PM Sets Date For 18 May – #AusVotes

The Prime Minister has declared that the date for the election is the 18th of May.

Tony Burke, Manger for Opposition business, says that one of the consequences of calling an election on a Thursday instead of Sunday is to stop Senate Estimates hearings. In my portfolio alone this shuts down questions to the CSIRO about the Adani approval and Murray Darling hearings scheduled for Friday now won’t happen.

The announcement comes a day after a national day of protest against the government by Australian trade unions.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus says “Working people are demanding a fair go, this means fair pay rises and more secure jobs. To achieve this, we need to change the rules at work. To change the rules, we need to change the government. 

“These political protests are telling Scott Morrison that for too long our wages have stood still or gone backwards and too many families are struggling– it’s time to change this Government.

“Australia needs a pay rise. We will not sit back and let our living standards go backwards.”