Australia election 2025 live: Albanese calls Dutton’s Aukus comments ‘irresponsible’
Albanese says Dutton’s comments on Aukus ‘irresponsible’
Peter Dutton said earlier today he had “huge concerns” about the Aukus deal under Labor.
Asked to respond to this, Anthony Albanese initially said this was a question for Dutton, then said:
That’s an irresponsible comment, frankly, for Peter Dutton to make.
Key events
Sarah Basford Canales
Dutton to stop at seventh petrol station in eight days
It’s another day on the Peter Dutton media bus and that means another petrol station stop.
We’re in Canning Vale in Perth where we’re dropping for another fuel stop. This marks the seventh bowser visit in eight days.
This station is in the seat of Tangney, which the Liberals are hoping to claw back from Labor after they lost it to them at the last election.
Dutton will be joined by the Liberals candidate, Howard Ong, and Liberal senator, Matt Smith.
This is some high-octane stuff.
Albanese says Dutton’s comments on Aukus ‘irresponsible’
Peter Dutton said earlier today he had “huge concerns” about the Aukus deal under Labor.
Asked to respond to this, Anthony Albanese initially said this was a question for Dutton, then said:
That’s an irresponsible comment, frankly, for Peter Dutton to make.
PM says Labor is taking Dutton’s seat of Dickson ‘seriously’
Anthony Albanese was also asked how confident Labor is about winning the seat of Dickson – Peter Dutton’s seat in Queensland.
The prime minister said everyone would “find out on May the third,” but said Dickson was Queensland’s most marginal seat.
It is on 1.7%. If Ali France gets the same swing in 2025 that she got in 2022, she will take her place in the House of Representatives … We’re taking Dickson seriously. That’s why we campaigned there on day one.
Albanese says government is protecting ancient rock art sites at Karratha peninsula
A reporter said the peninsula behind where Anthony Albanese is speaking is “home to some of the most ancient rock art in the world, the highest concentration in the world” dating back to before the pyramids – but is being destroyed by gas sites.
Why is your government not protecting such a unique site, the PM was asked? Albanese responded:
We are protecting those sites, and you can have sustainable industry together with protecting the environment … One of the things that industry does here is work with First Nations leaders as well and the traditional owners to make sure that that occurs.
Albanese addressing reporters from Karratha
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to reporters from Karratha in Western Australia.
He is at Rio Tinto, and said he visited the ship loader today – where three ships are bound for China, and one for Vietnam.
Rio Tinto, its operations here [and] throughout the Pilbara and the Kimberley, mean that about a million tons a day go out of these four ports that operate in this region … This region is a wealth creator for our country, and the resources sector plays such an important role.
The resources minister, Madeleine King, is also at the presser and said “iron ore is so vitally important for the economy of Western Australia and therefore the nation,” but also critical minerals.
They are an integral part of what the world needs to reach net zero, but also defence materials. And what we see is Peter Dutton ripping $17bn out of the critical minerals industry by promising to repeal the production tax credits that the Albanese Labor government has introduced. Moreover, they are going to destroy the critical minerals fund by making that accessible to gas.
Emily Wind
Good afternoon! Emily Wind, I’ll take you through the rest of the election campaign – and other news from across the country – for this afternoon.
Krishani Dhanji
Thank you all for hanging out today on the blog.
Emily Wind will take over for the rest of the afternoon, as Albanese stands up again in Karratha, WA.
I’ll see you all bright and early next week!
Greens accuse Labor of ‘dirty preference deal’ with Coalition
Benita Kolovos
Greens leader Adam Bandt has criticised Burns for running on an open ticket, saying it risks handing a key Melbourne seat to the Coalition.
He accused Labor of capitulating to the Coalition and betraying progressive voters, warning the deal could backfire.
Bandt went on:
This Labor-Liberal preference deal has just put Peter Dutton one step closer to the Lodge. Labor voters will be furious that they are helping Peter Dutton with preferences.
Anthony Albanese has done what Peter Dutton wants, a dirty preference deal to try and keep the Greens from winning more seats at the election, but it won’t work because voters aren’t stupid.
It’s worth noting it is not actually a preference deal as Labor hasn’t preferenced anyone in the seat. Burns is running on an open ticket – voters are encouraged to put him first but there will be no directive on preferences.
Dutton urges PM to snub Greens on preferences
Opposition leader Peter Dutton spoke about the open ticket a short time ago, after his presser, and said it shows “Josh Burns knows how bad the Greens are”.
Dutton told reporters in Perth that it put more pressure on the prime minister to also snub the Greens from their preferences.
If it’s good enough for Josh Burns to call him out, then where is the prime minister in relation to doing deals with the Greens and in WA here, the prime minister should be very clear.
So why can’t the prime minister call out the Greens? Why can’t the prime minister do what Josh Burns has done and announce that they’re going to put the Greens last?
Benita Kolovos
Labor MP declines to preference Greens
Labor MP Josh Burns has confirmed he will run on an open ticket for the crucial Melbourne seat of Macnamara, meaning he will not preference the Greens at the federal election.
As Guardian Australia reported last week, Labor will encourage voters to place Burns first on ballots but not dictate preferences.
In Macnamara, 10% of the population is Jewish, making it the second-largest Jewish electorate in Australia.
Several Jewish community groups had urged Burns to place the party last due to the Greens’ conduct since the 7 October attacks.
Burns said in a statement:
This election, my message is simple: put a number ‘1’ next to my name so we can keep working together to build a better future for our community. The decision on where your vote goes, and what order you number the other boxes, is yours and yours alone.
Gaslighting at the petrol station
As we get closer to the weekend (which I’m very much looking forward to), let’s have a look back at the week that was – week two of the election campaign.
What happened … you ask?
Well, James Colley can tell you:
Sarah Basford Canales
Peter Dutton will be stopping in the new seat of Bullwinkel in Perth’s far eastern suburbs.
We’re at a car yard in Kalamunda with Nationals senator, Bridget McKenzie, Nationals candidate, Mia Davies and Liberals candidate, Matt Moran.
The opposition leader’s stop here is to spruik its plans overnight to dump Labor’s fuel efficiency standard.
The battle for Bullwinkel
Next to the electorate of Hasluck, where Peter Dutton spoke from earlier, is the new, freshly minted seat of Bullwinkel.
There’s a three-way battle for the seat, between Labor, the Liberals AND the Nationals.
The seat has been marked notionally for Labor, but the Liberals are hopeful of being able to pick it up.
Our reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy went there to find out what’s going on in this battle for new territory, and how the locals feel about it.
Dutton outlines benefits of nuclear policy but insists he doesn’t ‘carry a candle’ for it
Sarah Basford Canales
During this morning’s breakfast, Peter Dutton said he doesn’t “carry a candle” for nuclear before outlining why he backs it anyway.
The opposition leader said he wants to achieve three things but only lists two before his answer is cut off by the host. Regardless, the points are:
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It’s the lowest-cost energy “because it’s a significant input cost in a country with an abundance of natural resource that surely we can have some downward pressure on in terms of pricing”; and
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It’s a reliable energy source because “you can’t manufacture if you’ve got intermittent power”.
Dutton says:
It’s about how we deliver the most efficient process and system. And I look at the top 20 economies in the world, Australia is down the tide. And why would we be swimming against that tide when we can provide support to renewable projects? We’re not against renewables – they are an important part for this. But I also think there’s a social licence issue here for people who live 20, 30, 40 kilometres from here.
Asked during the press conference whether saying that he doesn’t carry a candle for nuclear means he could leave the door open to abandoning it … Dutton says:
We’re thoroughly committed to our policy, and I believe – again – it’s one of those options that Australians have, to go with a sensible, scientifically based, economically responsible model.
Dutton brushes off voluntary redundancies query – but questions remain
Asked again near the end as to how much money has the Coalition set aside to pay for voluntary redundancies for their public service policy, Dutton says:
I’ve already dealt with that.
And moves on.
But in fact, earlier when the same question was asked Dutton evaded it, and wouldn’t confirm whether voluntary redundancies would be used (as James Paterson had said this morning).
So it wasn’t quite dealt with, and might have left us with more questions than before the press conference.
Dutton expands on claim Biden initially did not want to sign Aukus deal
Dutton is asked about his claim former US president Joe Biden initially “didn’t want” to sign the Aukus agreement – a claim he made at the breakfast this morning.
Dutton says Biden’s concern was related to his “longstanding and consistent view” in relation to non-proliferation.
He’s had that his whole career. And to his credit, he was consistent in his views and his position. So that was the hesitation … But ultimately, the United States is a very important security partner with Australia
He then says he has “huge concerns” about Aukus under Anthony Albanese. Pushed further later on in the presser as to what those concerns are, he cites Labor’s defence spending, claiming they are cutting $80bn out of the defence budget.
They have cannibalised army and navy and air force to pay for the initial parts of Aukus. Whilst they’ll tell you that they’re committed to it, they haven’t put the funding into it.
Labor has said they have increased funding for defence by $50bn over the next 10 years, which will take defence spending from around 2% of GDP to over 2.3% of GDP.
Dutton praises AFP after alleged terror plot on his house foiled
Dutton has addressed reports in The Australian newspaper of an alleged terror plot on his house.
The paper reports a 16-year old was arrested and charged in August after a joint counter-terrorism investigation by federal and Queensland police.
Dutton says more generally, that the police have kept him safe.
I’m incredibly grateful to the AFP that my family are kept safe. I’ve never felt unsafe one day in this job, particularly with the protection from the AFP. It hasn’t stopped me from doing anything, and it won’t on this campaign.
Asked whether the alleged plot raises concerns about radicalisation of youth online, Dutton says he’s consistently tried to increase safety online for children.
I’ve been, again, I think consistent in my comments about trying to keep, particularly, young adults and children safe online… as a society, as a community, we should be doing everything we can to take down hate comments and all of that which might inspire or incite violence.
David Goode questioned on if he lives in the electorate where he is running
The Liberal candidate for Hasluck, David Goode, is asked where he actually lives, and whether it’s in the electorate he’s running from.
The question seems to grind his gears a little, because he offers what can only be described as a very long and agitated answer to the journo.
He says he doesn’t live in the electorate, but that’s because it’s moved a lot.
I don’t currently live in the electorate, but the electorate boundaries keep changing. I was in the electorate for over 10 years but the boundaries changed. My house keeps changing electorates despite not moving. If you haven’t noticed, the roads get jammed an awful lot, the congestion’s heavy.
To be fair, the ABC says the seat of Hasluck now only covers a quarter of its former area.
