Part 6 of NoFibs Australian election coverage 2016: @Qldaah #ausvotes #auspol #qldpol

Ongoing coverage of the Australian election campaign for 2016.

Table of contents

Jump to comments section.

Angry shouty treasurer.

Childcare package.

Close race.

Saving Jamie Briggs.

Superannuation rebellion.

.

(June 6, 2016) Day 30 – Angry shouty treasurer

George Christensen referred to AEC

• Nancy Notzon reported, “Federal north Queensland MP George Christensen has been referred to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) by left-wing activist group GetUp over bribery concerns for promising to donate $12,000 to a turtle rescue centre if he is re-elected.”: George Christensen referred to AEC over turtle rescue centre ‘bribery’ donation concerns.

George Christensen referred to AEC over $12k to Libby Barge if re-elected #qldpol #ausvotes https://t.co/Naem8RKReS pic.twitter.com/Md2Byi0tWu

— David Marler (@Qldaah) June 6, 2016

New England votes update

• Heath Aston reported, “Fossil fuel giant Santos has submitted new plans to drill for coal seam gas in the heart of Australia’s richest farming country, the Liverpool Plains – an area inside Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s hotly-contested seat of New England.”: Gas miner Santos has plans to drill for CSG in New England, documents reveal.

Angry shouty treasurer

Turnbull declares himself a feminist

Turnbull to change Fair Work Act

Malcolm Turnbull reflects on his parents

• Tom McIlroy reported, “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has remembered his childhood struggles and the influence of his father in a new ad released at the start of week five of the election campaign.”: Malcolm Turnbull remembers his dad in new campaign ad.

Indi votes update

• Shana Morgan reported, “Jenny O’Connor is not your stereotypical hippie, loony kind of green.The nurse, Indigo Shire councillor and mother says she is just an ordinary person with strong views on social and environmental policies, which should be the real stereotype of the party.”: Campaign veteran Jenny O’Connor in for vote number eight.
• Shana Morgan reported, “Cathy McGowan has declared she can win the seat of Indi by a bigger margin than in 2013. The independent, who beat Sophie Mirabella by just 439 votes last time around, had been cautious in saying she believed the poll would be tight again.”: Cathy McGowan says winning margin to grow.

.@Indigocathy: There will be "no deals" in parliament. @bordermail #indivotes pic.twitter.com/148jmvJeqv

— Shana Morgan (@shana_morgan) June 5, 2016

After school hours childcare

https://twitter.com/ElizaBorrello/status/739594753507876865

Fiona Nash lashing

Nationals Senator Fiona Nash has accused Bill Shorten of “prehistoric language” for using the term “little women” but footage here shows that he did not.

A recent study showed that rising childcare costs make it uneconomical for women to go to work or return to the workforce.

• Alex Beech reported, “Men are stepping up in terms of childcare,” he said.”But the fact of the matter is that the burden of childcare falls disproportionately on working mums.”: Shorten defends ‘men rely on women’ childcare comment.

Cabinet Minister @SenatorNash accuses @billshortenmp of "prehistoric" language on women @abcnews #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/IOKtU1DK6Q

— Anna Henderson (@annajhenderson) June 6, 2016

Is the Turnbull Government seriously suggesting we should pretend that women’s workforce participation doesn’t lag well behind men?

— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) June 6, 2016

Newspoll 2PP 50 percent

• Francis Keany reported, “The latest opinion poll shows both major parties remain locked in a tight race at the halfway mark of the federal election campaign.”: Coalition, Labor in tight race, support at 50pc two-party preferred: Newspoll.

Sorry but Shorten's numbers are woeful pic.twitter.com/LhMjdb2Faz

— John (@John_Hanna) June 5, 2016

Cartoons

the real malcolm @FinancialReview #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/An43pinosU

— david rowe (@roweafr) June 6, 2016

.

(June 5, 2016) Day 29 – Childcare package

Turnbull fights for firefighters

• Josh Gordon reported, “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised new legislation to protect volunteer firefighters amid claims a deal between the Andrews government and the firefighters’ union represents a threat to public safety.”: Turnbull pledges support for firefighters at Melbourne rally.

Tanya Plibersek and the sleeper issue

• Tom Allard reported, “Frustration, she says, is mounting about the slowing of internet speeds as the telecommunications network gets overloaded as households’ consumption of data rises dramatically. Dubbed the “Netflix effect”, the amount of data sucked through the copper-based cable network, much of it driven by streaming services such as Netflix and Stan, has doubled in the past year or so, and continues to rise at record rates.”: Tanya Plibersek and the sleeper issue of the election campaign.

Liberal Party sleight of hand

• Adam Gartrell reported, “Privacy campaigners have accused the Liberal Party of an “appalling” sleight of hand for using what looks deceptively like an official government website to harvest people’s personal information. The Australian Privacy Foundation’s David Vaile says the website, which spruiks the government’s $840 million PaTH to Jobs internship program, appears to be deliberately misleading.”: Liberal Party accused of ‘appalling’ approach to privacy with misleading website.

Increasing childcare cap and benefit

• Nicole Hasham and Jane Lee reported, “The Turnbull government has rubbished Labor’s $3 billion childcare cash-splash including a rise in the annual rebate to $10,000 per child, saying Opposition Leader Bill Shorten did not have “the faintest clue” how he would fund the pledge.”: Labor unveils $3 billion childcare plan to win over families.
• Gabrielle Chan reported, “ALP launches biggest election pledge to date, offering increase in childcare benefit cap from $7,500 to $10,000.”: Labor releases $3bn childcare plan aimed at families on less than $150,000.

Labor will increase the childcare rebate by 15%, which will leave some families up to $31 a week better off. #7News pic.twitter.com/kDTSFOleYE

— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) June 5, 2016

Marriage equality

• Paul Karp reported, “Australian Marriage Equality is campaigning in 30 marginal electorates but it is trying to keep party politics out of the debate by focusing on fairness.”: Campaigners contain the rage in election battle for marriage equality.

Wildlife boost

Meet Poppy! Thanks to @Wildlife_vic for hosting @janet_rice and I to announce $2bn to protect our native wildlife pic.twitter.com/XgpLC3Q8eh

— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) June 5, 2016

Frayed ends of bush loyalty

• Joshua Robertson reported, “Senator pitches himself as honest advocate against governments that he says rode the good times and neglected the industries left over when things changed”: Glenn Lazarus takes his message into mining heartlands – the boom is bust.
• Gabrielle Chan reported, “The National party’s hold on the bush is under renewed threat from independents, Greens and Labor at the 2016 election. But with Barnaby Joyce in combative mode, there’s life in the old farm dog yet.”: Rural Australia at a political crossroads as ties of conservative loyalty fray.

Mentioning Trump

• Insiders ABC reported, “Donald Trump winning the United States election would be “dangerous” for the whole world and even talking about the prospect is “scary”, Greens leader Richard Di Natale says.”: Donald Trump ‘scares daylights out of most people’, Greens leader Richard Di Natale says.

Mentioning the war

• Stephen Koukoulas wrote, “ABS data show private sector business investment and company profits boomed under Labor but have collapsed under the Coalition”: The anti-business Labor hyperbole is wrong. Just look at the facts.
• Guardian Australia reported, “Bill Shorten says priorities are health, education and childcare after being accused of anti-business campaign”: Business Council of Australia accuses Labor of ‘dangerous’ attacks on economy.

Superannuation muddle

.

(June 4, 2016) Day 28 – Close race

Newman Turnbull clash

Wondering if the Crosby-Textor format used in the UK election, the Australian election and the Queensland election is getting a bit old.

Newman says the "strongs" are strong in this one. #ausvotes #qldpol pic.twitter.com/39p116rnpI

— David Marler (@Qldaah) June 4, 2016

https://twitter.com/Bishop64/status/739029194131132416

During the 2015 Queensland election campaign, the LNP famously misspelled “stronger” as “stonger”.

Stong plan, stong team. Stonger Queensland. #ausvotes #qldpol @01micko pic.twitter.com/8uvvRmdI7M

— David Marler (@Qldaah) June 4, 2016

Ah, the "strongs" are back… #ausvotes #qldpol pic.twitter.com/RL3gsIEZwp

— David Marler (@Qldaah) June 4, 2016

Renewable energy

• Paul Karp reported, “The Greens will announce that they will spend $265.2m on community-owned renewable energy projects, including allowing these to generate tax-free profits from the electricity created.”: Greens to spend $265m on community-owned renewable energy projects.

Kids debate

• John Englart reported, “Some probing questions asked by youth reporters live with Barnaby Joyce Nationals Member for New England, Greens Senator Larissa Waters and Labor’s Amanda Rishworth MP at a debate organised by Crinkling News, a new weekly newspaper for youth in Australia”: Kids debate on climate, internships, invasion and treaty, gender pay gap. 

Augmented reality

Footage of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backing corporate tax cuts in 2011 has been circulated in the media. However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as recently as 2015 on ABC 730 expressed budgetary concerns.

 Fairfax Ipsos poll

• Mark Kenny reported, “The Coalition government has slipped behind Labor for the first time since Malcolm Turnbull replaced Tony Abbott, led by a continuing collapse in Mr Turnbull’s once stratospheric personal standing, according to the latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll.”: Fairfax Ipsos poll puts Bill Shorten ahead of Malcolm Turnbull for first time.

Battle for Warringah

• Angela McCormack reported, “It’s VERY likely that former PM Tony Abbott has his seat of Warringah in the bag for the upcoming election. He’s held it for 22 years, the locals love him, and it’s a staunchly blue-ribbon electorate. But he’ll have to swat away a growing number of statistically-doomed underdogs before he seals the deal.”: Meet the student taking on Tony Abbott (and James Mathison).

Nuns deface political poster

• Guardian Australia reported, “Party releases photographs that they say show women ‘hell-bent’ on destroying poster on a Melbourne street”: Catholic archdiocese defends nuns accused of defacing Sex party poster.

Arts restoration

• Gabrielle Chan reported, “Party says it would close Catalyst body established by George Brandis and return remaining money to the Australia Council”: Arts funding: Labor vows to scrap ‘ministerial slush fund’.

https://twitter.com/janeenorman/status/738842723432726528

Bill in Melbourne

https://twitter.com/janeenorman/status/738870875160612864

Mal in Adelaide

• Melissa Davey reported, “Prime minister says ‘now is not the time for a protest vote or a wasted vote’ and warns voters not to return to ‘yet another minority government’.”: Turnbull urges voters to avoid ‘chaos of a hung parliament’.

The room. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/6jBKARNRWN

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 4, 2016

Lib SA team waiting for the PM #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/vy0cT6Jhvk

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 4, 2016

"The jobs of the future are not somewhere else. They are right here in South Australia." *applause* #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/GNVdSoufFR

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 4, 2016

Hansonism hits wall of resistance

• Jamie McKinnell reported, “Pauline Hanson claims to enjoy support from a number of coalition members “behind closed doors”, despite the prime minister’s belief she is not welcome in Australian politics.”: Hanson claims ‘secret’ coalition support.
• Brisbane Times reported, “Pauline Hanson’s Queensland Senate campaign launch has been targeted by rowdy protesters who said they were determined to shame racists.”: Anti-racism protesters target Pauline Hanson launch.

.

(June 3, 2016) Day 27 – Saving Jamie Briggs

Wyatt Roy in trouble

• Lenore Taylor reported, “A Seven Reachtel survey shows innovation minister Wyatt Roy neck and neck with Labor.”: Coalition could lose safe Queensland seat of Longman, poll shows.

Longman to the north of Bris,wedged between Brough & Dutton. 6.9% margin but that Qld swing is on. #qldpol #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/romjlI8JrR

— David Marler (@Qldaah) June 3, 2016

Jamie Briggs says he wasn’t dumped

• Jackson Gothe-Snape reported, “Audio of an exchange between Jamie Briggs and an ABC journalist over whether Briggs was dumped as a Minister or resigned.”

Here's the audio from Jamie Briggs' attack on the ABC. https://t.co/htoM9E6viW #ausvotes

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 3, 2016

Mayo Liberal MP Jamie Briggs was demoted by Malcolm Turnbull. Does he harbour any ill will? #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/UhQ7FTC7rW

— Caitlyn Gribbin (@CaitlynGribbin) June 3, 2016

Mal goes to Mayo

• Gabrielle Chan reported, “Comment comes after Nationals MP committed to raising Coalition’s changes to superannuation in the party room after the election”: ‘I’m prime minister for all Australians,’ says Turnbull, defending super changes.
• Paul Karp reported, “ReachTEL poll shows 23.5% of Mayo voters support independent’s team and with Greens and Labor preferences it could win the seat”: Nick Xenophon team polls well in Jamie Briggs’s South Australian seat of Mayo.

Kimberley Watson, who works in Mayo & whose children go to school here, doesn't rate Jamie Briggs @australian pic.twitter.com/RySgU7ZDBr

— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) June 3, 2016

Two good mates enjoy a quiet stroll in Stirling #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/1nBgDjD8Bj

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 3, 2016

More dog patting on the campaign trail as @BriggsJamie watches on #ausvotes @australian pic.twitter.com/V8bAI4uvQW

— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) June 3, 2016

Turnbull media bus stuck in the Mayo #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/kF58UDhFGP

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) June 2, 2016

The photographers, cammos and one reporter help free the bus #ausvotes @australian pic.twitter.com/Vyj5PgnxoK

— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) June 3, 2016

Bill on the Apple Isle

https://twitter.com/ellinghausen/status/738623635192188928

ABC stoush with Labor

• James Massola reported, “Labor is furious with the ABC over its Vote Compass website, arguing it misrepresents the ALP’s position on election-deciding policies including penalty rates and boat turn-backs.”: Labor in stoush with ABC over Vote Compass.

Cash for candidacy

• Heath Aston reported, “The Liberal Democratic Party of NSW Senator David Leyonhjelm considered entering an agreement to accept $500,000 from an Adelaide businessman in return for making him a lead Senate candidate for the party at the July 2 election.”: Cash for candidacy: Leaked documents show $500,000 offer to become Liberal Democratic senate candidate.

Tony Abbott

• Paul Karp reported, “‘We don’t play footsie with people who would destroy our economy and damage our national security,’ says former prime minister”: ‘Team player’ Tony Abbott says Coalition should not preference Greens.

Nemo found

I don't think I'll be getting sick of this @mearesy picture any time soon. #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/UwVeGkBSp2

— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) June 3, 2016

Defection

• Joshua Robertson reported, “Neil Ennis, who once campaigned with John Howard, says Malcolm Turnbull is beholden to hard right of party”: Former Liberal candidate for Brisbane joins Greens saying he is ‘ashamed of’ party.

Tax cuts modelling way out

• Stephen Long writes, “We’re told that cutting the company tax rate will lead to greater economic output, higher wages and more jobs. But the modelling used to support these claims is based on assumptions that are divorced from reality.”: The strange modelling used to sell company tax cuts.

Action on climate change

• John Englart reported, “The latest Vote Compass data on carbon pricing and climate change shows that Australians want more action on climate change and back carbon pricing. Some 63 per cent of Australians want carbon pricing back and 74 per cent support more government action on climate change. But Coalition voters remain split on carbon pricing.”: Support for carbon pricing at 63 percent, vote compass finds.

Cartoons

 

.

(June 2, 2016) Day 26 – Superannuation rebellion

Super policy frail

• Tom McIlroy reported, “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has faced renewed questioning over the government’s planned changes to superannuation amid reports they could spark a post-election rebellion by Coalition MPs.”: Malcolm Turnbull faces questions over super changes as anxiety grows among Coalition MPs.

Qld abandoned by Turnbull Government

War on growth

• David Wroe wrote, “Treasurer Scott Morrison accused Labor of declaring “war on business” and using “tax as their bullets” at the exact moment the first of two RAAF planes carrying the remains of Australian soldiers touched down on home soil.”: Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull in staggering display of oblivious timing.
• Alex Beech reported, “The national president of the Vietnam Veterans Association has slammed the Federal Coalition’s political references to war as “tasteless in the extreme”.”: Vietnam Veterans Association slams Scott Morrison’s ‘war on business’ comments.

See the @ScottMorrisonMP comments slammed as "tasteless" by Vietnam veterans https://t.co/64h0yk15Vf https://t.co/W6VRFrTHSg

— ABC News (@abcnews) June 2, 2016

Pyne whine time

https://twitter.com/cpyne/status/738143725562384384

https://twitter.com/cpyne/status/738197110978281473

PM’s email leak

• Lenore Taylor reported, “Department apologises for ‘administrative error’, saying matter referred to Office of the Australian Information Commissioner”: PM’s department reveals thousands of women’s email addresses on confidential database.

Bill’s fishing trip

Manager of Claudio's Tony Tsikles put up a pro-Libs sign as the OL @billshortenmp arrived at the Sydney Fish Marketshttps://t.co/e5ljfZO5AO

— Anna Henderson (@annajhenderson) June 2, 2016

Another day, another market. We're at the Sydney Fish Markets with @billshortenmp #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/FuWzkABzyr

— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) June 1, 2016

Chaser stunt creates #ElectionRat

.@tanya_plibersek suggests a naming competition after receiving a rat at the Sydney fish markets #electionrat https://t.co/bMxzYBZ28U

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) June 2, 2016

He's safe at home now with some nuts, zucchini, and banana to snack on. @ursulaheger

— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) June 1, 2016

Cartoons

Over the top https://t.co/ej3vF336Iu pic.twitter.com/ns6bCf5H9R

— David Pope (@davpope) June 2, 2016

David Rowe's cartoon gallery @roweafr #auspol https://t.co/htbq78s2Dc pic.twitter.com/Kpvar3TTfx

— Financial Review (@FinancialReview) June 2, 2016

-Ends

.