3 weeks ago
Albanese says Dutton’s comments on Aukus ‘irresponsible’
Peter Dutton said earlier today he had “huge concerns” about the Aukus deal under Labor.
Asked to respond to this, Anthony Albanese initially said this was a question for Dutton, then said:
That’s an irresponsible comment, frankly, for Peter Dutton to make.
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TLDR election: the week of debates
We’ve reached the end of week two of Australia’s election campaign, so what happened?
Well, three separate debates, each underwhelming in their own way, and a slew of new announcements from Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton, while Adam Bandt brought negative gearing back into the mix.
Krishani Dhanji is here in her latest instalment of TLDR: Election 2025:
Spender says it would be ‘great for leader and opposition spokesperson to be on same page’ about public service reduction policy
Allegra Spender was also asked about the Coalition’s public service reduction policy but said it was difficult to comment, given “we’ve heard three different versions of this policy in the last week or two.”
I genuinely don’t know what it is. If you’re trying to reduce head count, voluntary redundancy is one way to do it, but the reality is the one thing they need to commit to is what are the service levels provided to the Australian people, and what is their plan in relation to the public sector workforce?
Because again, it would be great for the leader and the opposition spokesperson to be on the same page on this, and until we know what that is I don’t think I can really comment.
Spender condemns Coalition plan to dump fuel efficiency standards as ‘bad policy’
Allegra Spender also said the Coalition’s promise to axe fines for car companies in breach of vehicle efficiency standards was “short-sighted” and “seems to be on form” for the party.
Spender won her seat over the Liberal incumbent Dave Sharma at the 2022 election.
She told Afternoon Briefing:
I won my seat last time because I cared about long-term economic reform, I cared about climate action – you know, in this decade, not the future – and I thought that we should have equal female and male representation in parliament.
I saw some stats today saying female and male representation for the Coalition will well and truly stay male, given who they’ve pre-selected. And in the last week, they’ve showed their climate credentials where they’re saying ‘we may or may not come out of Paris’ … [and] they’re getting rid of fuel efficiency standards …
This is a bad policy, I think, and it’s really disappointing to see the Coalition do this.
Spender seeking ‘process of tax reform’ in first year of parliament
Allegra Spender said that in the event of a minority government, she would “provide confidence and supply to either of the major parties”.
[But] I will treat each piece of legislation on its merits, look to the evidence, look to the experts and my community and proceed on that basis.
She was asked about the Greens’ conditions for support – reforms to negative gearing and the capital gains tax – and said:
Just picking off a tax here and a tax there is not tax reform. That’s tax fiddling, which we’ve seen a lot of recently. [And] secondly, I don’t think this is how to negotiate or create the reform we need, and part of that is it’s really important that Australian people are on board with any fundamental changes to the tax system.
Spender said she is seeking a commitment to have “a process of tax reform within the first year of parliament.”
Because that’s a chance to talk to experts and engage with the community about trade-offs that would be required to change the tax system.
Spender backs independent review into Aukus deal
The independent MP for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, says that since the beginning of the Aukus deal there hasn’t “been enough transparency with the Australian people”.
Also speaking with ABC Afternoon Briefing, she was asked about calls from other independents for a review into Aukus, and said:
I think it would be valuable. The UK parliament has just undertaken a review of this and given how important it is as part of our defence strategy, I think it is appropriate to have that sort of parliamentary review, as I think it’s important to have greater parliamentary scrutiny on defence more broadly.
And, if you need it, here’s an explainer:
Homophobic banners targeting Labor MP ‘real indictment on our political debate’, Watt says
Murray Watt was also asked about news that police have removed two offensive and homophobic banners targeting Labor MP Julian Hill that were hung over a major Melbourne highway this morning.
Watt said it was “disgraceful” and that neither “he nor his loved ones should be subjected to that kind of vile abuse.”
It’s a real indictment, I think, on our political debate that people think they can make those kind of remarks and get away with it. I’d encourage authorities to take a good luck at this, I think they are. I feel for Julian and his loved ones when that sort of abuse is being metered out. We should have a cessation of that kind of thing going forward.
Asked if Australia takes issues around homophobia seriously enough, Watt said this remains a “real issue in our community unfortunately.”
We have made some really great strides forward, I think, as a country in recent years, with marriage equality existing … Many in the community have taken a strong stand against homophobia, but these kinds of things show it’s not completely stamped-out yet and there’s more work still to do.
Watt said working arrangements can be negotiated ‘without a government saying it must be one way or the other’
Murray Watt was asked what the difference is between the Coalition’s WFH policy, and similar comments from the NSW Labor premier Chris Minns asking public servants to go back to the office?
The employment minister said Minns had “encouraged” people to return to the office while Peter Dutton said it would be a “directive [for] five days a week.”
There’s a difference between asking people to return to the office or encouraging them to do so, compared to a ban on working from home which was version one of the constantly changing work from home policy.
Asked for his personal policy on work from home, Watt said he encourages “working arrangements that work for employers and employees.”
These things can be agreed without a government saying it must be one way or the other.
Watt labels Coalition’s public service reduction policy as ‘lucky-dip policy that changes day by day’
The employment minister, Murray Watt, says the issue with the Coalition’s public service reduction policy is that “every day it’s something different”.
Speaking to ABC Afternoon Briefing, he described it as a “lucky-dip policy that changes day by day.”
It started out with being 41,000 immediate cuts. When that proved unpopular, they said they’d move to a hiring freeze and natural attrition. Today, redundancies are back on the table. God knows what they’ll say tomorrow.
But voluntary are different to forced redundancies, right? Watt said the point is that those cuts, whether voluntary, hiring freezes or forced, is a “reduction in services” for people.
The real problem here is that no Australian can be sure exactly what policy … the Coalition are taking to the election because every day it changes. In a world facing a lot of uncertainty and a lot of chaos, having some sense of predictability and certainty from government policy is important and instead what we get from the opposition is this lucky dip policy that changes day by day.
Natasha May
NSW health minister apologises for chemotherapy numbers given in error
The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, has apologised after media were briefed in error on Tuesday that 486 chemotherapy appointments had been cancelled as a result of the doctor’s industrial action.
The doctors’ union, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (Asmof), released a statement yesterday morning stating they had found no evidence chemotherapy appointments were cancelled.
In a statement released this afternoon Park said: “What should have been said was 486 cancer patients had their oncology appointments cancelled, which included chemotherapy treatments.”
We apologise to media outlets who were told this in error. Over the three days, that number has since risen to 667 cancelled oncology appointments.
An Asmof spokesperson said “our doctors are deeply committed to their patients, and these false claims were incredibly distressing.”
No chemotherapy treatments were cancelled as a result of the industrial action. The NSW government has confirmed that 667 oncology patients had their care impacted, but this relates to non-urgent matters like consultations, not life-saving chemotherapy.
Our members across NSW confirm that essential cancer treatments went ahead safely throughout the three-day strike. The strike was carefully planned and undertaken with strong clinical oversight. Doctors took action to make the health system safer for themselves and their patients and did so without compromising critical care.
Sarah Basford Canales
Dutton to stop at seventh petrol station in eight days
It’s another day on the Peter Dutton media bus and that means another petrol station stop.
We’re in Canning Vale in Perth where we’re dropping for another fuel stop. This marks the seventh bowser visit in eight days.
This station is in the seat of Tangney, which the Liberals are hoping to claw back from Labor after they lost it to them at the last election.
Dutton will be joined by the Liberals candidate, Howard Ong, and Liberal senator, Matt Smith.
This is some high-octane stuff.
Albanese says Dutton’s comments on Aukus ‘irresponsible’
Peter Dutton said earlier today he had “huge concerns” about the Aukus deal under Labor.
Asked to respond to this, Anthony Albanese initially said this was a question for Dutton, then said:
That’s an irresponsible comment, frankly, for Peter Dutton to make.
PM says Labor is taking Dutton’s seat of Dickson ‘seriously’
Anthony Albanese was also asked how confident Labor is about winning the seat of Dickson – Peter Dutton’s seat in Queensland.
The prime minister said everyone would “find out on May the third,” but said Dickson was Queensland’s most marginal seat.
It is on 1.7%. If Ali France gets the same swing in 2025 that she got in 2022, she will take her place in the House of Representatives … We’re taking Dickson seriously. That’s why we campaigned there on day one.
Albanese says government is protecting ancient rock art sites at Karratha peninsula
A reporter said the peninsula behind where Anthony Albanese is speaking is “home to some of the most ancient rock art in the world, the highest concentration in the world” dating back to before the pyramids – but is being destroyed by gas sites.
Why is your government not protecting such a unique site, the PM was asked? Albanese responded:
We are protecting those sites, and you can have sustainable industry together with protecting the environment … One of the things that industry does here is work with First Nations leaders as well and the traditional owners to make sure that that occurs.
Albanese addressing reporters from Karratha
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to reporters from Karratha in Western Australia.
He is at Rio Tinto, and said he visited the ship loader today – where three ships are bound for China, and one for Vietnam.
Rio Tinto, its operations here [and] throughout the Pilbara and the Kimberley, mean that about a million tons a day go out of these four ports that operate in this region … This region is a wealth creator for our country, and the resources sector plays such an important role.
The resources minister, Madeleine King, is also at the presser and said “iron ore is so vitally important for the economy of Western Australia and therefore the nation,” but also critical minerals.
They are an integral part of what the world needs to reach net zero, but also defence materials. And what we see is Peter Dutton ripping $17bn out of the critical minerals industry by promising to repeal the production tax credits that the Albanese Labor government has introduced. Moreover, they are going to destroy the critical minerals fund by making that accessible to gas.
Emily Wind
Good afternoon! Emily Wind, I’ll take you through the rest of the election campaign – and other news from across the country – for this afternoon.
Krishani Dhanji
Thank you all for hanging out today on the blog.
Emily Wind will take over for the rest of the afternoon, as Albanese stands up again in Karratha, WA.
I’ll see you all bright and early next week!
Greens accuse Labor of ‘dirty preference deal’ with Coalition
Benita Kolovos
Greens leader Adam Bandt has criticised Burns for running on an open ticket, saying it risks handing a key Melbourne seat to the Coalition.
He accused Labor of capitulating to the Coalition and betraying progressive voters, warning the deal could backfire.
Bandt went on:
This Labor-Liberal preference deal has just put Peter Dutton one step closer to the Lodge. Labor voters will be furious that they are helping Peter Dutton with preferences.
Anthony Albanese has done what Peter Dutton wants, a dirty preference deal to try and keep the Greens from winning more seats at the election, but it won’t work because voters aren’t stupid.
It’s worth noting it is not actually a preference deal as Labor hasn’t preferenced anyone in the seat. Burns is running on an open ticket - voters are encouraged to put him first but there will be no directive on preferences.
