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Election 2022 LIVE updates: Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese continue campaigns across the nation; Liberal seats under threat from independents

Broede Carmody, Lisa Visentin and Pallavi Singhal
Updated ,first published

Today’s major headlines

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Thanks for joining us today. If you missed them, here are the major headlines from the afternoon and evening:

  • There were 47,750 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths recorded nationally, with 3,145 people in hospital and 130 in intensive care.
  • The Coalition said it would create 1.3 million jobs over the next five years “across the economy”.
  • Labor leader Anthony Albanese denied reports that the party’s deputy leader Richard Marles had told members of the military that he would likely become defence minister if Labor won the election.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles. Alex Ellinghausen
  • Shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh said Labor had no plans to increase JobSeeker payments or implement an independent review of income support rates. However, he said the party would look at other ways to ease financial pressures, including rent assistance and improving social housing.
  • Trans-inclusive women’s football clubs have rebuked a proposed law to ban transgender women from playing female sports teams and say they were not consulted over the bill, which has been backed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Scott Morrison has backed Senator Claire Chandler’s bid to stop transgender women competing in women’s sports.Paul Jeffers, Alex Ellinghausen

Finland to review security and potentially apply to join NATO

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In international news, Finland has begun the process of reviewing its security environment in a move that is likely to lead to an application to join the NATO defence alliance.

The country neighbours Russia, which is expected to ramp up attacks in Ukraine’s east in coming days.

Finland’s government has produced a white paper on changes to the country’s security, which will be sent to parliament and used to debate the issue. Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said an addendum proposing that the country join NATO will be added to the paper if parliament backs the move.

It comes as Finnish technology company Nokia and its Swedish rival Ericsson AB both announced they would suspend business in Russia.

On Tuesday, Nokia said it has suspended deliveries, cancelled new business and would move its research and development activities out of the country. Ericsson AB said on Monday that it would indefinitely suspend business in Russia.

Nearly 47,750 new COVID-19 cases, 40 deaths recorded nationally

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There have been 47,744 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths recorded across Australia.

There are currently 3,145 people in hospital and 130 in intensive care.

As daily numbers fall, the Victorian government is planning to ease a number of restrictions and the federal government’s ban on cruise ships will end later this month.

NSW, Victorian and Queensland health departments have aligned their requirements for cruise ship operators and passengers, which include anyone over 12 being required to be fully vaccinated and to return a negative COVID-19 test before boarding.

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Albanese denies defence minister claims

By Anthony Galloway

Labor leader Anthony Albanese says he hasn’t spoken to Richard Marles about reports he told members of the military top brass that he was likely to become defence minister if Labor won the election.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age today revealed Marles, the deputy Labor leader, told senior members of Defence that would probably take the portfolio under an Albanese government.

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles. Alex Ellinghausen

Asked whether he had spoken to Marles about it, Albanese told reporters in northern Tasmania this morning: “No I haven’t, I haven’t spoken to him. But I’ve answered this on a number of occasions, I will do it again today. The person who appoints portfolios is myself.”

“Either in government, or as I did in opposition, I allocate portfolios. Just because something is written, doesn’t make it fact.”

IR minister stumped on minimum wage

By Angus Thompson

Anthony Albanese isn’t the only politician who’s drawn a blank when tasked with an on-the-spot aptitude test about an aspect of their job.

Earlier this year Industrial Relations Minister Michaelia Cash began flipping through binders when asked during a parliamentary hearing if she knew the amount of the national minimum wage.

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“I can,” Cash said when asked by Labor senator Tony Sheldon if she could name the figure for both a permanent employee and a casual employee, before resorting to pages of material next to her.

When she didn’t find it, she turned around, then rifled through the pages again before her departmental deputy secretary mumbled to her that it was $20.33.

Labor won’t commit to JobSeeker increase or review

By Rachel Clun

Labor has no commitment to increasing JobSeeker payments and has no plan to review it, the party’s shadow assistant treasurer has said, two days into the election campaign.

Dr Andrew Leigh, speaking at an Australian Council of Social Services election forum on Tuesday, acknowledged that living on JobSeeker was hard but Labor was looking at other ways of easing financial pressures for those on the payment.

Shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh.Alex Ellinghausen

“We haven’t committed to an additional increase,” he said.

“I’m aware that an increase took place – it was a modest increase put in place – but certainly living on JobSeeker is a challenge.

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Masks off in Victorian schools after Easter

By Paul Pennay

Victorian health authorities say they expect schoolchildren will not have to wear masks when they return to class after the Easter holidays if COVID case numbers continue as forecast.

Health Minister Martin Foley made the announcement, which was flagged by The Age on Saturday, as part of a series of changes to the state’s pandemic orders that will take effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday.

The new orders also state that vaccination requirements will not apply to any venue when it is operating as a polling place for the upcoming federal election.

The state government said it would continue to monitor and review COVID isolation rules as case numbers begin to plateau, noting a recent statement from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee warning of the potential for disruption to the health system from making changes that would result in increased transmission in the community.

Mr Foley said in a statement: “We currently have the fewest restrictions in place since the beginning of the pandemic, and the sensible settings that are in place can be reviewed following the peak in cases.”

Currently, hospitality workers, primary school students in years 3 to 6 and public transport users are still required to wear face masks. Victoria recorded 10,293 new cases of COVID and 12 COVID-related deaths on Tuesday.

Trans-inclusive football clubs rebuke proposed ban

By Rachael Dexter

Trans-inclusive women’s football clubs have rebuked a proposed law to ban transgender women from playing female sports teams claiming local clubs have happily welcomed transwomen in competition for years.

Major national sporting codes including Rugby Australia, Cricket Australia and Athletics Australia have not been consulted over Claire Chandler’s private members bill, nor lobbied for it.

Scott Morrison has backed Senator Claire Chandler’s bid to stop transgender women competing in women’s sports.Paul Jeffers, Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday re-stated his support for the bill which was first introduced in February.

In response, progressive football clubs in Melbourne on Tuesday labelled the move unnecessary and offensive.

Barnaby Joyce says Australia must ‘become as strong as possible as quickly as possible’

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Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says investing in Darwin and a number of regional capitals is part of the Coalition’s strategy for making the nation “as strong as possible as quickly as possible”.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.Alex Ellinghausen

Speaking in Darwin on Tuesday, Joyce said:

The reality is, China is moving down militarily and we see now with them trying to start a base in the Solomon Islands. We wish that was not the case and it is not just there, we have seen moves in other areas.

We must become as strong as possible as quickly as possible. It is no good saying it, you have to do it. You do that by earning export dollars and you invest in the areas where you make the money and you have the greatest potential to make money for your nation in the future.

We invest in the Pilbara, we invest in the port of Newcastle, we invest in Townsville, we invest in Gladstone, we invest in Bundaberg and we make a massive investment right here in Darwin. We know how this nation works. We have a vision for it.

I will close in saying this: We talked about this two weeks ago, a fortnight ago. The Labor Party, you would think if they had the same vision for Territory - they have had two weeks to catch up and come out and say we’re not quibbling about this, good idea, we are part of that too and we will do it as well but they haven’t.

They have got the same understanding about Darwin as they have for the unemployment rate and that is unfortunate. We want this to be a position where we drag the Labor Party in as well and they are part of this. But they don’t.

I think their ideas about the NT are also about 3,200km away and we have got to make sure that we show the Australian people the greatest opportunity so that they give us the great honour of being able to represent them again so we can develop this and drive our nation forward to be as strong as possible as quickly as possible.

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Howard walks back on ‘so what?’ comments

By Hamish Hastie

Former prime minister John Howard has backtracked on his “so what?” comment he made in response to Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese not knowing the national unemployment rate.

At a leadership breakfast at Crown Perth on Tuesday morning Howard was asked why he was unfazed by Albanese’s inability to correctly identify the national unemployment and interest rates at a press conference on the first full day of the campaign.

Former prime minister John Howard.Alex Ellinghausen

Howard said “context was everything” but the Labor leader should have known the figures.

“He should have known that figure, let’s not muck about, he should have and anybody who wants to be prime minister should be on top of those figures,” he told the crowd.

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