Federal election: Scott Morrison says 'this election is about you', Anthony Albanese says he wants to 'restore faith' in politics

That's where we'll leave our live coverage for now

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Australia is heading to the polls on May 21, so we'll be bringing you the latest from the campaign across the next six weeks. 

Have a lovely rest of your Sunday, and we'll see you tomorrow. Bye!

Campaign messages coming through loud and clear

The pitches delivered today by both Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese have given us a pretty good taste of what to expect over the next six weeks.

Scott Morrison's message is that the Coalition (Liberals and Nationals) have seen Australia through one of the biggest global shocks, are better at managing the economy - especially in difficult times and that people know what the Coalition stands for whereas Labor is a risk.

On the flip side Anthony Albanese is selling Labor as the party that will improve Medicare, aged and child care, that it has a clearer plan for Australia's future and that the Coalition has wasted its decade in government.

While this is a condensed version of what each leader said, the themes and ideas are very much what we can all expect to hear a lot more of between now and election day. Strap in!

Politics and policy-making during a pandemic

As it did for every Australian, COVID-19 disrupted the last term of parliament, and the way this country's governed, in ways that haven't been experienced outside wartime.

The mood among voters in Box Hill in Melbourne

Many voters in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Box Hill raised climate change as a key issue for them this election.

The multicultural suburb is part of the division of Chisholm, currently held by Liberal MP Gladys Liu.

Mark said he wanted to see stronger federal policies on climate change.

"We do need stronger better policies tackling climate change because we are feeling the effects of it in our urban centres now.”

Another priority for Mark was housing affordability.

"This is an issue that's likely to affect a lot of Australians, and both sides — Labor and the Liberals — need to have better policies going forward to ensure Australians have access to more affordable and better housing."

Rachel also raised climate change as a "critical issue", along with education funding.

"I work in the university sector and I'd actually like to see some proper serious investment in higher education and quality education in this country, and actual support for researchers and good Australian research."

By Christina Cavaleri and staff

A snapshot of Scott Morrison's government

Scott Morrison is the first Prime Minister since John Howard to serve a full term in office, and it's been one hit repeatedly by all-consuming external events.

How voting will work in Australia's most expensive and 'most complex' election ever

The election race is on. With COVID-19 still causing problems and more people voting than ever, here's what the electoral poll will look like.

10 key seats in play for the Greens

Greens leader Adam Bandt says 10 federal seats will be key to his party's plan to strike a power-sharing deal with Labor, should the next election deliver a hung Parliament. 

Mr Bandt says the party's targetting 10 lower house seats across the country, including the key Melbourne seats of Higgins and Macnamara. 

He believes the poll will deliver a minority government, with Labor could be forced to strike a deal with the Greens. 

"For the Opposition to win in their own right they're going to need a swing that they've only got once in the last 20 years," he said. 

"It's very likely outcome that we will be in a power sharing Parliament, and that's certainly going to be the case in the Senate.

"There is going to be a power-sharing Parliament and we've made our position crystal clear, we won't support the Liberals, we want to work with the next government to get climate action, dental into Medicare and tackle the climate crisis." 

By political reporter Stephanie Dalzell

Some analysis of Anthony Albanese's first official campaign pitch

We've just heard from Opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Here's some analysis of his speech from political editor Andrew Probyn:

"Anthony Albanese was quite confident, the declaration that this is our time, that almost Whitlam-esque, and then there was a bit of the negative, that he will be a man of integrity, that he won't go missing, I wonder who is talking about there.

"And then, the big one, and this is the one that will be teased out over the next six weeks: what is this government's agenda? A story that you would think has got something to savour itself given we have had nine years of Coalition government.

"And then Anthony Albanese addressed the other issue about his relative obscurity. He says that absolute nonsense, that unlike the other Labor leaders who have taken government from opposition for Labor, none of them were Deputy Leader or Deputy Prime Minister or acting Prime Minister. Fair point there, he said I am who I am, and declared himself as comfortable in the pub as the boardroom.

"But I think your little quip about him going on about... I really do think that this should be a concern for Labor, the synthesis of message in a political campaign is critical. He had some really good lines there, but unfortunately they were lost in a lot of long retellings.

"He is up against a very capable campaigner in Scott Morrison. Scott Morrison is going to start a long way back but he is not quite as good as Bill Shorten was, or even Tony Abbott about synthesising a political message."

What about jobs in fossil fuel industries?

There's a few key issues heading into the election but one of them is undoubtedly climate change, and what action each party is promising to reduce our emissions.

Labor's policy differs from the government in a couple of ways, including a commitment to reach a 43 per cent reduction by 2030 and more direct investment in renewable energy.

Anthony Albanese was asked then how many jobs he expected would be created in the longterm if the party is elected, particularly for people who are currently in fossil fuel-related industries.

He didn't put a figure on exactly how many jobs would be created, but said it wasn't "either-or" when it comes to jobs in renewables or jobs in resources.

"For example, Rio's alumina operation, they are just outside of Gladtsone, what they are looking at is green hydrogen, they are looking at renewables, looking at not just because of the impact on emissions, they are looking at it because it drives down the costs.

"What business has been saying in this country for a decade now is they are crying out for leadership. They are crying out for certainty." 

He did say earlier that Labor's net zero plan would see a total of 604,000 new jobs created as a result.

Will Albanese be one of Australia's more left-wing Prime Ministers if elected?

Reporter: You are a passionate member of Labor's left faction, do you think you would be one of Australia's more left-wing Prime Ministers if elected?

Albanese replies:

"I am who I am. I am a working-class lad from my background, I've been shaped by it, I am someone who I believe is very much in touch with mainstream Australia.

"I'm comfortable in a board room and I'm comfortable in a pub. I would say there is no-one in the Parliament who has closer credentials and more friends in senior members of the business community than myself on either side of politics."

How much will the multinational tax crackdown make?

Taxes, and who is or isn't going to put them up, is going to be a big part of this election campaign.

Labor says the only taxes it'll be raising are for big multinationals, but how much money that'll make is still unclear.

When asked what the dollar figure would be, Mr Albanese responded:

"We will put out more information over the campaign about multinational tax changes," he said.

Mr Albanese was also asked if he could put a dollar figure on some of his policies.

He said Labor has costed its policies, including $2.5 billion over four years for aged care and a fully costed plan to get to net zero by 2050.

Will we be seeing more of Anthony Albanese's partner during the campaign?

So far the Prime Minister's wife, Jenny, has been a big part of Scott Morrison's campaign. Anthony Albanese's partner, Jodie, was with him this morning at the Royal Easter Show, so will we see more of her in the next six weeks?

"I told her I was going to the Easter show and she was keen to come. She is an independent woman, she will come to some things on the campaign," Albanese says. 

Are people sick of politics?

The Opposition Leader has also been asked about one of the comments the Prime Minister made earlier, that "people are sick of politics".

Anthony Albanese argued instead of being sick of politics, people are sick of this government.

"I think Australians want a government that does its job," he said.

"It doesn't always blame someone else, it accepts responsibility. 

"As well as saying I think that a government seeking a fourth term and a second decade in office, is this really as good as it gets?"

If Albanese win government, will the opposition frontbenchers stay in the same position? 

"It's expectation that the frontbench will serve in the same position is that they are in now," Albanese says.

"I'm very satisfied with my frontbench.

"What I found extraordinary earlier on today was the Prime Minister's statement that Alan Tudge is still the Education Minister.

"Well, it just shows the chaos that is there, even when people step aside, they've still got the job. The Prime Minister cannot say who the Health Minister will be.

"The truth is that my frontbench are already contesting at this election. There is not one disappearing. There is no-one withdrawing. And my frontbench, I have absolute faith in and I would expect the starting point would be that they would maintain the same position that they hold now."

But Mr Albanese has potentially left the door open for a shake up if Labor is elected, saying that while he expects everyone will stay in their current roles, the caucus will utlimately decide if his frontbench takes a different shape.

A campaign about policy or character?

First question to Anthony Albanese is whether the election will be decided on character or policy.

He said he plans to engage on the policy debate before taking a swing at the government.

"One of the things that strikes me is the government had an opportunity in their budget to put forward a range of policies that were long-term and all I saw was a budget which they didn't even talk about after 24 hours," Mr Albanese said.

"We have put forward constructive plans, a range of policies out there on industry policy, communications, the economy, the envirnoment, climate change, women's policies, policies on Inidgenous affairs.

"Policies across the spectrum and we will continue to advaocte for them because I do not think it is good enough for us to just stand still."

Anthony Albanese is now taking questions

'I will restore faith in our political system', Albanese says

"If I have the honour of serving as your Prime Minister, I can promise you this — I will lead with integrity and I will treat you with respect. I will restore faith in our political system by getting rid of the waste and warts, and establishing a strong anti-corruption commission.

"I won't go missing when the going gets tough. I will accept the responsibility that comes with high office. I will lead a government that repays and rewards your hard work. A government that reflects the decency and compassion and courage of the Australian people.

"I am humbled to put myself forward as Prime Minister of this great nation. I grew up not far from here in Sydney in public housing, the son of a single mum. I learned the value of a dollar, I learned the importance of resilience.

"But I also learned about the strength of community and the power of government to make a difference to peoples' lives. That experience of overcoming adversity and filling my mother's dreams for building a better life that she enjoyed, it took me into politics and it is what drives me today. It feeds my optimism about this most extraordinary country of Australia.

"Today, I say to my fellow Australians, this is our time, our time to seize the opportunities that are before us, our time to create a better future where no-one is held back and no-one is left behind. I ask for your support on the 21st of May for my team. I am ready, we are ready, and Australia is ready for a better future."

'We can and must do better,' Albanese says

"This government doesn't have an agenda for today, let alone a vision for tomorrow. They demonstrated that in their budget, which was nothing more than a ploy for an election campaign, with one off payments to stop when the votes are counted. They think it will be enough to give them a second decade in office.

"We can and we must do better. The pandemic has given us the opportunity to imagine a better future, and that Labor has the policies and plans to shape that future. Fear can be a powerful emotion, and I imagine there will be quite a bit over the next few weeks, but I want to appeal to your sense of optimism and desire for a better future, one where there is more work and better paying jobs, stronger Medicare, cheaper childcare, a future made here, revitalising Australian manufacturing.

"We can be a renewable energy superpower that uses cheap, clean energy through our national reconstruction fund. We can train Australians for those new jobs with our plan for more university places and 465,000 fee free TAFE places. We will end the climate wars. We will be more self-reliant as the country we need to be. It will make us more secure at home and abroad.

"I know many Australians are doing it really tough. I also know the price of everything is going up but income isn't. Labor's plans are aimed at easing cost of living pressures. We will build more affordable housing, we will fix the crisis in aged care. We will fix the National Broadband Network. And we will bring the country together again.

"Businesses big and small, employers and unions, states and the Commonwealth. More secure jobs, stronger Medicare. Cheaper child care, making our future here. That is my plan and Labor's plan."

Anthony Albanese is now giving his first press conference of the election campaign

"My fellow Australians, their selection will determine whether we can come together to build a better future. We can see that opportunity, but you have to vote for it," he starts. 

"That is what this election is about, building a better future. We are a great country, but we can be even better if we have a better government.

"We have had a difficult couple of years. Australians have been magnificent in making sacrifices to overcome the challenges of the pandemic, the floods, the bushfires. It has shown the strength of our society but it has also shown our vulnerabilities of our economy and where we need to make improvement. As we emerge from this, Australians deserve better."