Looping back toBridget McKenzie’sSky News interview for a moment, where the shadow transport minister was asked about her comments last week that Russia and China wanted Labor to win the election, which she later admitted were wrong.
McKenzie then takes a swipe atMurray Watt, urging him to “own him to the fact he is lying to the camera” about the Coalition’s supposed plans to cut Medicare.
The Nationals frontbencher is asked how many Medicare urgent clinics would be on the chopping block.
Staring down the barrel of the camera, she says: “None.”
PM tells podcast he’s trying to ‘bring people together’
Anthony Albanesesays that he has “consciously tried to bring people together and to reduce conflict” whilePeter Duttonhas tried to “undermine” and fit into a zeitgeist of strength.
Speaking on podcastThe Rest is Politics, the PM said that criticisms he faced of being “weak” were in the style of his opponent. Without namingDonald Trump, he alluded to a new and alienating “machismo” in world politics:
“In part, that’s the style of Peter Dutton with his cheer squad in the media, as well, will repeat those comments in order to try to undermine and to try to fit into what Peter Dutton thought was the zeitgeist, if you like, of strength, channelling some other world leaders … bringing a machismo, essentially, to politics, and that is something that I think alienates the center,” he said.
In the conversation recorded on Saturday evening – which has received somelocal attention– Albanese told hostsAlastair CampbellandRory Stewartthat politics in Australia was “different”.
“We have compulsory voting, and people do go and vote, and there’s record numbers on the electoral roll. You win elections from either the center left or the center right … We’ll see how it plays out over the next couple of weeks, but certainly Peter Dutton has gone out of his way to appeal to a right-wing base, and there isn’t too much that is there for the center,” Albanese said.
Economists issue letter calling for clean energy, not nuclear
An open letter from 60 Australian economists has rejected the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan, promoting instead the subsidising of household clean energy policies, including incentives for home battery storage.
The organiser of the letter,Gareth Bryant, an associate professor in political economy at the University of Sydney, says the letter is intended as an intervention in the election campaign, reportsAAP.
“As economists, energy analysts and policy specialists we strongly support government investment in household clean energy and industrial electrification and not in nuclear energy,”the letter says.
It says simple household clean energy upgrades can deliver immediate cost-of-living benefits and reductions in carbon emissions, and electrification can safeguard the future of industrial jobs and the communities that rely on them.
The economists, from a range of Australian universities and other tertiary institutions, said the construction of nuclear power plants would take at least 15 years at a cost of at least $330bn:
The economists said they support a nationwide program to upgrade homes and industry with clean renewable energy.
They said the technologies to fund should include large-scale home electrification with smart appliances to provide bill savings, energy-efficiency upgrades and battery storage, which can save surplus solar for night-time use, and hot water retrofits for more efficient water heating.
Easter ‘reminds us of the values that help bind our nation together,’ says Dutton
Peter Duttonhas also thanked those working over the long weekend and wished Australians a “safe, happy and holy Easter”.
In his Easter Sunday message, the leader of the opposition said the long weekend was a “time of reflection, and a time to rest, recharge, and spend time with those we love”.
Victoria police investigating fatal stabbing in Melbourne
Over to Victoria, where homicide detectives are investigating a fatal stabbing in Prahran this morning.
Victoria police said emergency services were called to reports a man had been stabbed during an altercation on Chapel Street at about 1.30am.
The victim, who is yet to be formally identified, was taken to hospital where he later died, the police said.
No arrests have been made and an investigation is under way.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Albanese delivers Easter message
Anthony Albanesehas delivered his Easter message, wishing Australians a “safe and joyous” weekend at a “sacred time that is central to faith”.
In a video posted to social media, the PM thanked those who are working over the holidays and wished those taking a more leisurely break: “May it be everything you want it to be.”
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Greens taking ‘nothing for granted’ in campaign to retain seats, says Bandt
Adam Bandtwas then pushed on whether he still thinks Australia – under prime ministerAnthony Albanese– is complicit in a genocide in Gaza.
“I think Australia is engaging in a two-way arms trade with Israel,” he replied. (For the record: the government denies this.)
Bandt was asked again if the Greens have “dropped” the line about the government being complicit in genocide.
Finally, Bandt was asked about the Greens’ prospects on 3 May and whether he’s confident of holding the three Brisbane seats it won in 2022 (Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan).
Bandt defends Greens’ campaign stunts
Adam Bandtwas asked about the Greens’ approach to the campaign generally, which has been filled with stunts – including DJ sets and regular appearances from a large red toothbrush to promote the party’s push for dental into Medicare.
Far less prevalent has been discussion of the conflict in Gaza and push for Palestinian recognition, which consumed much of the Greens’ focus last year.
Speaking with the ABC, Bandt was asked if the shift is in response to the Greens’ poor showing at last year’s Queensland state election. He replied:
Bandt asked abouthousing and gas
Staying with the ABC whereAdam Bandtwas asked whether the Greens would be prepared to phase out the concessions over a longer period of time to prevent a mass sell-off of investment properties, which could send rents spiralling.
The Greens leader said:
The interview turns toPeter Dutton’s plans for an east coast gas reservation, a policy that has drawn praise in progressive circles (a rarity for a Coalition idea).
Bandt said Dutton’s policy was a “pretty stunning admission”, but argued there was a better option to shore up domestic gas supply.
The Greens leader,Adam Bandt, is now in the hot seat on ABC’s Insiders.
The party this morning revealed Bandt had written to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet asking it to prepare a “green book” to help prepare for a hung parliament.
For some background, ahead of each election, public servants prepare “red books” (for a potential Labor government) and “blue books” (for a potential Coalition government) detailing the parties’ respective policies and how they could be implemented.
Bandt is asked about the Greens’ push to wind back negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions and whether it would curtail supply.
Sukkar quizzed on NDIS
RejoiningMichael Sukkaron ABC’s Insiders, the interview turned to Sukkar’s other portfolio, the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The NDIS hasn’t featured much during the election campaign. Sukkar explains why:
Sukkar confirms he received a departmental briefing last week about ongoing negotiations with the states and territories on foundational support – a new tier of support for disabled people outside the NDIS.
Sukkar is asked to “honestly rate” the Coalition’s election campaign so far, with opinion polls pointing to a significant drop in support for Peter Dutton’s opposition in recent weeks.
Looping back toBridget McKenzie’sSky News interview for a moment, where the shadow transport minister was asked about her comments last week that Russia and China wanted Labor to win the election, which she later admitted were wrong.
McKenzie then takes a swipe atMurray Watt, urging him to “own him to the fact he is lying to the camera” about the Coalition’s supposed plans to cut Medicare.
The Nationals frontbencher is asked how many Medicare urgent clinics would be on the chopping block.
Staring down the barrel of the camera, she says: “None.”
The shadow housing minister,Michael Sukkar, is now up on ABC’s Insiders.
He’s asked about his colleagueJane Hume’s comment, reported in the Nine papers on Sunday, that the Coalition’s now-aborted work-from-home policy wasn’t a bad idea – it just wasn’t the right time for it.
He’s now asked about negative gearing and whether people on high incomes need such generous tax breaks. (After a bit of back-and-forth, Sukkar confirms he’s not negatively gearing the one-bedroom apartment he owns in Canberra.)
The shadow transport minister,Bridget McKenzie, is up next on Sky News and she’s immediately pushed on the cost of the Coalition’s nuclear plan.
As many of her colleagues have done in recent weeks, McKenzie refuses to give a straight answer before retreating to the line that it will cost 44% cheaper than Labor’s renewables-focused approach (that figure is based on Frontier Economics’ modelling of the two scenarios).
Clennell doesn’t appear to be buying it.
Murray Watthas been pushed on the “scare” campaigns Labor is running this election, including on the price tag for the Coalition’s nuclear reactors and the future of Medicare urgent clinics.
Labor has been quoting a $600bn figure for the cost of the nuclear reactors, which comes from analysis from the pro-renewables Smart Energy Council.
Sky News hostAndrew Clennellnotes the Smart Energy Council is a lobby group, not an official government agency.
Clennell also pushes Watt on Labor’s claim that the Coalition would shut Medicare urgent clinics if Dutton wins the election.
Watt responds:
For the record, the Coalition have matched Labor’s major election pledges on health and have made no announcements about shutting urgent care clinics.
The frenetic pace of the federal election campaign has slowed a gear or two over the Easter weekend.
Anthony AlbaneseandPeter Duttonwill spend Easter Sunday in their respective hometowns of Sydney and Brisbane, after both attended Sydney’s Royal Easter Show on Saturday.
The Sunday morning political programs are running as usual, with employment minister,Murray Watt, up first on Sky News Agenda.
Watt is asked about Labor’s new pledge to enshrine penalty rates in law if the government wins on 3 May.
The Australian Retailers Association and others have asked the Fair Work Commission to vary the award, proposing some workers be given a 25% pay rise in return for giving up their penalty rates, overtime and other allowances.
The government passed multiple tranches of pro-worker industrial relations laws in the previous term, which business groups vehemently opposed.
Watt rejected suggestions Labor was “putting up barriers” to small businesses employing new staff.
This long weekend’s Byron BayBluesfestis one of the New South Wales music festivals that received a lifeline from the Minns government after almost being felled by changes in ticket-buying behaviours, financial headwinds and insurance costs.
It is joined byLost Paradiseon the Central Coast,Your and Owlsin Wollongong,Listen OutandField Dayin Sydney, which were collectively given $2.25m in emergency funding by the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund, the state government revealed this morning.
The funding of up to $500,000 per festival is hoped to deliver a boost to the regional economies that support the industry and comes after the cancellations of Splendour in the Grass, Falls festival, Spilt Milk and Groovin’ the Moo.
John Graham, the minister for music and the night-time economy said the post-Covid era had been a “financial nightmare” for music festivals in NSW.
Applications for the fund’s second round ahead of the next summer festival season open on 1 May.
Good morning and Easter greetings, readers. Welcome to today’s live news blog as the election campaign continues at much the same pace as usual. Let’s get cracking …