Labor nosed ahead of the government in the latest Newspoll but Michelle Grattan tells Stephen Parker this won’t necessarily translate into an election loss for the Coalition.
The prospect of a double dissolution firmed as some of the Senate crossbenchers signalled their unwillingness to compromise on the government’s industrial relations legislation.
Against this backdrop, Malcolm Turnbull took a strong stand against ethical lapses in the banking sector, while Labor stood to announce a royal commission.