It's the final countdown to tomorrow's federal election. The polls are all showing a Labor win, with the AFR reporting the likelihood of a three to four seat majority in the lower house. The Senate won't be quite so tidy, apparently; while polling suggests Clive Palmer may end up with no seats at all come Sunday, One Nation or the Central Alliance have been tipped to take the balance of power.
Consider however, the record numbers of pre-poll voters this election. Close to one-third of people hit up by Ipsos had already voted, and 53 per cent had chosen the Coalition.
If Labor win, it'll drive ahead with its property tax reform agenda. Today's The Australian continues to call out Labor's front bench on the irony that a group of property investors, many of whom own four to six houses each, is so keen to kick the ladder out from beneath them.
Yesterday saw the ABS release the awaited and much-anticipated job growth figures, which showed the opposite. Unemployment ticked up slightly to a seasonally-adjusted 5.2 per cent, which kicked off calls for the Reserve Bank to make good and cut rates. Back in April, the RBA had said that if unemployment remains above 5 per cent, it would make a case to cut the official cash rate.
In the midst of all this electioneering and economic commentary, came the NSW government planning department's release of figures showing close to 200,000 new homes would be built in the city in the next five years. This article shows where most of those homes will be concentrated - and where the government was committed to building infrastructure and amenity to complement the new dwellings.
Speaking of Sydney, and sales like this one - a Rushcutters Bay studio with no toilet that went for 50 per cent above-reserve - prompted SQM Research to suggest that of all Australia's property markets, Sydney is perhaps the closest to its low point.
Flammable cladding is still in the news, this time with lenders refusing to finance attempts to buy in buildings with, or suspected to have, combustible exteriors.
...and the news overnight of the passing of former prime minister, Bob Hawke has drawn tributes from all sides of politics. The man was a force of nature and an incredible Australian. Vale Bob.
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