Overview

• Peter Dutton has positioned tax bracket indexation as an aspirational goal, contingent on achieving budget repair, and not a formal Coalition policy ahead of the May 3 election.
• Dutton emphasized the Coalition’s economic management credentials, invoking the Howard-Costello era while criticizing Labor’s fiscal record.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers appear divided over whether the government examined curtailing negative gearing, creating internal inconsistency within Labor.
• Housing affordability remains a central issue, with both leaders presenting rival policies to assist first-time buyers during the second leaders’ debate.
• With rising living costs dominating the election, both major parties face scrutiny over their economic proposals and leadership coherence.