An earlier photo of the detained Tamil family from Biloela.

Scott Morrison has indicated the Murugappan family won't be allowed back to Biloela if he's re-elected. Source: Supplied

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Politics

'No protection owed' to Biloela's Murugappan family, Scott Morrison says, as Labor outlines policy costings

An earlier photo of the detained Tamil family from Biloela.

Scott Morrison has indicated the Murugappan family won't be allowed back to Biloela if he's re-elected. Source: Supplied

Published 19 May 2022 8:38am
Updated 19 May 2022 5:18pm
Source: SBS News

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19 May 2022 5:17pm
That's a wrap! Here's what happened on day 39 of the federal election campaign
That's a wrap for day 39 of the federal election campaign!


Here's a rundown of some of the major moments:
  • Labor leader Anthony Albanese raised concerns over advertisements put out by the Liberal Party, which he said were
    making 'fun' of his Italian surname
    . Prime Minister Scott Morrison waved off the concerns about the ads, saying he did not accept the accusation.
  • Australia's unemployment rate is sitting at 3.9 per cent
    , according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The rate is unchanged after the March figure, which was 4 per cent, was revised down by 0.1 per cent. Employment increased by 4,000 people in April, the sixth consecutive monthly rise. However, this rise fell short of the increase economists had been expecting.
  • One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has tested positive for COVID-19. Ms Hanson, who is not vaccinated, confirmed she had the virus while speaking to KIIS-FM Sydney radio. She is now unable to campaign in person and will be in isolation on election day on Saturday.
  • The prime minister was asked about an incident on Wednesday, where he made headlines after
    accidentally tackling a 7-year-old
    during a football game. He said that Luca was in "great shape" after their collision and that he "probably came off a little better than I did because I hit the ground with a great thud".
  • More than five million Australians have already voted, according to data released by the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC says this is tracking towards a record number.
  • Labor released its policy costings, announcing its election commitments will add an extra $7.4 billion to the budget bottom line. The pledges include investments in childcare,training and education, renewable energy. They also include funding for a national anti-racism strategy, and abolishing Temporary Protection visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise visas (SHEVs) and creating a new permanent visa subclass, as well as boosting the Adult Migrant English Program.
READ MORE

‘Best bang for buck’: Labor reveals policy costings, says investments will boost the economy

  • Scott Morrison said there is "no protection owed" to the Murugappan family and indicated they won't be allowed back to Biloela if he's re-elected.
19 May 2022 4:37pm
'No protection owed': Scott Morrison indicates Murugappan family won't be allowed back to Biloela if he's re-elected
At a press conference where Scott Morrison was criticising Labor's policy costings, including its plan to abolish temporary protection visas, the immigration minister was asked if the Murugappan family would be allowed to return to Biloela.

The prime minister first blocked Alex Hawke from answering, then said: "That matter is still undetermined in the courts and there's been no finding of protection for that family."

When asked whether the final say rests with Mr Hawke, Mr Morrison responded: "There is no protection owed. They've not been found to be refugees. And so Australia's rules do not permit permanent visas for people who have not been found to be refugees. That's the government's policy."
The Migration Act gives the immigration minister the power to grant visas due to unique or exceptional circumstances.

Pressure has been mounting on the government
during the election campaign to use those powers and allow the Murugappan family to return to the Queensland town of Biloela, where parents Priya and Nades had been living and working since 2014.

The family of four has been involved in a protracted legal battle to remain in Australia since 2018 when they were deported to Christmas Island after Priya's bridging visa expired.
READ MORE

Pressure mounts on federal government to bring Biloela family home as election looms

They were held in detention on the island until 2021 when the youngest daughter, Tharnicaa, suffered from an urgent medical condition that required hospital treatment in Perth.

After Tharnicaa's release from hospital, her parents and older sister Kopika were given 12-month bridging visas, allowing them to return to Biloela.

But the four-year-old wasn't granted a visa, forcing the family to remain stuck in community detention in Perth.

Angela Fredericks of the Home to Bilo campaign said in the statement that Mr Morrison had "responded with a lie, repeating misinformation that 'that matter is still undetermined in the courts'."

"There is nothing before the courts. Mr Morrison is incorrect ... The Prime Minister’s claim that visas cannot be granted to the family without a finding of protection is also completely false."
19 May 2022 3:42pm
Labor outlines costings for proposed migration changes and anti-racism strategy
Labor has laid out its costings for abolishing Temporary Protection visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise visas (SHEVs) and creating a new permanent visa subclass.

The policy would cost $39 million in the 2022-23 federal budget, $48 million in 2023-24, $129 million in 2024-25 and $191 million in 2025-26.
READ MORE

Major parties refuse to permanently resettle hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers ahead of election

Labor's finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher said there were currently around 19,000 people in Australia on TPVs and SHEVs.

"This would abolish those visas and shift people on them to a new permanent visa," she told reporters in Canberra.
READ MORE

Liberal v Labor: Where the major parties stand on migration

"It would remove the need to reapply and go through that process every three to five years, which is currently what's happening, and that is for people who have met the security and character requirements test under the current visa arrangements.

"Under the new visa subclass, it would allow the same support as under existing visas, so they would be entitled to work, access Medicare, income support, English-language tuition, and also things like trauma and torture counselling."

The Opposition's pledge to improve the Adult Migrant English Program is costed at $2.5 million in the 2022-23 federal budget, $5 million in both 2023-24 and 2024-25 and $7.5 million in 2025-26.
READ MORE

'Collateral damage': Here's how the souring of China-Australia relations is being felt

Labor's promise to implement a national anti-racism strategy will cost $3 million in the next federal budget, $1.5 million each year between 2023 and 2025 and $7.5 million in 2025-26.

Some of that spending would be offset by increasing the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, which is currently capped at $53,900.

Labor expects it would generate $6.8 million in 2022-23, $21.7 million in 2023-24, $38 million in 2024-25 and $65.6 million in 2025-26.
19 May 2022 2:42pm
More than five million Australians have already voted
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) says 5.04 million Australians have already voted in the federal election, according to its latest pre-poll data.

As of Wednesday night, 3,874,878 pre-poll votes and 1,163,993 postal votes had been received.

There are 17,228,900 Australians enrolled to vote.
A graphic showing how many Australians have already cast their vote in this year's federal election
More than five million Australians have already cast their vote in this year's federal election. Source: SBS
19 May 2022 2:26pm
'We need to grab the opportunities ahead': Katy Gallagher on Labor's policy costings
Labor's finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher has revealed the figures behind Labor's policy costings.

"Our plan which we are releasing today (is) costings of modest new investments of $18.9 billion of forward estimates, but we also announce $11.5 billion in budget improvements over the same time," she told reporters.

"This is the responsible approach to budget management at the Australian people deserve from the government, and it is a real contrast to a tired government that has rorted and wasted millions of dollars."

Ms Gallagher said the party's approach was about "responsible and targeted investments" designed to drive productivity and growth, with a focus on childcare, skills and training, and cleaner and cheaper energy.
READ MORE

‘Best bang for buck’: Labor reveals policy costings, says investments will boost the economy

"These are the critical investments ... we need to grab the opportunities ahead, after nearly a decade of drift, division and blame-shifting. Our plan has deficits but declining in dollar terms and as a percentage of the economy every year."

"Spending as a percent of GDP declines in each and every year. Responsible investments account for no more than an extra 0.4 per cent of the total budget in any year, and account for less than 0.1 per cent of GDP in any year of forward estimates."

Katy Gallagher
Labor's finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher. Source: AAP
19 May 2022 2:09pm
Labor's policy costings add $7.4 billion to budget deficit
Labor has released its policy costings, announcing its election commitments will add an extra $7.4 billion to the budget bottom line.

The Opposition's Treasury spokesperson Jim Chalmers and finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher said the party's commitments were "modest" and represented no more than an additional 0.4 per cent of the total budget in any year of the forward estimates.

"The modest $7.4 billion difference between the two budgets is made up of key investments in childcare, investments in training and education, and investments in cleaner and cheaper energy," Mr Chalmers said.

"Our investments will generate an economic dividend ... every dollar of difference between us and the government is carefully calibrated to deliver a bigger economic return. To deal with these challenges that we would inherit ... we would be inheriting $1 trillion of debt, but we wouldn't be inheriting an economic plan from this government."
READ MORE

‘Best bang for buck’: Labor reveals policy costings, says investments will boost the economy

Mr Chalmers also accused the Coalition of wasteful spending.

"Our investments are a fraction of what the Liberals and Nationals have rorted and wasted. Our investments are a fraction of what the Liberals and Nationals added at the last budget, and at the last media update as well," Mr Chalmers said.

The Coalition released its policy costings on Tuesday, with $3.3 billion in cuts across the public sector to fund its $2.3 million in new spending commitments.
19 May 2022 1:50pm
The major campaign moments of the day so far
In case you're just joining us, welcome to today's SBS News live blog! It's day 39 of the federal election campaign, and we are here to recap the major moments of the day so far.
Close up side profile of Scott Morrison wearing a suit and hi-vis.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits Island Block and Paving on Day 39 of the 2022 federal election campaign, south of Launceston, in Tasmania. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE
  • Labor leader Anthony Albanese raised concerns over advertisements put out by the Liberal Party, which he said were
    making 'fun' of his Italian surname
    . Prime Minister Scott Morrison waved off the concerns about the ads, saying he did not accept the accusation.
  • Australia's unemployment rate is sitting at 3.9 per cent
    , according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The rate is unchanged after the March figure, which was 4 per cent, was revised down by 0.1 per cent. Employment increased by 4,000 people in April, the sixth consecutive monthly rise. However, this rise fell short of the increase economists had been expecting.
  • One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has tested positive for COVID-19. Ms Hanson, who is not vaccinated, confirmed she had the virus while speaking to KIIS-FM Sydney radio. She is now unable to campaign in person and will be in isolation on election day on Saturday.
  • The prime minister was asked about an incident on Wednesday, where he made headlines after
    accidentally tackling a 7-year-old
    during a football game. He said that Luca was in "great shape" after their collision and that he "probably came off a little better than I did because I hit the ground with a great thud".
  • More than five million Australians have already voted, according to data released by the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC says this is tracking towards a record number.
19 May 2022 12:55pm
How can you vote if you have tested positive for COVID-19?
With applications for postal votes now closed, the Australian Electoral Commission says it has been receiving questions from voters with COVID-19.

If you tested positive for COVID-19 after postal vote applications closed at 6pm on Tuesday 17 May, you are eligible for a telephone vote.
READ MORE

Just tested positive for COVID-19 and need to vote? Here's how

But if you tested positive for the virus prior to Tuesday evening, you would have been eligible for a postal vote, and therefore will not be able to vote via phone.
The AEC said telephone voting is an emergency measure designed to cater to those who have no other option.

To find out more about telephone voting visit the
AEC website.
19 May 2022 12:19pm
Unemployment rate steady at 3.9 per cent, lowest in nearly 50 years
Australia's unemployment rate has remained steady at 3.9 per cent, according to data released on Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The April rate is unchanged after the March figure - which was 4 per cent - was revised down by 0.1 per cent.
READ MORE

Australia's unemployment rate remains at 3.9 per cent, the lowest in nearly 50 years

“In April, we saw employment rise by 4,000 people and unemployment fall by 11,000 people," said Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS.

The unemployment rate for males fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.0 per cent, its lowest level since October 2008. For females, it remained at 3.7 per cent for a second month, which is the lowest it has been since May 1974.
19 May 2022 12:11pm
'I'm still kicking': Pauline Hanson tests positive for COVID-19
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is off the federal election campaign trail after contracting COVID-19.

"I'm up to s--t, I've got COVID," she told KIIS-FM Sydney radio on Thursday.

The diagnosis means the Queensland senator cannot campaign in person and will be in isolation on election day on Saturday.

Senator Hanson confirmed she was not vaccinated against the virus.

"I haven't been to hospital. I'm still kicking. I'm alive," she said.
Pauline Hanson speaking in front of a blue backdrop with Australian flags in the background.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson at a press conference in Brisbane. Source: AAP / DARREN ENGLAND/AAPIMAGE
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie also tested positive for the virus earlier this week, forcing him to cancel his final campaign appearances.

Meanwhile, federal government data shows more than 60 aged care residents in Australia are dying with COVID-19 every week.

While many think the Omicron wave of the virus has passed, the health data gathered by a union reveals 596 aged care facilities have recorded at least one COVID death this year.

- With AAP
19 May 2022 11:48am
'He probably came off a little better': Prime minister responds to collision with child
Scott Morrison says he has spoken with Luca Fauvette - the child he accidentally knocked over during a campaign visit to a local football club in Devonport on Wednesday night.

He said that Luca was in "great shape" after their collision and that he "probably came off a little better than I did because I hit the ground with a great thud".

"He shared with me his young sporting highlights. He told me he got three hat-tricks with a goal, he's got a story to tell his mates today and I suspect a yarn he'll be able to spin for many, many years to come," he said.
READ MORE

Football club at centre of Scott Morrison's latest campaign gaffe breaks silence

Former Wallabies captain David Pocock - who is also running as a candidate for the Senate in the ACT, also weighed in with his own tongue-in-cheek review of the incident.

"Shoulder contact to the head. No malice but off the ball and no attempt to drop his body height before the tackle. Red card. And we might be seeing him at the judiciary. Thoughts," he tweeted.
19 May 2022 11:12am
Anthony Albanese praises Margaret Thatcher for climate action
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese says Liberal party in-fighting is a "handbrake" to climate change while speaking about hardships in regional Australia.

"People in regional Australia are increasingly more and more aware of the impact on climate change. You don't have to go to Brisbane or the areas that have been impacted by the floods in the Northern Rivers, you don't have to talk about whether climate change is real in Cobargo," he said.

"You can go there, and if you actually understand how real it is, you can shake people's hands and have good conversations with them. That's what you can do. It is real."
READ MORE

Climate change is an issue for many voters. Here's how the Coalition and Labor compare

Mr Albanese also compared Australia's climate policies to those in the United Kingdom, praised former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

"The Liberal Party spends a lot of time fighting each other, and that's a handbrake to climate change. Climate change is not a controversial issue in most countries. The Boris Johnson government is taking serious action. You know who one of the first world leaders was to bell the cat on climate change? Margaret Thatcher.

"Margaret Thatcher was out there saying that climate change was real and that we needed to act."
19 May 2022 11:00am
Prime minister says 'global pressures' impacting on inflation amid lagging wage growth
Scott Morrison says tackling rising inflation is a key challenge after being asked about the latest wages data released on Wednesday that showed them lagging behind inflationary pressures.

The data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed wages grew 0.7 per cent in the March quarter and 2.4 per cent over the year, but failed to keep pace with inflation which was 5.1 per cent over the year to March.

Mr Morrison was asked whether his cost of living plan was delivering for Australians.

“The challenge for real wages is inflation - that’s the challenge, wages themselves as you know inched up a bit further to 2.4 per cent,” he said.

“The inflation pressures that are coming from all around the world. These are global pressures putting upward pressure on inflation and interest rates.”

Mr Morrison said wage rises could be secured through getting "unemployment down", ahead of the latest jobs data being released on Thursday.

“I’m for higher wages by ensuring we get unemployment down and we’re supporting businesses,” he said.

Wages have become a central issue of the election campaign with Labor and the Coalition clashing over who would be placed to deliver better pay packet returns for voters.
19 May 2022 10:42am
Scott Morrison defends Liberal ads featuring 'it won't be easy under Albanese' slogan
Scott Morrison has responded to his opponent Anthony Albanese, who criticised Liberal election ads for making "fun" of his name.

"I don’t accept Anthony’s accusation - at the last election we had a campaign that said 'the Bill you can’t afford with Labor'," the prime minister said.


"In politics, if you can’t stump up and he’s quite happy to dish out criticism and abuse of me as he has done over the last three years I’m big enough to take that.

"If Mr Albanese is that precious and he can’t hack a campaign then how on earth is he going to handle running this country."
READ MORE

Anthony Albanese criticises Liberal election ads for making 'fun' of his name

Mr Albanese said concerns had been raised with him by members of the Italian community about the ad as the rhyme relies on highlighting his last name, during an address to Club Marconi in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Mr Albanese on Thursday responded "no" when asked if the rhyme was racist, but repeated that a number of members of the Italian community had passed on their concerns.
19 May 2022 10:26am
Anthony Albanese says Indigenous Voice to Parliament is vital
During his press conference this morning, Anthony Albanese was questioned over the Uluru Statement from the Heart and enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which he has spoken about throughout his campaign.

"Only eight of the past 44 referendums have been successful. What makes you believe Labor can be successful in the next term with such an important referendum? And what happens if it fails?" Mr Albanese was asked.

“I think Australians are ready for it,” he said.

“It is absolutely vital that we're successful. I want to work with First Nations people on the timetable for a referendum. I also want to reach out across the aisle. I made the offer in the first meeting I had with Scott Morrison, when he was prime minister - as the Labor leader, I made the offer to support whatever we could to get it done this term.”
READ MORE

Major parties clash over Indigenous Voice to Parliament

“It's now been a considerable time since the Uluru Statement was given. It's a generous statement. And constitutionally enshrining it is important as a part of recognising that our history didn't begin in 1788.”

“In my mind, that's a pretty easy proposition. I know there's overwhelming support amongst whole sections of the community. I know it's not uniform. I know it's not uniform because of some of the misinformation that is out there. But I'm very confident that people in senior positions in the business community, in the media, across the parliament - and I acknowledge the support of people like Senator Bragg and others who have been very strong on this issue on the other side. Unfortunately, there are some people who aren't. Some of the Greens don't support moving to a Voice to Parliament as the first step. I do.”

“Indigenous leaders are saying to me they're impatient for this to happen. They don't want the momentum to stop. I want the momentum to build. And I'm confident that we can work towards a good thing for Australia that will be a bringing-together.”
19 May 2022 10:22am
Scott Morrison talks up economic credentials in Tasmania ahead of Labor costings announcement
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is still campaigning in Tasmania, visiting the seat of Lyons held by Labor on a margin of 5.2 per cent.

He has used a campaign visit to the Island Block & Paving manufacturing centre to talk up the Coalition's economic credentials.

He captured headlines on Wednesday night after accidentally knocking over a child during a practice game at a local football club in Devonport in the neighbouring seat of Braddon.

"Managing a strong economy is what this election is all about and Australians have a good choice to make this weekend," Mr Morrison said.
READ MORE

Football club at centre of Scott Morrison's latest campaign gaffe breaks silence

As Labor prepares to release its costings on Thursday, Mr Morrison is attempting to attack the Opposition over who is better placed to manage the economy moving forward.

"There is a hole in Labor's bucket when it comes to [its] economic management," Mr Morrison said paraphrasing lyrics from a song being used in an attack ad by the Liberal Party.
19 May 2022 10:08am
'Do you find that ad racist?': Anthony Albanese responds to Liberal ad
During Anthony Albanese's press conference, the Labor leader was questioned about Liberal advertisements which he had said were making "fun" of his name.


"Mr Albanese, last night you said that 'my opponent thinks it's still OK to make fun of someone's name in their advertising. That's a matter for them'," SBS political correspondent Pablo Viñales asked.

"Do you find that ad racist? Is that what you're suggesting?"
READ MORE

Anthony Albanese criticises Liberal election ads for making 'fun' of his name

"No. I'm suggesting that a number of people - including people who mentioned it to me last night - people who have ethnic names of my age, or perhaps a bit younger, certainly older, had people make fun of their names at school," Mr Albanese said.

"That's what happened. And people have raised it with me in the Italian community that they're concerned about it."
The discussion referred to advertisements being run by the Coalition featuring the slogan "It won't be easy under Albanese''.

Mr Albanese initially commented on the advertisements while addressing a crowd of Sydney's Italian community at Club Marconi in the city's southwest, and spoke of the possibility of being the first prime minister to not come from an Anglo-Celtic background, talking about his Italian heritage.
19 May 2022 9:56am
'The largest commitment we will make is our childcare policy': Anthony Albanese
Labor leader Anthony Albanese is currently speaking to reporters in Sydney about his party's childcare policy.

"The largest commitment that we will make at this election, that's on budget, is our childcare policy," Mr Albanese said.

"If you boost childcare investment, what you will see is removing the, quite frankly, just extraordinary distortion that's there in the labour market, whereby it's usually the mother will have a disincentive to work a fourth or a fifth day," he said.

"What that does is it stops families earning more income, but it also distorts... women's careers and those projections, because they're not contributing to the business in a full-time way. And that puts them at a disadvantage in the workplace. It's one of the things that explains the gender pay gap of 13.8 per cent."

"But it also explains why women retire with far less income in their superannuation than men. We need this reform. This reform is backed by business, it's sensible policy, it's smart policy, and it will produce a return to government over a period of time."
19 May 2022 8:47am
3.87 million people have cast early votes
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has released the latest early voting numbers.

As many as 3.87 million people have now cast their vote at an early voting centre, while 2.68 million postal vote applications have been received.

The AEC says this is tracking towards a record number.

19 May 2022 8:40am
Young footballer 'looking forward to being the star of the show' after tackle
In what has become one of the campaign's biggest moments on social media, Scott Morrison accidentally knocked over a child after misstepping while playing soccer during a visit to a local football club in Tasmania on Wednesday.

The football club addressed the incident late on Wednesday, saying its values "are determination, effort and respect".

"We think Luca showed plenty of determination and effort to stop the PM scoring at all costs!," the Devonport Strikers said in a Facebook post.

"The latest star of the election is OK and looking forward to being the star of the show at school tomorrow!"
Commenting on the post, Mr Morrison thanked the young boy for "being a good sport".

Earlier this morning, Minister for Employment Stuart Robert was asked about the incident while appearing on ABC's RN Breakfast.

"Poor little boy, I think he was pretty good, there was a hi-five afterwards, so it was just an error for both of them," Mr Robert said.
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