Health News at Your Fingertips

Peter Hannam has expanded on that earlier news from the Reserve Bank of Australia on wages:

Josh Taylor

There was a minor security incident at Melbourne airport this afternoon after a passenger left a bullet in their bag.

It was picked up through the standard security screening, and led to a shutdown of one of the security screening lanes for a short time on Friday afternoon. There were reports of flights also being delayed as a result but an airport spokesperson said they were not aware of any issue with flights as a result of the incident.

We heard earlier that Labor is dumping its plan for superannuation paid on parental leave. Josh Butler’s here with some of the reactions:

Oh. Wow.

It’s called Voting 101, but humiliatingly it contains things I did not know. Nup, not saying what. Matilda Boseley on the parties battling for your vote:

Amy Remeikis brought you the latest on Labor’s position on live sheep exports earlier – leader Anthony Albanese said they’ll continue the summer ban, and consult with the states on the rest, so there’s no timeline, and possibly not even a full ban on the cards. I have nothing new to bring you except this AAP headline on the story:

Labor woolly on live sheep export policy.

(Apologies if you’re not a pun person.)

And because it’s Friday, please enjoy this throwback gaffe. It’s brought to you by the fabulous Huw Parkinson (you may know him from that little politics show, Insiders):

Thanks, Amy Remeikis – and people, look out for that video. It’s an excellent way to get across the main issues if you (for whatever wild reason) don’t spend your life watching the minutiae of this campaign.

The campaign is going to rev up over the weekend with another debate between the leaders planned for Sunday night on the Nine Network – after a show about Lego. So it will start just before 9pm.

Still, the clips of the debate will matter as each leader beds down in the trenches for all those undecided voters.

But Sunday may as well be a week away given how this campaign is running. Tory Shepherd will take you through the news for the rest of the afternoon as I prepare your week four campaign catch up video – make sure you check back for updates and I’ll see you on Monday morning. Until then, please – take care of you. Ax

The Labor campaign is headed to Parramatta.

Scott Morrison continues to campaign in Perth.

Here are the latest coronavirus case numbers from around Australia on Friday, as the country records 30 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

• Deaths: 1
• Cases: 1,053
• In hospital: 66 (with 5 people in ICU)

NSW

• Deaths: 7
• Cases: 10,995
• In hospital: 1,499 (with 54 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

• Deaths: 1
• Cases: 381
• In hospital: 46 (with no people in ICU)

Queensland

• Deaths: 11
• Cases: 7,040
• In hospital: 463 (with 15 people in ICU)

South Australia

• Deaths: 1
• Cases: 2,874
• In hospital: 221 (with 10 people in ICU)

Tasmania

• Deaths: 0
• Cases: 1,107
• In hospital: 46 (with 2 people in ICU)

Victoria

• Deaths: 9
• Cases: 10,305
• In hospital: 502 (with 31 people in ICU)

Western Australia

• Deaths: 0
• Cases: 9,328
• In hospital: 282 (with 9 people in ICU)

There have also been comments about the disconnect between what is being reported on as part of the campaign, and voters’ concerns.

Paul Karp has looked at an ANU poll that examined voter priorities:

Reducing the cost of living and fixing the aged care system are voters’ two top priorities for the 2022 federal election, according to a new Australian National University poll.

The survey of more than 3,500 people found those two issues transcended the political divide with more than 60% nominating them as top priorities, ranking ahead of issues of more concern to Coalition voters, including defence against terrorist attacks and reducing crime.

A majority of voters also nominated strengthening the nation’s economy (54.4%), reducing the cost of healthcare (53.5%) and dealing with global climate change (52.8%) as top priorities for the federal government.

The findings come as Labor prepares to enter the final fortnight of the campaign with a negative ad spree targeting Scott Morrison’s handling of the economy.

There have been some questions about how the UAP vote will go outside of Queensland.

Here’s one look at the UAP’s vote in the seat of Cowper:

From a national standpoint, SA senate candidate Nick Xenophon has been fairly low key as he seeks to re-enter the parliament he left just a short few years ago.

But he had a few things to say about Facebook today:

The government made a simple deal with Facebook and Google: if you do the right thing by Australian publishers, we won’t regulate you.

But Facebook hasn’t lived up to their commitments and they ought to be regulated.

The News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code became law in March 2021.

The government agreed not to designate Facebook or Google and apply the code to them, so long as they engaged in good faith commercial agreements with Australian news publishers.

When the code was before Parliament, Facebook fought it tooth and nail. They even shut down government health pages during the pandemic to try and bully Australian into submission. Now they are trying to bully small publishers by using their content, and profiting off their work, without compensation. It’s just not on.”

That is about this story:

Xenophon wants Facebook to be part of the mandatory bargaining code.

This is very sweet

One of the reasons Scott Morrison was asked what his party could offer younger voters was because there is another climate strike protest in Sydney today.

Protesters are calling Politicians to #FundSolutionsNotPollution and are demanding an end to fossil fuel handouts and political donations as well as continuing to demand:

• Net zero by 2030, which means no new coal, oil or gas projects.
• 100% renewable energy generation and exports by 2030
• The funding of a just transition and job creation for all fossil fuel workers and their communities