Welcome back to your daily election wrap. Tom Lowrey will catch you up on news from the campaign trail.
We’re being regularly reminded this election that these are uncertain times.
How often? Four times in Anthony Albanese’s press conference today, and five in Peter Dutton’s.
But Dutton seems certain enough to make this economic prediction.
“Is Australia heading into recession?” the opposition leader was asked at today’s press conference.
“Well it is under Labor, obviously,” he confidently replied.
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Both leaders have been keen to find their safe territory this campaign. For Albanese, it’s standing in front of a green Medicare banner, with a Medicare card in hand.
After a fairly bruising few days for the Coalition — dumping two major policies, losing a candidate over his views on women in the military — perhaps Dutton was seeking out safe Liberal Party ground as he pivoted to the economy.
Standing in front of a Liberal-blue banner, the opposition leader sought to turn his campaign back to the central election contest on the cost of living, pitching his party as the better economic managers.
It’s not a bad place to be, as both sides fight for the attention of voters watching their super balances slide under Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The thing about making confident predictions about what your opponent would do, is it prompts questions about what will happen if you’ve got the wheel.
And so the question came for Dutton.
“Can you promise there will be no recession under you?” he was asked.
“What I can tell you is for two years, families have lived in a recession in this country,” he replied, referring to Australia’s “per-capita recession” in recent years.
It’s, quite certainly, not a yes.
Casting call: seeking two bespectacled middle-aged men
The Albanese camp has bunkered down for the afternoon, deep in last-minute prep for tonight’s first debate on Sky News.
Tonight’s debate will be furiously examined by journalists, keenly viewed by political tragics, and watched for maybe 60 seconds by most ordinary people who accidentally flick on to Sky, while searching for something else.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will go head-to-head in tonight’s debate. (ABC News: Matt Roberts )
A full hour-and-a-half of politics can be a tough ask, especially when the crew on Travel Guides over on Nine are heading for the electoral battleground of Port Stephens to go dolphin spotting.
It means that the debate really boils down to a contest of moments, which can be clipped up and catch far more eyeballs on social media.
Bill Shorten labelling Scott Morrison a “space invader” in the same Sky News forum in 2019 is a perfect example.
Albanese and Dutton have plenty of time sparring over the dispatch box in Parliament House, but the dynamics of a televised debate are a bit different.
It makes debate prep pretty critical and raises a curious question every three years. Who do you get to play your opponent in mock debates?
Last time around, Jim Chalmers stepped up to play Scott Morrison in Labor’s debate prep. This time around, former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews is reportedly playing Dutton.
You’d have to wonder what politicians make of the request to come into camp and help with debate prep, playing their candidate’s opponent.
On the one hand, it’s a hugely important job. On the other hand, you’re clearly seen as someone who’s got at least a few traits in common with the person your party is desperately arguing should be kept out of high office.
A backhanded compliment, maybe? No word on who is playing the prime minister over in the Liberal camp.
Everyone learned what bird-dogging is on the campaign trail today. (ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
The bird-dogs are back at it
We were told ahead of the election to keep an eye out for “bird-dogging”, which sparked a huge spike in journalists googling bird-dogging and wondering if they were about to breach their company’s IT policy.
To save you the trouble (and concern), bird-dogging is essentially activists hijacking politicians’ media events to try and force an answer on questions they feel are being avoided.
This morning, an activist from climate protest group Rising Tide made an extremely noisy appearance at Albanese’s event at Headspace Ashfield, shouting from the back of the media pack about approvals of new coal and gas mines.
Cameras rushed to capture vision of the protester being pushed out by security, as she continued to make her point.
The prime minister scolded the media for chasing behind.
“It just encourages them, but anyway…security people should be allowed to do their job,” he said.
Ignoring the person screaming about climate change as they are forced from the room sounds like a tough ask.
Good day for…
Service station owners in marginal seats. Today’s visit by Dutton makes it five and counting, and each visit brings a roaring coffee trade from the travelling press pack.
Bad day for…
Benjamin Britton, the now-former Liberal candidate for Whitlam, ostensibly dumped over his views on women in frontline military roles. When asked about the dumping, Dutton replied the issues “go well beyond that”.
What to watch out for
The PM and opposition leader go head to head tonight in the first debate, 7.30pm AEST on Sky News. Here’s how you can watch it.
Where pollies have been
Catch up on today’s stories
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