Scott Morrison is asked about rising energy prices as Labor leader Anthony Albanese rejoins the campaign trail after a week in isolation recovering from COVID-19.
Look back on all of Friday's events as they unfolded in our blog.
Key events
- Angus Taylor defends government's record on electricity prices
- Solomon Islands PM accuses Australia of hypocrisy
- Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles tests positive for COVID
- What's this about a new video from the ABF?
- Why do we get a campaign 'launch' so late in the campaign?
- Could Josh Frydenberg lose his seat this election?
- Federal government blames international factors for rising energy costs
- Coalition promises $218m for energy and cement projects in SA's north
- Major parties should sort out debates 'like adults', Albanese says
- The cost of living has been the big topic of the week
- Anthony Albanese returns to the campaign trail
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
We're going to wrap up our live coverage here
Thank you for joining us today.
We'll be back on Sunday to live blog ALP campaign launch, so we'll see you then!
In the meantime, you can continue to stay up to date here on our Australia Votes page.
By Nicholas McElroy
Back to the price of lettuce
In what turns out to be the last question of the Prime Minister's press conference.
The price of a head of iceberg lettuce has emerged as a popular example to demonstrate increases in the price of household goods, which is a serious issue.
Here is the question, for context:
How long are [Australians] going to be confronted with lettuce at $5 ...? Is there anything you can do to moderate those prices [of groceries and other household goods]?
Mr Morrison answered by saying external influences on the economy are going to continue for some time, referencing the war in Ukraine.
"Those are things beyond Australia's control. And so that's why it's so important, in the budget, we understood the impact that these things were having on Australian families. And that's why we took the decision, understanding those pressures, that we had to halve the petrol tax to support families deal with those higher prices.
"They're the things we can do. You can't necessarily change the price of a lettuce, but what you can do is you can halve petrol tax, and that's exactly what we did. You can make a $250 payment directly to pensioners and others on fixed-income support to help them with those costs, which we did."
And that's it for the Prime Minister's press conference.
By Nicholas McElroy
Wouldn't Australia be protected from international price increases if we generated more renewable energy?
The question comes from ABC News political reporter Henry Belot:
Wouldn't Australia be insulated from some of these international price increases if we generated more electricity from wind, from solar, from hydro? Wouldn't consumers have been better off if we made a faster transition to renewable local energy?
Mr Morrison:
No, well, we have made a very fast transition. Well, we have had record investments and increases in the capacity of renewable technologies and renewable energies. That hasn't been the issue. The issue is ensuring that we keep pace with reliable, affordable base load power that deals with the problem with the intermittence much of our renewable energy generation ... that's why we've invested in gas-fired generation.
"Remember, when I came out and said that we needed more gas-fired power, that's to actually enable the renewable energy that is now in the system."
By Nicholas McElroy
Morrison accuses Albanese of 'talking a big game' on debates
He says the debate hall is booked and he's ready to go. Mr Morrison says he'll even get himself a new tie for the occasion.
"I'll be there. I'll get myself a new tie. And off we can go. I hope [Albanese] decides to come. Because if he doesn't, well, I don't know what he's been saying all these years," Mr Morrison said.
By Nicholas McElroy
The Prime Minister is asked question about his vision for Australia if he wins the election
Reporter:
What is your vision for Australia over the next three years?
This is part of Mr Morrison's answer:
"I have been making announcements about the very things we are doing. The investments we're making in manufacturing. The investments we're making in keeping taxes low.
"The investments we're making in supporting apprenticeships and education and training. And reforming that. The investments we're putting into our medical mental health system across the country, guaranteed by a strong economy.
"The investments we're putting into our defence forces and setting out the upgrades of our major bases and major procurements.
"And the investments we're making in upgrading the data and digital capabilities of our businesses, which will determine their success. And the investments that we're making in reliable and affordable energy — some $22 billion over the next 10 years to put us on that clear pathway to hit net zero by 2050."
By Nicholas McElroy
Energy prices are going up under your policies now?
Mr Morrison says energy prices have gone up because of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Here's the exchange:
Reporter:
[Energy] prices are going up under your policies now?
Morrison:
Because of the coal price. I mean, there is a war in Europe that forced up the price of thermal coal.
Reporter:
Prices went up 140 per cent in the March quarter, though, Prime Minister that's before Ukraine?
Morrison:
"Coal prices have gone up around the world. And now we're seeing those thermal coal prices come down. But to be fair, over the course of the first quarter of this year, the tensions in Europe were pretty apparent.
It's not like the war in Ukraine just came out of nowhere. Those tensions were building up over all of this year ... And we will see that change in the months ahead — that's certainly the forecasts we're getting.
But what you need is the strength to be able to stand up to the big electricity companies. I mean, Labor opposed having legislation that held the big electricity companies to account. They didn't just oppose it, they mocked it. But we passed it. We pressed on and ensured we put those protections in place for Australian consumers."
By Jessica Riga
First question is on electricity prices (and lettuce)
Q: If you win on May 21, how much will Australians save on their power bills, or will they go up? And on their grocery bills, how can you make a lettuce cheaper?
Here's Scott Morrison:
"Let me deal with the issue of electricity first. What I do know is, over the last few years, we've been seeing electricity prices fall by about 8%, a fall by over 9% since I became Prime Minister.
"What we have done is we've put a number of mechanisms in place. One of the most important of those was the Price Safety Net which Minister [Angus] Taylor put in place, which protected consumers on the default deals that they got from big electricity companies from being hit with higher, overpriced electricity.
"Secondly, we put in place the big stick legislation, which Labor and the Parliament mocked, but we pressed ahead with it. And we made sure that there were strong protections in place to hold the big energy companies to account when they were seeking to overcharge and price electricity at levels which we didn't believe was fair."
By Jessica Riga
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is now holding a press conference
You can tune in using the live stream at the top of the blog.
"We're announcing the $70 million today for the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub project, which has a total project value of more than $300 million when in full operation, creating over its life, as it's built up, over a thousand jobs," Morrison says.
By Jessica Riga
Angus Taylor defends government's record on electricity prices
The energy minister has defended the federal government's record on electricity prices, saying the cost has gone down over the long term.
Figures released by the energy market operator show wholesale prices on the east coast have spiked by 141 per cent, compared to this time last year.
But Angus Taylor says electricity has become cheaper over the past few years.
"We'll see short term fluctuations but we've seen strong downward pressure, and the ACCC says that downward pressure on prices needs to be reflected in retail prices, we've seen reductions in retail," he said.
By Jessica Riga
Solomon Islands PM accuses Australia of hypocrisy
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands has accused Australia of hypocrisy for criticising the secrecy of his country's military pact with China.
China and the Solomons have not released the text of the agreement, which Australian officials fear could lead to a chinese military presence down the track.
The federal government says it's concerned that the document is being kept secret.
But Manasseh Sogavare says Australia did not tell Solomon Islands about its negotiations with the US and UK over the AUKUS nucelar submarines agreement.
"I learnt of the AUKUS treaty in the media, Mr Speaker," he said in parliament
"One would expect that as a member of the Pacific family, Solomon Islands and members of the Pacific should have been consulted to ensure this AUKUS treaty is transparent."
By Jessica Riga
'Is there any point that I keep trying?' Q+A audience member lays out the plight of young Australians
By Paul Johnson
Young Australians' concerns about rising inflation, the housing crisis, and the casualisation of the workforce came to the fore on Q+A on Thursday night.
Audience member Jayde Curtis, 20, told the panel at the Brisbane Powerhouse she feared for her future, and even whether there would be one for her and the younger generation of Australians who were battling.
"I live in a constant state that I won't be able to afford fuel in my car or be able to put groceries or ever get a house," Ms Curtis said.
"Not only this, but there's talk of war, there's talk of running out of fuel, and there's also still living through COVID.
"Is there any point that I keep studying? That I keep trying? That I keep wanting these aspirations?
"Australia used to be a place that I was very happy to say I was a part of and I saw many ambitions here. Should I just get comfortable in this pay-cheque-to-pay-cheque sort of lifestyle or shall I keep going?"
It was a question that brought a sympathetic response from Labor MP Anika Wells, albeit one that lacked a real solution, with her suggesting that Ms Curtis get elected to federal parliament at 20 years of age, as Coalition MP Wyatt Roy did in 2010 in the seat of Longman in the Moreton Bay region of Queensland.
By Jessica Riga
Coalition 'internally divided', Albanese says
"My shadow cabinet will be out there each and every day of the campaign. Not just in Perth with me, but right around the country," Albanese says.
"We have a coordinated schedule in making sure that Labor's message has gotten out to every city, to every town by our entire team. That stands in stark contrast with Mr Morrison who, just a couple of days ago, was with the deputy Prime Minister [Barnaby Joyce] in Rockhampton and they couldn't even meet each other. They didn't do a joint press conference.
"The truth is that the Liberal Party are internally divided. The National Party are internally divided, they are just one swing vote over whether Michael McCormack or Barnaby Joyce or someone else becomes the deputy leader of the Coalition and the leader of the National Party.
"Labor is united. We have a strong team made up of 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women. People from right around the country. And at the campaign launch on Sunday, you will see more evidence, more policies for our better future plan."
That was it for questions as Anthony Albanese hopped on the plane for WA.
By Jessica Riga
Albanese wishes the deputy Labor leader well
"I have a magnificent team. We are ready for government," Anthony Albanese says.
"The team today has had some unfortunate news and that my deputy, Richard Marles, has also tested positive with a routine test this morning.
"I spoke to Richard, I wish him well. He will follow the health advice and self-isolate the next week. But what we have seen is shadow ministers right across the country portraying Labor's position. We have a plan for a better future."
By Jessica Riga
Labor leader Anthony Albanese is speaking to the media now
He's about to hop on a plane to head to Western Australia ahead of the ALP launch.
By Jessica Riga
'We've seen this movie before': US politicians worry Solomon Islands deal could go the way of the South China Sea
China's deal with Solomon Islands has been mentioned a lot during the campaign. Here's the latest from North America bureau chief Jade Macmillan.
Concern over Solomon Islands' security pact with China is mounting in the US Congress, with politicians on both sides expressing alarm over the deal.
Democrat Joe Courtney — a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and a co-chair of the so-called AUKUS caucus — compared the situation to China's activity in the South China Sea.
"I think we've seen this movie before, when China promised president Obama in 2015 that the island-building was not going to result in a militarised presence," he said.
"They've obviously completely broken that promise. And any sort of effort to try [to] sugar coat what China's intentions are here, I think, because of that experience, the West should be extremely sceptical."
Senior administration officials have warned that the United States would "respond accordingly" to any signs of China establishing a permanent military presence in Solomon Islands, while Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described the prospect of a base as a "red line".
By Jessica Riga
Let's look at some key seats in regards to the Greens
Hiya blog team!
Was wondering how the Greens were tracking at this stage, as far as a prediction for lower house seats goes? Are we likely to see more Greens elected, and thus a stronger push for climate action and an ICAC from the crossbench?
-More policy please?
Hi there!
We don't have a crystal ball so it's impossible to tell how things will officially shake out come election day.
But let's look at some key seats where the Greens are gaining ground.
Higgins (VIC)
- Higgins is a heartland seat previously held by such Liberal luminaries as Harold Holt, John Gorton and Peter Costello. Former Liberal member Kelly O'Dwyer retired at the 2019 election, and new candidate Dr Katie Allen saw the Liberal first preference vote drop below 50% for the first time, the seat's usual double digit margin dipping to 3.7%. Higgins is a seat that both Labor and the Greens think is winnable, and Allen's opponents in 2022 are Labor's Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah and the Greens' Sonya Semmens.
Brisbane (QLD)
- Brisbane has been held by Liberal Trevor Evans since 2016, but faces a threat from two opponents in what has become a three-way contest. In 2019, Evans polled 47.8% of the first preference vote to 24.5% for Labor and 22.4% for the Greens. Unless Evens keeps his first preference percentage in the high 40s, strong flows of preferences could deliver victory to whichever of Labor or the Greens has the higher first preference vote. The Labor candidate is Madonna Jarrett, the Greens represented in the contest by Stephen Bates.
Griffith (QLD)
- Griffith was a safe Labor seat when held by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd from 1998 to 2014, but several bad state-wide results for Labor have eroded Griffith's Labor margin. Of interest in Griffith is how well the Greens perform, having narrowed the first preference gap with Labor at the 2019 election, and won the local state seat of South Brisbane in 2020. The Labor MP since 2014 is Terri Butler. She will face familiar opponents in 2022, with both Greens' candidate Max Chandler-Mather and the LNP's Olivia Roberts having contested Griffith in 2019.
Macnamara (VIC)
- Macnamara was known as Melbourne Ports until 2019 and represented by Labor's Michael Danby from 1998 until retiring in 2019. Labor's Josh Burns succeeded him with a significant increase in Labor vote to become the first member for Macnamara. In recent years the seat has become a three-way contest, a marginal seat measured by two-party preferred vote, but also marginal in the race between Labor and the Greens to compete after preferences with the Liberals. In 2016 the Greens came close to passing Labor, but Josh Burns improved the Labor vote in 2019. As in 2019 the Green candidate will be Steph Hodgins-May, the new Liberal candidate Christopher Ride.
By Jessica Riga
By Jessica Riga
Independent SA federal election candidate says she will abandon campaign if citizenship not clarified
An independent candidate for South Australia's only marginal seat in the federal election says she will abandon her campaign if she finds a bid to renounce her British citizenship has not gone through.
Former Adelaide Writers' Week director Jo Dyer — a "teal independent" — realised yesterday she might be a dual British-Australian citizen.
If she is, this would make her ineligible to take up the seat of Boothby, should she win it from the Liberal Party.
The high-profile candidate has been waiting for the British Home Office to rescind her UK citizenship.
Ms Dyer applied for that in December and it is a prerequisite to be a candidate for a federal election.
By Jessica Riga
Barbara is getting the $250 bonus, but how far will it go?
Cash payments are hitting the bank accounts of 6 million Australians, but recipients say it's a "drop in the ocean" as living costs spike.
Barbara Best and her husband are self-funded retirees living in Broome.
The 69-year-old is eligible to receive the payment as she holds a Commonwealth Seniors Card.
But she doubts the $250 will be enough to relieve the financial stress for many recipients or distract from the lack of more substantial investment in the aged care sector.
"To put it into perspective, it's going to cost $800 to fly to visit my youngest daughter, who's having a baby, and it's costing $4,000 to replace my husband's hearing aid.
"So I don't think it will be enough to sway people when it comes to the election.
"I think investment in aged care and the NDIS are more of a talking point between people our age, because we are getting to that stage when you think, 'What if I had a fall, or a stroke, what would happen to us?'"
By Jessica Riga
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles tests positive for COVID
In a tweet he wrote: "I was looking forward to travelling west to attend Labor's launch. This morning after taking a routine test for COVID, I returned a positive result.
"I will be isolating at home and following advice. I'll be back on the trail in no time, fighting for a better future with Anthony Albanese."
