Anthony Albanese speaks at a lectern.

Anthony Albanese during a visit to Midland Hospital on Day 3 of the campaign. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

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Politics

A Chinese vessel enters the election fray on day three of the campaign — as it happened

Anthony Albanese has confirmed a Chinese ship is navigating in Australian waters, and criticised Peter Dutton's decision to live in Sydney if he's elected PM, during a packed day of campaigning.

Anthony Albanese speaks at a lectern.

Anthony Albanese during a visit to Midland Hospital on Day 3 of the campaign. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Published 31 March 2025 6:58am
By SBS News
Source: SBS News

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1 day ago31 Mar 7:06pm
That's all for day three of the election campaign. Here's a recap of what unfolded
We're wrapping up the blog for the day. Here's everything you need to know about what happened. Thanks for joining us, we will be bringing you updates again tomorrow.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Perth to spruik his health polices including an upgrade to St John of God Midland Public Hospital.
  • Opposition leader Peter Dutton began his day in Newcastle before meeting up with Nationals leader David Littleproud in Queensland where flood waters are threatening locals in Thargomindah.
  • In his press conference, Albanese confirmed there was a Chinese 'spy ship' in waters off South Australia. He also criticised Dutton's plan to live in Sydney if elected, and said he would not negotiate with the Greens to govern in coalition if there is a minority government.
  • Dutton told reporters power bills will be 'cheaper under us', and also said the Coalition would review the Islamophobia envoy role — but not the antisemitism role.
  • The Greens criticised Labor, saying its environmental credibility was 'in tatters' after the PM said Australia's environmental laws were out of date.
  • The government has pledged more support for those impacted by flooding in western Queensland. Up to $1000 per adult or $400 per child is available.
1 day ago31 Mar 6:55pm
Defence chief confirms Chinese vessel in Australia's exclusive economic zone
Australia's Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones has confirmed a Chinese vessel is operating in Australian waters.

In a statement he said the Chinese Government deep-sea science and engineering vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao had entered Australia's exclusive economic zone on Thursday, 27 March.

"The vessel is currently operating approximately 460 nautical miles (852 kilometres) west south-west of Adelaide," he said.

"Defence routinely monitors maritime traffic in Australia’s maritime approaches.

"Defence will continue to monitor the Tan Suo Yi Hao while it remains in the vicinity of Australia’s maritime approaches."

It's understood the vessel previously transited the Bass Strait in January 2023.
READ MORE

Chinese 'spy ship' is circumnavigating Australia

1 day ago31 Mar 6:11pm
Dutton says antisemitism envoy won't be up for review - unlike Islamophobia role
The Opposition leader has confirmed a Coalition government won't review the position of antisemitism envoy, despite saying the Islamophobia envoy role would be scrutinised.

Earlier today, Peter Dutton said a Coalition government would look at how effective the Islamophobia envoy role had been, stopping short of committing to retaining the position if elected.

A spokesperson for the Opposition leader has since confirmed to SBS News that the antisemitism envoy role would not be reviewed and would be continued by a Dutton government if elected.

For more on this story,
read here
.
2 days ago31 Mar 3:09pm
Dutton and Littleproud arrive in Queensland
Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Nationals leader David Littleproud have just arrived in Thargomindah, about 1,100km west of Brisbane.

The Bulloo River is continuing to rise, with the levee expected to break later tonight.
Three men, including Opposition Leader Peter Dutton stand on the tarmac of a regional airstrip
Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Nationals Leader David Littleproud met with Bulloo Shire Mayor John Ferguson. Source: AAP / James Brickwood
The pair arrived at Thargomindah airport, where a makeshift hospital has been set up.

Water is currently flowing underneath the town’s hospital.

"Thanks for what you’re doing," Littleproud told the staff.

Outside the terminal, Dutton and Littleproud spoke to a fire and rescue crew out from Charleville, including two drone pilots.

About 70 people have so far been evacuated from their homes.

The two leaders will tour the town with Bulloo Shire Council mayor John Ferguson. They're expected to meet with some locals later this afternoon.

— Anna Henderson
2 days ago31 Mar 3:05pm
Labor's 'environment credibility is in tatters', Greens say
Greens environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young has responded to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's comments in Perth today about updating environmental laws.

She described Labor's policy on environmental laws as a "mess".

"Australia's environment laws are weaker now than at the last election. Labor cannot be trusted to deliver on the environment, they have failed over and over again. But the Greens will force them to act," she said in a statement.

"The Greens are essential in the new parliament to clean up Labor's mess and hold them to account. We must ensure that our environment is protected from the destructive influence of corporate interests and that real action is taken to address the climate and extinction crises."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 2:42pm
Labor promises $18 million for Jewish Arts Quarter in Melbourne
The Albanese government has pledged $18 million towards the Jewish Arts Quarter (JAQ) in Elsternwick, Melbourne.

The precinct will house the Jewish Museum of Australia, the Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library, the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, and Sholem Aleichem College.

Deputy prime minister Richard Marles said: "The Jewish Arts Quarter will be a fantastic place for not only the Jewish community to come together, but a cultural hub for everyone to enjoy."

"Australia is a proudly multicultural nation, our commitment of $18 million towards the Jewish Arts Quarter will help contribute to celebrating our diversity and the contributions of Jewish Australians for generations to come."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 1:11pm
Minister for Indigenous Australians makes election pitch in Darwin
The Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy has made her pledge to First Nations voters in the Northern Territory.

At a press conference in Darwin's CBD, McCarthy outlined three key priority areas for Indigenous Australians, including closing the gap in health, housing, and increasing food security in regional and remote areas.

"The care in terms of health of Australians is very much about First Nations families as well with Closing the Gap," McCarthy told NITV News.

McCarthy also expressed concerns about the impact of the late NT wet season on remote voter turnout for the marginal seat of Lingiari.

"Clearly the AEC does try to adjust whether it’s weather or sorry business … it is a constant watch and we will obviously be keeping an eye on this one," she said.

The vast bush seat covers more than 99.9 per cent of the Northern Territory, encompassing all remote Indigenous communities across the region.

It is currently held on a slim 0.9 per cent margin by incumbent Labor candidate Marion Scrymgour.

— Emma Kellaway
2 days ago31 Mar 1:04pm
Albanese says environmental laws out of date
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is out of date while addressing the media in Perth today.
Anthony Albanese speaks to the media with people in suits behind him.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a visit to a Midland Hospital on Day 3 of the 2025 federal election campaign in Perth. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
"What we'll do is work it through, we'll consult widely, make sure that we get it right, and that is what we will legislate," he said.

"Something that provides certainty for industry and the way that processes occur — but also provides for sustainability. That's what we're after."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:57pm
Albanese says he won't negotiate with the Greens
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been asked by reporters if Labor will preference the Greens second on the ballot.

He said its a matter to be decided by the party's organisational wing, firmly saying he would not form a coalition with the Greens or negotiate with them.

"We will not govern in coalition with anyone, including the Greens, he said.

"I don't negotiate with the Greens."

Albanese said he is confident Labor will form a majority government at the federal election.
READ MORE

What if no one wins? What to know about minority government

"I'm pretty confident that I can deliver a majority of Labor members to the House of Representatives to govern the nation."

YouGov modelling released on Sunday projects Labor could lose five seats to the Opposition but win two seats back from the Greens and one from the Coalition.

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:46pm
Albanese feels 'very welcomed' by Australian Muslim community
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not visit a mosque today as Australian Muslims celebrate the festival of Eid Al-Fitr after the Opposition leader visited a Sydney mosque yesterday.

Dutton's tour of the mosque comes as some religious sites, such as Sydney's Lakemba Mosque, chose not to invite party leaders to celebrate the festival, protesting against major parties' actions regarding the war in Gaza.

Despite this, Albanese said he has felt welcomed by the Australian Muslim community.

"I visited a mosque in Edmondson Park just a couple of weeks ago," he said.

"I was very welcomed into that community."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:36pm
PM confirms spy ship circumnavigating Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been asked about a Chinese research vessel circumnavigating Australia's coast.

"It’s been in New Zealand on a joint research operation, and this isn't the first time that a similar vessel has been around the Australian coast. It occurred in 2020, for example, just to give one example," Albanese told reporters.

"Australia, as you would expect, is monitoring this."

Albanese would not comment on what monitoring meant but said the government had "every confidence in defence agencies".

"We won’t — for obvious reasons — broadcast everything that we’re doing. But we’re keeping an eye on this as we do," he said.
READ MORE

Chinese 'spy ship' is circumnavigating Australia

Albanese said he would "prefer it wasn't there".

"But we live in circumstances where — just as Australia has vessels in the South China Sea and vessels in the Taiwan Strait and a range of areas — this vessel is there," he said.

"What our task is to do is to make sure that we represent Australia's national interests. We do that each and every day. And I have every confidence in our Defence Force and our security agencies to do just that."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:35pm
'A fair bit of hubris': Albanese criticises Dutton's plan to live in Sydney if elected
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused the Opposition leader of displaying "a fair bit of hubris" after Peter Dutton said he would choose to live in Sydney's Kirribilli House instead of The Lodge in Canberra.

Dutton told KIIS 1065 radio he would rather live in Sydney if he wins office.

Albanese said a prime minister should live in the country's capital.

"I believe there's been a lot of hubris from Peter Dutton," he said.

"Your job is to be close to where the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is, where meetings happen almost every day — almost every day when I'm in Canberra, I'm in a meeting.

"I don't take the privilege that I have of being prime minister for granted."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:11pm
Anthony Albanese is speaking now from Perth
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking from a Perth hospital as he announces millions in upgrades to facilities.

"We will invest $200m to renovate and extend St John of God Midland Public Hospital to deliver more beds and a new emergency department," he said.

"Only Labor is strengthening Medicare — the largest investment that we have seen in 40 years, since our tripling of the bulk-billing incentive."

He is also taking aim at the Coalition.

"This is a choice, this election. It's a choice between Labor building Australia's future and strengthening Medicare, and a Coalition led by Peter Dutton that wants to cut everything except for your taxes," he said.

"A Coalition that will cut Medicare as sure as night follows day. Because they've got to find $600 billion for their nuclear fantasy."

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 12:10pm
Albanese visits maternity ward ahead of funding announcement in Perth
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has tried his hand at swaddling a 27-hour-old baby girl while visiting a maternity ward in Perth's north-east.

He was joined by Western Australian Premier Roger Cook and Labor MP for Hasluck Tania Lawrence in meeting mother Harsimranjeet Sidhu at St John of God Hospital in Midland.

She has a daughter who is almost 5 years old.

"My first one wanted a sister, she prayed for her," she told Albanese.
Anthony Albanese holds a small swaddled baby as a woman looks on.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave newborn baby Amber a cuddle after speaking with mother Harsimranjeet Sidhu. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
The prime minister picked up baby Amber and told her mum that "she’s beautiful".

"So much hair," he said.

"The highlight of my day for sure."

Albanese and the family posed for a photo together before he wrapped the baby back up.

"Not my first time," he said after a nurse and Sidhu commented on how good he was at handling the baby.
READ MORE

'We are not dumb country hicks': The electorate of Bullwinkel is a political wildcard

The group then met with nurses to talk about the $355m investment into the hospital — of which the federal government is stumping up $200m.

They were also joined by trained nurse and midwife Trish Cook, who is Labor’s candidate for the new seat of Bullwinkel.
Anthony Albanese holds up a phone taking a picture of himself and a group of smiling hospital staff and politicians.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and WA Premier Roger Cook took selfies with nurses and midwives at the maternity ward during a visit to a Midland Hospital. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
Cook brought along her original nursing badge as Albanese said Labor was hoping to recruit a nurse into parliament.

Albanese then took a selfie with hospital staff saying he’s been getting plenty of practice at them.

— Sara Tomevska
2 days ago31 Mar 11:55am
Dutton won't commit to Islamophobia envoy if elected
The Opposition leader says he will look at how effective the Islamophobia envoy role has been, stopping short of committing to continue with the position in government.

Labor set up the antisemitism and Islamophobia envoy jobs in the wake of the October 7 attacks in Israel.

Peter Dutton said he would keep the role "if it is helping".

He has also dodged issues raised by the Imam at Sydney's Al Madinah mosque, where Dutton made a rare visit on Sunday.

While he was welcomed, the leadership there later said that they did not agree with him on a number of fronts, including his previous comments critical of Lebanese Australian immigration.

They did not want the campaign visit to be seen as a policy endorsement.

In response to those questions, the Opposition leader did not directly respond to the question of whether he owes the community an apology and pivoted onto community safety, and the reason he chose to go to the mosque.
READ MORE

Islamophobia envoy should be reviewed but antisemitism envoy's job safe, Dutton says

"The point I was making yesterday and the one I have made consistently through my career is that people should be able to live in our country, in our society, particularly in the 21st century, peacefully and with freedom," he said.

"I don't tolerate attacks on mosques, not on churches, not on temples, not on any place of worship, and I've been very clear about that.

"So I don't care where the acts of violence come from, I have consistently condemned them for a long period of time."

— Anna Henderson
2 days ago31 Mar 11:43am
Government pledges more support for flood-impacted Queenslanders
Those impacted by flooding in western Queensland could be eligible for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP), the federal government announced on Monday morning.

People who have suffered major property damage, serious injury or loss of life of a loved one could be eligible for $1,000 per adult or $400 per child.
READ MORE

Flooding in NSW and Queensland could see communities cut off for weeks, authorities say

Residents can check their eligibility for the AGDRP on the Services Australia Website from Tuesday afternoon.

"We’ve got their back, which is why we’re rolling out support now to help communities get through these floods," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.
2 days ago31 Mar 10:32am
Dutton claims power bills will be 'cheaper under us'
Peter Dutton is now talking about the Coalition's measures to reduce energy bills, saying "prices will be cheaper under us" through its proposed plan to use nuclear energy as base load power to back up the renewables, and to create a gas reserve.

Dutton would not give a figure for how much cheaper energy prices would be, but said more detail would be provided.
Peter Dutton address the media from a blue podium.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton took questions from the media after touring a mining equipment facility in NSW. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"There are two offerings at the next election. One is from the government — which is guaranteeing you that electricity prices will go higher," he said.

"We can meet our net zero targets by 2050, we can have a stable energy market and we can reduce prices, that is the Coalition offering. So prices will be cheaper under us.

"Labor's offering is uncertainty, blackouts, brownouts and much higher electricity and gas prices, and that is not something we are going tolerate."
2 days ago31 Mar 10:19am
Peter Dutton is speaking from Newcastle, NSW
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, is in Newcastle, speaking about Labor's "out of touch" cost of living measures while promoting his proposed cut to the fuel excise.
Peter Dutton wearing a high vis vest holds a crank in front of a machine.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had a go on the tools during a visit to the Cougar Mining Equipment facility. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"Of the ways we believe we can help families is by cutting the price of fuel by 25 cents a litre, this will help families immediately and we will do that immediately after the election," he said.

"If Anthony Albanese and the Greens are elected after the election, you will get a 70 set at a tax cut in 15 months' time. I think it shows the prime minister is out of touch with where Australian families and small businesses are at the moment."

The Dutton campaign is hitting the target seat of Paterson today, which is held on a tight margin by Labor. They will be visiting a mining equipment manufacturer.

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 10:16am
Albanese promotes $8.5 billion Medicare boost and urgent care clinics in WA
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking to ABC Radio Perth, highlighting Labor's health policies.

He emphasised the party's $8.5 billion commitment to Medicare and advocated for the expansion of urgent care clinics in Western Australia.

"We will deliver another six urgent care clinics if elected," he said.

"If people don't have a life-threatening condition, there is somewhere people can go that's a midpoint; they just need their Medicare card."

Albanese will join WA Premier Roger Cook today in Perth's north-east to announce a $355 million upgrade to St John of God Midland Public Hospital.

— Cameron Carr
2 days ago31 Mar 10:11am
The official start of the election will be 6pm today
The federal election officially starts at 6pm today — but didn't that happen on Friday?

Well, yes and no.

The governor-general has now handed the writs over to the Australian Electoral Commission, commanding the electoral commissioner to conduct an election.

The election was called on Friday, and the 47th parliament was dissolved, but issuing the writs is the official start of the election.

Although they’ve been handed over, they're not deemed to be issued until 6pm today.

Writs must be issued within 10 days of an election being called. Today was the last possible day for the writs to be issued for the 3 May election.

It means seven days from now, the electoral roll will close, and 10 days from now, candidate nominations will close.
READ MORE

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— Rania Yallop
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