It's all gone quiet, a bit too quiet. But let's wrap up anyway.
What happened?
- Labor says it has found a $10 billion black hole in the costings the Coalition released yesterday;
- the Coalition says not so;
- Labor leader Kevin Rudd declared his concern at the level of foreign ownership of agricultural land;
- Coalition leader Tony Abbott announced his education policy with an emphasis on more autonomy for schools and a promise that he would not cut spending; and
- Mr Abbott made the announcement at a Christian school that believes homosexuality is an "abomination", a statement Mr Abbott disagrees with.
Thank you, as always, for being with me, Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares.
See you in the morning.
And a wee bit more on foreign land ownership.
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says reform is overdue and that his party would be open to working on the issue to pass legislation.
You can watch Senator Ludlam's interview here.
Greens open to foreign ownership reform
Scott Ludlam says Kevin Rudd's talk of foreign land ownership reform is long overdue, and that the Greens party would be open to working with the major parties to pass legislation on the issue.
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Chief political correspondent Mark Kenny has invoked the spirit of E.G Whitlam in today's column.
"Gough Whitlam once likened American politics to a couple of soft drink bottles of the same capacity and shape but with different labels," Mark writes.
"A trademark dramatic pause ensued before he observed they were both empty. One wonders what he would make of the current dry argument over Australia's future?"
That Andrew Meares is quite the magician - not only does he been take arresting images while covering Team Rudd but he can also photograph himself photographing (that's way existential, as Cher Horowitz would say).
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd enters a lift before a press conference in Melbourne on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Should the Coalition win the election on September 7 then Arthur Sinodinos will be well placed to take on a ministerial portfolio.
Unless Senator Sinodinos loses his seat to Pauline Hanson.
How could this possibly be, I hear you ask.
Well, according to Senate preference tickets lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission almost every small right wing party has directed its preferences to Ms Hanson which means she could unseat Senator Sinodinos who is third on the Coalition's NSW ticket.
The ever observant Andrew Meares found this warm up routine that ship workers are advised to do before starting shifts (anyone else hearing Y.M.C.A about now?).
Warm up exercise guide for workers at BAE Systems in Williamstown, Melbourne. Photo: Andrew Meares
Part two:
2/2 That is ironic given the substance of the chat was about trivialization and furphies detracting from real discussion in our democracy.
— Thérèse Rein (@Therese_Rein) August 29, 2013
And now Ms Rein weighs in:
Why is the focus from my chat with the highly courteous John Laws this morning on the warm up question about shared surnames? 1/2 #auspol
— Thérèse Rein (@Therese_Rein) August 29, 2013
Ms Rein then answered some light hearted questions about Mr Rudd's sense of humour (yes, he has one) and whether or not she likes Tony Abbott (it's not for her to offer character assessments).
Ms Rein then got stuck into "personality politics" which, she said, had resulted in "a lot of trivialisation of real issues and I think that does a disservice to our democracy".
"I think it's demeaning to the participants and I think it creates so much noise that we can't actually have what should be the exciting conversation in our democracy at the time of election where we are choosing alternatives," Ms Rein said.
"We can't have that conversation because we've got the noise about oh, well, I don't know - what people are wearing or what they look like or stuff, just nonsense and stuff."
Therese Rein, who is married to Kevin Rudd, braved an interview with radio host John Laws earlier today.
Laws started off by asking Ms Rein why her surname wasn't Rudd (no, I'm not making it up).
"Well, why isn't Kevin, Kevin Rein," Ms Rein laughed.
But that wasn't enough for Laws who then asked twice more.
"But it's kind of a traditional thing," Laws said. "I don't want to make a meal of it but it's sort of a traditional think, isn't it? In English speaking countries that you take your husband's name."
"Well, Kevin and I had a conversation about it and it was about a minute long," Ms Rein explained.
At that point Laws gave up and congratulated Ms Rein on the length of the marriage.
Therese Rein and Jessica watch the community forum at Rooty Hill RSL in Sydney on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
I now need to point you in the direction of a few things:
- Jonathan Swan's report on Labor's claim that it has discovered a $10 billion hole in the savings announced by the Coalition yesterday;
- Coalition leader Tony Abbott says he will push ahead with a review of Medicare Locals and cannot guarantee that they will "all stay exactly the same"; and
- The Sydney Morning Herald's education editor, Josephine Tovey, reports on the Coalition's education policy announcement.
The BAE Systems ship yards in Melbourne. Photo: Andrew Meares
Master and commander.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Senator Kim Carr at the Williamstown ship yards in Melbourne on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Mr Rudd is speaking to ship builders at Williamstown in Melbourne.
"This is a big piece of kit, it's huge," Mr Rudd says gesturing towards the vessel behind him.
Mr Rudd confirms that, if re elected, he will bring forward to 2015/16 the purchase of new vessels to replace the supply ships HMAS Success and HMAS Sirius.
Proficiency at seflies is a job requirement in Kevin Rudd's office.
Mr Rudd's right hand man, Bruce Hawker, is fond of taking pictures of his boss's press conferences and tweeting them.
But taking it to the next level is spin doctor Eamonn Fitzpatrick. His instragram feed has been moody, soulful even, throughout the campaign. You can follow him @agentofinfection (where else?).
Team Abbott is now done for the day (it is bound for Melbourne).
Team Rudd has a stop in Williamstown, Melbourne, before it flies to Perth later this afternoon.
One imagines Kevin Rudd is visiting Williamstown to make something of this announcement (the fast tracking of a multi million dollar project to build supply ships for the Navy).
Labor leader Kevin Rudd at the Williamstown ship yards in Melbourne on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Earlier today Coalition leader Tony Abbott visited Penrith Christian School in Sydney's west to launch his education policy.
The school's statement of faith describes homosexuality as an "abomination" and "a perversion of the natural order and not to be entered into".
Mr Abbott said he disagreed with the statement but refused to criticise the school.
Reporter Peter Munro has this report.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott at the Penrith Christian School in Sydney on Thursday.
Kevin stole my policies, says independent MP Bob Katter in this interview with Tim Lester.
Mr Katter says Mr Rudd's new found concern about foreign ownership of agricultural land and supermarket duopolies might be straight from the Katter's Australian Party but that doesn't necessarily signal a preferences deal with Labor.
Katter: Rudd adopting my policies
Independent MP Bob Katter says Rudd's comments on foreign investment and supermarket reform are straight from the KAP policy sheet, but says they don't reflect to a preferences deal per se.
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In today's instalment of Fact Checker, economics correspondent Peter Martin looks at the Coalition's much repeated claim that the public service has grown by 20,000 since 2007.
Is this statement true? Click here to find out.
Back to all those foreigners buying up our land.
Mr Rudd's new found anxiety about land ownership contradicts the views of current and former Labor ministers who have dismissed populist fears on the issue.
Reporter Jonathan Swan called the Australian Bureau of Statistics to find out how much of Australian agricultural land is foreign owned. 5.8 per cent based on 2010 figures, he was told.
You can read Jonathan's story here.
Naturally, National Party hopeful Barnaby Joyce has something to say about the matter as well. You can watch him in this video.
Kevin's donkey moment
Was PM Kevin Rudd's fear on foreign owned land an epiphany he had while riding a donkey? Nationals hopeful Barnaby Joyce dissects the PM's motives.
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I am going to go back to the Coalition's education policy document to bring you some of the commitments it is making:
- "stable, simple and sustainable funding to all Australian schools";
- guidelines to improve admission standards into teaching standards;
- a greater focus on practical skills in teacher training programs;
- encouraging 1,500 public schools to become independent private schools by 2017 (based on a West Australian program);
- match Commonwealth funding for students with a disability for one year while a new "loading formula" is developed;
- greater focus on maths, science, technology and engineering in the curriculum;
- encourage more students to study foreign languages;
- review the national curriculum; and
- develop an MBA style executive education for a new school leadership program.
All this comes to a grand total of an extra $120 million on top of schools funding already committed to in the budget.
Mr Abbott says "what happened in Syria is an abomination".
"Some kind of sanctions would be merited, no doubt about that," Mr Abbott says.
(He will receive his briefing later today.)
Mr Abbott avoids answering whether he has seen the figures released by Labor.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott visits the Penrith Christian School in Sydney on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
I will come back to the details of the education policy after Mr Abbott finishes taking questions.
He is asked about Labor's costings claimings.
Mr Abbott says the Coalition stands by the figures that were released yesterday.
"I am confident that the assumptions that we have made are the correct assumptions," Mr Abbott says.
"Mr Rudd has got all of his own figures wrong and now he's got ours wrong too....If Mr Rudd's lips are moving you know he's not telling the truth."
Opposition leader Tony Abbott visits the Penrith Christian School in Sydney on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Rudd has finished.
Just in time for Coalition leader Tony Abbott who is speaking at Penrith Christian School about education.
"We will spend exactly the same on education over the forward estimates," Mr Abbott says.
Education spokesman Christopher Pyne says the debate has gotten caught up on funding.
Mr Pyne said he and Mr Abbott decided to move the debate to a "higher plane" by adopting Labor's funding model.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott visits the Penrith Christian School in Sydney on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
I now have links to the documents released by Labor.
The document released by Labor says some of the "holes" it has found in the Coalition's costings include:
- claiming an extra $2 billion in savings from not proceedings with the low income super contribution (the "correct saving", Labor says it $1.7 billion not the $3.7 billion claimed by the Coalition);
- claiming a saving of $5.2 billion from reducing the public service by 12,000 when the Department of Finance has costed this saving at $2.8 billion;
- the $5.1 billion saved by discontinuing free permits in the Jobs and Competitiveness Fund does not impact the underlying cash balance; and
- only $300 million of the $1.5 billion save from discontinuing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation can be claimed as only this portion hits the budget bottom line.
Labor campaign headquarters has also released the accompanying documentation from Treasury, the Department of Finance and the Parliamentary Budget Office. I'll get those put up on our website as soon as possible and let you know when they're available.
Mr Bowen says the Coalition has performed a "pea and thimble trick".
The Coalition is "hiding the need to make further cuts to make their budget add up", Mr Bowen says.
"It's nine days until the election," Finance Minister Penny Wong says, "and Mr Abbott is still playing hide and seek".
"$1 in every $3 that they counted as savings doesn't exist."
Instead of saving $31.6 billion as the Coalition said yesterday, Labor says the savings only amount to $20.8 billion.
Treasurer Chris Bowen says the analysis Labor has done are based on figures from Treasury and the Parliamentary Budget Office (which was done before the election).
Mr Rudd accuses Mr Abbott of being "untruthful" in not releasing the full costings of Coalition policies.
Mr Rudd says a "simple analysis" of the costings that were released shows "a massive $10 billion" hole.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd with Senator Penny Wong and Treasurer Chris Bowen in Melbourne on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Mr Rudd moves on to costings, specifically the Coalition's.
"[The Australian people] want their prime minister to be have good judgement....and to be truthful with them," Mr Rudd says.
"They think that this policy priority [paid parental leave] of his is just dead wrong."
Mr Rudd has begun.
He starts with Syria and says it is the government's belief that chemical weapons have been used in Syria.
"The evidence is now overwhelming," Mr Rudd says. "The Australian government condemns the Syrian regime."
"It is a flagrant breach of international law. It is an offence against humanity, and arguably, it is a crime against humanity."
The international community must now discuss a "robust response", Mr Rudd says.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd with Senator Penny Wong and Treasurer Chris Bowen in Melbourne on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
I'm waiting to bring you a press conference with Mr Rudd and his money ministers, Treasurer Chris Bowen and Finance Minister Penny Wong. It's due to start any minute.
Mr Abbott has given a brief address to the Penrith Christian School assembly.
"The best value that you can live by is that golden rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you," Mr Abbott tells the students.
"I will do my best to help you be your best selves in the months and years ahead."
Opposition leader Tony Abbott at the Penrith Christian School in Sydney on Thursday.
Where are the leaders today?
Well, obviously, Tony Abbott is in Sydney.
Team Abbott has just arrived at Penrith Christian School in the electorate of Lindsay (the one Fiona Scott is hoping to wrest from Labor minister David Bradbury for the Coalition). It is Mr Abbott's third visit to the seat during the campaign.
Mr Abbott is about the address the school assembly.
Team Rudd is in Melbourne. Mr Rudd has just arrived after detouring to Canberra for a briefing on Syria. He will hold a press conference at about 11am.
(Mr Abbott will receive a briefing on Syria later today.)
Among the revelations to come out of last night's community forum was the Coalition's announcement that it would abolish a $1.2 billion Labor scheme to deliver pay rises to the nation's 350,000 aged care workers and reallocate the money within the aged care funding pool.
The Coalition had been critical in the past of the aged care 'Workforce Compact' which offers wage supplements to employers who lift wages to a certain level and sign an enterprise bargaining agreement on the grounds it was too expensive and designed to help aged care unions boost their numbers.
Health reporter Dan Harrison has more.
The Abbott daughters played netball and so did Mr Abbott's wife, Margie, who was on hand to relieve her husband of a netball body suit that was presented to him at the event.
The sports loving Mr Abbott said he never took to the netball court himself: "I probably wasn't regarded as sufficiently coordinated so I was left to rugby."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is presented with a netball bodysuit by netball player Bianca Chatfield during his visit to Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
The players were a bit concerned that they may have sweated on Mr Abbott.
"A bit of body contact never hurt anyone," he assured them.
"Nothing wrong with a bit of modest sweat."
Opposition leader Tony Abbott during his visit to Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Yesterday it was chocolate and today it is netball. Whoever said the Coalition was not in touch with women's issues?
Coalition leader Tony Abbott has been at Sydney Olympic Park this morning where he promised $3 million towards completing a netball centre of excellent and a further $3 million for the 2015 Netball World Cup.
Peter Munro is with Team Abbott and reports the assembled netball players were very impressed with Mr Abbott.
"He's funny, cool," said one.
Mr Abbott is a "netball dad" from way back although his daughters said last week that he saw the game as just another form of rugby.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott visits the Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
The Age's national affairs editor, Tony Wright, is with Team Abbott.
In this piece on last night's debate Tony declared the only winner was power bingo.
Breaking news reporter Judith Ireland is with Team Rudd.
And our online readers' poll today asks the question - do we need a review of foreign ownership of land in Australia as flagged by Kevin Rudd? You can have your say here.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd departs the Rooty Hill RSL on Wednesday night. Photo: Andrew Meares
Chief political correspondent Mark Kenny filed this report on the debate in which Mr Rudd was forced to defend his internal campaign against former prime minister Julia Gillard.
Mr Rudd also called for tighter restrictions on the sale of Australian land to foreign individuals telling the forum he felt "anxious" about farms being sold to non Australian interests. This has led to claims Mr Rudd invented the policy on the night (but more of that later).
The Sydney Morning Herald's political editor, Peter Hartcher, felt the event exposed "the great credibility chasm" of the campaign.
"Voters," Peter writes, "don't believe either party. And when some of them had the chance to quiz the leaders on this directly, Rudd and Abbott only reinforced their fears."
The debate/community forum/meeting/encounter.....The audience gave it to Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
What did you make of it?
I have a video overview of the debate if you'd like to go back and check it out.
Leaders slug it out
Tony Abbott had to deal with a blunt attack on his paid parental leave scheme and Kevin Rudd hinted at limits on foreign land ownership as the leaders met for a third campaign debate.
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Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the federal election campaign.
Thank you for joining me, Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen as we take you through the day's news and views.
(And a round of applause to Jacqueline Maley for her fine coverage of the community forum last night.)
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