From inflation to climate change, from China to women’s safety, a slew of issues have been at the forefront of the heated campaign. Australia goes to the polls tomorrow
File image of Australian prime minister Scott Morrison. Reuters
Australia is slated to go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new government.
The heated six-week campaign pitting Prime Minister Scott Morrison against Opposition leader Anthony Albese has seen issues such as the rise of living costs, climate change, corruption and China come to the forefront as well as some lighter-hearted moments on the trail.
Here's a primer on everything you need to know about the polls:
Also read: Why voting is mandatory in Australia
What’s at stake tomorrow?
Everything. But first, let’s understand Australia’s system.
Like the United States, Australia has a House of Representatives and a Senate.
It is vital to win the House, which has 151 seats and a maximum three-year term, in order to form the government. The prime minister sits in the House.
Tomorrow’s elections are vital as all the seats are up for grabs in the House and a little more than half the seats are in play in the Senate.
A party needs to cross the magic 76-figure mark in the House to form the government. Failing that, it can seek support from other parties or Independents.
A conservative coalition led by the Liberal Party has 76 seats in the House and 35 seats in the Senate.
Their main Opposition, the Labor Party, has 68 seats in the House and 26 seats in the Senate.
What are the key issues?
From inflation to climate change, China and women’s safety, a slew of issues have been at the forefront of the campaign.
When it comes to the economy there’s good news and bad news.
First, let’s start with the good: unemployment, at just four per cent, is the lowest since 2008. Unfortunately wages haven’t been able to keep pace with inflation as a rise in fuel, electricity and other goods are hurting voters’ pocketbooks.
“Whoever comes into government will have to address the economic situation, they’ll have to address issues, including inflation, including cost of living pressures, and including, of course, the global uncertainty at the moment thanks to issues such as the war in Europe,” Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Monash University told CNBC.
With regard to climate change, voters spooked by witnessing some of the worst bushfires and floods in recent memory want politicians to act.
“Australians are feeling and seeing climate damage now and that’s why most Australians are very worried about climate change and want the government to do a lot more than they are,” said Kelly O’Shanassy, chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Deutsche Welle.
“Australians are feeling and seeing climate damage now and that’s why most Australians are very worried about climate change and want the government to do a lot more than they are,” said Kelly O’Shanassy, chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Deutsche Welle.
In the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, women’s safety has become a major talking point with thousands taking to the streets to voice their support.
A recent review showing one in three staff in parliamentary offices being subjected to sexual harassment.
The outrage got so fierce that Morrison tendered a formal apology on behalf of Parliament.
Then there’s the big C: China.
Labor has targeted Morrison – who began his campaign by touting a hawkish outlook towards China – after Beijing made a security pact with Solomon Islands right under Australia’s nose.
Labor has described the deal as Australia’s worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II.
Albanese has pledged to travel to Tokyo for a QUAD meeting said if he prevails at the polls.
What do the polls say?
Polls show Labor prevailing – albeit narrowly – over the conservative coalition, which has been in power for the past nine years.
But don’t write off Morrison, who took over from Malcolm Turnbull in 2018, just yet.
In 2019, the last time Australia went to the hustings, pollsters got it wrong.
The polls favoured Labor Party back then too, predicting a 51.5 per cent to the coalition’s 48.5 per cent. The outcome was the exact opposite.
An inquiry by Australia’s market and social research industry peak body determined Labor voters overrepresented in survey samples.
The 2020 study could not determine whether “herding,” a process in which pollsters manipulate results to match others’ results and avoid the damage to credibility by being the only one wrong, played a part in the 2019 failure because the pollsters refused to disclose their raw data.
Goof-ups and gaffes on the campaign trail
The chicken curry scandal was hatched when Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who makes no secret of his family curry-cooking efforts, posted images of his Sunday dinner to Facebook.
"Nice to have a night at home. So curry it is. Sri Lankan Tamarind Eggplant and Okra Curry and a classic Chicken Korma. Strong Curry. Strong Economy. Stronger Future," he posted on May 1.
But Facebook critics quickly spotted a piece of apparently glistening pink chicken flesh poking out of the creamy sauce.
"A good vet would have that chicken back on its feet in a few minutes," joked one of more than 9,000 commenters.
"Lovely piece of raw chicken centre right of frame!! Enjoy!" said one critic who finally prompted Australia's leader to intervene.
"I can reassure you, the chicken was cooked," Morrison replied on his Facebook page.
The prime minister flatly denied the meat was raw in a radio interview, blaming a trick of the light.
"It is absolutely untrue. People went back for seconds. It was in the pan for a good 45 minutes, I can tell you, because I had it there myself," he said.
"It was just the way the light bounced off the skin of the chicken."
Three days before the vote, Morrison barrelled into a young boy during a friendly children's football game in Tasmania, eliciting a chorus of stunned "ooohs" from spectators.
At first, Morrison -- shorn of his jacket, but still sporting a shirt and tie -- sauntered around the field somewhat aimlessly, trying to get a toe on the ball in the five-a-side game.
But then the 54-year-old stepped it up a gear, hunting down a cross-field pass that threatened the opposition's pop-up mini-goal.
Morrison, who recently described himself as "a bit of a bulldozer", propelled himself forward to intercept the pass. Unfortunately, a small red-haired boy about two-thirds of Morrison's size was in the way.
Morrison's left shoulder drove straight into the unsuspecting child's face, sending both tumbling to the artificial turf.
Realising what he had done, Morrison threw his arms around the kid in a hug and lifted him off the ground, as a coach sprinted across for an impromptu Head Injury Assessment and photographers switched to rapid-fire.
The shocked interjections turned to muffled laughs as the youngster dusted himself off and Morrison sheepishly rose to his feet.
On the "gotcha" scale of reporters' questions testing politicians on policy details, it should have been an easy one: What is the national unemployment rate?
Caught in the spotlight, Australia's opposition Labor Party leader, Anthony Albanese, was unable to answer.
"The national unemployment rate at the moment is, I think it is five point... four, sorry, I am not sure what it is," he said.
Australia's unemployment rate is at a 13-year low of four percent.
"Earlier today I made a mistake. I'm human," Albanese said shortly afterwards.
Since that stumble early in the election campaign, some Australians have expressed doubts about the value of such questions.
A couple of days after Albanese's gaffe, Greens leader Adam Bandt was asked by a journalist whether he knew the wage price figures.
"Google it, mate," he replied.
Venturing into a pub, where patrons may have had a few beers to loosen their tongues, carries certain risks for politicians.
Australia's prime minister confirmed this by popping into the Edgeworth Tavern near Newcastle, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) up the coast from Sydney.
Surrounded by TV reporters, an elderly man stood right in front of Morrison and angrily berated him over the level of disability pensions.
"This is what you said when you got elected last time: 'We are going to help all those people who worked all their lives, paid their taxes, and those who have a go, get a go'," he said.
"Well, I have had a go, mate. I have worked all my life and paid my taxes," he added.
"We've had quite a chat," Morrison summarised before the man let loose with a couple of expletives to express his frustration with the prime minister.
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