What we learned, Tuesday 15 April
Many thanks for joining us for another mammoth day on the federal election campaign trail. Here were all the key takeaways from today:
Labor has pulled further ahead of the Coalition as the campaign continues, opening up a larger lead in the latest Essential poll after two weeks of policy confusion and backdowns from Peter Dutton’s Liberals.
A Resolve Strategic poll also showed Labor is now within reach of forming a majority government.
Anthony Albanese began today in Tasmania focusing on health and Labor’s Medicare urgent care clinics. He also faced questions about the costings of his government’s commitments.
The PM indicated he would seek a third term as leader if elected, following a “revolving door” of leadership for both parties.
Albanese also said Tanya Plibersek would remain a senior cabinet minister, after their awkward interaction at Labor’s campaign launch on the weekend.
Peter Dutton, meanwhile, began the day in Melbourne. The opposition leader said he didn’t “want house prices to plummet” under the Coalition’s housing policy, and that he would help his children with a home deposit “at some stage”.
Dutton batted away questions about costings on nuclear and defence. He also said his party wouldn’t “shy away” from nuclear – after the Victorian Liberal party moved to distance itself from the federal policy.
The defence minister, Richard Marles, received an assurance from his Indonesian counterpart that Russia will not be allowed to station planes in Indonesia, after reports emerged in the afternoon.
The PM continued to tout Labor’s fee-free Tafe policy, as a video emerged of Liberal frontbencher Sarah Henderson saying the policy “isn’t working”.
The WA Greens rescheduled an Anzac day fundraising party, which had garnered criticism from both major party leaders.
The Greens also launched a new policy to provide free lunches for public school students.
Krishani Dhanji will be back with you first thing tomorrow morning, and I’ll be with you in the evening for the next leaders’ debate. Until then, take care.
Updated
Indonesia says reports of Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia ‘simply not true’
Richard Marles has now shared a statement after speaking to the Indonesian minister about reports of Russia wanting to station planes north of Australia.
In a statement shared by his office, Marles said:
I have spoken to my counterpart, HE Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin the Minister for Defence, and he has said to me in the clearest possible terms, reports of the prospect of Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia are simply not true.
