He’s not a powerful orator; he lacks the velvety intonation and the X factor. He didn’t seek to dominate the room; he sought connections in it, looking for faces, reactions, cues.
Katharine Murphy (again! She’s all over everything today!) on today’s launch:
And some pictures from today’s Liberal party rally in Sydney:
Here’s some of the colour and movement from today’s Labor campaign launch, courtesy of AAP:
Royce Kurmelovs brought you some of the Coalition’s reaction to Labor’s housing plan for shared equity earlier. Katharine Murphy has pulled it together for you here:
The New South Wales government will give Ukrainian refugees free Opal cards with credit as they begin to rebuild their lives.
Transport and veterans minister David Elliott said the NSW Government initiative would provide 250 Opal cards, worth more than $50,000. He said:
Australia stands with Ukraine in its fight for its territorial sovereignty, and its right to peace and democracy.
This State has a proud history of supporting our new migrants and refugees from around the world, and we have welcomed more than 2,500 Ukrainians seeking refuge with open arms.
To leave a life behind to seek safety and shelter in a new country can be very difficult, and providing these Opal cards is a small gesture to help them travel to important meetings and appointments such as medicals, community support groups, and religious services.
Multiculturalism minister Mark Coure said this is another way the NSW Government is alleviating the stress, uncertainty, and anxiety Ukrainians may be experiencing. He said:
We are also continuing to work with the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Settlement Services International, and Federal Government to help Ukrainians not only find safe haven, but gain access to education and healthcare.
On top of that, we have also partnered with the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) to expand its services for those affected by the conflict.
There have been more than 260 funding announcements for new sports facilities in marginal seats according to a new data analysis from Guardian Australia.
Sport-related promises dominate the announcements from both parties, accounting for one-third of Labor’s seat-specific announcements so far and 15% of the Coalition’s announcements.
This makes it the most common announcement category for Labor, and the second most common for the Coalition after infrastructure.
The “sport” category covers any promise relating to sports facilities, infrastructure, team funding, and so on.
The majority of these announcements are in marginal seats, with 70% of the Coalition’s sport-related announcements benefiting a marginal electorate. Labor’s promises are similarly skewed, with 53% going towards close seats.
Check out the full story for the complete analysis.
Over the last few weeks the government has attempted to stop the release of several documents that may prove damaging to its re-election chances.
Independent Senator Rex Patrick says the government is launching an eleventh-hour effort to prevent the release of document about its treatment of Timor Leste during boundary negotiations.
In the Australian Capital Territory, 823 new Covid cases were reported today. There are 69 people with the virus in hospital, and three in intensive care.
In Western Australia, 5,551 new Covid cases were reported. There are 221 people in hospital with Covid in the state, and seven in intensive care.
Also at Josh Frydenberg’s campaign launch:
Earlier today, treasurer Josh Frydenberg spoke at his campaign launch for the seat of Kooyong. He’s under threat in his Melbourne seat from independent Monique Ryan. AAP reports that, amid criticism that he has ignored his electorate, he told the crowd he was “first and foremost… a local member”:
Over the last 12 years, every day I’ve woken up and asked myself, ‘What can I do to support my community?’
According to AAP he said Ryan’s mother-in-law had told him she was voting for him: “She said ‘because you know what you’re doing and you’re a nice person’.”
Frydenberg accused his independent opponent of being “funded like a political party, organised like a political party, running on the Labor party platform”.
Ryan, who wants more ambitious action on climate change and a federal integrity commission, will debate Frydenberg in a Sky News event on Thursday.
South Australia reports two Covid deaths, and 3,070 new cases
Two people have died in South Australia, and 3,070 new Covid cases have been recorded, with 229 in hospital, and 16 in intensive care.
