liveFederal election 2025 live: Anthony Albanese says fiancee on receiving end of Palmer's 'vanity exercise' textsBy Georgie Hewson and political reporters Courtney Gould and Joshua BoscainiTopic:Australian Federal Elections3h ago3 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:34pmSkip to timelineabc.net.au/news/federal-election-2025-live-albanese-dutton-campaign-/105231912Link copiedShareShare articleAnthony Albanese says he would be "happy" to ban texts from political parties but he is not sure if it will fit in with "other legal requirements".Mr Albanese says while he hasn't been on the receiving end of the "vanity exercise" text messages from Clive Palmer's party, his fiancee Jodie Haydon has.Follow the day's events on our live blog below.Or you can try out the ABC's Vote Compass tool to see how your views align with those of the different political parties.Key EventsPM says he'd be happy to ban election texts1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:03pmPM denies Penny Wong suggested a resurrected Voice was inevitable1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:55pmDoes the PM have a phone call planned with Trump?1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:41pmShow all key eventsSubmit a comment or question Log in to commentLive updatesLatestOldest2m agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 12:13amWhich party will fix childcare?GBy Georgie HewsonThere’s a crisis in the quality of care, with Four Corners recently revealing alarming cases of mistreatment and even abuse of children.Parents also want to see improvements on childcare affordability and access to places.Today, ABC investigative reporter Adele Ferguson answers your questions about the crisis and whether any party has policies that could fix childcare.Listen here:Your questions: Which party will fix childcare? - ABC listenReactReactCopy link19m agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:57pmWhat matters to you this federal election?GBy Georgie HewsonThis Saturday about 18 million Australian voters will decide who runs the country for the next three years and who gets to make the decisions that will affect your lives.You can have your say on polling day but the ABC wants to ensure your concerns and questions are heard before May 3 by the people vying for your vote.Learn more about that here:Have Your Say: What matters to you this federal election?ReactReactCopy link32m agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:43pmCoalition ramps up attack on super tax in final days of campaignPBy political correspondent Melissa ClarkeTax policies have been central to this election campaign, with competing promises from Labor (tax cuts!) and the Coalition (tax offsets!) about lowering the amount of money the government collects from you.But in the past few days, the Coalition has ramped up its campaign around tax on superannuation.Specifically, it's hammering Labor over its plan to increase tax on earnings on investments in superannuation accounts worth more than $3 million.These comments from shadow treasurer Angus Taylor on Perth commercial radio station 6PR yesterday are just one example:"They're coming after your super and they're coming after unrealised capital gains."If you're a farmer and you've got some of your land… in a self-managed super fund and the value of that land goes up, you've got to find cash somewhere to pay tax on it."You know what's going to happen, people are going to have to sell their land."It's reminiscent of the Coalition's campaign in the 2019 election against Labor's proposed changes to franking credits, branded a "retiree tax."It was deemed a successful attack by the Coalition and it seems they're applying a similar approach with the super tax in the late stages of this campaign.Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rebutted the criticism, saying it's a "modest change that will only impact half a per cent of people with super balances over $3 million."Labor tried to legislate the changes, but couldn't get the numbers in the Senate to pass the laws. It'll try again if Labors win the election and gets a second term.ReactReactCopy link51m agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:24pm📹 ICYMI: Coaltion to release costings 'in the next day or so'GBy Georgie HewsonLoading...ReactReactCopy linkKey Event1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:03pmPM says he'd be happy to ban election textsCBy Courtney GouldAnthony Albanese says he'd be "happy" to ban texts from political parties but he's not sure if it will fit in with "other legal requirements".PM: I wish that were the case. I'm not sure that that fits with our democracy and the capacity of people to campaign. Well, I certainly think that would be a reasonable thing to do …HOST RAF EPSTEIN: To ban the texts?PM: I'm happy with that, but I'm not sure that it would fit in with other legal requirements about people having access.The PM says while he hasn't been on the receiving end of the text messages, his fiancee Jodie Haydon has."It's an extraordinary vanity exercise that we're seeing by Clive Palmer, and I expect that they won't be terribly successful," he says.ReactReactCopy linkKey Event1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:55pmPM denies Penny Wong suggested a resurrected Voice was inevitableCBy Courtney GouldAnthony Albanese has rejected a claim that his foreign affairs minister suggested an Indigenous Voice to Parliament was inevitable when she likened it to marriage equality.Penny Wong told the Betoota Talks podcast:"Look, I think we'll look back on it in 10 years' time and it'll be a bit like marriage equality. Don't you reckon people will go, 'Did we have a debate about that?''"Speaking with ABC Radio Melbourne, Albanese denied the inference was a Voice to Parliament, like marriage equality, was inevitable."Well, she didn't say that at all," the PM says."She spoke about how people will look back on what the issues were. That's very different from saying it's inevitable."ReactReactCopy linkKey Event1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:41pmDoes the PM have a phone call planned with Trump?CBy Courtney GouldPrime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's not staying up late at night to dial Donald Trump, after the US president suggested the Australians had been calling and a call would take place in the future."It was a light-hearted throwaway comment from the president. I assure you, I'm not staying up at night trying to ring anyone at the moment. I'm in an election campaign," he says."I'm sure, if we are successful, we’ll have a discussion after Saturday."So is that phone call locked in?The PM says he expects if he wins on Saturday he would receive calls from various world leaders."I would expect, just as after the last election, I received phone calls from leaders around the world," he says.ReactReactCopy link1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:32pmWould Angus Taylor seek the party leadership in the event of a Coalition loss?GBy Georgie HewsonAngus Taylor is finally asked if he would put his hand up to be leader of the Liberal Party if it did not form government on Saturday."You know, James, I'm after one job, which is to be treasurer of this great nation, and that would be a great privilege," he says."I want to see a stronger economy, more prosperity, Australians getting ahead, buying homes, starting small businesses."That's what I stand for and that's the job I'm going after. I think our treasurer has been out of his depth and out of touch and I think we can do better."ReactReactCopy link1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:30pmShould the RBA be looking at a bigger cut?GBy Georgie HewsonMarkets have priced in an interest rate cut for the next RBA meeting.Taylor is asked: "Should the RBA be looking at an even bigger cut?""I don't get into commentary on the RBA, unlike some of my opponents," he says."What I will say is that it's a widespread view that inflation is going to go back up."The IMF, for instance, is predicting it will go up to 3 per cent — well outside the target range — over the next little while."We have to be ready for the prospect of rising inflation, not falling."ReactReactCopy link1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:27pmTaylor says Coalition to release costings in the 'next day or so'GBy Georgie HewsonShadow Treasurer Angus Taylor has told ABC News Breakfast the Coalition will release its costing in "the next day or so". "As did Labor at the last election," he says."As is the convention. I won't tell you here."You won't need to wait long but I'll give you a sneak preview. You'll see a stronger economic position, a stronger budget position than Labor's and that's because over three years we've been doing the hard work to find the savings that can ensure that we have a stronger budget."He is asked how he can convince Australians his party will be superior economic managers when he has left it to the last minute to release costings."Well, James, we've been opposing wasteful government spending for three years now, not essential services, not health, but wasteful government spending for three years and that's been plain to see," he says."We need to get updates on the latest economic position before we put out our final numbers but there's no ambiguity here."ReactReactCopy link1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:27pmWhat does parliament do during an election campaign?CBy Courtney GouldWith the government and opposition both focused on campaigning over the last 6 weeks (if not more), what happens in parliament during this time?- JamesHey James, thanks for your question.The parliament as we knew it (well, the 47th parliament) has been dissolved. The constitution doesn't allow for a House of Representatives to sit for any longer than three years, hence the election.So what does that mean for the parliament?It's kind of like when your favourite tv show is on a summer hiatus. You know it'll be back soon and maybe the next season will have a bunch of fresh characters to switch things up.Ministers continue about their portfolio business but caretaker conventions apply (so no big major decisions, significant appointments or major contracts are signed without consultation with the opposition).The next government will then name the date for the 48th parliament to convene and we start the process all over again.ReactReactCopy link1h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:18pmChina plays quiet role as voters gear up for federal electionGBy Georgie HewsonChina has not been a defining feature of this election campaign.If anything, the shadow of Donald Trump — rather than Xi Jinping — has loomed over the contest between Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese.In the last election, many Chinese Australians swung behind Labor, blaming the Morrison government for the rapid deterioration in relations with Beijing.Since then, the Albanese government has moved to "stabilise" ties, while Mr Dutton has worked to rebuild ties with the Chinese Australian community.But while the diplomatic tone has softened, the tensions between the two countries have not disappeared and could still shape how some Australians vote on Saturday.Read more about that here:China takes back seat in vote, though risks shaping policyReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:06pmSupply to make home ownership more accessible, Bragg saysCBy Courtney GouldShadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership Andrew Bragg is up next on ABC's Radio National Breakfast. He argues negative gearing and the capital gains tax exemption helps people get into housing because it "promotes construction and supply"."If you look at all the expert analysis, people will tell you that if you change it or wind it back, it won't make a material difference to pricing. So it's the wrong lever to pull," he says.Asked about where he'd like house prices to go if the Coalition were to win government, Bragg says we "don't live in the Soviet Union, so we [the government] don't set the house prices".He says the focus is making home ownership more accessible.Host Sally Sara twice asks if accessibility is about pricing."Well, it's about recognising the fact that it's a constrained market. There's not enough supply. We need to build more houses that will improve accessibility," he says.ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:50pmWhat is the treasurer hoping to see in today's inflation data?CBy Courtney GouldAnd we're back to inflation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics will release an update to the inflation figures later today.Treasurer Jim Chalmers is asked what he'd consider a good number."I think any headline inflation rate today with a two in front of it is a powerful demonstration of the progress that we've made together as Australians on inflation," he says.The latest data comes just days after the credit agency Standard & Poor's declared Australia's AAA rating could be at risk (a warning Labor has downplayed).He says the agency should be "reassured" by the two surpluses Labor has delivered in the past.But what about the forecasted more than $150 billion in deficits over the next four years?He goes back to talking bout the surpluses."We got the deficit down this year and we've done a lot of work on budget repair and we found room to help people with the cost of living and build more houses," he says."And so our record on the budget is a record of responsible economic management."ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:46pm'All the parties do it': Lambie on text messages from TOPGBy Georgie HewsonLoading...Lambie is asked if unsolicited messages from the Trumpet of Patriots should be banned."All the parties do it. The only thing is that Clive [Palmer] has more money," she says."The only time you see majors come together, doing electoral reform, [is] when it suits themselves and they want to get the independents out."It's filth."Finally, she is asked if this will be her last term in the Senate if she is re-elected."That's it for me, mate. I'll be 60 then.""Sixteen years of Jacqui Lambie. People say that's enough."ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:44pm'Volatile times' make it the 'worst possible time' for a Dutton win: ChalmersCBy Courtney GouldTreasurer Jim Chalmers is everywhere in his morning media blitz ahead of the release of the latest inflation data later today.He's just stepped into the Radio National Breakfast studio, where he again declined to say if Australia had a call locked in with US President Donald Trump this weekend."I'll leave it for others to elaborate on that. Obviously Australia, like every country around the world, is engaging with the Americans right now," he says.OK, it's much the same as the answer he gave to ABC's News Breakfast earlier. But host Sally Sara is not easily deterred.She asks the treasurer to provide more details about the contact the government's made with the White House. Chalmers sticks pretty close to his lines (colleagues are working on this etc) before pivoting to draw a line between the Albanese and Dutton campaigns."Volatile times like this are the worst possible time for a volatile leader like Peter Dutton, and I think that's one of the things that's at stake on Saturday," he says.ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:41pm'People are bored with policies out there': Jacqui LambieGBy Georgie HewsonJacqui Lambie has appeared on News Breakfast this morning, saying decisions on whether to have Welcome to Country ceremonies at Anzac Day events should be left up to organisers.She is asked if she fears Indigenous issues are becoming a political football topic during the final days of the election campaign."I'm surprised this is becoming a hot topic in the last few days, going into the election," she says."It just goes to show how bored people are with policies out there, there's no doubt about it."I would hope that, you know, I would just hope this doesn't get vicious over the next few days or anything like this."There's much bigger issues on the table. One for housing out there, and the cost of living, which is absolutely killing people. And trying to keep our small to medium businesses open [is] really, really difficult and they're not getting a fair go from state or federal government at all."ReactReactCopy linkKey Event2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:36pmDutton hopes for smoother ride on campaign trail todayPBy Pablo Vinales, on the trail with DuttonIt’s a new day and, after the chaos of yesterday, Peter Dutton will be hoping for a smoother ride today in Melbourne. Last night, Dutton appeared on Sky News in the Man Cave, with presenter Paul Murray taking viewer questions for an hour.He spoke on a range of issues, from the cost of living to mental health and defence spending. Dutton again took aim at Labor's economic credentials after the global credit rating agency warned Australia could lose its AAA credit rating. Standard and Poor's has warned both major parties that the ranking is at risk if big spending continues.
A downgrading of that rating would increase the cost of repaying debt.
“We're seeing with the ratings agency now, they're warning that this government spending is going to result in the prospect of a downgrade of our credit rating which, of course, means that we pay more for that $1.2 trillion worth of Labor debt and the interest payments go up." On Monday, the prime minister dismissed the concerns, saying there was no suggestion the credit rating was at risk.ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:30pmCoalition to release long-awaited costings tomorrowCBy Courtney GouldDeputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has confirmed what's been speculated: the Coalition's costings will be released tomorrow.The opposition has been under pressure to explain just how it will pay for its swathe of election promises beyond pre-announced pledges to scrap the Housing Australia Future Fund and the Rewiring the Nation scheme."Not long to wait now … the costings will come out tomorrow. But let's not forget on the matter of costings, Labor has spent $5 billion in 20 days trying to buy this election," she told Sky News."Every single dollar they are wasting is coming from the pockets of a hardworking Australian taxpayer."ReactReactCopy link2h agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:18pmShould we change the law to put a stop to the Trumpet of Patriots texts?CBy Courtney GouldYou've probably received one of the mass text messages from Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots. Chalmers is asked if the Spam Act needs to be changed in order to stop mass text messaging or to force those sending them them to include an opt-out at a bare minimum.The treasurer says banning political parties from texting voters altogether would be "counterproductive" but he'd be lying if he said he thought "deeply about this part of electoral law"."It remains to be seen whether the text messages people are getting from the Trumpet of Patriots crowd is helpful or harmful to their prospects," he says."My job is to focus on the economy."ReactReactCopy linkShow more postsPosted 3h ago3 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:34pm, updated 7m ago7 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 12:08amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)TimelineRead nextCommentsTimelineKey EventsLatestPM says he'd be happy to ban election texts1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:03pmPM denies Penny Wong suggested a resurrected Voice was inevitable1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:55pmDoes the PM have a phone call planned with Trump?1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 10:41pmDutton hopes for smoother ride on campaign trail today2h ago2 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:36pmChalmers responds to reports Trump will take Australia's call soon2h ago2 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 9:17pmClare O'Neil says she did 'not make any request' for Hubei Association assistance3h ago3 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:56pmAnthony Albanese to deliver 11th National Press Club address3h ago3 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:40pmTop StoriesAustralia faces a 'lonelier' world with rules-based order crumblingTopic:National SecurityPhoto shows Two men wearing glasses and suits behind the backdrop of the world map.Data shows shift in views towards Australia's relationship with US and ChinaTopic:Foreign AffairsThere's a reason Dutton can't resort to a scare campaign with older AustraliansAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbHolmes à Court fuels movement that denies he'll have seat at the tableTopic:Political Parties and MovementsFinal campaign dash as Albanese sweats on Dutton suburban fightbackTopic:ElectionsJust InNationals candidate Andrew Lethlean under pressure over lapsed liquor licenceTopic:Elections15m ago15 minutes agoWed 30 Apr 2025 at 12:00am'Foal beats coal' in land use fight that divided a communityTopic:Coal50m ago50 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:25pmAlleged triple-murderer Erin Patterson's trial over mushroom lunch beginsLIVE53m ago53 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:23pmAmbulance Victoria admits to second illegal COVID-era gatheringTopic:Emergency Services58m ago58 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 11:17pmMore Just InBack to top