| Medicare melee continues and candidate quits over Hizb ut-Tahrir links | Good afternoon,
Welcome to the last fortnight of the election campaign. If you've lost interest over the past few weeks it's time to switch back on because we're getting closer to polling day!
Here's a wrap of what happened today:
1. A LABOR CANDIDATE HAS STEPPED DOWN OVER REPORTS LINKING HIM TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISM
Christian Kunde, the candidate for the New South Wales seat of Farrer, told ABC radio he is friends with Uthman Badar, a spokesman for the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Mr Kunde said he met Mr Badar during his first year of university 10 years ago and has had an "ongoing friendship" with him since.
But Mr Kunde denied newspaper reports that he had likened homosexuality to incest during a lecture at Sydney University three years ago.
"Ultimately the conclusion that I drew was that we have no good reason for rejecting same sex marriage," he said.
The Labor candidate said it was ridiculous to be criticised for views held by his acquaintance but said he made the decision to step down on his own, so the matter would not distract from the party's campaign.
Mr Kunde's name will still appear on the ballot paper and the party will still receive funding for his votes.
The seat of Farrer is held by Health Minister Sussan Ley on a margin of 21.7 per cent.
2. THE MEDICARE MELEE CONTINUES
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has declared the federal election will be a referendum on Medicare.
He's accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of planning to privatise the payments system.
But Mr Turnbull said voters had his "solemn commitment" that Medicare would never be privatised under a re-elected Coalition government.
He labelled the Opposition's claims "the biggest lie of the campaign".
The Government formally scrapped plans to outsource Medicare's payments system over the weekend.
3. THE COALITION WANTS TO END THE MASS EXODUS FROM WESTERN SYDNEY EACH DAY
The PM announced a deal which would see all levels of government coordinate on planning, investment and service delivery to stimulate jobs and transport infrastructure in Western Sydney.
Mr Turnbull said he wants to develop liveable cities and stop the mass commuter exodus every day.
He has also promised to invest up to $100 million a year in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies in cities, if re-elected.
The investment fund would use money already within the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) for projects in metropolitan areas.
4. LABOR FACES CALLS TO EXPAND ITS JOBS PLAN
Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor says the ALP's jobs plan is focussed on small businesses with a turnover of less than $2 million because they are the ones most in need of assistance.
Small business groups have been pushing Labor to include companies with an annual turnover of up to $10 million.
Labor yesterday unveiled its plan to give tax breaks to small businesses that offer jobs to parents returning to work and jobseekers aged under 25 or over 55.
ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: THE DEPUTY AND THE DARK HORSE
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce could lose his seat to independent Tony Windsor, according to his former campaign manager John Anderson.
Mr Anderson told Four Corners Mr Joyce would need "an unbelievably strong primary vote in his own right" to win.
Tune it to ABC TV at 8:30pm for an in-depth look at the battle for New England, where the acrimony between Mr Windsor and the National Party runs deep.
FROM THE DRUM: THE GOOD, BAD AND DODGY FROM LABOR'S LAUNCH
Mr Shorten's election "launch" speech was a rally-cry for party faithful, writes Paula Matthewson.
But she says it also took a turn towards another scare campaign which just made the party look desperate.
COMING UP NEXT: - The Coalition's Christopher Pyne and Labor's Penny Wong will be on 7.30
- Malcolm Turnbull will appear on Q&A in Brisbane at 9.35pm
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