Source : the age
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Peter Dutton has started the day with some light-hearted banter about his “hate media” remarks, advising his radio hosts the best ingredients for an election night party include drinks and not the ABC.
Speaking on Fox FM this morning, Dutton was asked for his tips for a party while watching the votes roll in.
“I think alcohol is the first essential ingredient, I’m sure of that -responsible drinking as well,” Dutton advised.
“But not watching the ABC would be a good start. For any young ones at home, forget the ABC.”
Dutton’s remarks were delivered as a humorous reference to his previous claims that the ABC and The Guardian are the “hate media” and some sections of the media are “so biased, and many of them just activists, not journalists”.
Dutton wrapped up the interview with another tongue-in-cheek remark about the media, explaining that the bus carrying the media contingent covering his campaign became stuck on Monday because of the extra weight gained by reporters during the election.
“They’re drinking and eating too much on the plane, obviously, these journalists, and so there’s extra weight on the bus, and that’s the only explanation,” he said.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s travelling media bus got stuck on a cycle lane on Pitt Street.Credit: James Brickwood
Treasurer Jim Chalmers appeared on ABC News Breakfast this morning, and was asked how much contact the federal government has had with the White House following Donald Trump’s comments that they “are calling”.
“We’ve made it really clear for some time now that we’re engaging with our counterparts in the US, as the Australian people would expect us to,” Chalmers said.
“We’re speaking up for, and standing up for, our national economic interest. That’s been the case for some months.”
Chalmers told Nine’s Today show they were “very serious issues having a big impact on the global economy”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers yesterday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Chalmers was also asked whether he would want to stay on as treasurer if Labor is re-elected, and replied that he would “love to”.
“But … I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what my job would be after Saturday,” Chalmers said. “We’re very focused on sprinting to the finish these last few days of the election campaign.”
Labor has welcomed the news that US President Donald Trump has said he “will be talking to” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Employment Minister Murray Watt responded to the comments in an appearance on Nine’s Today show.
“It’s obviously a positive development that president Trump has said this this morning, and we have to take him at his word on that,” Watt said.
“We look forward to being able to continue the engagement we’ve had with the American administration about the tariffs that we think are totally unjustified.”
Watt said there had been talks at various levels, particularly ambassador and official level – “especially because we’re during caretaker mode at the moment”.
“Of course, the prime minister spoke to President Trump about these matters some time ago,” he said.
“We look forward to re-engaging at that level, and we’ll be making a very strong case that these tariffs shouldn’t be applied to Australia.”
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash said Albanese “cannot get a call with the American president”.
“I think what it also shows is there is no relationship between this government and our greatest ally in the United States,” Cash said.
She said if the Coalition is elected, they “look forward” to speaking with the US government.
Asked about Labor’s lead in the polls, Cash said the only poll that matters is the one on election day.
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation says a move to prop up Coalition candidates in key seats is designed to stop Anthony Albanese retaining power, as rising support for the right-wing party gives the Coalition hope of upset wins in Labor heartland seats on the minor party’s preferences.
Hanson placed the Coalition second on how-to-vote cards in about a dozen seats, including Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s, after the Coalition preferenced One Nation in 57 seats in a departure from previous attempts to lock out the minor party.
Senator Pauline Hanson in February.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Hanson said the movement toward One Nation, being picked up in published and major party polling, showed its messages were resonating with voters as her chief of staff, James Ashby, said there had been no quid-pro-quo with Dutton.
“People are saying, ‘You’ve been warning us for years’,” Hanson said, as her party’s primary vote rises in polls from the less than 5 per cent it recorded at the 2022 election. “On high migration, the tipping point for a lot of people was under the Albanese government.”
Read more here.
It is too soon to declare whether Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton has won the election, but there is no doubt about who has lost the campaign.
The opposition leader has fallen badly behind in the final Resolve Political Monitor before the election, and he has very little time to climb back into contention.
Victory for the Coalition is not impossible, but it will take a bigger miracle than Scott Morrison gained as prime minister at the 2019 election.
Voters thought Dutton and the Coalition were the best choice to lead the country as recently as February, but everything changed when the formal campaign began at the end of March. His lead evaporated when voters focused on the two options.
Read more of David Crowe’s analysis here.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he is aware the Australian government has been trying to contact him to discuss trade – and that he is yet to take Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call.
“They are calling, and I will be talking to him, yes,” Trump told this masthead and Nine News on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) when asked whether he would speak to the Australian prime minister.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he leaves the White House.Credit: AP
He made the comments as he departed the White House for the US state of Michigan, where he will hold a rally marking his first 100 days back in office.
Albanese has been under pressure from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his failure to secure another phone call with the US president following their conversation in February.
During that call, Trump agreed to consider an exemption on tariffs for Australian steel and aluminium, but ultimately granted no country relief. Australia was also hit with a 10 per cent universal tariff in April, along with the United Kingdom and many other US allies.
Read more from our North America correspondent Michael Koziol here.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the 2025 federal election, as May 3 nears.
I’m Sarah McPhee, and I will be helming the blog into the afternoon.
Saturday’s election is days away for Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.Credit: James Brickwood, Alex Ellinghausen
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is starting today in Melbourne, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will address the National Press Club in Canberra.
