Malcolm Turnbull rebukes Shorten for calling Trump’s views ‘barking mad’ and unveils a $115m program to support Indigenous entrepreneurship. All the day’s campaign developments with Katharine Murphy, live
6.03am BST
Sorry I’ve been diverted by the thread, pushing on now.
5.34am BST
While we’ve been watching economic debates, Mike Bowers has been documenting the Labor leader’s trip up north. Some fabulous images coming through.
5.25am BST
I didn’t get time to share before the debate but my colleague Gareth Hutchens has written some commentary about what I dubbed Black Hole The Musical earlier this week. Gareth (like a number of us) is a bit over the truthiness. Here’s an excerpt.
For the last three days, we’ve listened to senior members of the Coalition’s economics team rely on a flagrant logical fallacy to prosecute the argument that Labor has a $67bn spending “black hole”.
The fallacy is called an argumentum ad ignorantiam, known as an appeal to ignorance.
5.15am BST
The first thing to say about the debate is it was thoroughly worth watching. It was tight and fiercely contested, yet civil. It was mostly about the competing world views on offer at the coming election, which is more than we can say about the last week of the campaign itself.
4.51am BST
Final statements, which largely repeat the opening statements, but Chris Bowen says he’s made himself available for a head to head on Q&A on June 13 – and the debate would work a lot better if Morrison turned up, which suggests Morrison hasn’t given a commitment to turn up.
Then they are over and out. I’ll see what pictures we have and share some thoughts about that encounter next.
4.47am BST
A final question on costings and whether the PBO should take charge.
Chris Bowen says he’s a big fan of the PBO.
The government released its full budget going into this election. That’s the first time that’s happened before an election. We’re putting our budget, everything in it, our that the economic plan directly to the Australian people.
4.45am BST
A question on the top marginal tax rate and tax minimisation leads to a debate about the corporate tax cuts. Chris Bowen says they are unfunded. Scott Morrison says hang on, if they are unfunded, how come you’ve spent the proceeds associated with scrapping our commitment?
Bowen persists with them being unfunded. Morrison says they are in the budget. Bowen says just because something is accounted for in the budget doesn’t mean its funded.
Can you say your program is funded if you are borrowing money?
4.40am BST
Chris Uhlmann asks whether we can we see the homework that the government did on the state income tax suggestion?
Scott Morrison says it’s a work in progress with the states.
There was a start-up discussion with the state and territories.
There is a reason you won’t find the paper work: the treasury secretary confirmed he heard about it on the news. There was no treasury work on this all. That’s your methodical calm process the treasurer has explained to us. The secretary of the treasury heard it on the radio!
What Christopher doesn’t understand is when you sit down in Coag it’s principals to principals.
You wouldn’t want to get treasury advice.
It’s politicians sitting down trying to work out and then you task the officials to do the job. I know the Labor party likes to sit in government and say please send me the bit of paper I’m supposed to sign next.
Under Coalition governments we run the government.
4.34am BST
Scott Morrison:
I’m glad you raised the process about working through difficult issues. We had a good look at the GST and do the analysis and homework. We didn’t do the rule in, rule out thing. We did our home work and came to a considered decision on this very difficult issue and made a call on it in the national interest.
If you think it’s been a calm and methodical process, congratulations, it doesn’t look like that.
I won’t talk over you. On [superannuation, on] the retirement phase, the $1.6m cap ensures every cent has no tax on its earnings. You know that’s the case. Under your policy the retirement phase superannuation account will attract tax on its earnings. That is a key difference between our policies.
I think you will find the superannuation sector prefers our policy to yours.
I don’t think they do.
I think you may want to take advice on that.
They say your proposal is unworkable.
They are not big fans.
4.29am BST
Sixth question is will there be a proper tax reform process after the election?
Chris Bowen says tax reform under the Coalition has been a farce. He says Labor can draw ideas from previous tax reviews.
The treasurer claiming the budget policy is a result of the white paper process is as heroic as his budget assumptions. There was no process. How he can claim that with a straight face? It’s laughable.
No one is laughing, Chris.
4.25am BST
Fifth question is on middle-class welfare; is it too much?
After some generalities about welfare targeting, the conversation then becomes a debate about childcare. Scott Morrison says the government has tried to get childcare reform through the Senate but Labor won’t pass the savings required to fund it. Chris Bowen says Labor will have its own childcare package in the campaign. Morrison says he looks forward to seeing how Labor will fund that.
4.22am BST
Scott Morrison says the Coalition had to do a deal with the Greens to get the pensions assets test through the parliament. This seems to prompt the treasurer to remind voters about the danger of a Labor/Greens coalition.
Hang on, says Bowen.
You said you had done a deal with the Greens? You boasted you had a coalition deal with the Greens! Are you against or for them!
Where the Labor party chooses to be reckless when it comes to public finances ...
4.19am BST
Fourth question is about spending cuts post election. Everyone appears to accept they are necessary but where are they coming from? Chris Bowen is also asked about a figure Labor has been using about the growth dividend associated with education spending – is it credible?
Chris Bowen:
We can debate the figures, but I will defend vigorously the argument that an investment in schools has an economic dividend for the nation: it does.
We’re announcing our policies because of the damage that you’ve done to the budget. We cannot afford to reintroduce the school kids bonus.
I’m surprised you are critical. I would have thought you would welcome the fact we’re not proceeding with that spending measure.
Did shadow cabinet make the decision on the change?
Did shadow cabinet approval the dodgy figures on your costings?
4.10am BST
Third question is the AAA rating.
Q: Can either of you guarantee the credit rating beyond the election should you be victorious?
If we were getting Pefo [pre-election economic and fiscal outlook] even next week, you know we might be having a different conversation given what has happened to the iron ore prices.
Pefo is produced by the finance secretary and they’ve confirmed all of the assumptions and numbers in the budget ...
I’m being honest with you and the Australian people. The budget is under pressure because your forecasts, treasurer ...
4.03am BST
The second question is about housing affordability, what can be done to boost supply?
Chris Bowen says he doesn’t invoke the word crisis lightly, but it applies in this instance. “Housing affordability is at crisis levels.” He says that’s why Labor is moving to curb negative gearing concessions. Bowen also says Labor will have more to say in the course of the campaign about supply measures involving the states.
Retarding the economy is not the way to drive housing affordability. Dealing with the practical issues of regulatory constraints at the state level as you’ve identified, which is what we are focusing on, it’s where our plan focuses.
3.58am BST
They are into questions now at the NPC. The two men are asked for their big idea.
Q: You both have a couple of minutes. Inspire us, what is your big idea?
As treasurer I will be focused like a laser working on improving educational outcomes and fairness.
3.55am BST
Bowen says Scott Morrison has several challenges today.
During the course of today he needs to admit that Australia’s AAA rating is under pressure be honest with Australians and acknowledge as others have done that spending measures and spending cuts need to be part of the answer, drop the fantasy that Australia only has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
If the treasurer isn’t prepared to step up, he’s sliding through an election campaign without being honest with the Australian people. And people will be entitled to judge the government accordingly. Australia doesn’t need more sound bites, it needs encourage, imagination and honesty.
3.53am BST
Chris Bowen says Labor will be releasing well before the last week of the campaign the impact of Labor’s policies over the forward estimates and the decade.
We’ll include a credible pathway back to balance and the year it would be achieved. My challenge to the treasurer today is this – do the same.
3.51am BST
Chris Bowen is making the case the Coalition’s current jobs and growth mantra is just the latest in a series of slogans from the government.
Chris Bowen:
Ladies and gentlemen, for the Liberals, jobs and growth is the latest in a long line of economic slogans. It replaces debt and deficit disaster, lifters and leaners, have a go, live within your means.
The government believes in a slogan-led economic recovery.
3.48am BST
Chris Bowen says Labor has a productivity agenda: it’s infrastructure, the NBN, university funding, a positive economic transition to deal with climate change. And he says a social capital agenda is a productivity agenda, investing in education and in schools boosts productivity.
Chris Bowen:
I do want to spend a few minutes this afternoon talking about this important part of Labor’s plan. The incoming governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Phillip Lowe, pointed out that investment in human capital is more important for our economic future. He is right. I’ve seen it first hand in our community. And the things I’ve seen in our community are replicated across the country.
3.45am BST
Chris Bowen is now making his opening statement.
The treasurer will tell you lots of times today he has a plan, a plan for jobs and growth, he will say.
He doesn’t. He has a slogan. It’s got three words in it. A tax cut for big business, reluctantly costed and completely unfunded, is not a plan. It’s fiscal recklessness, belying the wrong priorities. It’s a tax cut only settled on after the other options were tried and failed.
3.43am BST
Scott Morrison says the government is spending on social services, but the spending is funded by savings, not increased taxes.
For that reason, the government can afford to guarantee support for hospitals, schools, and roads “and protect our strong social safety net for the most vulnerable.”
3.40am BST
The treasurer says the Coalition is paying for its business tax cut by fixing problems in our tax system.
Scott Morrison:
Our crackdown on multinational tax avoidance will raise $3.9bn over four years, twice the yield of Labor’s proposals. In addition to the measures we have legislated, we will implement a new diverted profits tax that will tax profits sought to be shifted offshore by multinationals at a higher rate of 40%. Better targeting generous superannuation concessions will ensure we focus on sustainably supporting those Australians at risk of being dependent on a full or part age pension in their retirement.
3.38am BST
Scott Morrison says a national plan for jobs and growth must back businesses.
A tax on their business is a tax on their enterprise which ends up being a tax on the jobs that they create and sustain. A national economic plan for jobs and growth must back these businesses. When they invest and grow, we all win.
They are all small, family businesses. They are all growing and looking to employ more Australians. Our economic plan does not punish these businesses for growing. We do not believe they become multinationals when their turnover increases to more than $2m a year and neither do they.
3.35am BST
Morrison says he understands some parts of Australia are feeling the transition more acutely than others. His pitch is: back the horse you know.
Scott Morrison:
The Turnbull government is asking the Australian people to keep to our national economic plan, rather than risk further change, disruption and delay.
3.33am BST
The Coalition has won the toss, so Scott Morrison opens the batting.
Scott Morrison:
Australians know that our future depends on how long we continue to grow and shape our economy as we transition from the unprecedented mining investment boom to a stronger, more diverse new economy. Australians have clearly said that we must have an economic plan to make this economic transition a success. The Turnbull government has a clear economic plan to make this happen, to drive jobs and growth in a stronger new economy.
3.31am BST
NPC president Chris Uhlmann is kicking of proceedings at the club with a joke about economists. Brave.
3.12am BST
While we wait for the treasurer’s debate at 12.30, the shadow climate minister Mark Butler is on Sky News talking about Michael Slezak’s story this morning revealing that all mentions of Australia were removed from the final version of a Unesco report on climate change and world heritage sites after the Australian government objected on the grounds it could impact on tourism. Butler says it is important the prime minister, the environment minister and the foreign minister clarify the public record to ensure they didn’t have a hand in “censoring” the report.
3.03am BST
Look at Pat Dodson’s face. A great deal to love about this picture. When in the territory.
2.43am BST
Malcolm Turnbull has meanwhile washed up in the marginal seat of Bonner, held by the Liberal party on a margin of 3.69%.
PM & MP Ross Vasta talking youth employment in Bonner. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/AmzEnaeYFj
2.40am BST
Bill Shorten in Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/U3FXvRQwZ1
2.39am BST
An interesting story this morning from my neighbour, The West Australian’s political editor Shane Wright about a $2bn spend that became a $2bn save in the recent budget.
I know this concept is a little mind bending, but stick with it. At some point the government made a decision to spend $2bn on a policy or a program (we don’t know what that is), but has clearly reversed the decision, because the budget now books that as a $2bn saving in the budget category of “decisions taken but not announced.” So a decision to spend $2bn and then save $2bn went through the government’s internal processes without breaking through into the public domain.
2.30am BST
Looks like everyone is safely on the ground in Maningrida.
Djelk Rangers wait for Bill Shorten at Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/GaH1JHTLHV
2.27am BST
So let’s bring all the threads of Friday morning together.
2.04am BST
Given we will roll into a press club debate at lunchtime I think it’s good if I stop and take stock of the campaign morning in the next post. Hang five and I’ll be back with a summary and some thoughts.
1.53am BST
Q: Why have you focused on the Richmond election and Matthew Fraser? Do you have a genuine concern about the Greens here?
Barnaby Joyce:
I think the Greens are an anathema, the complete opposite of what the National party believes in. We believe in property rights, right of ownership, they believe you don’t own anything, ownership is by the state. They believe the vegetation you won’t be able to touch it, therefore, by caveat they are taking ownership from the individual and passing it to the states. This is fundamentaly at odds with what people in the regional area believe in.
We have had Senator Lee Rhiannon who says kangaroos are endangered. Come out west, come have a look. You will meet about five or six on the bull bar or front of your bonnet every night.
1.49am BST
Reporters are pursuing Joyce on his breakout position on boats and live exports the other night.
Q: On the asylum seekers, to follow this gentleman’s line of questioning, are you saying that because there was a live cattle ban, Indonesia took its foot off the police keeping an eye on the people-smuggling trade? They just said “Let it be, we won’t work as hard at stopping that happening”.
I have said that you need the strongest working relationship with your nearest neighbour to deal with issues such as this. You don’t get it by banning the supply of an essential part of protein for the dietary requirements of the people of Jakarta. That is not how you build relations.
We banned the live cattle trade. That creates incredible bad feeling.
1.45am BST
The deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is campaigning in Tweed Heads.
Q: How are you feeling about New England? Is it feasible Tony Windsor could beat you?
I always make sure I respect the democratic process. I respect people’s right to vote. Therefore, I never take anything for granted. We have a number of independent candidates and Mr Windsor is one of them. What I always say is, quite clearly, it is a reality that you can’t deliver something unless you have the authority of being a minister, all you can do is lobby for a minister to deliver on things. What I also say is, on the very simple question should be able to answer, question which if you’re straight with people, honest with people, they have a right to know, it is simply this: If there is a hung parliament, what side are you going to back? The Labor-Green-independent alliance? The Liberal National Coalition? Surely every person who votes deserves that right because there are people who might be hoping you are getting a vote for the Labor party, others hope you will vote for Malcolm Turnbull and myself and the Liberal National Coalition. Whichever way you look at it, it’s their vote. It is the most fundamental democratic right they have. You have a fundamental democratic responsibility to tell them which way you are going to go in a hung parliament.
I’m confident but not cocky. Basically that says that I believe that I’d rather be in my shoes than any other candidate’s in New England’s at this stage, yes.
1.39am BST
1.32am BST
Reporters return to Trump. Does Shorten’s comments put the alliance at risk? Malcolm Turnbull says the Shorten intervention is ill-judged but it won’t put the relationship at risk. He says everyone needs to respect that the US election is for Americans. He says leaders who aspire to lead nations should understand that.
Malcolm Turnbull:
It is important for prime ministers and presidents for that matter, and those who seek to hold that role in our country, to bear in mind that the election in the United States is a matter for the Americans.
1.28am BST
Q: Reconciliation week is starting today and you are making this announcement about Indigenous jobs. Can you explain what is the theme of reconciliation week this year and why is it important forAustralians to know that?
Turnbull looks a bit emotional as he embarks on the answer.
Reconciliation is a great national journey. It is a journey. It is a road of healing and we are embarked on it with commitment, with passion and an understanding of our history, our preparedness to look into the darkest corners of that history, to acknowledge what has gone before and recognise that as we work together, as we are reconciled, not just rhetorically but as we are today with practical effect on the jobs and the opportunities of Indigenous Australians, many of whose greatest challenge is poverty: poverty, the greatest challenge of so many Indigenous Australians.
Programs like the one we have described, the procurement policy, the support we are giving to Indigenous entrepreneurs that addresses that. It is not the only issue I grant you but it is so important. It is a commitment, a national commitment to a journey of reconciliation and healing and we are embarked on that and I want to acknowledge here the importance of the leadership that is provided by the Aboriginal men and women here among us.
1.24am BST
Turnbull is asked about the protestors outside and their desire that Sunday penalty rates be kept. He says the Coalition’s position is clear: this is a matter for the Fair Work Commission. Labor’s position, Turnbull says, is not so clear. He suggests the placard wavers should go and speak to Bill Shorten.
1.22am BST
Q: Donald Trump has received enough delegates to be the Republican nominee. He has been described by Bill Shorten as barking mad. What is your assessment?
Malcolm Turnbull says everyone has private views but it’s best to keep them to yourself.
You can imagine how Australians would feel if an American president were to describe one of our prime ministerial aspirants as barking mad. You can imagine the ill will and resentment that would create in Australia.
The Australian-American relationship is of vital importance, in every respect. There is certainly no relationship we have which is deeper, stronger or more important. What that means is that a PM, in this case myself, or those who seek to be PM, Mr Shorten for example, should be very careful about the comments they make about American politics.
1.17am BST
Just quickly I’m not sure why journalists are characterising Jamie Clements as a union ally of Bill Shorten, given in Labor terms, there is tension and rivalry between the right faction in NSW and Victoria. Not quite sure where this characterisation is coming from.
1.16am BST
Q: One of Bill Shorten’s key union backers, Jamie Clements, has been charged after illegally passing on the details of a man to one of his union allies, the man was later threatened. What do you think this says about Bill Shorten’s leadership?
The prime minister dead bats Clements but he takes up the Shorten challenge from this morning on backing his treasurer.
As to your question, if I may go to that as well. Scott Morrison will be the treasurer after the election and he will be so busy working with me and the rest of our team as we implement our national economic plan for jobs and growth.
1.13am BST
Q: On the [recognition] referendum, PM, you mentioned it will be next year. Can you say if it is going to be in May and will it be at the same time as the gay marriage plebiscite?
Malcolm Turnbull:
They certainly won’t be on the same day, I can assure you of that. They are two separate issues.
All these funds – everything we are announcing today is in the budget, it is fully funded and paid for. That is the big difference between us and our friend with the spend-o-metre.
1.08am BST
Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion.
Colin Saltmere – imagine getting up one day and walking through spinifex and saying “I know, I can make condoms from that”.
A stretch for us but not for him.
1.06am BST
Turnbull is unveiling a $115m program to support indigenous entrepreneurship. In this program is a $90m indigenous entrepreneurs fund.
Malcolm Turnbull:
As Nigel [Scullion] and Jo [Lindgren] have often said, indeed as Nova Peris said yesterday, one of the biggest challenges facing Indigenous entrepreneurs is simply poverty. There is not the intergenerational wealth that many other Australians have. There is not the same access to assets, to finance and so that is a big barrier. What the Indigenous entrepreneurs fund will enable us to do is to ensure that there is more financial support for Indigenous Australians.
1.03am BST
Malcolm Turnbull:
That is a 25 times, in dollar value, the amount of government business that goes to Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander firms, 25 times the amount that was awarded in the last year of the Labor government. I don’t want to make a partisan point about this but I am making a point about progress. This is real progress towards real advancement, towards real economic empowerment and it is all part of our national economic plan for jobs and growth right across Australia.
1.01am BST
The prime minister has made it to his press conference and notes today is the 49th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. He’d like to open today by noting the achievements of the government’s Indigenous procurement policy.
Malcolm Turnbull:
I am able to announce today that Indigenous businesses have won over over $150m worth of contracts from the federal government. Every department is on track to meet that objective of 3% of contracts. This is so important because what this is doing is providing the economic empowerment that is so critical to the effective reconciliation and the effective advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
12.58am BST
Meanwhile, the photographic pool is on the way to Maningrida with Bill Shorten. Looks cosy. Strap in Mike Bowers.
A reduced Shorten press plane next stop Maningrida @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/Z8a2dJmT4C
12.50am BST
Slight scrum in there, I’ve seen worse.
The Prime Minister arrives for a press conference amid protesters in Brisbane (via @fjkeany) https://t.co/jDAmNB3OQ7https://t.co/oy2Rau9KXd
12.43am BST
Looks like the constabulary are maintaining order. Got to watch the giant sunflowers, I completely agree. I hope the election elephant will return at some stage. I did love the elephant. That was 2010 from memory.
Police outside guard one of the doors ahead of the PM’s press conference @abcnews pic.twitter.com/PChgRCf3oV
12.40am BST
No show without solar man.
Solar man has arrived #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/TBItRwjxHL
12.38am BST
Just for the record I didn’t hear Bill Shorten describe Donald Trump as “barking mad” this morning, apparently it was during a commercial radio interview in Darwin. Shorten toned down “barking mad” back to “erratic” at the press conference.
12.34am BST
Gracious.
A Turnbull caricature waits to greet the PM in Brisbane @abcnews pic.twitter.com/EHEiFfKGVZ
12.29am BST
Just for completeness, in the final question to Shorten about Jamie Clements, the Labor leader said he made the decision to move him on as NSW state secretary earlier this year.
Bill Shorten:
Let’s go to what happened in January. Back in January, I said this fellow should step down from his position: made the decision, made the call. I also said since then, this morning, his matter is before the court. I won’t, in the interests of fairness, make comments about individual matters but I have said my harsh things and that is on the record.
Jamie Clements, the party’s former state general secretary, is expected to face court next month after being charged with two offences, including allegations he disclosed protected information in May last year.
A month later it is alleged the then NSW Labor general secretary used information legally provided by the commission to the NSW Labor party for a purpose not permitted by legislation.
12.21am BST
There appears to be a welcoming committee lined up for the prime minister in Brisbane.
Protestors have gotten word of the PM’s visit in Brisbane @abcnews pic.twitter.com/MJwbF3WXA4
12.20am BST
12.19am BST
So just to summarise, Bill Shorten was asked three times during that press conference when he took the decision to scrap the Schoolkids bonus, and he declined to answer.
12.16am BST
A final question about Jamie Clements in NSW, then Shorten wraps the press conference.
12.15am BST
Q: Breaking down the reasons for backtracking on a promise to families. You said the AAA credit rating is at risk and the PEFO were a bad set of numbers. The budget hasn’t changed that. PEFO didn’t show a big change in the numbers from PEFO. Is that the reason of your view to breaking this promise and can you promise not to break any more promises before or after the election?
Bill Shorten:
There is not many assumptions in your question I agree with. Let’s go through it all. The Liberals since they have come in have tripled the deficit, tripled the deficit. The Liberals since they have come in have presided over every quarter since they have come in, are reductions in investment and capital expenditure. The Liberals have added $5,000 in net public-sector debt on the heads of every man, woman and child in Australia.
The budget was a clanger. We understand that. It was an election give away. Mr Turnbull is just giving the money away to the big end of town, to corporations. He is willing to spend taxpayer money, just not willing to spend it on Australians. It was a shocking budget. We know they still had assumptions in that budget. Anyone who can say when you have a ratings agency saying that the AAA credit rating is under threat and dismiss it – well, it hasn’t happened yet. That shows that this government aren’t the economic managers they would like to convince Australians they are.
12.09am BST
A reporter tells Shorten on radio this morning he described Donald Trump as barking mad.
Q: How would you work with him if you win the election?
I believe in the American alliance, it can withstand the vagaries of Australian and American domestic politics. If a Labor administration is elected, Australia will stick by the American alliance full stop.
All I have said is what John Howard said. It is funny that some of the Coalition ministers want to attack me every day for everything we say. Why don’t they attack John Howard who has made equally strong comments about the merits of Trump as a candidate?
Let’s not exaggerate. Mr Trump’s comments are truly remarkable. If you think someone who says Mexicans are killers and rapists, if you think that I can’t have an opinion about someone who says about John McCain, yes he is a war hero but Mr Trump prefers war heroes who aren’t captured. Really! Let’s be clear, John Howard has the same views I do about Donald Trump. We will maintain the American alliance no matter what. I saw Mr Howard make comments about President Obama. That hasn’t damaged the Australian American relations.
I have already said it, Tim.
I think he has very erratic views. The views he has aren’t views which sit comfortably with the mainstream Australian opinion. He represents a turn towards American politics which will be destabilising for America. I don’t believe in a divisive nation. I don’t believe setting up one group of people against another group. I have a different world view. I don’t imagine if I am PM I will agree with every political view of every world leader I meet. That would be impossible.
12.02am BST
Q: Jamie Clements is accused of misusing electoral roll information. What do you know about this and now much of a setback is this for Labor in New South Wales, where seats are so important?
Bill Shorten:
It’s a matter of record I have said some harsh things about Mr Clements in the past but the matter is now before the courts and I’m going to let that take its course.
Let’s be really straight here. The Labor party’s the only party standing up for education in this country. All of those items you go to are all about how parents help their kids through the school system. Only Labor’s got a fully funded plan to make sure that there are electives offered in classes, so that kids can learn music. A lot of parents need to find extra money because basically, the school system is at breaking point. Mr Turnbull will fight for the right of the very top schools to keep the money they’ve got. But he has nothing to say about every other school in Australia. Never forget that Mr Turnbull said as one of the great reforms to federation, in a perfect world, a commonwealth government he leads will get out of funding public schools.
11.57pm BST
First question is obvious given the events of yesterday: reporters want to know when Bill Shorten took the decision to scrap the Schoolkids bonus. Shorten has been asked the “when” question twice but he’s refusing to answer it specifically. He is peppering formulations at the reporters in the hope that might cover the non-answer.
It doesn’t.
11.55pm BST
Shorten is also using his preamble to try and frame lunchtime’s treasurer’s debate. The Labor leader tried to seed this idea yesterday by guaranteeing that Chris Bowen will be Labor’s treasurer after July 2 should Labor win the election. He says Malcolm Turnbull should now tell voters whether Morrison will be the treasurer post election if the Coalition wins. He points to tension between the prime minister and the treasurer.
Bill Shorten:
I think it is long overdue for Mr Turnbull to come out and make a brief, unambiguous statement of full confidence in Mr Morrison.
11.52pm BST
We’re here today because we want to announce that a Labor government, if elected after 2 July, will double the number of Indigenous rangers in Australia. This is real jobs for real people and our policies are making a real impact upon people’s lives.
The Labor leader is addressing reporters in Darwin. The specific commitment is doubling the current number of Indigenous rangers to 1,550 by 2020-21.
11.44pm BST
Yesterday was Sorry Day, prompting Labor to focus on Indigenous policy issues. The Coalition didn’t reference Sorry Day yesterday on the hustings but last night Malcolm Turnbull published a post on his blog recognising the day. Turnbull will also be focusing on an Indigenous policy initiative in Brisbane today.
11.39pm BST
The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, will be up shortly in Darwin confirming funding for Indigenous rangers.
11.34pm BST
Thanks Mel, good morning everyone and welcome to campaign Friday. The leaders are up north still but the campaign focal point today will be a debate at lunchtime between the treasurer and the shadow treasurer, Scott Morrison and Chris Bowen. The encounter at lunchtime kicks off a debate long weekend. Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten will face off at the National Press Club on Sunday evening in the second leader’s debate of the campaign.
This week, the Coalition has taken a decision to try and turn the conversation to the budget and costings. Roll out the abacus has (largely, Barnaby Joyce notwithstanding) replaced last week’s negative – asylum boats – as the intra-day tool to attack Labor with. Conventional wisdom says if the campaign conversation is about boat arrivals or about budget/economy, then the Coalition wins. It’s all about agenda setting.
11.29pm BST
Thanks for joining me for the early mornings this week. Over to Katharine Murphy in Canberra now, who will take you through Friday and wrap up the week with the rest of the federal politics team.
The minister for finance and Coalition campaign spokesman, Senator Mathias Cormann, is speaking to reporters in Canberra right about now, his comments will posted here shortly I’m sure.
11.21pm BST
Senator Ricky Muir from the Motoring Enthusiast party has spoken of his campaign to get back into the Senate. He got in last time with just 0.5% of the vote. He told Radio National this morning he’s going to ramp up his campaign closer to the end:
I’m absolutely remaining hopeful. It’s up to the people of Victoria whether I’ll get in or not. People are saying, ‘we’re over the campaign, already we’re sick of hearing jobs and growth 18 times a day’. I’d like to get out in the second half of the campaign as much as possible trying to analyse what both sides have been saying.
How do you vote for me? #lookforthebeardhttps://t.co/Dz3gidNHLM
11.02pm BST
An exclusive report from Guardian Australia’s Michael Slezak has revealed that every reference to Australia was scrubbed from the final version of a major UN report on climate change, after the Australian government intervened. Mikey explains:
Guardian Australia can reveal the report “World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate”, which Unesco jointly published with the United Nations environment program and the Union of Concerned Scientists on Friday, initially had a key chapter on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as small sections on Kakadu and the Tasmanian forests.
But when the Australian Department of Environment saw a draft of the report, it objected, and every mention of Australia was removed by Unesco. Will Steffen, one of the scientific reviewers of the axed section on the reef, said Australia’s move was reminiscent of “the old Soviet Union”.
10.58pm BST
Federal Member for Leichhardt in Queensland Warren Entsch has spoken to Radio National about the remote community of Aurukun in far north Queensland, where a group of about 15-20 teenagers have been threatening teachers forcing the school to close down. The teachers have been evacuated to Cairns.
The school should be re-opened in a different form, he says, with more input from elected leaders within the community who he says currently have “no authority”.
The majority of the kids, which are bloody good kids, tend to get ignored here. There are also fabulous programs, very successful programs, that you never ever hear about in Aurukun.
What’s happened over time is there’s been a whole lot of initiatives that have been put through including a totally different education system that has been basically manipulated in, without any consultation and without any authority form the elected representatives from the community. And that’s the major problem.
10.42pm BST
Exaggeration and lots and lots of it.
That’s how Insiders host, Barrie Cassidy, has just described the election campaign so far on ABC News 24.
That’s the shame. Because Malcolm Turnbull did say that he was going to treat the electorate like adults. Well he’s not and neither is Labor. They’re not, because of the exaggeration over the numbers, there may be black holes, there may be black holes on both sides. There’s certainly a big deficit.
But the figures are grossly exaggerated and on Labor’s side, they talk as if Malcolm Turnbull is a threat to the very concept of Medicare. Whereas in fact the argument is over the freezing on the rebates to doctors. So this kind of thing. On negative gearing as well, exaggeration about that, climate change. In a word, that’s what it’s all about.
10.39pm BST
Indigenous leader Noel Pearson has described the troubled remote community of Aurukun in far north Queensland as “the Afghanistan of teaching” after teachers in the town were evacuated over safety concerns for the second time in one month.
Pearson told the ABC that he believed teachers wanted to stay but were overruled by authorities in Brisbane. The ABC reports:
Pearson labelled the move a “bit of a kneejerk ... particularly on the part of people are not on the ground”, but he condemned the conditions on Aurukun.
“There is a terrible insecurity in relation to the premises that teachers live in,” he said.
10.31pm BST
Meanwhile, in Sydney’s inner-west:
I've joined residents at the St Peters drill site of #WestConnex. The community is fighting back against #CasinoMike pic.twitter.com/SaliofZnNZ
10.30pm BST
The Australian Sex Party and the Marijuana (HEMP) party have reached an agreement to win seats at the election. According to a statement just sent out by the parties, they will share joint tickets in a number of states in an effort to win the last two Senate seats in each jurisdiction.
Under the new Senate voting rules the last two seats in many states are an unknown quantity. Details will be announced at the Sex/Marijuana (HEMP) Party Queensland Senate launch this Sunday in Brisbane.
The major parties have not delivered on so many important progressive social reforms and as a result, Australia looks like the Hermit Kingdom of the southern hemisphere.
Dying with dignity, marriage equality, legal medical cannabis and legal recreational cannabis have all had their advocates in the major parties but nothing has happened. The same is true for taxing the church, prison reform, standardised abortion laws, humane processing of asylum seekers and access to affordable legal aid.
10.18pm BST
Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese says deputy PM Barnaby Joyce’s battle with actor Johnny Depp and his dogs over Australia’s quarantine laws has been the highlight of Joyce’s career.
Albanese was on the Nine Network this morning and commenting on Joyce’s remarks linking Labor’s 2012 live export ban with an increase in asylum seeker boat arrivals. Joyce was an “erratic maverick” as deputy prime minister, Albanese said.
He should stick to worrying about [Johnny Depp’s dogs] Pistol and Boo. That’s been the highlight of his career, picking on little puppies.
10.10pm BST
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has spoken about her thoughts on Clive Palmer, Malcolm Turnbull and the struggle to get back on her feet after being forced to leave the Australian Defence Force due to an injury on the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet program last night.
On recent changes to the Senate, she said:
We know that all our asses are on the line right now going into the next election, but it’s my conscience. So if I don’t win my seat back because I believe I’ve done the right thing, well, then, so be it, but at least I’ll be able to sleep at night time.
Missed Kitchen Cabinet with @JacquiLambie tonight? It's right here on iView https://t.co/7DxyR56Uv2
Dinner with @annabelcrabb on #KitchenCabinet wouldn't have been possible without Tasmanian producers #election2016 pic.twitter.com/XKpbPwwvPi
Everything was an effort to try and make him change his mind. So, you know, within that first week, I learned how it was either his way or the highway.
9.56pm BST
Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese defended Labor’s decision not to pursue changes to the pension assets test if it’s elected on 2 July.
On Thursday the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, and the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, said Labor would not restore the Schoolkids bonus or reverse pension assets test changes if elected, at least not in its first term.
The fact is that, after the election, if we have the numbers in the House of Representatives, we are unlikely to have a majority in the Senate to make those changes.
9.51pm BST
According to ALP-aligned think tank the McKell Institute – the centre that first proposed Labor’s negative-gearing policy – property prices will grow more slowly under the policy but the housing market will not crash.
The report has been provided to Fairfax, which reports the slowdown in price rises will nonetheless be small.
The findings, contained in the McKell Institute Switching Gears: Addendum II reportwill be published on Friday ahead of a crunch National Press Club debate between Treasurer Scott Morrison and his Labor counterpart, Chris Bowen.
That debate will take place against the backdrop of a week of debate over Labor’s costings and will centre on economic management and competence.
9.48pm BST
With the resignation of Nova Peris dominating much of his trip to the Top End, Shorten will today focus on West Arnhem Land, travelling to the remote community of Maningrida.
He’ll announce $200m for the caring for country program for Indigenous rangers by 2020. Then tonight, Shorten will be off to Melbourne where he will address a reconciliation dinner.
Bill Shorten has thrown a footy around with some kids in Darwin. And yes, he did actually touch the ball pic.twitter.com/lAAbCBe6QI
9.35pm BST
Welcome to the end of week three of the political campaign. Only five to go! Yep, that’s right, we’re not even halfway through. Nowhere near. But we’re still having fun, right? Think of all the gaffes and black holes still to come!
Melissa Davey with you here for the early [so very early] mornings, and I’ll be handing you over to Murph and co. in Canberra at around 8.30am. To the headlines overnight and today:
I’m just stating the bleeding obvious. You don’t want to basically, what they would determine, insult another country by overnight ceasing the supply of a major requirement of their dietary intake, which is meat.
In a one-line statement, a spokesman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry said the comments from the Prime Minister and Ms Bishop were “clear”.
Indonesia has issued no further response.
One ALP source said personalising the campaign, as opposed to relying more heavily on the party’s brand, had turned out to be a bad choice given the damage his standing had taken.
The source said the billboards, which have the party name prominently displayed but feature a large reproduction of the MP’s face, looked like something “produced by a North Korean propaganda artist”.
Feeney ‘goes rogue’ in ad https://t.co/lTaiL3EHje
With five weeks of campaigning to go, it’s too early to say it’s been a fatal day for Labor, but Bill Shorten can’t afford too many more like this one.
The real problem, beyond the embarrassing images and TV footage, is that structural, strategic flaws have been exposed and the focus remains firmly where the opposition doesn’t want it.
The lack of incumbency thanks to Teresa Gambaro’s retirement has blown the battle for Brisbane open and led to an Australian political first – both major parties have preselected openly gay candidates.
The lateness of Gambaro’s announcement and Trevor Evans’ subsequent preselection has given O’Neill a strategically important head-start and has set up perhaps the most intriguing race in Queensland.
Polls have been a major factor in the revolving door of recent prime ministerial politics. They were central in the replacement of Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, and Tony Abbott. Malcolm Turnbull cited the Coalition losing 30 consecutive Newspolls when he launched his challenge.
The polls give followers a real-time measurement of leaders’ performances – or, to put it more accurately, how those performances are seen by the public at a given moment. The followers have become increasingly unwilling to tolerate leaders who, even if only in the short term, look like losers.
Lambie takes swipe at PM and Corey Bernardi https://t.co/0vrict6lt7
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