Australian news and politics recap April 2: Howard says US President Donald Trump ‘not a real conservative’
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Key Events
Albanese admits he’s snoozing as early as possible on the campaign trail
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he’s been prioritising his sleep on the election campaign trail.
Speaking to morning NOVA Melbourne the Labor leader said he goes to bed as “early as possible”.
“I’m getting to bed as early as I can,” he said.
“I try to get to bed by 9.30-10pm, if possible, and get up pretty early.”
He also revealed he’s maintained his pause on drinking.
“Yeah, (I’m) pretty boring at the moment,” he said.
PM says he’s working to steady Australia’s slipping birth rate
As Australia’s birth rate plunges to record lows alongside other nations, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the key to giving young people more confidence to start or expand their family was economic “productivity, participation, and population”.
“We have been aiming at all three. The government is conscious about it,” he said, speaking in Melbourne on Wednesday.
“Part of the reason why we have concentrated so much on childcare.
“We wanted to make sure that part of that is driving up participation in the workforce. But also, people having the confidence.
“All of these measures have been aimed at encouraging population growth through an increased number of births, which are important.”
PM argues Labor best choice for to help low paid workers in feminised industries
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australians in feminised industries have been “undervalued” and has argued Labor will be a government for minimum wage workers.
“For people in the care sector who look after our youngest Australians and those who care for our older Australians, simply weren’t being paid enough,” he said.
“Those feminised industries were undervalued.
“It’s very clear we want a real wage increase, but we want it to be economically sustainable.
“We want a real wage increase. It’s a pretty simple choice which Australians face.”
‘Higher wages, lower taxes’: Albanese supports ‘real pay rise’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to put forward a submission to the Fair Work Commision to have minimum wage incresed.
“Last campaign I was in Victoria, here in Melbourne, where I held up a $1 coin repeatedly,” Mr Albanese said.
“Because when asked would I support a pay increase ifthe Fair Work Commission determined it, I said absolutely.
“The coalition at that time said that must be a mistake because the sky would fall in.
“I absolutely meant it.
The Prime Minister said Labor will support the push for a payrise for the 3 million Ausrtralians on award wages.
“We know they’re doing it tough. That’s why we want to support a real pay increase for those workers in our country.”
Fury over detainee’s 26 visa breach charges
Labor has come under fire after bombshell details of a High Court detainee allegedly breaching his visa 26 times before he was shot by police and arrested in a separate incident emerged in court, with the Coalition expected to focus heavily on national security during day five of the federal election campaign.
Sudanese refugee Masi Ayiik, 33, was shot in the left armpit by police in Melbourne about 10.30am on Saturday after he allegedly chased officers 30m while armed with a metal pole.
Mr Ayiik returned before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, seeking bail on charges including resisting police, assaulting police and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.
The court was told following his release from detention in November 2023 as part of the landmark NZYQ High Court ruling, he was placed on a Class R visa in February last year with conditions of a 10pm to 6am curfew and to wear an electronic monitoring device.
In that time, Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Eleanor Vallas told the court, Mr Ayiik had been charged with 26 breaches of his visa conditions, mostly relating to alleged breaches of curfew.
Coalition campaign spokesman and home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the revelation “makes a mockery of our immigration system and community safety”.
“Labor continues to preach that they will deport individuals like this to Nauru, and yet they have not a single case to show for it.”
Dutton says he doesn’t ‘need to trust’ Trump
Mr Dutton said he is the prime minister to deal with US President Donald Trump.
“I have the skill set to deal with anything America throws our way,” Mr Dutton told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“I don’t have to trust or distrust the president, I can stand up for our (Australia’s) interest.
“Mr Trump should know I will stand up for our country first and foremost.”
Dutton says ‘the wheels are falling off’ in Victoria
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, a former police officer, says Victoria’s acting top cop not putting his hat in the ring for the role full time shows ‘the wheels are falling off’ in Victoria.
Mr Dutton said that Federal action on knife crime, illegal tobacco trade and other crimes can assist State Governments, however, Labor in Victoria was in trouble.
“We need to accept there is a big role for the Federal Government to play here and that’s what I plan to do,” Mr Dutton said on ABC Radio Melbourne.
The Opposition Leader said there may be more seats at play in Victoria than in any other state, launching a takedown of Labor Premier Jacinta Allen, saying her failure to fund a suburban rail link was “a cruel joke”.
Labor fighting on multiple fronts in battleground state
Anthony Albanese has begun the effort to sandbag seats in Victoria, as Labor tries to boost support through a cost-of-living announcement.
The prime minister landed in the key battleground state on Tuesday afternoon, with more than a dozen of Victoria’s 38 seats under watch.
It was once labelled the “Massachusetts of Australia” by former prime minister John Howard, but Mr Albanese faces a challenge as voters increasingly turn away from the unpopular state Labor government.
Lots of attention will be on the fights in Melbourne’s outer suburbs between Labor and the Liberals, but the government must also contend with the Greens gunning for inner-city seats at the May 3 election.
Bob Hawke’s old seat of Wills in Melbourne’s inner north is being contested by former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam, who hopes to benefit from the well-off progressives in the electorate and large Muslim communities angry over Labor’s position on the Israel-Gaza war.
As the prime minister tries to reinforce his message about the relief his government has already given households - including tax cuts and cheaper energy bills - he will announce support for a rise for low-paid workers.
Labor on Wednesday will make a submission to the Fair Work Commission recommending they give an “economically sustainable real wage” increase to the nation’s award workers.
