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• Thu Apr 17 2025

32m ago 08.58 CEST Amanda Meade 1.7 million people watched last night?s leaders? debate The second leaders? debate held on the ABC last night was watched by 1.7 million people across live TV and streaming on iview, according to ABC figures. The Insiders: Debate Analysis Special which followed last night?s event had a national TV audience of 748,000. The debate, which was also available live in Auslan on ABC iview, was also listened to on ABC Local Radio and ABC News Radio, and across the day the ABC News website and app had 2.2 million users. There were 167,000 live streams on the ABC News YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts. ABC managing director Hugh Marks said: The ABC was honoured to host such a significant national conversation and to be able to put the questions and concerns of Australians directly to our leaders. We can see that people tuned in to the debate on TV, radio or online wherever they were in the country. Share Updated at 09.01 CEST

48m ago 08.43 CEST Paterson asked about Turnbull?s tweet on negative gearing James Paterson was also asked about Malcolm Turnbull?s tweet earlier today, saying that ?negative gearing is examined by every government?. The opposition has been asking questions about whether Labor investigated negative gearing ? did this also happen when there was a Coalition government? Paterson responded: Well, I?m not asking for the prime minister not to consider negative gearing. If that?s what he wants to do he?s welcome to do that. What I?m asking is the prime minister be honest about it, and clearly he wasn?t honest about it in the debate last night. He said his government did not seek any advice from Treasury on this issue. His own treasurer standing next to him today had to admit in fact they did seek advice on this. When a smooth talker like Jim Chalmers can?t find a way to extricate the prime minister from his lie, I think that speaks volumes. Paterson argued that the PM had ?lied about tax before,? pointing to changes to the stage-three tax cuts. But does he support the idea that governments ask for different advice, just like the Turnbull government did? Paterson replied: Yes, governments seek advice. When they do so, they should be honest about it, and the prime minister hasn?t been. Share Updated at 08.51 CEST

53m ago 08.38 CEST Paterson asked if Coalition should be held to this same standard? Continuing from our last post: James Paterson was asked if the Coalition should be held to this same standard ? with Peter Dutton making comments over the Indonesian president and Bridget McKenzie making claims about China and Russia. Paterson turned the focus back on Labor and said briefings on these matters would be helpful: I would be very grateful if the government would abide by the caretaker conventions and provide the briefings so the opposition has an equal picture about what is going on here. He was pressed on the question again ? should there be this same obligation on the Coalition ? and said: Of course there?s an obligation on all of us to get the facts right and to be informed of the fact, none more so than the prime minister. Paterson continued, arguing that politicians are thrown questions during an election and need to respond to breaking news, often with ?incomplete pictures?. Occasionally people misspeak, it?s not unknown in government or in opposition. But one thing that would be helpful ? and I think in the national interest ? is to make sure we have access to those briefings so we have an equal opportunity to be informed about things being developed. Share Updated at 08.40 CEST

1h ago 08.32 CEST Paterson defends Coalition commentary when asked if it should be more ?cautious? The Coalition?s campaign spokesperson, James Paterson, is also up on ABC Afternoon Briefing where he was asked if the Coalition needs to be more cautious with its commentary going forward, and not ?jumping too quickly.? Paterson replied that it is ?important that leaders in government get the details right.? I was concerned when the prime minister first said the Chinese government gave us adequate notice of the live-firing exercise in the Tasman Sea. That turned out not to be true. I was also concerned when he claimed he heard from the ADF around the same time he heard from the Virgin Australia pilot those exercises were being conducted. That subsequently turned out not to be true. And I was concerned when he said the Chinese research vessel was being tracked in the Australian waters by the Australian Defence Force, when it was in fact being tracked by the Australian Border Force. Share Updated at 08.34 CEST

1h ago 08.27 CEST Scamps weighs in on negative gearing debate Asked if there needs to be reform to negative gearing in the next parliament, Sophie Scamps said there was ?broad agreement this country does need tax reform?. There?s a lot of issues that our tax reform needs to face. We need to do it holistically and do it all at once, not just picking off bits here and there ? I think that debate around housing, people are genuinely concerned about where their children are going to live. I had a conversation with a dad this morning, he?s got four children in their 20s, they?re all still at home, and he doesn?t think they?ll be able to move out any time soon, or live on the Northern Beaches. It?s breaking up families and networks. We?re going to have a society where we don?t have the key workers that we need living in our suburbs. Share Updated at 08.30 CEST

1h ago 08.23 CEST Teal independent reacts to Dutton?s comments on climate change The independent MP for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps, is up on ABC Afternoon Briefing to weigh in on Peter Dutton?s comments regarding climate change. She described his comments at last night?s debate as ?concerning? and said he seemed to give an ?evasive slippery answer?. In case you missed the debate: Dutton was asked if we are seeing the impacts of climate change, and answered that he is ?not a scientist?. He clarified the comments at a press conference today and said ?I believe in climate change and that is a reality?. On his comments last night, Scamps said: I think he was asked very specifically about climate change and how he would act on it. Instead he tried to fudge it and say he didn?t know what the weather was like in a particular place at a particular time. There is a very clear consensus globally about trends ? not about weather ? about global trends on climate. There is this consensus around global warming over our land, in our oceans, increased frequency and ferocity of extreme weather events. That?s irrefutable. To not come out and claim that was a bit slippery. Here is what Dutton said at last night?s debate: 1:52 'I'm not a scientist': Dutton responds to climate change question in ABC leaders' debate ? video Share Updated at 08.25 CEST

1h ago 08.02 CEST Expert calls for more focus on retrofitting in major parties housing policies One expert has weighed in on the major parties housing policies, saying the discussion around cost has ?largely overlooked? the need to improve the quality of existing housing. Dr Trivess More, an associate professor of the school of property, construction and project management at RMIT, said more support is needed in this election for retrofitting ? AKA making a house more sustainable. He said this funding needs to ?go beyond just funding solar panels and residential battery storage for households?. This is important given the majority of existing housing will still be here when we need to achieve our 2050 decarbonisation goals. View image in fullscreen A home rooftop solar system in Adelaide. Photograph: David Mariuz/AAP Dr More said programs already exist to deliver this type of retrofit ? through government support programs and tools like the residential scorecard. The problem is that not everyone can easily access this support and often renters and low-income households are overlooked or do not have the upfront resources to participate. The recent announcement by the Victorian government to fund ceiling insulation retrofit is a good development, but we need more support from all levels of government to support an equitable retrofit revolution. Share Updated at 08.14 CEST

2h ago 07.53 CEST Sex discrimination commissioner reacts to UK ruling on definition of woman Australia?s sex discrimination commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, has issued a statement of support for the transgender community after the UK supreme court ruled that trans women are not included as ?women? under the UK?s Equality Act. Cody said that trans and gender diverse people ?should be safe, respected and legally recognised?. The laws in the UK are not the laws of Australia. Our laws should reflect inclusion, respect and the right of all people to live with dignity. Trans and gender diverse people are a vital part of our community, and this moment reminds us that we must continue to advocate for the full enjoyment of human rights for all in our communities here in Australia, not retreat from it. What does the UK supreme court?s ruling on definition of ?women? mean? Read more Share Updated at 08.01 CEST