PM, Albanese return after Easter lull

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will head to Western Australia, while Labor leader Anthony Albanese will start the campaign day in Brisbane as the federal election campaign returns to full throttle.

Monday marks a ramping up of campaigning after a pause for Easter, with the coalition announcing a price cap lift for its home guarantee scheme.

First time homeowners unable to put together the minimum 20 per cent deposit themselves will from July 1 be able to secure a government-funded guarantee to homes valued at up to $150,000 more than the current cap.

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In capital cities and regional centres the existing cap will lift by $100,000, with NSW’s hopeful homeowners, for example, able to set their sights on a $900,000 home in Sydney in the 2022-23 financial year, compared to $800,000 in 2021-22. The cap will lift by $150,000 in other parts of the state.

Mr Albanese will start Monday in Brisbane as he treks across marginal Queensland seats where Labor hopes to plug the Sunshine State as a key part of its agenda if elected.

Labor is also announcing it will examine how to expand the reach of radio station Double J into the bush.

The move is a reaction to what the party says are industry calls to help improve access to the broadcasts in regional areas and expand the audience for up and coming Australian artists.

Mr Albanese, a radio DJ in his youth, made the announcement before a Sunday evening appearance at music festival Bluesfest alongside rock legend Jimmy Barnes.

New polling shows Mr Morrison ahead as the choice for preferred prime minister with 38 per cent, against 30 per cent for Mr Albanese, a sharp turnaround on the Labor leader’s 37-36 margin of two weeks’ ago.

The Resolve Strategic poll for The Sydney Morning Herald / The Age also showed Labor’s primary vote down four points to 34 per cent, with the coalition up one to 35 per cent.

The figures follow an Easter Sunday where Mr Morrison suggested a taxpayer-funded settlement to a former staffer of embattled MP Alan Tudge was unrelated to abuse allegations she had made against Mr Tudge.

Mr Morrison put himself at arm’s length from the process on Easter Sunday after the ex-staffer, Rachelle Miller, called for details of her $500,000 payout to be made public.

It was believed the payout was related to claims by Ms Miller that Mr Tudge was emotionally, and on one occasion physically, abusive towards her.

Mr Tudge, who stepped aside as education minister when the allegations surfaced, has denied the claims. The prime minister has not ruled out the MP returning to his role.

Mr Morrison said the payout was not related to Mr Tudge, saying he would only get briefed by the Department of Finance, who issue the payout, if it involved a minister.

“I can assure you absolutely that no such reference has been made to me,” Mr Morrison said.

Mr Morrison also spruiked his replacement for outgoing Health Minister Greg Hunt, with Social Services Minister Anne Ruston named heir apparent if the coalition wins the May 21 election.

Labor pounced on Mr Morrison’s choice, pointing to old comments by Senator Ruston where she said Medicare was “not sustainable”, with Mr Albanese warning of possible cuts to the scheme.

Senator Ruston said her comments dated back to 2014 and the government had been “clear” since that it would not be making funding cuts to Medicare.

PM, Albanese return after Easter lull
Independent Information