And that's it from me for the day. What happened?
- Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made three stops in Brisbane;
- he spoke of the Coalition's economic plans and its new policy on internships;
- Labor leader Bill Shorten has just arrived in Cairns;
- Mr Shorten will visit a school as he emphasises Labor's education policies;
- immigration has already become an issue with one Labor candidate criticising the party's policy;
- this gave Immigration Minister Peter Dutton an easy attack line as he urged people to remember the Coalition's track record on border protection.
I'm signing off to work a new project - a campaign newsletter that will be sent out every afternoon. I will not be blogging every day of the campaign. I did in 2013 and some days were, shall we say, easier than others. But I will be with you for campaign launches, debates, election day and other major events.
You can also follow me on Facebook for regular updates throughout the day.
Andrew Meares, Alex Ellinghausen and I will be back soon. See you on the hustings.
It's not even throwback Thursday:
On Day 1 of the election campaign, my best wishes to Bill Shorten & the Labor team as they fight for a fairer Australia. - JG
— Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) May 9, 2016
Meanwhile Labor leader Bill Shorten has arrived in Cairns and is on his way to his first appearance of the day.
Campaigns are all about optics and stamina. (Not jokes about Bussy McBusface, okay?)
![Labor Leader Bill Shorten's campaign at Cairns airport on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/o/c/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopoij.png/1462758125750.jpg)
Mr Turnbull has completed his third campaign stop for the day and the team will now retire for the afternoon and spend the night in Brisbane.
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Grove Fruit Juice in Brisbane on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/o/d/1/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopogn.png/1462758023945.jpg)
Mr Dutton says the 23 year old Somali woman who said last year she was raped on Nauru has given birth to a baby.
He defends the timing of his update saying he would have done it regardless of the campaign: "We make an announcement on these matters when it is operationally sensible to do so."
Mr Dutton says the situation of the 750 people on Manus Island should take "a couple of months" to resolve.
And that's it for Mr Dutton.
Back to topMr Dutton pounces on the comments of Labor candidate Sophie Ismail (see 10.29 am post) and says she is now the seventh Labor MP or candidate to criticise the party's immigration policy.
Mr Dutton says Labor is divided and Mr Shorten should rebuke the people who criticise policy. He says Labor maintains support for the Coalition's policies while in opposition but acts differently when it is in government.
Mr Dutton confirms three boatloads of asylum seekers tried to reach Australia this year.
One group of 12 people was returned to Sri Lanka opn Friday (you may remember on budget night there were reports of a boat near Cocos Island the day before).
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is giving an update on Operation Sovereign Borders.
He pulls no punches: "If you elect a Turnbull government at the next election we will stare down the people smugglers....Labor can make no such claim."
Heath Aston and Andrew Meares are travelling with Mr Turnbull this week.
Heath has recorded this little video of what it's like to accompany Mr Turnbull on an early morning campaign stop. (Heath went to the Lars von Trier film making school which explains the slightly shaky camera work.)
Election 2016: the first picture opportunity
Political correspondent Heath Aston takes us along on Malcolm Turnbull's first 'walk-through' of the campaign - a tour of Brisbane's fruit markets.
Earlier this morning Parliament was officially dissolved.
A short ceremony was held at 9 am at Parliament House dealing with the necessary requirements. The Governor-General's proclamation was signed in the marble foyer. It was then read outside the entry to the building by Sir Peter's secretary, Mark Fraser, and placed on a ceremonial stand in the Member's Hall.
The official proclamation dissolving Parliament outside the House of Reps. pic.twitter.com/e9rJAxjkM0
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) May 9, 2016
Back to top
The glamour of the campaign trail.
![The media wait for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to visit the Brisbane Produce Market in Brisbane on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/m/d/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopmea.png/1462754899455.jpg)
All of this comes as Immigration Minister Peter Dutton prepares to give an update on Operation Sovereign Borders in about an hour's time.
You don't need me to tell you the issue is difficult for Labor which faces a barrage of Coalition messaging to the electorate about its strength in this particular policy area.
Ms Ismail has since tweeted a link to the story which will probably play well for her in her own race but might not be so good for her team overall.
Labor candidate Sophie Ismail has contradicted her party's asylum seeker policies, outlining concerns about boat turn backs and offshore detention on Manus Island and Nauru.
Ms Ismail, who faces a tough fight to win back the prized seat of Melbourne from the Greens' Adam Bandt, vowed to be a progressive voice inside the ALP caucus in the mould of retiring Fremantle MP Melissa Parke and suggested Australia may be in breach of its international legal obligations by processing asylum seekers on Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
There are perks to being Infrastructure Minister. Such as being able to campaign in front of "big" things. Definitely makes for a more lively back drop:
So many big things to come on #Election2016 @srpeatling @lucybarbour @rharris334 @workmanalice Prawn is priority! pic.twitter.com/hAsiX43eca
— Darren Chester MP (@DarrenChesterMP) May 9, 2016
Also out and about this morning is Tony Abbott who has been greeting commuters at the Manly ferry terminal.
And yes, points to the person who wondered why he is there when he said he wanted to stop the boats.
Jokes aside, I would have thought any colleagues concerned about Mr Abbott going rogue during the campaign would be heartened by his actions this morning. And possibly dropped over an umbrella.
![Stiff competition: Former prime minister Tony Abbott chasing the commuter vote at Manly wharf.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/j/5/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopkpv.png/1463627571437.jpg)
Mr Turnbull is asked why he did not mention climate change yesterday. He says he spoke for too long.
"Climate change is very important," Mr Turnbull says and adds that the Coalition's policy is "very good".
"We have moved from ideology in the climate change debate to one of practical outcomes."
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the North Lakes Community Centre in Brisbane on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/l/k/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopkh5.png/1462869599710.jpg)
"We'll be talking about out national economic plan every single day," Mr Turnbull promises people.
Mr Shorten is "standing in the road of enterprise".
"As you reduce business taxes you will get more investment and more employment."
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited the North Lakes Community Centre in Brisbane on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/l/k/c/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopkap.png/1462825208739.jpg)
Mr Turnbull is holding his first press conference where he is talking about the youth internships program announced in last week's budget.
Mr Turnbull describes it as "a bit of hand holding" that will help young people who lack confidence or training to find work.
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited the North Lakes Community Centre in Brisbane on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/l/j/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopk7v.png/1462753281018.jpg)
Labor leader Bill Shorten is in the air on his way to Townsville, where he will visit a school, and then Cairns.
Mr Turnbull is in Brisbane in the seat of Petrie, the Coalition's most marginal seat which is holds by only 0.5 per cent.
![Media travelling on Labor leader Bill Shorten's campaign board the C-130 Hercules aircraft at RAAF Fairbairn on Monday.](/web/20160707055829im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/p/k/m/l/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gopk5i.png/1462751253599.jpg)
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