Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National
Jessica Riga

Federal election: All the news from the federal election campaign — as it happened

Watch ABC News Channel's comprehensive coverage of the 2022 Federal Election.

Get up to speed with all the latest updates from the campaign as the federal election enters its second week.

Look back on how Monday's developments unfolded on our blog. 

Key events

Live updates

By Jessica Riga

Pinned

Today is the last day to enrol or update your details

Okay, first things first. 

Today is the last day where you can enrol to vote in the upcoming federal election as the deadline is 8pm local time Monday (tonight!)

You can enrol or update your details here on the Australian Electoral Commission website

And while you're at it, chuck a message in your group chat to remind your friends if they also haven't enrolled yet! 

By Jessica Riga

We'll wrap up our live coverage here

Thank you for joining us today! 

Remember, today is your last chance to enrol to vote or to update your details! Your deadline is 8pm local time tonight.

You can enrol to vote here on the AEC website. Tell your friends!

We'll be back tomorrow. See you then!

By Jessica Riga

Naval Group negotiations to drag on, Collins Class submarines get $381 million upgrade

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says compensation negotiations with a French company over the dumped future submarine project will "likely not" be completed by the end of the financial year, despite the wishes of defence officials.

By Jessica Riga

There was a spike in voters updating their details yesterday ... 

But I wanna see that blue 'new enrolments' bar go off the charts!

If you're turning 18 between now and May 21, then you can enrol right now to vote.

Again, once the clock hits 8pm local time tonight you'll have missed your chance!

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

Today is your last chance to enrol!

It would be good for that "Last day to enrol" post to be pinned. In fact, it would be fabulous if you can add some glitter, flair or flashing lights to it too to make it stand out! But if you've run out of glitter I suppose I will accept pinning.

-Glitter guy

Thanks for reminding me to post a reminder!

Everyone, please enrol if you haven't already!

Today is your LAST CHANCE to make sure you're able to vote in this election. Your deadline is 8pm local time TONIGHT. 

You can enrol right here on the AEC website and it takes just minutes.

It's also the last day to update your enrolment details, so if you've moved since the last election, this means you.

And if you can't remember if your details are up to date, you can very easily check on the AEC website too. 

Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbours!

Now for that glitter... 

By Georgia Hitch

Key Event

Compensation to French company for ditched sub deal won't be finalised before election

The Defence Minister has conceded compensation negotiations with a French company over the dumped future submarine project are likely to drag well into the next financial year.

In September the Morrison government announced it had scrapped the $90 billion Attack-class program being run by Naval Group, in favour of nuclear powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership.

Defence officials had hoped to complete compensation talks before the end of the financial year, but Defence Minister Peter Dutton doesn't believe that's likely.

Peter Dutton: "It'll be after the election, it'll take some time."

Reporter: "Before the end of the financial year?

Peter Dutton: "Well, likely not. And again I'm not going to prejudice, you see what happens in a commercial negotiation is if the other side knows that you've got a hard deadline then they'll hold you over a barrel."

By defence correspondent Andrew Greene

By Jessica Riga

What's it like to follow a party leader on the campaign trail? Political reporter Stephanie Borys is following Scott Morrison’s campaign and walks us through the behind the scenes of how it works.

By Jessica Riga

In pictures: Scott Morrison enters the second week of the federal election campaign

By Georgia Hitch

Is the PM concerned voters aren't turning to the Coalition?

Like Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Scott Morrison's also been asked about the latest Resolve poll - which is also the first done since the campaign started.

It found Labor's primary vote has dropped by four points, which is outside the margin of error.

Support for the Coalition rose by one point - which is inside the margin of error.

Reporter: Is that a concern that after Labor's very poor week, that the voters are not going to the Coalition?

Scott Morrison: "I will leave those to the esteemed members of the gallery, and those who are back in Canberra [to comment on polls].

"But what I do know is this, I said right at the start of the campaign that, and I will keep saying it, that this election is about the future of our economy.

"The economy you all live in, and this economy is one that pays for medicare, this economy is what pays for our defence.

"It's what pays for the essential services that Australians rely on."

By Jessica Riga

Morrison has been visiting WA *a lot* recently

Today might be Scott Morrison's first time in Western Australia during the campaign, but it's the third time he's visited the state in the past five weeks alone. Is it a sign that he's worried things might go badly in the West? Remember, Labor Premier Mark McGowan won his own election by a landslide.

He says it's because he knows how important Western Australia is. 

"What it tells you is that I know ...  the Western Australian economy is critical to Australia's future," Morrison says. "Absolutely critical."

"And I want to ensure that Western Australia continues to be an economic powerhouse for this country, which is why am always here supporting the resources industry, always here trying to ensure we are cutting the red tape and green tape."

And I know I'm repeating myself here but Western Australia is a key battleground state during this election so we might see the Prime Minister visit WA again over the next few weeks. 

By Georgia Hitch

What about support for people who rent?

Mr Morrison made an announcement earlier to help first home buyers, but what about support for people who are renting?

He's pointed to Commonwealth assistance like Rent Assistance and around 15,000 low-rent social housing properties funded through the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation.

The Prime Minister also said the Commonwealth government's partnership with states and territories to help build public housing too.

But no word on any potential support for people who are renting and aren't on JobSeeker or aren't eligible for Rent Assistance. 

Labor also hasn't announced any major policies to ease the cost of renting.

By Jessica Riga

Can Morrison confirm there will be no cuts to Medicare?

"I thought Anne Ruston ... said yesterday there would not be any cuts and I would repeat that today," Morrison says.

"I was clear about that yesterday. And why can I say that? Because under our government, we went from 19.1 billion in expenditure on Medicare to 31.4 billion.

"We took a bulk billing rate from 82.2% to 88.8%, and the reason we have been able to achieve that is the same reason we can invest in the ships behind us, because we have been running a strong economy, and we know how to manage a budget."

By Georgia Hitch

Key Event

What's Morrison's long-term strategy to keep the cost of living down?

The Prime Minister's been asked how many interest rate hikes he expects over the next year and what his party's long-term strategy is to deal with the rising cost of living.

Scott Morrison says international forces, like the war in Ukraine, are having a bigger impact on other countries much more than Australia but he acknowledged that the cost of living pressures are real and affecting people nation wide.

"We can't set interest rates, they are done independently by the Reserve Bank. What my job and the Treasury'ss job is to ensure that we are managing the budget appropriately, investing in things that actually build the strength of the economy," he said.

Mr Morrison didn't say what the Coalition was planning long-term to ease cost of living pressures, but pointed to the strength of the economy and measures, like cutting the fuel excise, in the budget as ways the government was dealing with the issues facing Australians right now.

"You have a strong economy that is backed in by a well-managed budget, that's what puts downward pressure on interest rates, that's what puts downward pressure on inflation, and that's what our economic policies are designed to achieve," he said.

By Jessica Riga

Morrison has ruled out any deals with the Greens in the case of a hung parliament

But what about making deals with Independents with strong climate policies?

Morrison avoided answering the question directly and said "we intend to win majority government."

"A vote for those Independence is a vote for uncertainty, a vote for instability," he said. 

By Georgia Hitch

Has the PM received any advice about refugee arrivals if Labor wins?

Mr Morrison's asked whether he's had any official advice suggesting if Labor wins, there'll be an influx of people smugglers sending asylum seeker boats to Australia.

He answered by saying he didn't go into intelligence matters but flagged getting rid of temporary protection visas could lead to an "armada" of boats.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese had to clarify last week that his party supports offshore detention, a policy they've had since 2015 that is the same as the Coalition's.

One area of difference between the two parties is the use of temporary protection visas, which Labor opposes because it argues the visas keep refugees in a state of limbo.

By Jessica Riga

Is Scott Morrison still committed to building the Bullsbrook quarantine facility in WA?

"Yes," Morrison said. 

But the purpose-built quarantine facility on the outskirts of Perth may not be up and running until July

By Jessica Riga

Morrison on the changes to first home buyer scheme if re-elected

Again, as we reported earlier, the government's scheme designed to help first home buyers get into the market will be tweaked if the Coalition is re-elected.

The Home Guarantee Scheme — which allows people to have as little as a 5 or 2 per cent deposit and not pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) — was expanded and more spots added in March.

At the moment, the price of houses eligible in the scheme are capped but, if re-elected, the Coalition says it'll lift them in most capital cities and regional areas.

The price caps have previously been criticised as being too low, with Labor promising to immediately review them if it wins at the election.

By Jessica Riga

Morrison outlines funding for patrol boats

As I mentioned earlier, the Prime Minister is now announcing funding for two more Navy patrol boats to be built in Western Australia.

Morrison says $124 million has been set aside for the two Evolved Cape Class patrol boats.

We'll now have eight of the patrol boats which are mainly used to, you guessed it, patrol our border.

These are the smallest boats in our fleet but are the simplest to construct domestically. So unlike the frigates and submarines, these are easier to build and get quicker to get operational. 

By Jessica Riga

And now we'll be hearing from Prime Minister Scott Morrison

You can watch the press conference using the live stream above. 

As always, key updates will be here in the blog. 

By Jessica Riga

In pictures: Anthony Albanese enters week two of the campaign

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.