Australian politics and news recap: Richard Marles hoses down Russian base rumours, saying it’s ‘not true’

Anthony Albanese says he is leading the most united Labor team he has ever seen in his career, as he doubles down on his ambition to seek a third term should he be re-elected on May 3.

The comments come after The Nightly exclusively revealed Mr Albanese’s plan to fight a third election in 2028 if he was successfully returned next month.

“I’m not looking over my back. I’m looking forward. And we have an incredibly united caucus,” he said.

Asked whether it was hubristic and whether he would try and beat Bob Hawke’s record, Mr Albanese reiterated that “if elected, I’ll serve a full term”.

“I think that’s what the Australian people would expect of me. And that is the context of that answer. I’ll tell you what - I don’t take anything for granted on May 3,” he said.

“I’m trying to climb the mountain here. I’m trying to be the first prime minister since John Howard in 2004 (to be re-elected) - it’s been 21 years, we’ve had a revolving door. I don’t think, objectively, that’s in the interests of Australia.”

The unexpected revelation comes as the Prime Minister fights for his political life after a poor first-term, clawing back his popularity poll by poll.

​Read the full story here. ​

Peter Dutton has shared a laugh with Seven News federal political correspondent Tim Lester while speaking at his press conference in outer Melbourne on Tuesday.

Helding it sunny conditions outside in a housing development, several journalists donned hats as they listened to Mr Dutton and his shadow housing minister Michael Sukkar spruik Coalition’s housing scheme.

Appearing self-conscious of the cameras which frequently film journalists asking questions in the press pack, Lester had taken off his wide brim hat when Mr Dutton stated his speech.

“Tim, well you were sunsmart. Where’s your hat? Because we were going to reward you with the first question,” Mr Dutton said, appearing

Lester replied with “it’s not ready for national exposure” before putting his hat back on and asking the first question of the day.

Peter Dutton has said there’s “no question” that the Coalition are “underdogs” in the upcoming Federal election but has maintained it’s the best party to lead the country through uncertain times.

The opposition leader was asked “Are you happy with the trajectory of the campaign from the Coalition so far?” as he marked the mid way point of the election on Tuesday.

“Look, we’re an underdog in this election. A first-term government hasn’t lost since 1931. That much we know. It’s hard to win after one term,” he told media shadowing his campaign.

“We have to make sure we work hard every day between now and the election.

“I believe we can win the next election but we are the underdogs, no question.”

Mr Dutton said he had confidence in the Coalition’s suite of cost-of-living measures, such as his housing scheme, fuel excise cut, gas reservation policy and axing of Labor car tax, would make Aussie lives better and wash well with voters.

He accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of running scare campaigns across the election because he had nothing to show for his three years in government beyond racking up debt and holding a failed Voice to Parliament referendum.

“The Prime Minister is running a scare campaign because he’s ashamed of his record,” Mr Dutton said.

“Australians know in their pockets they have been hit hard by Anthony Albanese’s lies and deception.

“For some, it started with the Voice. And continued every day right up to this very day.

“We will make sure we get our country back on track. That’s what we focus on doing.”

In the lead up to the May 3 poll, Coalition has been trailing behind Labor.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has slammed the Greens for planning a rave on Anzac Day and called the Prime Minister “weak” for their relationship with the minor party.

Asked on Tuesday in outer Melbourne, Mr Dutton said it was inappropriate that Greens leader Adam Bandt was planning the Perth DJ event on such a sacred Australia day.

“It’s completely inappropriate and reflects the values of the Greens,” he said.

“The Greens have complete contempt for our defence Force personnel.

“They want to strip money from the Australian Defence Force.

“The Greens of course would be the partners in government with Anthony Albanese.

“Mr Albanese should condemn these actions.

“Frankly the weak leadership of the Prime Minister… would be a disaster for the economy and for our national security.

“That’s demonstrated again by this reckless action of the Greens.”

Peter Dutton says he’ll likely give his three children a leg up in the property market through the bank of mum and dad.

He made the admission when asked for clarity on Tuesday after dodging questions yesterday about his intentions to support his children.

“I despair at the thought about kids not being able to get into housing,” he said.

“I might be able to help our kids but it’s not about us, it’s about how we can help millions of Australians across generations realise the dream of home ownership like we did, like our parents and grandparents did.”

The flurry of questions came after his son Harry appeared at his Monday press conference and spoke about his plight in saving to get into the housing market under Labor.

The 20-year-old was back on the campaign trail for a second day, joining his father at an outer Melbourne construction site on Tuesday.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has labelled Labor’s housing plan as “a joke of a policy”.

Speaking at a housing development in the peri-urban seat of Hawke west of Melbourne, he answered questions about Labor’s plan to build 100,000 new homes and the option of buying a first home with just a 5 per cent deposit.

“(Regarding) the joke of a policy of the Prime Minister will build 100,000 homes - these are numbers plucked out of the air,” he said.

“We want to get young Australians into houses as quickly as possible.

“I want to make sure that we have a market accessible for young Australians.

“A generation ago prices were not as high as they are now and the disposable income required to service the loan to pay for the mortgage repayments is nowhere near where it is today.

“We have to accept the modern reality, and that means that we have to change the system, and that is exactly what we are doing.”

Mr Dutton’s comments on Tuesday echo his attack yesterday, when he described the Labro housing pledge as “fictional” and the PM a “liar”.

Asked on his nuclear plan during a press conference on Tuesday, Peter Dutton said he was committed to exploring all options.

“It is something we have done a lot of work on. We need to have the latest technology in the system, we need to have gas as an interim,” he said.

“We have spoken about it because the hydrogen dream will not eventuate. The Prime Minister pretends that you can just rely on solar and wind - it does not happen.”

The Coalition aims to construct seven nuclear power plants across Australia, with the first reactor projected to be operational by 2036 and all seven by 2050.

In an exclusive with The Nightly, the Prime Minister says he will seek a third term if he is re-elected on May 3 but flagged a major Cabinet reshuffle, saying regeneration was important.

The unexpected revelation comes as Anthony Albanese fights for his political life after a poor first-term, clawing back his popularity poll by poll.

He is hoping to win a second term and retain the Labor party’s three-seat majority to avoid slipping into minority government.

Mr Albanese’s goal to continue his leadership of the Labor party beyond nine years would bring an end to the decade of Australia’s revolving door of prime ministers that Julia Gillard started in 2010 when she knifed Kevin Rudd for the prime ministership, turning his landslide into a minority that led to Labor’s ejection from office in 2013.

Read the full story here.

Peter Dutton says that Labor has no regard for live export industries and only cares about inner-city Greens voters.

Speaking at a property development site in the outer Melbourne seat of Hawke on Tuesday, Labor had “hung people out to dry” in regional Australia.

“The Labor government has no regard for our agricultural sector, and that is the case to this day. They seek to close the sheep industry down in WA, they seek to close the salmon industry in Tasmania,

“Farmers have suffered long enough under Labor.

“That is a reality because Labor has no connection with people who live in regional communities at all.”

It comes as grassroots pro-live exports campaign Keep the Sheep has been targeting marginal Labor seats during the Federal election campaign.

Shadow housing minister Michael Sukkar says “the truth and Anthony Albanese don’t go together” calling his claim to add 1.2 million homes in five years as a lie.

Speaking alongside opposition leader Peter Dutton in Melbourne’s outer seat of Hawke, he accused Labor of trying to be a “property developer” through their latest housing pledge.

“Anthony Albanese runs around the country lying to Australians about the fact that he’s going to build 1.2 million homes. You cannot believe (him),” Mr Sukkar said.

“You can’t trust the word he says, the truth and Anthony Albanese do not go together.”

“Labor is very happy for you to be a lifelong renter.

“If you want to move into home ownership, you have to vote for your Liberal or National candidate.”

He said the great Australian dream of home ownership has become a “great Australian nightmare” under Labor.