| No images? Click here Quote to note“Eberhofer” It’s the new name for a wild boar living at a Bavarian animal park after finding himself on the wrong side of European politics. Originally named Putin, the purebred Russian hog was to be renamed Zelensky until the park manager decided to go in a less controversial direction. Making news this morning1. Labor’s Anthony Albanese won last night’s Sky News/Courier Mail People’s Forum 40-35, and 25 of the 100 attendees remain undecided. Many commentators said it was a close-run thing. 2. Analysts say China won’t waste time sending military ships and aircraft to the region after the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China this week. 3. Swimming star Emma McKeon says she’s against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports because "it’s just not fair". Australia’s most decorated Olympian was asked about the issue that’s keeping the Liberals’ Warringah candidate Katherine Deves in the news at a Griffith Uni forum yesterday. 4. WikiLeaker Julian Assange is a step closer to being extradited from the UK to the US after a court green-lit the case to be sent to Home Secretary Priti Patel for decision. America wants to try him on 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act. 5. Russia has successfully tested the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile overnight. President Vladimir Putin says the nuclear-capable projectile will make Moscow’s enemies “think twice”. Going deeper: The verdict is on the first Leaders’ Debate of the campaignIf you watched the whole debate last night, you’re a bit different/unusual from most Aussies who tuned in to The Voice, Masterchef or Lego Masters. But to recap: the panel of 100 decided voters who were in the room with the leaders at the Gabba in Brisbane gave it 40-35 to Labor’s Anthony Albanese over the Coalition’s Scott Morrison. Another 25 of those in the room said they were still undecided. ● The debate’s most feisty exchanges were over boat turnbacks. Morrison directly challenged Albanese on why he didn’t support them when he was deputy PM to Kevin Rudd in 2013. And on the Solomon Islands, Morrison said Labor was “taking China’s side” – an “outrageous slur,” Albanese said. ● Many of the questions from the audience sat more comfortably in Labor’s space, allowing Albanese to speak with ease about policies on health, the NDIS, an integrity commission, electric cars and affordable housing. What it means: After Albanese’s early campaign stumbles, it was important for the Labor campaign he drew at least level with the PM in this debate, and most commentators judged he did. What’s next: Will there be another debate? There’s no word on that yet from the parties… Foreign policy makes a dramatic entrance into the election campaignIt’s not too often you see other countries become the topic du jour in an Australian election campaign. But the Solomon Islands has signed a security pact with China that Labor’s Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong has called “the worst failure of Australia Pacific foreign policy” since WWII. ● The final copy of the deal hasn’t been released, but a leaked draft agreement suggests China could use the Solomons as a port for its navy and send its police to help deal with the unrest. Note: the Solomons has historically called on Australia for help. ● PM Scott Morrison has defended not sending more senior ministers to lobby the Solomons over the past few weeks, saying you don’t go "stomping around" telling a sovereign country what to do. ● The government is deeply worried about the deal, but defence analyst Malcolm Davis says it’s hard to say if Australia could have done anything to stop it given “the Chinese come in with bags of money and essentially buy out leadership and get what they want”. What it means: It’s a big one for whoever wins office. Davis thinks the Chinese will move quickly to establish a presence in the Solomons, and Australia will need to beef up its defences in response. What’s next: Top US security official Kurt Campbell will visit the Solomon Islands later this week. The State Department says the deal sets a "concerning precedent." Charities get the memo that campaigning is not on Not-for-profit organisations and charities are often in the middle of politics, criticising parties over policies they don’t like or applauding changes that go their way. But there’s a line that charities can’t step over during election campaigns, and it’s caught out the CEO of Guide Dogs Victoria Karen Hayes. She has provided glowing endorsements of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in campaign material he’s been using in his Melbourne seat of Kooyong. ● The Charities Commission wrote to charities when the election was called, warning them not to promote candidates or they risked losing their charity status. ● The Board of Guide Dogs Victoria says it wasn’t aware of what Hayes was doing, and it’s launched an investigation. What does it mean: The Facebook video featuring Hayes and a cute puppy has been removed by Frydenberg. What’s next: Charities Commissioner Gary Johns hasn’t commented specifically on this case but said as a first step, he normally just writes to an organisation with a warning to pull it into line. Quick shotsThe Liberals’ Jadon Atkinson should be disendorsed, according to prominent Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann (PW). The Cooper hopeful from northern Melbourne (ALP/14.6%) is not “fit for office” after praising far-right former senator Fraser Anning as “a god”, Kaltmann says. ‘Teal independent’ Kate Chaney’s uncle Fred says he was concerned (PW) when he learned she was running for office in the seat of Curtin in Perth (Lib/13.9). A former big-time Liberal, Fred Chaney says politics has become "a pretty grim operation", particularly for women. Calls for Shane Stone to resign as the National Recovery and Resilience Agency boss are “politicking”, say the mayors of Lismore and Ballina (PW). The former NT chief minister has been under pressure from Labor to go over comments made earlier this year that homes on floodplains should not be rebuilt. A new ANU report says the end of the China-driven coal boom is coming sooner than expected, and politicians must explain that to mining workers. The report, co-authored by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s son Alex, will be released today (PW). In G20 news, finance ministers have walked out on the Russian delegate as he began speaking at the meeting in Washington DC. And Indonesia is defending its decision to invite Russian President Putin to the leaders’ summit later this year. Russian and Belarusian tennis players will not be able to compete at Wimbledon this year because of the war in Ukraine. That counts out men’s world #2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia and women’s world #4 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. And if you haven’t had enough debate for one day… French presidential hopefuls Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are at it this morning. Follow along live here. Chart of the dayUS Unruly Passenger Data  Masks off aren’t just the order of the day here – the same is now true on US airlines. Delta and United Airlines have dropped mask rules after a US District Court found the mandate wasn’t lawful. It can’t come soon enough for the airlines that have been dealing with a surge of cranky passengers since the start of the pandemic. There were more than 1,000 complaints of disruptive behaviour last year – 10 times more than a decade ago. What’s on today9.30am – United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly announces the party’s candidates for seats in Western Sydney – Parramatta From 10am – Warringah MP Zali Steggall and independent candidate for Wentworth Allegra Spender to address the Fuel Security Summit hosted by the Smart Energy Council 12.00pm – nominations to run in the election close 1.30pm – Scott Morrison to hold a press conference on basketball. Hang on, that would be the Perth Wildcats coach… And happy birthday to Australia’s head of state – Queen Elizabeth turns 96yo *All times in AEST unless noted |
