes in on Labor in at least two of those electorates.
An exclusive Newspoll of four marginal seats across the country, conducted for The Australian, shows the divisive Queensland businessman and former failed MP could also be on track to hold the balance of power in the Senate.
To read the article in full, click here.
If the United Australia Party poll well at the election, how will their preferences go? Here's what happened with the Palmer United Party in 2013. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/O7nOHLdutD
— Antony Green (@AntonyGreenABC) April 22, 2019
10.10am: Hanson - climate change ‘fear-mongering’
Pauline Hanson has denied man-made climate change is happening, arguing “fear-mongering” is behind global concerns about the environment.
The One Nation leader said the same shifts in climate that caused the extinction of dinosaurs are behind changes the world is experiencing today. “This has been man-made, this fear mongering about climate change,” Senator Hanson told Nine’s Today.
“If climate change is happening it is not because man is causing it to happen.” The Queensland senator claimed volcanic eruptions and oceans caused more carbon emissions than man-made pollution.
“There has been changes. What happened to the dinosaurs, how did they die off? Humans didn’t create it,” she said.
“We have volcano eruptions that actually spew out more carbon emissions and even the oceans do.” Senator Hanson said there was “no scientific fact” about the impact climate change was having on Queensland - despite a wealth of credible, peer-reviewed research on the topic.
“There’s no peer review of these scientists,” she said.
Senator Hanson also appeared to question the Bureau of Meteorology’s climate data. “They haven’t released the true facts and figures as far as temperature changes over the years. They’ve fiddled with facts and figures,” the One Nation leader said.
AAP
Rosie Lewis 9.50am: Burke demands watergate documents
Don’t expect the water buyback controversy to go away any time soon this election campaign.
Opposition water spokesman Tony Burke is demanding the Department of Agriculture publish documents by 5pm today explaining the due diligence undertaken by the Commonwealth before it paid $80 million to Eastern Australia Agriculture for 28.7 gigalitres of water in 2017.
The company had previous links to Energy Minister Angus Taylor and its parent company is based in tax-haven Caymen Islands.
Labor is considering calling for an inquiry with “full coercive powers”, depending on what the documents tell us.
“It would make more sense if there’d been a competitive tender, it’d make more sense if we were dealing with more reliable water and it’d make more sense if the company that had been chosen wasn’t a company that was domiciled in the Cayman Islands,” Mr Burke told ABC radio.
He said he did not find out where EAA was domiciled when Labor spent $300m on a separate water purchase because there was a competitive tender process and it represented “value for money for the taxpayer”.
Rick Morton 9.25am: PM in Adelaide
Scott Morrison is campaigning for the first time in Adelaide, starting the day at GD Wholesale Fruit & Veg Suppliers in the seat of Mayo.
The Prime Minister wants to spruik his government’s $100m investment fund aimed at small and family businesses.
Liberal candidate for Mayo Georgina Downer, who failed to secure the seat at last year’s by-election, is making another pitch for the electorate after moving into the area.
She will be running against Centre Alliance MP Rebekah Sharkie who won the seat in July’s by-election.\
First stop on the Morrison bus for the day and this sign is outside. pic.twitter.com/W1uQaQex27
— Rick Morton (@SquigglyRick) April 22, 2019
Rosie Lewis 9.15am: Albo slams ‘outrageous’ Palmer
.@AlboMP: Today I have announced an inquiry into the inland railway debacle and the government’s handling of that… particularly the role of @Barnaby_Joyce when he was the infrastructure minister.
MORE: https://t.co/bMPOOLkTyV #amagenda pic.twitter.com/CPTIIg1sRD
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 22, 2019
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has launched an attack against Clive Palmer after polling showed the former MP could be a kingmaker at the next election, warning Australians of the problems with voting for fringe parties.
Mr Albanese also lashed Mr Palmer’s $30 million advertising campaign, which is being funded through his company Minerology, whose headquarters are now in New Zealand.
Asked if he was surprised by Mr Palmer’s rising popularity, as revealed in today’s Newspoll, given the “debacle” of the Palmer United Party in the 44th parliament, Mr Albanese told Sky News: “It was a debacle and what’s more of course his attitude towards the workers in Townsville (at his Queensland Nickel refinery) was quite outrageous.
“I think people need to be very clear about voting for these fringe parties and be clear that they won’t necessarily get what they think they’re voting for. We know that with these fringe parties, what has happened is that senators have been elected and then they’ve resigned, become independents, joined other parties, had all sorts of moving chairs in the Senate. It was hard to keep up with who was a member of where during the last term of office I’ve got to say.
“The irony of Clive Palmer and where his money is coming from, to fund this advertising campaign that is speaking about having a concern about foreign investment in Australia is quite frankly breathtaking.”
Mr Albanese could not say if Labor would try and clinch preference deals with Mr Palmer’s United Australia Party.
“That’s above my pay grade. What we’re concerned about is having primary votes for the Labor Party,” he said.
Rosie Lewis 8.45am: Labor under pressure over Adani
Labor frontbenchers are under pressure to explain why Bill Shorten won’t rule out a review of federal environmental approvals for the Adani mine if he wins government.
The final federal approvals have been signed off on by Environment Minister Melissa Price but the Queensland state government still has to give the project its tick of approval.
“Labor will be governed by the law, that’s what Bill has made very clear,” opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor said on ABC radio.
“We’ve said we’ll be governed by the requirements now. There are hurdles in the way, every application needs to jump those hurdles, there are still existing requirements unfulfilled by that project.
“It doesn’t matter what jurisdiction at the moment, it is not resolved (at a state level). What we’ve said is we will be governed by the law and that is our position.”
Rick Morton 8.35am: PM in heated exchange on ABC
ABC News Breakfast co-host Virgina Trioli has conducted an extraordinary interview with Scott Morrison, accusing the Prime Minister of being “casual” about transparency and accountability on the issue of water buybacks that has embroiled the government.
Ms Trioli questioned Mr Morrison about the 2017 decision to buy $80m worth of water back from a company that was registered in the Cayman Islands and which once counted Energy Minister Angus Taylor as a director.
Mr Taylor has repeatedly said he has no financial interests in the company, Eastern Australia Agriculture.
Mr Morrison told Ms Trioli that Barnaby Joyce, who was the water minister at the time signing off on the deal, simply relied on the advice of the Department of Environment and that Labor ministers were around the COAG table when the buybacks were initiated.
“That department conducted those negotiations at arm’s length and inquired into the relevant matters required under the Act. The minister has acted in accordance with the legislation,” Mr Morrison said.
Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP says Barnaby Joyce "acted in accordance with the legislation" over the $80 million taxpayer-funded water deal.
"The Auditor-General will look over these things," he said.#AustraliaVotes pic.twitter.com/adRy0CdQ79
— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) April 22, 2019
The exchange soon became heated, however. Here is a transcript of the segment:
Trioli: Here is the contradiction. He says it wasn’t his job and he says it was done at arm’s length is the repeated phrase. He put three conditions on the negotiations. He wanted advice on the impacts to employment in the region and then he wanted the department to ‘report back to me on this and seek financial approval before settling the purchase’. Was it arm’s length and not his job or did he want all this detail and this close involvement in the matter?
Morrison: The very things you have talked about are the very things that are routinely dealt with under those buybacks, the same things that were dealt with…
Trioli: He was involved in it...
Morrison: Wouldn’t you want to know what the impact on jobs was?
Trioli: In him wanting to know that, he was not involved at arm’s length. Correct?
Morrison: He was dealing with a legal entity. There is no suggestion that the company that was involved in the transaction was not a legal entity. The Labor Party did a deal with the same company. There was no questions raised about the integrity of the company with which Labor did a deal. Why would there be questions raised if the Liberal Party does one? I am not sure what the double standard is there.
Trioli: I will share with you potentially another double standard there and that is the government’s at pains to criticise Labor for everything but now you’re prepared to rely 100 per cent on Labor and they are the font of all wisdom and truth when it suits you in this particular issue?
Morrison: I’m not quite sure the accusation you’re making there.
Trioli: You’re saying Labor did it so therefore it is fine for the government to do it?
Morrison: If you let me answer the question. I am simply saying the policy of how strategic water buybacks are done, are done under the framework set under COAG. The Murray Darling Basin plan has been a bipartisan initiative since it was first set up and the rules and procedures for undertaking the buybacks are set out and administered by the department and done at arm’s length. That has been done under both governments. I have never sought to make a partisan issue out of the Murray Darling Basin plan. It is an important plan for rural New South Wales. It is a complex plan and sometimes a frustrating set of arrangements. We seek to do it in a bipartisan way. That is the simple point I am making.
Trioli: We now learn that the company at the centre of that buy back, Eastern Australia Agriculture, donated $55,000 to the Liberal Party before the 2013 election. Does that cause you discomfort today?
Morrison: It is a fully disclosable donation. Donations are disclosable in Australia. There is no evidence to suggest that played any role in this arrangement. Are you suggesting that?
Trioli: Do you see the impression it causes?
Morrison: No, I am saying that I would think the department that negotiated this at arm’s length - remember this was initiated by the Queensland Government, this entire buy back.
Trioli: We have heard that several times.
Morrison: I don’t see how that would have played any role and I don’t think there is any serious suggestion that that would have played any role. I don’t see how it would?
Trioli: It is being reported today as being a serious suggestion, so the question for you is this...
Morrison: I would say that would be a misinformed suggestion.
Trioli: Sure. You said on January 14 on this program, that you’re a Prime Minister for standards. Is this the standard that we should accept from you, rather casual about accountability and transparency and seemingly unaccountable about value for taxpayer money?
Morrison: Virginia, I think they’re pretty strong accusations you have just made without providing any foundation for them. What I have simply said is the strategic water buyback program has been run strictly in accordance with the rules and accountability and reviews by the Auditor-General. I don’t know how you could make those allegations in the way that you have. I would seem to think that would be over the top from you.
Trioli: We will see what the court of public opinion thinks. Thanks for making time for us today.
Morrison: We will see what the Auditor-General says.
Trioli: Indeed.
Morrison: That is the transparent process.
Trioli: Look forward to that transparent process.
Greg Brown 8.11am: Shorten in Gladstone
Bill Shorten is heading to the regional Queensland town of Gladstone, where he will talk up his plans to abolish the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and divert the funds into developing gas in the Galilee Basin.
The Opposition Leader will campaign in the marginal electorates of Flynn and Dawson, which are held by the Coalition on margins of 1.04 per cent and 3.37 per cent respectively.
But Labor’s division on Adani is expected to dog Mr Shorten, with coal development popular in the region.
The campaign comes as a surge in support for Clive Palmer threatens Mr Shorten’s aim of picking up seats in central Queensland.
Labor’s candidates for Flynn and Dawson, Zac Beers and Belinda Hassan, have signed a pledge of support for the Adani project to go ahead.
Rosie Lewis 7.45am: PM dismisses ALP gay plans
Scott Morrison has dismissed Labor’s reported plans to work with states and territories to ban gay conversion practices, saying it was not something the Commonwealth was responsible for.
The Prime Minister, a Pentecostal Christian, has previously said gay conversion therapy was not an issue he was focused on.
“I don’t support gay conversion therapy, I don’t recommend it, never have, but it’s ultimately a matter for the states,” he told Sky News today.
“I think we should focus on the things we actually have control over and that’s taxes. I’m looking to lower taxes. State and territory governments determine those matters and if they choose to do that well and good for them, as I say I’m not a supporter of those therapies, never have been, but what we need to focus on is what the prime minister would need to focus on and that is lowering taxes for Australians and small businesses.”
Bill Shorten is still to release details of today’s gay conversion ban announcement, which was published in Nine’s The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Labor to outlaw gay conversion therapy. @ScottMorrisonMP: I don’t support gay conversion therapy, but this is ultimately a matter for the states.
I think we should focus on the things we have control over, like lowering taxes for Australians.MORE: https://t.co/M13f0vTQ3t pic.twitter.com/RgfSNvziVu
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 22, 2019
Rosie Lewis 7.35am: AFP to join Sri inquiry
Scott Morrison has confirmed the Australian Federal Police will join an international investigation into the horrific terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka which killed 290 people, including two Australians.
The Prime Minister said he would talk to the husband and father of Australian victims Manik Suriaaratchi and 10-year-old Alexandria later today. Sudesh Kolonne was outside the church when the bomb went off and killed his family.
While it is not confirmed who was responsible for the attacks, Mr Morrison said it was clear Christians going to worship on Easter Sunday, westerners and Sri Lankans were the targets.
Rosie Lewis 7.30am: LNP in talks with Palmer
Scott Morrison has all but confirmed the Liberal Party is in negotiations with potential kingmaker Clive Palmer to secure preferences from his United Australia Party, as he warned voters the May 18 election would be close.
An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian has revealed Mr Palmer could be on track to hold the balance of power in the Senate and determine the election outcome in the key marginal seats of Herbert, Lindsay, Deakin and Pearce.
Asked if senior Liberals were in advanced discussions with Mr Palmer over preferences, as revealed in The Australian, the Prime Minister told Seven’s Sunrise: “We talk to a lot of parties going into the election. Nominations are closing and will be declared next week, pre-poll will start next week and this is the time you have discussions with numerous parties.
“What I really want to say about this today is this election will be close. Elections always are, and people’s votes matter, your vote matters, and your vote can determine where this election goes and who will be the prime minister, whether it is Bill Shorten or myself. Whether it is the Liberal and National parties providing that strong economic management and managing money or the Labor Party who have demonstrated they can’t.”
Mr Morrison also accused the Opposition Leader of being the “godfather of GetUp” and called on his opponent to explain any preferencing arrangements Labor had with the Greens.
"This is the time that you have discussions with numerous parties"
Prime Minister @ScottMorrison on rumours the Coalition is doing deals with Clive Palmer. #auspol pic.twitter.com/ktBFJsJUJz
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) April 22, 2019
Rosie Lewis 7.00am: On the hustings
Scott Morrison will campaign in Adelaide for the first time, promising a $100 million Australian Business Growth Fund to boost small and family businesses. Small business owners have traditionally been a core constituency for the Liberal Party, so there’ll be a lot of pitching to the base today.
Bill Shorten will campaign in the key marginal seat of Herbert, held by Labor MP Cathy O’Toole, where the Adani mine is a red hot issue. As revealed in today’s The Australian, Clive Palmer could be a kingmaker in this seat. The United Australia Party’s primary vote is sitting at 14 per cent — this could heavily influence the election result.
Sascha O’Sullivan 6.45am: What’s making news
● A surge in support for Clive Palmer on the back of a $30 million advertising campaign has given the billionaire the power to act as kingmaker in marginal seats, as the Coalition closes in on Labor in at least two of those electorates.
An exclusive Newspoll of four marginal seats across the country, conducted for The Australian, shows the divisive Queensland businessman and former failed MP could also be on track to hold the balance of power in the Senate.
● Labor’s pledge to introduce an uncapped long-stay parents’ visa could open the door to a wave of elderly migrants, as nearly 100,000 applicants for hard-to-obtain permanent parents’ visas seek to reunite with adult children in Australia.
In a pitch for the migrant vote in key marginal seats, Labor has revealed its proposed three- and five-year sponsored parents’ visas would cost $1250 and $2500 per entrant — a quarter of the cost of the Coalition’s parents’ visas — and would be available to an unlimited number of applicants.
Labor would also allow a single household to sponsor up to four parents at a time — compared with two under the Coalition — and enable visa-holders to renew their visa in Australia for a second three- or five-year term.
● Bill Shorten has refused to rule out reviewing the environmental approvals of the Adani coalmine, putting him at odds with Labor MPs and candidates in regional Queensland who are pressuring the Palaszczuk government to give the project the green light.
In his first full day of campaigning in regional Queensland, where Labor’s division on the project is costing it support in marginal seats, the Opposition Leader said he had “no plans” to review the federal environmental approvals of the mine.
But he repeatedly refused to rule out investigating why Environment Minister Melissa Price approved the controversial coalmine just two days before the election was called amid pressure from government MPs in Queensland.
● Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce says he doesn’t care whether the full documentation of a controversial $80 million water purchase is released, describing the issue as a “load of horse crap” in a rambling 30-minute interview.
An angry Mr Joyce yesterday rejected suggestions he made a mistake in not asking enough questions before giving the green light to a 2017 buyback deal with Eastern Australia Agriculture — previously linked to Energy Minister Angus Taylor — when Mr Joyce was the water minister. The government bought 28.7 gigalitres of water from two Eastern Australia Agriculture-owned properties — Clyde and Kia Ora in Queensland — at a cost of $78.9m.
● Bill Shorten would abolish the “failed” $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and establish a new fund aimed at unlocking Queensland gas reserves in a bid to bring down gas prices and transform Darwin into a manufacturing and export powerhouse.
If elected, the Opposition Leader would replace the NAIF with a new finance facility that would work with Infrastructure Australia to identify and support projects of national economic significance in Australia’s north.
The new facility would have the same $5bn funding allocation as the NAIF, but would be called the “Northern Australia Development Fund”.
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