The economy remains at the centre of the election campaign, with the latest unemployment data released on Thursday, along with Labor unveiling its policy costings.
Look back on Thursday's live coverage as it happened.
Key events
- Labor policies forecast to cost the budget $7.4b over four years
- A message from the AEC to COVID-positive voters
- Voluntary assisted dying is set to be legalised in NSW. Where do the major parties stand?
- What are we expecting to come out of Labor's costings?
- Unemployment has fallen to 3.9pc
- Pauline Hanson has tested positive for COVID-19
- What to expect in today's jobs figures
- It's two sleeps until polling day. Here's what's on the cards today
Live updates
By Kate Ainsworth
We're going to leave the blog here for today
Thanks for following along throughout the day.
We'll be back with more live coverage of the federal election tomorrow, when there will be one more sleep until Australians head to the polls on Saturday.
In the meantime, you can stay up-to-date with the latest election news online or on the ABC News app.
By Kate Ainsworth
By Kate Ainsworth
Annastacia Palaszczuk joins Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail
The pair met at a pre-polling station at Indooroopilly in the electorate of Ryan, currently held by the LNP's Julian Simmonds on a 6 per cent margin.
Mr Albanese — while holding a sausage dog named Oscar — was questioned whether he supported a State Government's proposal to split health funding 50/50.
He said he was committed to working with all state and territories on improved health funding.
By state political reporter Rachel Riga
By Kate Ainsworth
By Kate Ainsworth
Albanese says government spending that boosts productivity won't drive up inflation
Question: Are you confident that additional spending won't further inflame what we already know is going to be higher inflation?
Albanese: The way that you can boost wages and boost profits, without putting pressure on inflation, is by making sure that you boost productivity. The measures that we aimed at here, whether it is childcare, whether it is clean energy or skills and training ... are precisely those. That is why we have prioritise those investment.
Question: You just spoke about boosting wages and profits, but you are talking about extra government spending. We are in the inflationary period now because the government has pumped more money into the economy.
Albanese: What it will do is produce a return. It produces economic activity, for example a childcare centre — what childcare will do is increase work for participation of women. It will produce a return. Because of the way budgets work you can't include second round effect.
So what will happen here — included here is the outgoings. What isn't included is the incoming.
Now, if you boost childcare you will boost workforce participation. That is the objective here. To remove the disincentive which is there, in terms of childcare to work a fourth or fifth day. That is what it is aimed at and you will produce that return.
You will produce that boost in productivity and that is the key of what we have to do. That is what has been missing from the government's approach.
By Kate Ainsworth
Anthony Albanese says Labor's costings will produce an 'economic dividend'
The Labor leader is speaking in Brisbane alongside Ali France, Labor's candidate for Dickson.
Here's how he's summarised his party's policy costings, that will add an extra $7.4 billion to the budget bottom line.
That figure of a difference between us and the government is $7.4 billion, and is based upon the three big things that we will do to produce an economic dividend. Based upon our investment in how we grow the economy, and we grow back stronger.
Those three investments of course our child care that will both productivity and both women's workforce participation, their skills and training, 465,000 fee-free TAFE places and 20,000 additional university places that will help to deal with the skills crisis.
Our clean energy policies that will end the climate was that will result in $52 billion in private sector investment, that will result in some 604,000 new jobs created, five out of every six of them in regional Australia.
We are very proud to be putting this forward, we have released all of the detail, it is available to everyone, we have released it in the usual way at the usual time as we said we would.
By Kate Ainsworth
Scott Morrison on today's unemployment figures
He was just speaking in Sydney, and was the second time he fronted the cameras today after unemployment fell to 3.9% and Labor disclosed its policy costings.
Here's what he said about the latest jobs data:
What this tells us is that our economic plan is working because Australians are working. And Australians are working at record levels. We have never seen so many Australians were before.
And with an unemployment rate at 3.9% with more hours being worked, with part-time jobs being converted into full-time jobs, this is that same economic plan is going to secure the opportunities in the years ahead.
The plan that is investing its skills and infrastructure. The plan that is investing in lower taxes. Plan that is investing in affordable, reliable energy. Plan that is investing in making things in Australia. Advanced manufacturing, whether it is manufacturing mRNA vaccines in Victoria or defence industry components here in south-western Sydney.
All over the country we have a great opportunity to bring more onshore to ensure we can make more in Australia, building on the success of the modern manufacturing initiative that has been in place the last few years.
This election is a choice about who can manage money and who can't. It is a choice between who has an economic plan that is working on the Labor Party that doesn't have an economic plan.
By Kate Ainsworth
Where will Labor save $11.5 billion?
Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher say Labor has identified areas where the party can save billions of dollars to offset its election commitments.
So where are those areas of improvement? Here's what the party listed in its full policy costing document:
- Ending the waste and rorts
- Trimming spending on consultants, contractors and labour hire
- Trimming spending on advertising, legal and travel
- Increasing foreign investment fees and penalties
- Extending and boosting existing ATO programs
- Ensuring multinationals pay their fair share of tax
It's worth pointing out that Labor hasn't drilled down into the specifics of what it considers waste and rorts, but Katy Gallagher specifically mentioned the sports rorts, car park rorts and the Community Development Grants program during the media conference.
By Kate Ainsworth
Is Labor concerned about budget bottom lines?
A question from the Guardian's Sarah Martin:
Do you really believe that a couple of billion dollars over the forward estimates doesn't really matter?
Here's how Jim Chalmers responded:
I believe it is absolutely crucial to growing the economy the right way, we don't dismiss it lightly.
We have spent more than 100 hours with the ERC, Katy or I in the chair. We have gone through very carefully every bit of spending from the government, every bit of proposed spending from us. We don't take these decisions lightly.
We have been very rigourous here. The extra investment we are making, these decisions are not taken lightly.
We build the budget will be weaker without investing, crucial economic policies like childcare a cleaner and cheaper energy, and training.
We have made a judgement, not lightly, but in the interest of the economy into the future a because we want to make these decisions based on economics, not politics.
By Kate Ainsworth
Will Labor require companies to return JobKeeper profits?
Here's Jim Chalmers:
We don't intend to compel businesses who received JobKeeper even though their profits were increasing, we don't intend to compel them to return that money to the taxpayer. That horse has bolted.
We are grateful and appreciate the efforts that some companies took off their own back without government pressure, but from opposition pressure, to return some of the money to the budget. But we believe that horse has bolted.
Recouping JobKeeper is not what we are proposing today.
By Kate Ainsworth
Labor policies forecast to cost the budget $7.4b over four years
Katy Gallagher says Labor's "modest investments" of $18.9 billion over forward estimates will be balanced by $11.5 billion in budget improvements in that same time.
Our plan has deficits but declining in dollar terms and as a percentage of the economy every year. Spending as a percent of GDP declines in each and every year.
Our responsible investments account for no more than an extra 0.4% of the total budget in any year, and accounts for less than 0.1% of GDP in any year of the forward estimates.
We have worked really hard to make sure that every dollar we have spent is delivering an outcome for the Australian people. Jobs, growth, lowering the cost of living, investing in local communities.
And of course, a serious commitment to looking after elderly Australians and treating with respect and dignity they deserve, something this government has comprehensively failed upon for the last decade.
By Kate Ainsworth
Chalmers: Labor's priority is to get real wages moving
Jim Chalmers says Labor's main objective in its policies is to tackle the rising cost of living, something the party has been campaigning heavily on.
Labor's priority is to get real wages moving again and you get the pressure is on many Australians who are betting this cost of living crisis.
The costings we released today, our economic plan, our budget strategy, is all about responsible quality investments in a stronger economy, and a better future.
After a decade of the Coalition 's failings, the economy is crying out for these responsible investments, to grow the economy the right way and get productivity moving again, and to get real wages growing again.
By Kate Ainsworth
Labor's Jim Chalmers is releasing the party's policy costings
You can watch the announcement live on the stream above.
By Emily Sakzewski
What's coming up?
Now is a good time as any to canvas what's ahead for the rest of the day.
Labor is set to release its policy costings from 1:30pm AEST where we'll hear from Labor's Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher.
Then later tonight we will be running a Policy Explained live blog Q&A, focussing on the big issues for young people.
Political reporters Claudia Long and Georgia Hitch, along with election analyst Casey Briggs will be answering questions sent in to our @abcnews_au Instagram account.
By Emily Sakzewski
A message from the AEC to COVID-positive voters
I tested positive to Covid on Monday. Those who tested positive prior to Tuesday 6pm are not eligible for the phone service, yet I must isolate until Sunday. I phoned the AEC only to be told that I had no voting options and would have to argue my case when the failure to vote notice comes. The officer I spoke to at the AEC could not explain why this timeframe exists. That I will now be denied my right to vote seems extremely unfair.
-Brenton
Hey Brenton. Sorry to hear you have COVID. We've also heard from a number of people having the same issue, so I clarified this with the AEC.
The commission says only people who tested positive after Tuesday at 6pm are eligible for telephone voting. It also says the option for people who tested positive between Saturday and Tuesday was to apply for a postal vote.
In a Twitter thread addressing the issue, the AEC said:
People who did not apply for a postal vote before the Wed 6pm application deadline, haven’t voted yet, tested positive before 6pm Tues, and are in isolation through to after election day, may not be able to vote.
You can read that Twitter thread from the AEC in full here. And here is more information about the eligibility of telephone voting.
If you are isolating, not eligible to vote over the phone, didn't apply for a postal vote and cannot get to the polls, the AEC will send out a letter informing you that there is no record of your vote.
From there, you can advise the AEC you were isolating with COVID-19 on election day, and you won't receive a fine.
By Emily Sakzewski
Voluntary assisted dying is set to be legalised in NSW. Where do the major parties stand?
The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill has passed the New South Wales Upper House. It will now go back to the Lower House this afternoon for final approval.
In passing the bill, NSW will join all other states in allowing voluntary assisted dying.
Under Commonwealth laws, the ACT and Northern Territory can't debate the matter.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he has no intention of allowing the territories to vote on the laws.
Labor has promised to try and change that if it wins Government, but Mr Morrison said that won't be happening under his watch.
"Well there are differences between territories and states, and that is under constitution, and we are not proposing any changes to that."
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said it was a matter of conscience but that he would not call for a conscience vote within the first hundred days of a Labor government.
"I'm a big supporter of conscience votes. I think there should be more, not less, conscience votes."
By Emily Sakzewski
By Emily Sakzewski
What are we expecting to come out of Labor's costings?
Anthony Albanese says while Labor is proposing to spend more money than the Coalition, its policies will help grow the economy and return money back to the budget.
Labor will detail is policy costings today and is expected to forecast larger deficits than the Coalition by around $2 billion a year.
Mr Albanese said the difference was primarily down to Labor's childcare, skills and energy policies.
The Labor leader says each policy is an investment in the economy.
"We're investing in skilling up Australians. We're investing in childcare for our youngest Australians. And we're investing in our Powering Australia plan," Mr Albanese said.
"All of those measures will produce a return to government."
By Emily Sakzewski
By Emily Sakzewski
The cost-of-living divide: Where do the leaders stand?
The cost-of-living is dominating the final few days of the election campaign, with Scott Morrison pointing to the low unemployment rate, and Anthony Albanese arguing wages need to start rising.
Scott Morrison has been questioned about how Australians should be coping with the rising cost of living.
He says the best measure of a strong economy is the number of people in work.
"People being in jobs is the most important thing the economy needs," he said.
Anthony Albanese says plenty of people in jobs are still struggling.
"They're thinking to themselves, how do I pay my bills, how do I pay my rent?"
Labor will release its policy costings later this afternoon, which are expected to show larger deficits than those forecast by the Coalition.
Mr Albanese says the spending is an investment in the economy, and he expects a return.
By political reporter Tom Lowrey.
