Many voters feel completely powerless in the election process and their engagement with democracy; they talk in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and of not being respected by those in power.
Chris Bowen at the Treasurers’ Debate with Scott Morrison.
AAP/Stefan Postles
Was Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen right to say that the Coalition presided over the most sustained fall in our living standards since records began?
Malcolm Turnbull’s short biographical video on social media talks about being raised by his single-parent father, and the love his father Bruce showered on his son.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Malcolm Turnbull’s video and Bill Shorten’s book are underpinned by the same idea: the love their parents had for them, and that in turn imbued them with the right qualities to become prime minister.
Australia PBO could be more politically active.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Business Briefing: how does Australia’s policy costing agency, the PBO, compare?
The Parliamentary Budget Office is being used to cost policies in this election but could it be more politically active?
While politicians like Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce do the traditional photo-ops, fewer people than ever are taking on farming, which can no longer support vibrant rural and regional communities on its own.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
What are the issues facing rural and regional Australia? The challenges are many and varied – and only some have made the national political agenda – but these areas deserve better than neglect.
Bill Shorten, launching Labor’s childcare policy, inadvertently set off a debate about the major party leaders’ respective feminist credentials.
AAP/Joel Carrett
Amid general agreement that the National Press Club leaders’ debate was a turnoff, literally, Malcolm Turnbull has decided to be Mr Digital Man and organise things his way. The government has negotiated…
Is Pauline Hanson right to suggest that with bombs and stabbings and murders featured nightly on TV that the situation in Australia is growing worse?
AAP/Dave Hunt
A party can have the most brilliantly informed and farsighted policies. But if the protagonists cannot communicate these effectively to the electorate, they will be overlooked.
Malcolm Turnbull speaks to startup owners during an event at Engineers Australia in Melbourne.
Lukas Coch/AAP
It seems easier for Malcolm Turnbull to say he is one, or to be one, than apparently it is for Julie Bishop or Michaelia Cash. Turnbull’s direct answer on Monday to a simple question – “would you describe…
Labor aims to make quality early education and care more affordable for families.
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The Senate reforms and a double-dissolution election means that it is difficult to predict who will be sitting in the upper house after July 2. But you can count on Nick Xenophon being there.
Malcolm Turnbull addresses South Australian Liberal Party members during a speech on Saturday.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The latest Newspoll shows Coalition and Labor on 50-50% in two-party terms, while microparties and independents have increased their support in the past fortnight.
Nick Xenophon, an absolute vote magnet, appears likely to get at least three senators including himself.
Julian Smith/AAP
For those who might feel this election campaign will never end, it is worth revisiting why the voters are enduring eight weeks rather than the normal five. Calling a double dissolution – the specific circumstances…
Bill Shorten visits a childcare centre in Glen Waverley to announce Labor’s new childcare policy.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Labor is arguing that Australia should keep the temporary deficit levy, a tax introduced by the Coalition government to help reduce the budget deficit.