Good morning. An Australian climate scientist says the national science agency has been turned into a “very extravagant consulting company”. US President Joe Biden’s $33bn request for more aid to Ukraine is likely to be approved. Scott Morrison will be campaigning in Sydney, while Labor leader Anthony Albanese will be in Brisbane. Housing, social care and electric car charging are expected to be on the election agenda.
The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, made a pitch for a “better future” at his official campaign launch in Perth, outlining new policies to try to capture voter attention. The party has veered away from the big-spending and revenue-raising promises of the last election campaign. But Albanese pledged on Sunday that if he wins the 21 May election “the work of building that better future will start the very next day”. Here are the five key policies unveiled by the Labor party on Sunday. Notably, Labor has promised to reduce the cost of medicines on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, roll out new charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and focus on improving pay equity for women. Some believe Albanese presents as a leader who wasn’t born thinking he was owed the prime ministership.
