Labor’s strong showing in its seats and the Liberals’ generally poor performance will be a huge fillip to Bill Shorten.
AAP/Dan Peled
Despite reports Labor might struggle in Braddon and Longman, the byelections delivered a comfortable win in Braddon and a strong one in Longman.
LNP candidate Trevor Ruthenberg, One Nation candidate Matthew Stephen and Labor candidate Susan Lamb.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Dennis Atkins on the Longman byelection
Dennis Atkins, the Courier Mail's national affairs editor, says the result in the Longman byelection is anybody's guess due to preference changes.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull campaigning at a Tasmania factory for Brett Whiteley, the Liberal candidate in the Braddon by-election.
Bob Iddon
On Saturday, five federal seats will have a byelection, with particular attention being paid to tight races in Longman and Braddon. And all have implications for the major parties and their leaders.
The Longman byelection is so tightly contested it has drawn many senior politicians to campaign. Here Labor candidate Susan Lamb is flanked by Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE and Apprenticeships Doug Cameron, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek.
AAP/Glenn Hunt
With the much anticipated Super Saturday byelections on Saturday, the polls in Longman and Braddon still show a very tight race.
Latham appeals to voters not to reward Shorten’s dishonesty.
Daniel Munoz/AAP
Incoming ALP President Wayne Swan has lashed out at Mark Latham as “someone who ratted on battlers” after the former Labor leader’s robo message to Longman voters, authorised by Pauline Hanson".
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten had a rough week last week, and Labor has accordingly taken a hit in the polls.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
More worrying for Labor than Bill Shorten’s bad, though, is Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s rising ratings.
Bill Shorten’s tax cuts compromise follows a fierce backlash from business and an outcry from some senior colleagues.
AAP/Joel Carrett
Labor’s compromise will allow firms with turnovers under $50 million to keep the tax cut that will be in place at the election.
The insults have becoming increasingly personal, but they don’t always work.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Creating epithets for political opponents has a long history in Australia – and when it works, it can be devastating.
Anthony Albanese is considered the Labor party’s only leadership alternative to Bill Shorten.
AAP/Ben Rushton
Albanese’s speech comes against a background of speculation that Bill Shorten’s leadership could be under pressure if the party performs badly at the Super Saturday byelections.
Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison announce the passage of their income tax package.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
It was a busy week in politics, with the federal government passing its income tax package, more squabbling over the ABC, and all parties gearing up for the July 28 byelections.
Recently, hard-right Coalition MPs have not had as much influence on government policy as they used to, and Malcolm Turnbull is probably benefiting from this.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
While the Turnbull government’s ratings have improved, the focus on its tax policies and the Barnaby Joyce story may be holding back its vote.
Shorten declared the Coalition had “launched the biggest attack on the ABC in a generation”.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Shorten has moved to make the ABC an election issue promising to reverse the Turnbull government’s $83.7 million budget cut and to guarantee funding certainty over the broadcaster’s next budget cycle.
While this is Malcolm Turnbull’s 32nd consecutive Newspoll loss as PM, the past two have been narrow losses.
AAP/Ellen Smith
Polls also have good news for the government, with the two-party preferred gap narrowing and the budget well-received.
Labor’s primary vote was up three points in the Fairfax-ipsos poll. The Coalition’s was unchanged.
LUKAS COCH/AAP Image
Labor continues to hold a 51-49% two-party lead in the wake of last week’s budget.
Bill Shorten delivered his Budget reply speech on Thursday night.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Shorten gave his budget reply speech in less-than-favourable circumstances on Thursday night.
Labor MP Tim Hammond’s resignation has triggered a byelection in Perth, which Labor looks likely to hold.
AAP/Rebecca Le May
Labor holds its two-party preferred lead over the Coalition, but recent momentum has been with the incumbent government.
The Coalition has narrowed the gap with Labor in the latest Newspoll, and Malcolm Turnbull has a 38-35 lead over Bill Shorten as better prime minister.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Malcolm Turnbull may have lost 31 consecutive Newspolls, but the latest result shows a narrowing between the two major parties, and the Coalition’s best performance since September 2016.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud rejected the Shorten call for a suspension.
Glenn Hunt/AAP
Up to now, both government and opposition were anxious to stay in step.
A big difference between the losing streaks of Malcolm Turnbull and former PM Tony Abbott is that Abbott often trailed Shorten as better PM, while Turnbull has always led Shorten.
AAP/Brendan Esposito
Despite the government’s 30th Newspoll loss under Malcolm Turnbull, this week’s polls have been a mixed bag for both sides.
The results of next week’s Newspoll will be eagerly awaited on both sides of the House.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
The Coalition braces for the next Newspoll, while a redistribution gives Labor reason to smile, and the Batman byelection results are finalised.