What we learned today, Wednesday 18 May
Two more days of campaigning left. The broadcast media blackout curtain is lowering, the window for undecided voters is closing, the democracy sausages are being defrosted. Here are today’s headlines:
- The prime minister, Scott Morrison, bulldozed a poor boy called Luca, but the kid’s OK.
- The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, fronted the National Press Club. He’ll consider a new Covid strategy (Morrison says we’re living with it).
- The polls tightened as election day looms. But, as Peter Lewis says, no one knows how it will end.
- Real wages shrank, as inflation inflated.
- The Coalition says public sector cuts will not mean job losses, while John Quiggin delved deeper.
- And Khaled Al Khawaldeh took a look at the weirdness of Australian elections – the corflutes, the ukes, the loose units.
- Stay on top of everything with today’s election briefing and Campaign catchup.
Amy Remeikis and the team will be back with you bright and early, for more shuffles, scuffles and kerfuffles. I’ll see you back here in the afternoon. Hang loose!
Updated
Anthony Albanese at an Italian cultural event in Sydney:
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) May 18, 2022
“people my age in this room will know that at school, people made fun of your name. My opponents think it's still OK to make fun of someone's name in their advertising. And that is a matter for them to consider” pic.twitter.com/UgCQLKMM62
