Good morning. A pro-Kremlin outlet has called Vladimir Putin a “paranoid dictator” in a rare act of dissent. Patients are increasingly waiting more than 24 hours for a bed in overcrowded Victorian emergency departments. And Guardian Australia has spoken to early voters in two key Sydney seats.
With 12 days to go in the federal election campaign, both leaders are shifting into higher gear. After questions about stamina following his Covid recovery, the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, yesterday cheerfully told his trailing press pack that he was hitting three states in a day, a marked uptick in the pace of his campaign. Labor and the Coalition had big ticket announcements yesterday, with Albanese pledging more than $346m for a hospital upgrade and to boost teacher workforce numbers, while Scott Morrison talked up $8bn in military spending on helicopters and infrastructure. With two leaders’ debates down and one to go tomorrow, the home stretch is within sight. But early polling centres in two key Sydney seats may reveal the direction this could go. Guardian Australia asked people who they were voting for – and why.
