1. When someone — maybe the Liberals themselves — dropped a whack club remix to their own election jingle.
If you're asking "is this legit?", we are too...so we reached out to the Libs. Watch this space.
2. When Liberal MP Fiona Martin confused Sally Sitou, the Labor candidate for Reid, with another Asian-Australian in politics, Tu Le.
In a radio interview, Martin, the current member for Reid (in Sydney's Inner West), said the only reason Sitou was contending the seat was because "you [Sitou] found an opportunity, you couldn't run in Fowler — Kristina Keneally kicked you out in Fowler too."
In referencing Keneally and the electorate of Fowler, a safe Labor seat in south west Sydney, Martin appeared to confuse Chinese-Australian candidate Sitou with Vietnamese-Australian lawyer Le. Le was Chris Hayes', the retiring incumbent for Fowler, choice to replace him, before Keneally was 'parachuted' in from Scotland Island in the Northern Beaches as a 'captain's pick' by opposition leader Anthony Albanese.
Martin additionally appeared to be defending the fact that she currently resides outside of the seat she represents, implying Sitou (mistaken as Le) didn't move to Reid until she had been unsuccessful in Fowler.
The clip is even worse than I imagined. How appalling. https://t.co/BDzQKsCwoX
Because we all look the same? 🤔 https://t.co/BarILNizBP
I honestly still cannot get over this. How on earth can you be the federal MP for such a multicultural seat like Reid if you literally can’t tell Asian-Australians apart https://t.co/34vXIEUBvU #ausvotes #auspol
3. When the leaders' debate (the second one broadcast on Channel 9) was, to say the least, incredibly uninspiring.
The format, with its QR code voting and low-touch moderation was panned by the internet, commentators and even election candidates as "absurd", "terrible" and a "shit blizzard".
“It’s hard to find words for how terrible that second leaders’ debate was. A genuine shit blizzard. It was the Jerry Springer of leaders’ debates.”Pity Australia’s voters: awful leaders’ debate | Katharine Murphy. Time for change. #auspol #independents https://t.co/70x1X0Ec5x
Dear God. Make it stop. #leadersdebate
This is truly terrible - where is the moderator #leadersdebate
Waiting for someone on the panel to acknowledge what a shitshow that was. To not acknowledge how farcical it was is to imply that this went as intended. And if this is what Channel 9 intended, they should never be allowed to hold a #leadersdebate again.
4. When, in the same debate, Scott Morrison refused to unequivocally agree that every Australian should be paid at least the minimum wage.
i'm surprised this hasn't gotten more play either. Scott Morrison sidestepped a question whether people should get paid minimum wage https://t.co/97GsBrJnkr
Prime Minister Scott Morrison when asked if every Australian worker should be a paid the minimum wage of $20.33 an hour "Well it depends if they're running a business* or not." *meaning to gig workers #ausvotes
5. When a factory sign reading "If you mess up, 'Fess up'" was covered up ahead of a visit by Scott Morrison on the campaign trail.
A sign at a factory in Townsville. #auspol #ausvotes
6. When Pauline Hanson was named Mother of the Year ahead of Mother's Day.
7. When Reddit user u/jerjergege discovered an election sign hammered into their fence from their electorate's Liberal candidate — and decided to show their displeasure through some good old fashioned DIY.
8. When truly inspired Clive Palmer punching bags mysteriously popped up around Melbourne.
Palmer Punching Bags made from United Australia Party billboard skins popping up all over Melbourne! PPBs give the public an opportunity to take out their frustration with this broken democracy where billionaires can brainwash and buy votes. Punch up, not sideways! #auspoll2022
For those of us who've sat through countless video ads on YouTube, passed billboards that are an eyesore and been sent spam via text.
9. And when the Chaser brought Clive Palmer's spammy texts to life — to heckle him as he held a "rally".
10. When a bloody genius created an honest LinkedIn profile for Scott Morrison.
11. When the Greens candidate for Brisbane, Stephen Bates, placed some spicy campaign ads on Grindr.
12. When Scott Morrison tried to seem ~relatable~ by taking yet another photo of a curry he cooked.
#ScoMo still cooking Sri Lankan curries, whilst locking up people fleeing persecution in Sri Lanka 👏👏🤦♀️ #ShameAustralia #CloseTheCamps #auspol #RefugeesWelcome https://t.co/P05gOvYStq
13. When it was revealed, following the Solomon Islands' pact with China, that an Australian foreign affairs minister hadn't been to the nation state in three years.
The last visit by an Australian foreign affairs minister to the Solomon Islands was back in October 2019. While foreign affairs minister Marise Payne still hasn't been to the Solomon Islands in recent times, she did meet with her Solomon counterpart, Jeremiah Manele, over the weekend in Brisbane.
With the government in caretaker mode* however, Labor questioned why shadow minister for foreign affairs Penny Wong wasn't invited to the meeting.
*In caretaker mode, it's customary for ministers to consult the opposition spokesperson on potential policy decisions.
My friend Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele loved the 📸 photobook from our #JuniorMatildas 💚💛@TheMatildas tour, playing the 1st women’s international #soccer game in Honiara ⚽️ 🥅
14. When Amanda Stoker, the assistant minister for women, attended an anti-abortion rally, claiming it was "entirely consistent with the duties of a minister for women" and that she was also representing "the 50 per cent of children conceived who are women."
Prime minister Scott Morrison defended Stoker's attendance by saying "it's a free country".
Here's Scott's Assistant Minister for Women, Amanda Stoker, this week attending an anti-abortion rally with the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby. Scott knows how to pick them.
15. When opposition leader Anthony Albanese couldn't name the unemployment rate or the cash rate.
@Stela_Todorovic "When I make a mistake, I'll fess up to it," Anthony Albanese says after stumbling on the cash rate. #auspol #ausvotes
16. And when Scott Morrison couldn't correctly name the JobSeeker rate.
PM @ScottMorrisonMP says JobSeeker is $46 a week at press conference today. It’s $46 a day #auspol
17. And finally, the fact that we still don't know why half a million dollars in taxpayer money was paid to former Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller.
Miller, formerly education minister Alan Tudge's media advisor, alleged Tudge had been emotionally, and on one occasion, physically abusive to her while they were in a relationship in 2017.
She went on to file a workplace harassment lawsuit, seeking compensation for her treatment as a staffer in Tudge's office.
Prime minister Scott Morrison is on the record as saying the $500,000 settlement Miller received is not in relation to Tudge's ministerial conduct.