Australian politics and news recap: What you need to know about Liberal and Labor campaign launches

Today marks a year since Australia’s worst mass killing in nearly a decade claimed the lives of six people at a Westfield shopping centre in Sydney’s Bondi Junction.

Joel Cauchi, 40, injured at least another 10 people including an infant before being shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott minutes later.

Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, were killed in the attack on April 13, 2024.

The community’s response in the days after the attack and photos from a candlelight vigil have been included on commemorative display boards temporarily installed in nearby Oxford Street Mall.

The shopping centre’s owners will place a floral tribute inside the centre.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Governor Margaret Beazley will lay flowers at the scene on Sunday along with local mayor William Nemesh and other officials.

Welfare support officers will be available as the community is invited to reflect on the tragedy.

​Read the full story here.​

Peter Dutton is gearing up to announce a one-off $1200 tax cut for Australians earning up to $144,000 a year.

The $10 billion policy is aimed at middle-income earners to assist with cost of living pressures

“Our Cost of Living Tax Offset will put more money back into the pockets of millions of Australians at a time when they’re being crushed by skyrocketing grocery bills, rent, mortgage repayments and insurance costs,” Mr Dutton said.

“The Coalition is stepping up with a plan that provides real help.”

First-home buyers won’t have to save for as long or pay tens of thousands for mortgage insurance under a major Labor pitch to young voters that also comes with a $10 billion promise to directly build new housing just for them.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will unveil the mammoth housing promise at his national campaign launch in Perth today, saying the moves will help fix a housing crisis that’s been a generation in the making.

“I want to help young people and first-home buyers achieve the dream of home ownership,” he said.

“We have a plan to get more Australians into their own homes — this is in stark contrast to Peter Dutton who wants to cut billions from housing.”

​Read the full story here.​

It’s official!

Today we will see the Labor party and Coalition officially launch their campaigns for the 2025 Federal Election.

Anthony Albanese will be in Perth for their gala event and Peter Dutton has made his way back to Sydney to make his launch speech.