Former prime minister Julia Gillard says a government led by Anthony Albanese would "value and include" women, while Scott Morrison says cabinet ministers have not leaked against him over funding in the Pacific.
Look back on all of Friday's updates as they happened in our blog.
Key events
- Scott Morrison asked about Cabinet leak
- AEC determines insufficient evidence of enrolment fraud levelled against three candidates
- An Albanese government would 'value, include' women, Julia Gillard says
- Between 10 and 15 per cent of AEC workforce out of action due to COVID
- Electoral Commission urges people to research their ballot papers before voting over the phone
- 4.6 million people have already voted
- Changes to voting rules for COVID-19 Australians
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
We'll wrap up our live coverage here
Thank you for your company today, and every day throughout this election campaign.
We'll be back with a fresh blog later tonight to live blog Anthony Albanese's interview on 7.30.
Then, tomorrow we'll be back bright and early to bring you the latest updates from the big day!
So much ahead of us. We'll see you then.
By Jessica Riga
We're another day closer to Saturday's federal poll, but there's still time to complete Vote Compass
Vote Compass is a tool developed by political scientists to help you explore how your views align with the major parties.
You can complete your Vote Compass here if you haven't already.
By Jessica Riga
WeChat publisher offers candidates a positive spin. But there's a price to be paid
A mysterious media agency is behind a fee-for-service offering to federal election candidates, including Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, placement of favourable news articles and interviews on the Chinese-language social media platform WeChat.
By Jessica Riga
Why the Queensland-based UAP is resonating with some voters in western Sydney
The United Australia Party is looking to boost its share of the vote in parts of Sydney and Melbourne, thanks to the legacy of COVID-19 and a reported uptick in support from the Muslim community.
By Jessica Riga
By Jessica Riga
By Jessica Riga
Why the safe Labor seat of Cunningham has so many candidates calling for change
Cunningham in the NSW Illawarra region has been a safe Labor seat for most of its 50-year history (with a brief interlude by the Greens after a byelection), so why are so many minor parties targeting it?
- ABC Illawarra’s Nick McLaren delves into why the minor party candidates think they’re in with a shot.
By Jessica Riga
The legacy of Black Summer bushfires lingers, but is it being prioritised as a key election issue?
More than two years since the Black Summer bushfires, survivors feel they have been left out of the national conversation during the federal election campaign as they continue battling trauma.
Cath Egan (pictured) and her husband Jack are in the process of rebuilding their home in Rosedale, south of Batemans Bay, after the Currowan fire swept through on New Year's Eve 2019.
She says that for 18 months afterwards, she felt numb and did not fully comprehend the loss of her home or the trauma she and her husband Jack endured.
But halfway through last year, she had a "complete breakdown" and had to be hospitalised. She says mental health support for bushfire survivors has taken a back seat in this federal election.
"All they talk about is the economy, so it's not really front of mind, is it?"
- ABC South East NSW reporter Fatima Olumee takes a look at how the major parties are addressing the ongoing mental health toll of bushfires in the region.
By Jessica Riga
Have you received a weird 'letter' from your neighbour? This could be what’s going on
Elise Worthington and Ariel Bogle have this story:
You’ve been sending in examples of mysterious political letters that have been turning up in your mailbox over the last few weeks and the ABC’s hidden campaign team has been taking a look. Here’s what they found.
The George Paul letter
This hand signed letter went out to 30,000 voters in McKellar from a retiree called George Paul. He was warning voters about independent Sophie Scamps, claiming she was dishonest and encouraging voters to think twice.
It was sent in by a reader who noticed it didn’t have any kind of Authorisation on it. During the election anything classified as political communication is required by the AEC to be authorised. That’s material that “is communicated, or intended to be communicated, for the dominant purpose of influencing the way electors vote in a federal election”.
We tracked down George Paul, a staunch liberal voter at his retirement village in Belrose.
He told the ABC he came up with the idea himself and spent ten thousand dollars of his own money to have the letter printed and delivered by a distributor.
"I wrote it because I'm frustrated by the so called independents trying to destroy a government who has done really well for this country"
"A vote for the independents is a vote to change the government," he said.
VERDICT: The AEC says at first glance it looks like the letter should be authorised and they would like get in touch with Mr Paul, who remains defiant.
"I could not imagine a life worse than having Anthony Albanese in office. It would be an embarrassment" Mr Paul remarked.
The Jason Falinski letter
This letter was sent in by readers on Sydney’s Northern beaches. It’s in similar handwritten font and claims to be from a former employee of Mr Felinski, Andrea Wallis who is effusive in her praise.
"Over many years Jason modelled hard work, curiosity and kindness" it states.
"I didn't ever feel like I was up to his standard of intelligence and ability because I wasn't but in all of those years Jason did not see any of that"
We tracked down Ms Wallis who said she wrote the letter and wholeheartedly supports Mr Falinski.
She facetimed the ABC wearing a Falinski campaign shirt and said she stands by everything she wrote.
VERDICT: While the person who sent this letter in thought it was suspicious, we’ve checked and this letter was actually written by Andrea, is authorised by the Liberal Party and doesn’t appear to breach any AEC rules.
The Warringah letter
This final letter, in a similar font, claims to be from a 'a concerned neighbour' called 'Stephanie' but the style and printing suggests that it was professionally mass produced.
The letter is critical of independent candidate Zali Steggall and supports United Australia Party and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
It states “I’ll be putting liberal, labor, the greens and Zali Steggall LAST on the ballot paper. I encourage you to do the same” and instead advocates that voters pick UAP or One Nation. “Never before have I felt compelled to speak out in this manner… declaring that I’m voting for a non-major party and inviting you to join me."
VERDICT: This one has already been referred to the AEC by our tipster because it doesn’t contain any authorisation or indication of who really wrote it.
The ABC called every person called “Stephanie” we could find living in Warringah and couldn’t find the “Stephanie” who sent the letter. The UAP and One Nation candidates told us they had also received the letter, but denied having anything to do with it or knowing who wrote it.
The wrap up
The message to voters, be skeptical about what you read and check for an authorisation. If you see anything sketchy, write in to Hidden Campaign. You can also contact the AEC.
By Jessica Riga
We fact checked Scott Morrison on the Coalition's federal integrity commission. Here's what we found
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government's proposed model for a federal integrity commission would have the powers of a royal commission.
By Jessica Riga
This pervasive furphy on Australia's emissions was repeated throughout the campaign
Around the country, in what is shaping to be a tightly contested federal election, millions of Australians have already cast their vote, while millions more will head to polling booths tomorrow.
For the past few months, both in the lead-up to — and throughout — the official six-week campaign, Fact Check has examined claims from all sides of the political divide on the issues that matter most to voters.
From climate change to a federal integrity commission, aged-care funding to debt and deficit. Learn what the politicians got wrong and what they got right, and for the facts:
By Jessica Riga
Millions in JobKeeper went to private schools that grew their surpluses
Most private schools that took JobKeeper increased their income during the first year of the pandemic, including some of Australia's most exclusive schools.
By Jessica Riga
Anthony Albanese will be on 7.30 tonight
The Opposition Leader will be interviewed by host Leigh Sales tonight on 7.30 at, you guessed it, 7:30pm.
We'll be live blogging the interview as well.
You can watch Scott Morrison's interview with 7.30 from earlier in the week below.
By Emily Sakzewski
Will the government allow the Murugappan family to return to Biloela?
The question put to Scott morrison is: You said yesterday the Murugappan family isn't owed protection. But your government can use its discretionary powers to allow them to return to Biloela. You said you want to be more empathetic. Will you start by using those powers to allow them to return to Biloela?
Mr Morrison says the courts have found that, under the refugee convention, no protection obligation is owed to the Murugappan family.
"They have not been afforded the status of refugees, so they're not refugees," he said.
A follow-up question asks whether Scott Morrison would use his discretionary powers to overturn the decision.
"If you grant visas to people who have illegally entered Australia, you may as well start writing the prospectus for people smugglers," Mr Morrison said.
There was a bit of back and forth between Mr Morrison and reporters. One points out that "it's just one family, Prime Minister" and there's a question about whether Mr Morrison would talk to immigration minister Alex Hawke about using his discretionary powers.
"You said you want to be more empathetic …" a reporter said.
"The most empathetic thing when it comes to border protection [is to] keep our borders secure," Mr Morrison said.
"I have been lectured by people over my entire political career about this issue.
"What I know is, what I did in 2013, with Tony Abbott, put an end to the carnage, we got all the children out detention centre.
"We stopped the boats and the carnage at sea. The people smugglers we want out of business.
"Right now in Indonesia, those people smugglers are getting ready if a Labor government is elected.
"This is an important election. If you change course on border protection, as Labor are saying they will do, you can see all of that terror come back."
By Jessica Riga
Does Morrison have any disappointment or regrets with the way things have gone?
Reporter: This has been a deeply personal campaign on both sides. Do you have any disappointment or regrets with the way things have gone?
Morrison: "What I sought to set out right from the first day of the campaign to this — the choice that Australians have to make. I said this isn't an election about me or Mr Albanese, for that matter, it's about you, and what your aspirations are. It's about what you're hoping to achieve. It's about putting what happened with the pandemic well behind us, as we emerge strongly and we secure the opportunities that are ahead of us. And those opportunities are there, but we cannot take them for granted. If you cannot manage money, as Mr Albanese has had no experience, he's never done a budget. He has never been trusted by a leader of the Labor Party with a financial portfolio, if they won't let him near the till, I don't see why the Australian people would. By contrast, I have done eight budgets, one on the budget committee, three as a Treasurer, and four as a prime minister. And the experience gained, particularly during these times, has enabled us to have that triple A credit rating, to be able to reduce the unemployment rate to 3.9%, 2.9% here in Western Australia, to be able to guarantee the essential services that Australians rely on, getting medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, delivering tax cuts, ensuring that we're able to support the services…
Reporter: You have just made it personal again. Are you disappointed that's the way it's gone?
Morrison: "And to make sure we can invest in the defence service of our nation to keep our nation strongment tomorrow's election is about a choice. You can vote for a strong economy, a stronger future, or a weaker one under Anthony Albanese."
And that's the last question Scott Morrison takes for this press conference.
By Jessica Riga
What does Morrison have to say to those doing it tough?
Q: Can I bring you back to the election day tomorrow, this is an election that's about what will be best for Australians going forward. There are more than one million Australians seeking relief from food banks every single month. One in three of them have never had to seek relief in this way before. Why, prime minister, should they vote to re-elect a Morrison government instead of a Labor government, and what do you have to say to those people about how their lives are going to get easier?
"What I have to say to them is this. A strong economy and managing money well means that we can continue to provide the emergency cash assistance which was provided by the Department of Social Services, some 800 million in support that comes from the Department of Social Services across a whole range of different areas. That is afforded by having a government that knows how to manage money. Now, I've been up-front with Australians about the pressures our economy is facing.
"I'm not sitting here telling all the pressures go away on 21 May. That would be — that would be two things, one, it would be wrong. And it would — secondly, it would misunderstand what is going on in the Australian economy.
"And so, there are real pressures. You're right to highlight them. And that's why this election is so much about who can manage money. Because those who are facing that hard ship will not be helped by a Labor government that can't manage money. They won't be helped by a Labor government that will have higher deficits, higher debt, putting more pressure on interest rates and on the cost of living. And slowing the economy with higher taxes.
"There are not helped by a government who don't know how to handle money. They will be helped by a government that knows how to help them, providing direct payments to pensioners, extending further tax relief to families, and is helping home buyers, as we're standing right here today, by ensuring they can use their own resources to be able to get off the rental queues and get onto owning their own home, right here in suburbs just like this one."
By Jessica Riga
What's Morrison's final pitch to voters, in 10 seconds?
"'Cause a strong economy means a stronger future. We cannot risk Labor with higher debt, higher deficits, which are only going to push up your cost of living and push up interest rates. We've come so far, now is not the time to turn back and risk Labor, but secure opportunities with a strong economy," Scott Morrison says.
By Emily Sakzewski
Would any evidence of corruption in the Pacific or Solomon Islands be made public?
Morrison: We'll do what is in our national interest and the interests of our partner countries. We work through those issues very carefully with our partner countries. We're very respectful of our family in the Pacific.
As I said to you on a number of occasions during the course of this campaign, one of the things I sought to change as prime minister was the nature of our relationship with these Pacific leaders. Pacific leaders said to me they were unhappy with the way they were treated in the past. And I sought to turn that around and build close personal relationships with those leaders. amd I continue to go down that path and respect they will, as sovereign nations.
By Jessica Riga
Morrison grilled on if he will investigate source of leak
Reporter: If you're re-elected PM, will you ask for an investigation into DFAT as to the source of the leak? One of your MPs has said it has come from DFAT.
Morrison: I will not speculate on these issues. I'm not confirming these matters have been discussed.
Reporter: You're not curious where it's come from, the day before the election?
Morrison: I'm not even confirming the matters have been discussed. You could have a completely false report.
Reporter: You hinted it may have come out of the department.
Morrison: You said there were officials in the room. I'm talking about this room. The suspicion among you. Not among me.
Reporter: This is a suspicion among your own…
Morrison: I think I already addressed it. I have already addressed it.
By Emily Sakzewski
Would Morrison consider increasing Pacific aid funding to counter act China's influence?
Scott Morrison answers by saying the reporter has made an assumption about what's driving decisions in the Pacific which, he says, he doesn't think holds up.
"You're suggesting if you double funding in the Pacific, somehow the Chinese government doesn't have any influence or won't be seeking to coerce or exert its influence. That assumption doesn't hold.
"We invest in the Pacific because they're our family and they trust us and we always will and we don't seek things in return.
"What we do is show our good faith, our loyalty, and our support, and our care, for our Pacific family.
"It's the relationship and that's a relationship we work on constantly. And that's what we'll continue to do."
