The end of day three and where are we?
- the Coalition announced it would cut the company tax rate if it came into government although it was hazy on the details of exactly how it would be funded;
- Labor tried to accuse the Coalition of having a secret campaign to put the GST on food (which the Coalition denies);
- Kevin Rudd was completely upstaged by four year old Joseph Kim at a campaign event in Sydney;
- the High Court dismissed a challenge to the mining tax by mining magnate Andrew Forrest; and
- there may be a debate between Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott on Sunday night (maybe).
Thanks so much to everyone who read, commented and participated in our coverage today.
Many snaps to Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares for their magical work. Alex, Andrew and I will be back in the morning.
See you then.
Ah the beauty of talkback radio.
One listener wants to know why Mr Bowen is now treasurer when Wayne Swan was the "superman of treasurers".
Probably fair to say the gentleman caller might not be a Labor supporter since he then wants to know why the government "has done nothing for business".
"I'm trying to help here," Mr Hockey protests.
"Oh really? You're from the opposition and you're here to help?," Mr Bowen chuckles in a reference to one of Mr Rudd's favourite lines.
At the moment Treasurer Chris Bowen is debating the man who wants his job, Joe Hockey, on ABC Radio.
Mr Hockey is avoiding saying whether he would "back or sack" the head of Treasury, Martin Parkinson, because he doesn't assume he'll become treasurer - and then gone on to bag Treasury's performance.
Mr Bowen is defending the government's more cautious economic tack of late and denying that it is more of a political - rather than a fiscal - strategy.
(There's not a lot of actual answers to questions being given, you'll be stunned to hear.)
Here's my daily reminder (please don't see it as nagging) about enrolling to vote or changing your details if you need to do so.
The rolls close at 8pm on Monday night (August 12).
Please visit the Australian Electoral Commission website for more information.
Groan. Won't someone stop the debate (about the debate)?
I love debates, I think there should be more of them but I hate the way politicians cannot agree to any other format other than the one they proposed. I have small children. I know what it looks like when someone won't play a game just because someone else wants to use a blue ball.
Earlier today Kevin Rudd posted on his Facebook page: "Why won't Tony Abbott accept a debate with me and the 11 million Australians on Facebook participating?"
Mr Abbott replied via Facebook: "I look forward to debating Kevin Rudd this Sunday at the National Press Club including taking questions from social media from people across Australia."
(It's the modern day version of asking your sister to pass the tomato sauce because it's in front of your father who you are not speaking to because he wouldn't let you have a belly button ring.)
The official line is that negotiations should be resolved "soon", according to a spokesman for Mr Rudd.
At 12.30pm today Fairfax Media hosted an internet question and answer session with senate aspirant Julian Assange.
Mr Assange said he did not see the role of being a senator as "substantially different" from his work with WikiLeaks because the Senate needed "people who specialise in exposing lies and exposing secret deals".
"Far from being in competition, my work with WikiLeaks gives me an extra ability to perform that role as an Australian senator," he said.
I must apologise to my young political photobomber, Joseph. His surname is Kim, not Lee, as previously reported.
Stories, videos and captions will be updated but I'd like to apologise on behalf of all his fans.
The boy of the day is Joseph Kim, not Joseph Lee. But it's still #voteonejoseph as far as I'm concerned.
Earlier today the Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young launched a new campaign - "Not in my name, not with my vote" - imploring people to vote against the major parties' because of their policies on asylum seekers.
You may like to watch it after reading Immigration Minister Tony Burke's comments that asylum seekers have begun to demand their money back from people smugglers (he managed to stop short of claiming credit for stopping the boats).
'Not in my name, not with my vote'
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young explains a new popular campaign "Not in my name, not with my vote" against the major parties' asylum seeker policies.
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Not only is he a photographer and one of my two trusted co-pilots but Andrew Meares also shoots videos.
Andrew will be making semi-regular campaign videos about life on the road (he's travelling with Kevin Rudd for the duration). Here is his first (if you don't already you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @mearesy).
Day 3: Mearesy's moments
Kids in the picture in marginal electorate of Greenway. Highlights from the campaign trail from Fairfax photojournalist Andrew Meares.
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Opinion polls - can't live with them, can't live without them, the ultimate political selfie and all that.
We all know the only poll that counts is the one on election day, as politicians remind us every time they see a poll that's bad for them.
The Age's economics editor, Tim Colebatch, has aggregated the polls that have come out since Kevin Rudd regained the prime ministership in late June. It shows that Mr Rudd is back where he started. Yes, there was an initial swing towards him but support has swung back. Which might explain why the election was called.
Was it only Sunday the election was called?
You might remember there was a bit of interest (from myself included) in Kevin Rudd's plea for donations in his press conference. Both Labor and the Coalition put out emails that afternoon asking for financial support - a very American approach to fundraising.
Bear in mind that political donations and contributions are made public once a year - in February - by the Australian Electoral Commission. We will see then who gave what to whom in the 2012/13 financial year. But we will have to wait until February 2015 for any donations/contributions made from July 1 this year.
Show me the money!
Okay, enough of this cute-kid-baby-kissing-political-tomfoolery. It makes me think all the mainstream media cares about is political frippery rather than serious policy.
This morning was dominated by the Coalition's announcement that it would reduce the company tax rate should it come to office. It wouldn't be a tax cut for the biggest 3200 companies because - at some point - they would have to pay the 1.5 per cent levy to cover the cost of the Coalition's paid parental leave scheme but moving right along.....
Labor hit back by accusing the Coalition of having a secret plan to extend the GST on food (which the Coalition has consistently denied).
Coalition MP Josh Frydenberg and Labor MP Laura Smyth debate these issues along with some expert economic analysis from The Age's economics correspondent, Peter Martin, thrown in for good measure in this video.
Company tax trade-off
The Coalition has announced plans to shave 1.5 per cent off the company tax rate, which Kevin Rudd says is code for a GST hike on food.
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Our reporters travelling with the leaders have been told that's it for today.
Clearly Mr Rudd was sick and tired of Joseph Lee stealing the limelight while Mr Abbott was sick and tired of babies rejecting his campaign kisses.
Mind you, the baby in question is actually the daughter of the Coalition candidate whose office Mr Abbott was opening.
She could possibly best be described as a reluctant draftee (the baby, not the candidate).
Opposition leader Tony Abbott speaks with Carmen Garcia and her daughter Ashlee Golding at the opening of Ms Garcia's campaign office in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
I believe this is technically called baby pushing.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott meets Ashlee Golding at the opening of the campaign office of her mother, Carmen Garcia, in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
I heart Joseph Lee. Seriously, if this is the highlight of the campaign it will have been a good one.
The Age's national affairs editor, Tony Wright, has profiled this unlikely political interloper.
Meet Joseph Lee. He's four. Kevin Rudd described him as "an active participant" in this morning's campaign event (see posts at 10.49am, 10.51am and 12.29pm).
Come on Mr Rudd, call a spade a spade. Joseph completely stole the show. A political star of the future, for sure.
Five-year-old photobombs PM
The Prime Minister may be used to hecklers but Kevin Rudd had to deal with a youthful challenger at a church in Sydney on Wednesday morning.
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The media plane for Opposition leader Tony Abbott prepares to depart Canberra on Tuesday night. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
But why are RAAF aircraft being used as a glorified air limousine service for journalists? Surely they should be doing something a bit more useful.
Breaking news reporter Judith Ireland asked the RAAF which directed her to this statement.
In a nutshell there are five special purpose aircraft that are operated by the RAAF. Once the caretaker period begins - as it has - the aircraft can be used by either the government or the opposition. This includes people designated as "entitled persons" who may be accompanied by "non entitled people" (which includes the media).
Judith has asked both the major parties' campaign headquarters for a response. The Coalition replied saying it was the government's job to organise campaign transport. But Labor has not replied (Judith asked nearly four hours ago). But never fear taxpayers - the bill for travel costs for the media will come back to us.
It's a rare communications' situation when Defence gets back to a journalist faster than the party trying to remain in government.
There is no doubt that following the leaders around on the campaign is great fun (if you like that kind of thing). Tiring but fun. You start the day at 4am, jump on a plane without being told where you are going except that you might want to take a jumper and arrive in Devonport for breakfast. You wouldn't want to do it forever but it's a great experience.
At the moment the private planes normally hired for the media have not arrived. Catching commercial flights doesn't really work because there is too much wasted time in the schedule.
This was unglamourous transportation option that greeted Tony Abbott's media contingent when they arrived on the tarmac in Canberra last night.
Media travelling with Coalition leader Tony Abbott waiting to board the C17 plane on Tuesday night. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Oh Clive - where would we be without you? The Palmer United Party wants to be all things to all people. Pensioners for one. It has promised them an $150 a fortnight should it, cough, form government.
But the funding for this and all other policies will not be announced until August 25. Can you wait? No? Enjoy some Clive action here.
Palmer 'will win government'
Clive Palmer announces plans to raise the pension by $150 per fortnight but says funding details and other policies will be announced on August 25.
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So the cost of living - what's up with that? Both sides are zeroing in on it as a key campaign issue - as they always do.
Today's Fairfax Media/Politifact Fact Checker looks at the claims made by both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott.
Oh I can't resist. I love this kid. Someone tell Labor candidate Jason Yat-Sen Li (whose campaign event this young chap is happily hijacking) to sign him up.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visiting Korean English lessons at Ryde Uniting Church in the Sydney seat of Bennelong on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Sometimes the inanity of the debris flying around the campaign can be too much for a reporter to ignore.
Take this item from Sportsbet which is taking bets on the number of times Kevin Rudd might flick his fringe should the debate with Tony Abbott ever actually happen. (Yes, it is actually doing this.) At the moment 10 hair flicks is the popular choice.
Why is this an issue? Probably because Mr Rudd does have a habit of flicking his hair and it has been picked up in this Young Liberals' video which is doing well on social media.
(In my defence I think it's great the blokes have to cop this kinds of appearance-focused attention for once. Shoe on the other foot and all that.)
Rudd's bad hair day, first of many?
A Young Liberals ad on Rudd's Monday fringe dilemma has been earning social media stripes. Is this the shape of things to come on YouTube throughout the campaign?
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At 12.30pm aspirant senator Julian Assange will be joining us for a live internet debate in the first Fairfax Media/Google hang out of the campaign.
Jacqueline Maley is travelling with Mr Abbott.
Jacqueline notes the calorie conscious Mr Abbott was careful only to pose with but not drink the offerings of the Bickford's drink factory. (Note that his staff are careful to keep a baseball cap on hand so Mr Abbott can cover his head when required without having to wear a hair net. Not a good look for anyone.)
She has also ascertained that the woman who was sort-of-kind-of kissed by Mr Abbott (see posts 10.10am, 10.11am and 10.12am) is a very, very big Coalition and Tony Abbott fan. Her name is Evie Whittaker and she works at Bickford's, as do her uncle, mother and grandfather.
"Interestingly, former immigration minister Philip Ruddock is with Mr Abbott for the whole campaign," Jacqueline emailed in to say. "He is a quiet consigliere type presence on the sidelines and dodges all cameras. But I can confirm he looked quite sweet in a hair net."
Mr Ruddock is, presumably, playing a similar role to the one Labor Senator John Faulkner played when he travelled with Kevin Rudd throughout the 2007 campaign.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott inspects the Bickford's drinks factory in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
I don't normally direct you to articles published earlier in the week but you might need this one to get the Hockeynomics reference in 's cartoon.
Could they not just have a duel? Or meet behind the bike shed during little lunch?
I look forward to debating Kevin Rudd this Sunday at the National Press Club, including taking questions from social media #AusVotes
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) August 7, 2013
Could we be closer to sorting out the debate situation?
A High Court challenge by Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest via his Fortescue Metals company to the validity of the mining tax has been dismissed.
Fortescue Metals argued the tax was invalid for several reasons including that it cut across states' rights.
But the High Court has unanimously upheld the validity of the tax.
The super keen can find the High Court's judgement here.
Mr Abbott has finished his press conference by saying the Coalition has "no plans" to extend the GST to food.
I know people have said the GST comment made by Joe Hockey is not a "slip up', as I described it in the 9.58am post.
Let me explain what I mean. Mr Hockey's comments are a distraction for the Coalition. It had planned its morning around the company tax cut announcement - everyone on message about an issue that is key to it's narrative about economic management.
But Mr Hockey's comment gives Labor something else to talk about. Even though the Coalition has denied it Labor will continue to insist the Coalition has a plan to put the GST on food which forces the Coalition to deny it. And so it will go on for the day.
It demonstrates why the parties try to enforce communications' discipline at all times. Any time not spent talking about the message you want to get across is wasted time.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott visits the Bickford's drinks factory in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Someone sign this kid up to a talent agency.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visiting Korean English lessons at Ryde Uniting Church in the Sydney seat of Bennelong on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Meanwhile Kevin Rudd is being photo bombed by another immensely cute small person (it's not quite the kissing kids behind Barack Obama in that famous 2012 US election campaign shot but it's pretty good).
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visiting Korean/English lessons at Ryde Uniting Church in the Sydney seat of Bennelong on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Former treasurer Wayne Swan is clearly watching this press conference:
Hockey's company tax rate 'cut' = BIG lib con job. Shut up money for larger corporates, laying foundation for jacking up GST on rest of Aus
— Wayne Swan (@SwannyQLD) August 7, 2013
Mr Abbott is being asked where the money to fund the company tax cut would come from.
It's in the kitty, he says.
"The tax reductions we have so far announced are more than funded by the sensible savings that were announced by us before the campaign commenced," Mr Abbott says.
He points to his budget reply speech and a speech he made to the National Press Club in January as containing $17 billion of savings which are "more than enough" to cover the company tax cut.
Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey jumps in to assure people "there will be further savings" announced during the campaign.
(Which is unusual for a campaign. Politicians normally like to announce they are spending money, not cutting it.)
There's a sense of bipartisan bonhomie in the air.
Mr Abbott quotes former prime minister Julia Gillard on the company tax cut (it's a good thing) and congratulates Kevin Rudd for giving $5 million to the Hummingbird Hospice in Brisbane (for very sick children).
Coalition leader Tony Abbott is beginning his press conference in Adelaide.
"Let me make is absolutely crystal clear to the Australian people - this election is not about me, it's not about Kevin Rudd, or any other member of Parliament, it's about you, the Australian people," Mr Abbott says.
Now he's talking about the Coalition's proposal to cut the company tax by 1.5 per cent.
"This is very, very good news for the workers of Australia, the businesses of Australia and the people of Australia," Mr Abbott says.
Awww - look at these gorgeous small people (let's ignore the fact they are being ruthlessly exploited for short term political gain). Shiny, happy people.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visiting a Korean English lesson at the Ryde Uniting Church in the Sydney seat of Bennelong on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Just in case you don't have time to read Jonathan Swan's story about Labor promising not to put the GST on food I now have some video of Kevin Rudd's comments on the matter.
Rudd oath: I won't touch GST
At a school in Western Sydney, Kevin Rudd has attacked the Coalition over proposed changes to the GST, and pledged not to touch it under a renewed Labor government.
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...but he'd already puckered up. Mum gets a kiss instead.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott during his visit to the Bickford's factory in Adelaide. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
....but Mum decides the baby is not in the mood....
Opposition leader Tony Abbott during his visit to the Bickford's factory in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
You know that awkward moment when you greet someone thinking a kiss would be appropriate only to realise they would rather shake hands? Well, it appears even Coalition leader Tony Abbott has them.
Stay with me for this sequence of photos by Alex Ellinghausen.
He spies a baby.....
Opposition leader Tony Abbott during his visit to the Bickford's factory in Adelaide on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
"Hold the front page - Albo likes a beer after work," Labor stalwart Anthony Albanese dryly declares after being snapped having a drink with former Labor MP Craig Thomson (he also referred to himself in the third person - one of my favourite crimes against the English language).
Now he's back on good fodder for Labor - whether or not the Coalition wants to extend the GST to cover food.
"The party of the GST wants to increase it and add food," Mr Albanese says.
Labor is loving this.
Breaking news reporter Jonathan Swan has the details of the Coalition slip up regarding the GST.
I'm thrilled to link to the first column by former Media Watch host Jonathan Holmes. Jonathan will write a weekly column for The Age during the campaign and a fortnightly one thereafter.
Today's offering is about - you can probably guess - a certain "grumpy old American Republican billionaire" and how much influence his Australian media stable has.
It's a doozy. And you can comment on it. You can read it here.
Personally I find colouring in quite therapeutic.
The Age's national affairs editor, Tony Wright, is travelling with Kevin Rudd who, it seems, also likes a bit of coloured pencil action along with an early morning basketball game.
Tony writes: The already familiar visit to a primary school in a marginal electorate - this one to St Anthony's in Greenway, a western Sydney seat held by Labor's Michelle Rowlands by 702 votes - was, in fact, an opportunity to clour in the oldest of campaign tactics: a tax scare.
Speaking at length about the cost of living, Mr Rudd morphed seamlessly into the claim that an Abbott government would try to increase the GST and maybe apply it to food.
He based this on a newspaper article in which Coalition treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, conceded a tax review would include the GST as "part of the equation".
"I think this is a big, big development in this campaign," Mr Rudd said as he held up the article for all to see. It was a "massive issue for Australian families".
A Rudd government, he added, would not increase the level of the GST or its scope, he promised.
With that he was off to John Howard's old seat of Bennelong. A lot more colouring in awaits. It's only day three of the campaign.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited St Anthony's before school care in the Sydney seat of Greenway on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
So what do you think about the Coalition's announcement? Do you think it will boost employment and economic growth?
Coalition leader Tony Abbott is in Adelaide where he is expected to make an announcement at about 10am formalising the story that was "dropped" to all the newspapers this morning (ie, the Coalition put out the bare bones of the story, got great coverage and dominated the morning news cycle).
It is about company tax and a promise to cut it by 1.5 per cent within two years of coming to office. This means company tax would be 28.5 cents in the dollar rather than 30 cents.
It is likely to cost $2.5 billion a year leading to questions of where the money will come from. That pertinent point will be raised with Mr Abbott when he fields questions about the policy but it obviously feeds into the campaign narrative of economic management.
Chief political correspondent Mark Kenny wrote the story for this morning's newspapers.
Babies everywhere beware. It is a very dangerous time for you to be anywhere near a politician.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited St Anthony's before school care in the Sydney seat of Greenway on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
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