| It's all about regional Australia | Good afternoon,
Today the Deputy Prime Minister announced an assistance package for dairy farmers, something he'll no doubt be talking about at tonight's regional leaders debate in Goulburn, New South Wales.
Here's what happened:
1. Help is on the way for dairy farmers
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is also the Agriculture Minister, says concessional loans will be made available to dairy farmers who have found themselves in debt as a result of the recent milk price cuts.
"Farmers will be able to borrow $1 million or half of what they owe, whichever is the lesser, so that they can assist themselves to get through this crisis," he said.
All told, the assistance package adds up to more than half a billion dollars - and also includes $1 million to pay for more rural financial counsellors, and $2 million for a commodity milk price index.
The package has bipartisan support, but Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says it "comes late and falls short of what farmers need right now".
2. We'll hear more about the milk crisis at the regional leaders debate tonight
Mr Joyce and Mr Fitzgibbon will both be there, and they'll be joined by Greens leader Richard Di Natale.
We can also expect to hear them lay out their parties' positions on mobile black spots, foreign ownership of farmland, and water policy.
The ABC's political editor Chris Uhlmann will be moderating the event in Goulburn, which you'll be able to watch live from 7.30pm AEST on ABC News 24, ABC Regional Radio and ABC News Radio.
3. Bill Shorten talks cancer research, Malcolm Turnbull talks tourism
The Opposition Leader reflected on his late mother's battle with cancer, while announcing that Labor would invest $8 million over the next four years into ovarian cancer research.
He met with women living with cancer over morning tea in Melbourne.
The Prime Minister, meanwhile, visited the Puffing Billy train in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges.
He was there to announce a $20 million boost for tourism infrastructure in the region.
4. Does Labor have a $67 billion costings black hole or not?
Chris Uhlmann has helpfully explained how the Coalition came up with the $67 billion figure.
Treasurer Scott Morrison has since conceded that the true figure could be less, but says it's up to Labor to clarify what it is proposing to spend.
The Coalition had been saying that Labor would restore $19.27 billion in cuts to foreign aid, but Labor says that's based on a bipartisan, long-term funding aspiration, and that the true figure over the next four years would be much less ($880 million).
ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: Spot the difference on policy
Having trouble remembering what each party reckons about each issue?
The ABC's essential guide makes it really easy to see where the parties diverge, on everything from climate change, to school funding, to penalty rates.
FROM THE DRUM
Terry Barnes says it's time we saw the "real Malcolm" on this campaign.
"Contrary to expectations, Turnbull has not so far been the communicator and campaigner he assured his Liberal MPs and the Australian people he would be," he writes.
COMING UP NEXT: - Senator Nick Xenophon will be speaking to ABC's 7.30
- Chris Uhlmann will host the regional leaders debate at 7.30pm AEST
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