The shadow attorney general,Michaelia Cash, has been tasked with explaining more detail on what theCoalitionis announcing on crime this morning.
Speaking to ABC RN Breakfast, she’s boiled the announcement to establish a national sex offenders disclosure scheme, and a commitment to bolster border resources as a crackdown on “drugs and thugs”.
She repeats that line several times across the interview.
Cash says the scheme would work in a similar way to similar schemes operating in Western Australia (Cash’s home state) and in the UK:
Cash says that information can’t be shared with anyone else, but hostSally Saraasks what that means if a convicted sex offender is talking to multiple children, and one of their parents finds out that information from the police.
Cash doesn’t say what parents would do in that scenario, but says the scheme has been working in the UK.
Albanese says Dutton’s team MIA as he goes on defensive about Labor’s defencerecord
While the polls are looking increasingly favourable towards Labor, a reporter asks why the latest Newspoll shows voters trust Dutton more than Albanese to defend Australia.
Albanese says he’ll let people “make their own judgment” on issues such as the response to Russia and Indonesia, but plugs his own record, mentioning Australia’s standing among Asean nations, and bringing home Australians likeCheng Lei.
Asked as well whether he’s getting complacent or taking some of the polling for granted, Albanese says “elections in Australia are close” and are decided by “a handful of votes”.
He then goes on the attack, taking aim at Dutton’s senior leadership team.
Albanese takes aim at Dutton over bringing backMike Pezzullo
TheCoalitionhas said thatMike Pezzullo, the sacked former public servant, should have a “role” to play under a Coalition government.
Albanese is asked to weigh in on whether he’s “concerned” about this. His answer is short:
Albanese: ‘I’m waiting for them to ask for a briefing on who faked the moon landing’
Albanese has been scathing of the Coalition’s request for a briefing for more detail on whether the Russians did make a request to Indonesia.
The government has consistently said they were told by the Indonesian government that no Russian aircraft would be based in their nation.
Over the weekendMurray Wattsaid there was “no proposal” from Russia, and Albanese is asked if he misspoke?
Albanese is pushed again on whether there was a request made by Russia, and whether Russia does want a stronger presence in the region. Albanese says:
Labor has ‘more to do’ to tackle gambling advertising, Albanese says
Turning to gambling, the PM is asked whether he’ll commit to doing more to bring down online gambling advertising on TV.
It’s an issue that has seen internal and external pressure piled on the PM to do more, since the late Labor MPPeta Murphyreleased her committee report making 31 recommendations, that was tabled back in June 2023.
Albanese has consistently said “my government has done more to tackle problem gambling than any other government”.
But he adds:
The government still hasn’t provided an official response to Murphy’s 2023 report.
Albanese won’t outline exactly what more it will do to tackle gambling advertising.
PM asked about national sex offender disclosure scheme and Russian military request
To questions, Albanese is asked about whether he’d match the Coalition’s promise to establish a national sex offender disclosure scheme.
He says:
Asked whether the government needs to do more to crack down on crime, he says:
Pushed again, separately, on what the deal is between Russia and Indonesia and whether Russia made a request to base military aircraft in Indonesia, Albanese is asked whether his government is underplaying the seriousness of the issue.
Over the weekend, Russia said it wanted to have a greater presence in the region.
Albanese turns the question back toPeter Dutton:
PM says Oscar Piastri a ‘great ambassador’ for Australia
The PM starts marking the drownings over the Easter long weekend, and on a happier note gives a shoutout toOscar Piastri.
Piastri is the dead set Australian legend who won the F1 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Albanese calls him a “great ambassador” for Australia.
He then goes to the Coalition’s nuclear plan, and the well-worn line from Labor that theCoalitionstill hasn’t revealed how they’ll pay for it:
PM in electorate of Gilmore
The PM is in the seat of Gilmore this morning, where Labor is facing a tough battle to hold on to its seat on the NSW south coast.
Fiona Phillipsis on a super slim margin of just 0.2%, and it’s former NSW Liberal ministerAndrew Constance’s second go to win the seat off Labor.
No surprises here, the press conference is at a Medicare urgent care clinic in Bateman’s Bay, so cue the bright green Medicare background.
Sacked public servant Mike Pezzullo would provide ‘insight and value’ to anyCoalitiongovernment, Paterson says
Paterson was also asked about a story in the Nine papers, thatPeter Duttonwould give sacked public servantMike Pezzullo“a role to play” under a future Coalition government.
Pezzullo wassacked in 2023for misconduct and later stripped of his Order of Australia honour.
Paterson told News Breakfast “no decisions” have been made about personnel issues, but said Pezzullo is “someone who’s given great service to our country”.
Paterson wouldn’t confirm what that role would be, but said again when pushed by host James Glenday, that Pezzullo had “insight and value”.
James Paterson says federal government should take ‘lead’ on tackling crime
Earlier this morning, the shadow home affairs minister andCoalitionspokespersonJames Patersonwas on ABC News Breakfast, selling the “drugs and thugs” crackdown.
Paterson, when asked why the Coalition was spending $750m to fight crime, which is tackled by the states, Paterson laid the blame on the federal government for not taking the “lead”.
On the national child sex offender scheme, Paterson – likeMichaelia Cash– says it’s modelling on similar programs operating in WA and the UK.
He’s asked about the timing of the announcement, just a day before early voting opens, but says it’s been “in the work for some time”.
Lambie:Coalition‘running through the same narrative’ on crime policy
Jacqui Lambieisn’t buying the Coalition’s “tough on crime” promises, saying the party had nine years to do something, and insisting more needs to be done on early intervention.
Lambie was on Sky News a moment ago and was also sceptical on the timing, saying, “This is always in the second week [before an election], stuff on defence, stuff on crime.”
Over the weekend, Labor promised to legislate to protect penalty rates, which would scuttle applications by employer groups to the Fair Work Commission to reduce entitlements for some workers in exchange for higher pay.
The employment minister,Murray Watt,joined RN Breakfast a little earlier this morning and said the move would help as families continue to deal with cost-of-living pressures.
So what happens to those cases that are currently being considered by the Fair Work Commission? Watt says it depends on the timing:
Cash quizzed on whetherCoalition‘drugs and thugs’ crackdown includes domestic violence
Cash keeps says the policies will tackle drugs and thugs, butSally Saraasks her: what is the Coalition doing about family and domestic violence?
Cash says, “We’ve already made huge announcements in relation to that. But Sally, this one today is specifically about crime.”
Sara pushes back, citing the Queensland police union that says police are called to family and domestic violence incidents every three minutes. Cash says:
Are domestic violence offenders “thugs” Sara asks?
“Of course they are,” says Cash.
She adds she has spoken to families whose children have become addicted to drugs, and says Australia needs an “integrated” and “truly national” response.
The shadow attorney general,Michaelia Cash, has been tasked with explaining more detail on what theCoalitionis announcing on crime this morning.
Speaking to ABC RN Breakfast, she’s boiled the announcement to establish a national sex offenders disclosure scheme, and a commitment to bolster border resources as a crackdown on “drugs and thugs”.
She repeats that line several times across the interview.
Cash says the scheme would work in a similar way to similar schemes operating in Western Australia (Cash’s home state) and in the UK:
Cash says that information can’t be shared with anyone else, but hostSally Saraasks what that means if a convicted sex offender is talking to multiple children, and one of their parents finds out that information from the police.
Cash doesn’t say what parents would do in that scenario, but says the scheme has been working in the UK.
Butler reiterates need for Australia to establish a Centre for Disease Control
On his health portfolio, Butler is asked whether Australia really needs to press ahead with a Centre for Disease Control, which theCoalitionhas said it would not continue with.
Butler says the country must go through with a CDC because “we got the clearest possible report on our experience through the last pandemic”.
Butler’s also challenged on accusations from the Coalition that Labor has “lied” about claims a Dutton government would scrap 90 existing urgent care clinics.
Butler says he’s “going on this party’s record” to make that claim, and says the opposition has “bagged” the urgent care clinics.
Butler weighs in onCoalitionplan for national sex offender register
Sticking withMark Butleron ABC News Breakfast, the health minister was taken through a few issues, and is asked to weigh in on the Coalition’s plan for a national sex offender register.
Butler says there is “already a national child sex offender system” that ensure jurisdictions and policing agencies can share information.
Labor ministers pressed on whether Russia requested to use Indonesian aircraft base
Labor cabinet ministers have been pressed this morning for more details on whetherIndonesia received a request by Russiato base its military aircraft.
Last weekPeter Duttonwas forced to admit he made a mistake when he had claimed the Indonesian president had made an announcement about a proposal from Russia.
The government has said the Indonesian government has confirmed there will be no Russian aircraft on its bases, but whether a request was ever made has been a bit murkier.
Over the weekend, the opposition asked for more clarity on that question.
This morning, the health minister,Mark Butler,was asked the question on ABC News Breakfast, who repeated previous government lines.
Over on RN Breakfast, the employment minister,Murray Watt, was asked the same, and had the same answer:
From ‘border to the back yard’: Dutton’s crime crackdown
Parents would be able to check whether they’re living near a child sex offender under an election promise byPeter Duttonto stamp out crime from the “border to the back yard”,AAPreports.
Should theCoalitionwin the 3 May election, it will spend more than $750m to improve community safety by tightening laws and the nation’s borders, in addition to extra resources for policing and intelligence agencies.
Under Operation Safer Communities, $355m in extra funding would go to national law enforcement authorities to crackdown on illegal drugs.
A pilot national sex offenders disclosure scheme would be set up to give parents more information about criminals in their communities.
The Coalition plan would see new laws introduced to disrupt organised criminal syndicates, including strengthening proceeds of crime and unexplained wealth laws.
Drug laws would be streamlined across the country to close gaps and improve cross-border police cooperation.
Dutton claimed safety had been compromised by Labor’s “weak leadership and bad decisions”.
Good morning,Krishani Dhanjihere with you, as we get closer tothe pointy end of this federal election campaign, with just under a fortnight to go.
But many will be voting before 3 May, with early voting centres opening tomorrow.
This morning, theCoalitionis continuing its campaign on crime, pitching a promise for a national child sex offender registry scheme and a commitment to bolster border protection against illegal drug imports.
We’ll follow all of that as it comes.