On that note, we are going to shut the blog down for the long weekend – but we will be back on Monday, bright and early for the final week.

We are also finalising plans for an election night pre-game – we will have Richard Denniss, Ebony Bennett and guests talking through the election, voting and some of Australia’s big issues on Saturday night, before you all turn over to the ABC’s election coverage for Antony Green’s swan song.

And we are working on a commenting feature – so we should be able to talk to you guys directly soon, and hopefully you’ll also be able to have a chat to each other as well.

The next week is going to be INTENSE. So use these next three days to take a few moments away from politics. It’s important.

I’ll chat to you soon, but you can always reach me if you need me – on the socials, or the email.

Until then, do good and take care of you. Ax

And while it is not getting a lot of attention on the campaign, this is also good to remember

Allegra Spender has also weighed into domestic, family and sexual violence policy and wants to see the recommendations from the Unlocking the Prevention Potential Report (the Rapid Review) – accelerating action to end domestic, family and sexual violence implemented.

The Rapid Review was released last August, but the government is yet to set a timetable for implementing its recommendations. 

Just last week another young woman, Claire Austin was killed.  Australian Femicide Watch, reports 22 Australian women have been killed this year, including Ms Austin.  

“Claire Austin died in our community, and people are reeling from this shocking loss.  

“Her death coincided with the first anniversary of the Bondi Junction attack where six people, including five women, tragically died.” 

Last year, the 6-person expert panel delivered the Rapid Review which outlined 21 recommendations covering a range of topics from youth programs, better data collection, and a primary prevention fund.  

Resources minister Madeleine King was asked a little earlier today on Sky News which of the 31 critical minerals and rare earths Australia has, would be prioritised by an Albanese government.

She said:

We will have a process around that we do have to prioritise some of those 31 minerals, and that will be a process of consultation with industry and those that are literally extracting this from the ground and capital investment as well. Because we need to be really thorough about assessing where the risks are posed in the supply chains. And every one of the 31 critical minerals has its challenges, but some have more challenges than others at particular times, and so we will go through a process. We’re not about guessing what’s the best thing to do. It’s about working through this thoroughly and diligently and with thoughtfulness and, of course, evidence, and that’s what’s going to be really
important.

Amnesty International has issued a brutal smack-down of the coalition’s plan to review the security clearances of Palestinian visa holders fleeing the genocide in Gaza.

In a statement which has just been circulated to Australian media outlets, Amnesty says it is

extremely concerned about the plight of Palestinian women, men and children who have fled Israel’s ongoing genocide, marked by horrific bombardment, forced displacement and weaponised starvation.

It points out that ASIO has already checked each applicant.

Mohamed Duar, Amnesty International’s Occupied Palestinian Territory spokesperson, says:

Palestinians arriving in Australia are ordinary women, men and children escaping genocide inflicted by Israel. They are survivors of a brutal military campaign that has forced them to endure war crime after war crime. Palestinian visa holders who have arrived in Australia have already undergone extensive security assessments, including by ASIO, which represent a far higher standard than any other group. For Dutton to demand their rescreening as part of an election campaign is inflammatory, discriminatory and a clear demonstration of anit-Palestinian racism being weaponised in an effort to win votes.

Amnesty says Peter Dutton‘s rhetoric on this issue blatantly disregards the lived
reality of Palestinians enduring genocide, an unlawful military occupation and a dehumanising system of apartheid.

More than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, over 117,000 wounded and thousands of bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble. Those who survive and flee these horrors deserve protection— not to be targeted or alienated through divisive political tactics. Current humanitarian pathways are grossly inadequate and must be substantially revised to address the scale of suffering caused by the ongoing genocide.

Meanwhile, don’t be scared of the hung parliament

The Coalition’s (quiet) announcement that it will restore the activity test for subsidised childcare is getting attention on the socials. It has also become part of the campaign for some independent candidates:

The amount committed by both political parties to preventing domestic and family violence suggests they believe there are other, more important, priorities

Election campaigns are when political parties tell us their priorities – they will structure their campaigns around certain themes, all designed to show voters that they are listening and they care.

But these priorities are often limited by notional and often arbitrary lines about what can be afforded to be done. Before the Budget this year, for example, the Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said: “as Finance Minister, I probably get a hundred good ideas for one that we can do.”

Because election commitments are accompanied by costings, voters can get a real sense of what political parties truly think are their priorities – and how much they are willing to spend when something is for them a priority.

Across the community, there is serious concern about the prevention of domestic and family violence. Until today, it hasn’t really featured in the campaign. So far in the campaign, Labor have promised $8.6 million in additional spending to tackle domestic and family violence. While today the Liberal Party has just announced a $90 million policy.

How much is that money? Surely it is sizeable given for example Peter Dutton said this morning that “most every measure in this space is supported on bipartisan basis because everyone accepts the fact that the scourge of violence and domestic violence, financial coercion and every aspect in this debate is completely and widly unacceptable in our society and we should do everything together to try to defeat it and work toward a better outcome for individuals and for our country as well.”

Surely, if it is bipartisan and a scourge (which it most certainly is), there would be no real limit to the amount that could be spent?

And yet, while this election has seen ‘security’ on the agenda, from announcements of big new defence spending to the ongoing non-story about an Indonesian airbase, both major parties have failed to recognise that ‘security’ should mean “keeping Australians safe”.

Importantly, this should include efforts to end one of the largest threats to the safety of Australians: domestic and family violence. Domestic and family violence is a serious and ongoing threat to the security and safety of Australians. On average, one woman was killed every ten days by a current or former partner in 2024.

Unfortunately for Australia’s political mainstream, security more often means ensuring Australia has the newest and fanciest submarines, aircraft and other weapons. The priorities of both major parties can be seen by looking at their announced election commitments. The Coalition has just announced a $90 million domestic violence strategy, which is less than a fiftieth (1.5%) of its $6 billion one-off cut to fuel excise and less than half a per cent (0.4%) of its $21 billion promised increase to defence spending.

Election commitments reflect the concerns of political parties. The amount spent on domestic and family violence prevention, however, suggests that both parties are spending just enough to make it seem like they care, but nowhere near as much as for things that they truly believe are priorities.

Don Farrell is off to Rome for the Pope’s funeral:

Today, I will travel to Rome, Italy to attend the funeral service of His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, alongside Governor-General Sam Mostyn and Michael McCormack MP.

Pope Francis was an inspiring, global leader who championed compassion, peace, and unity.

He will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to social justice and his dedication to serve those most in need.

His message resonated deeply with people of all faiths and backgrounds, including millions of Australians.

It is one of the greatest honours to represent Australia, and our Catholic communities, at this solemn occasion and to pay our nation’s respects alongside leaders from around the world.

We should never forget his message of protecting the poor and the marginalised.

May His Holiness Pope Francis rest in eternal peace.

AAP has also covered the womens’ forum Women’s Agenda hosted earlier today:

Women have much to consider at the upcoming election, with politicians urging them to exercise their power at the ballot box.

Minister for Women Katy Gallagher, Greens senator Larissa Waters and independent MP Allegra Spender attended a panel discussion on the key issues impacting women, hosted by news outlet Women’s Agenda.

Shadow minister for women Sussan Ley declined an invitation to take part in the panel, Women’s Agenda said. 

The wide-ranging discussion ahead of the May 3 election covered childcare, climate change, domestic violence and the growing issue of homelessness among women of retirement age. 

The Albanese government’s priority in its first term had been to drive women’s economic security and this would continue if re-elected, Senator Gallagher said. 

“The biggest thing we can do is to make sure that unpaid care is recognised and valued, and that paid work for women is not undervalued, as it has been for too long,” she said.

She also committed the government to work towards universal early childhood education and care, but said there were a number of steps to get there. 

“We have to build the centres and the workforce and make sure that it is affordable, those are the logical steps to universality that we definitely want to get to,” she said. 

Senator Waters pointed out that women’s work was too often undervalued, leaving a growing cohort without financial security in retirement.

“Women are retiring into poverty after a lifetime of unpaid care,” she said.

“Older women are also the fastest growing cohort experiencing homelessness.”

More could be done to encourage women into science, technology, engineering and maths careers which are typically higher paid, Ms Spender said. 

“Also supporting female entrepreneurs, which is another big gap and a way that women can build that economic empowerment, wealth and prosperity,” she said. 

Ms Spender wanted to remind women that their vote had power at the ballot box.

“Be the change you want to see in the world and vote like it … you’ve got more power than you think,” she said.