Good morning. Here’s what happened overnight and what you need to know today.
1.
Prime Pauline: Pauline Hanson may have a realistic path to becoming prime minister, according to comprehensive new polling that suggests One Nation could rival Labor for the most seats in the House of Representatives if an election were held now. The latest quarterly Capital Brief/DemosAU MRP poll of more than 9,000 Australians shows One Nation continues to gouge into major-party support and is bursting into the lead in rural, regional and outer metropolitan areas. If reflected in an election, the analysis predicts One Nation would win between 53 and 66 seats and the Albanese government between 60 and 72, short of the 76 needed for majority. That would leave Labor relying on the Greens and independents, while One Nation would have to seek support from an increasingly antagonistic Coalition. The poll projects the Coalition on 11 to 22 seats and the Nationals possibly wiped out. It would oust Opposition leader Angus Taylor in Hume and Andrew Hastie in Canning. One Nation is now leading across outer metro seats in Brisbane and Perth, the seats it must win to have any chance of forming even a minority government. One Nation’s primary vote has climbed to 30%, up 3 points since the February/March poll, overtaking Labor on 26% (-3 points). (Capital Brief)
2.
Point taken: Anthony Albanese said he would “absolutely” raise new US tariffs directly with US President Donald Trump, describing the 12.5% levy imposed on Australian goods as unjustified. Speaking on ABC’s Insiders on Sunday, the prime minister said Australia had already engaged Washington and would press the issue “at every level” of the relationship, arguing the tariffs would raise costs for US consumers and undermine the trading relationship. The levy, announced last week as a temporary 10% global tariff expired, followed a US investigation alleging around 60 economies had failed to curb goods made with forced labour. Albanese said Australia had strong modern slavery provisions and was strengthening them. He also called for an end to the Iran war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, Albanese distanced himself from Labor’s newly adopted platform on voluntary assisted dying via telehealth, saying he was yet to be convinced and feared “misuse” that could undermine the system. He also repeatedly declined to discuss a fundraising dinner at the Point Piper mansion of businessman Felix Lee, whose father was pursued by the tax office over unpaid taxes, saying only that he attends “lots of functions”. (ABC)(Reuters)(ABC)(AFR)
