| A push for more Legal Aid funding and United Patriots Front misses important deadline | Good afternoon,
Ah, the election. It can be hard to stay across everything, especially during such a long campaign. So to make sure you've got something to talk about at your next dinner party, here's five things that happened today:
1. MALCOLM TURNBULL IS STANDING FIRM ON SUPER
Despite donors withdrawing and backbenchers getting the jitters, the PM says the Coalition's superannuation policy is here to stay.
"The economic substance of it, that is all settled. That's in the budget and that's our policy," he told reporters in Sydney today.
He emphasised that people over 60 could hold up to $1.6 million in a tax-free retirement phase account, but anything above that would attract a 15 per cent tax, "less tax than a kid pays on his marginal income stacking shelves at Woolies," the PM said.
Speaking of tax, Mr Turnbull was forced to defend Treasurer Scott Morrison's language after he said Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was using "tax as bullets" in a "war on business".
The PM, who previously called for an end to violent metaphors in politics, said the war was real and "the first casualties are jobs".
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the Australian people had a right to be "disappointed" in that type of language.
Malcolm Turnbull visited a mattress factory in Punchbowl. (ABC News: Nick Haggarty)
2. COULD THE SENATE STALEMATE CONTINUE?
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says the next Parliament should respect any election mandate to change company tax and the superannuation system.
It's unclear whether the Coalition - if it wins next month's election - will have the numbers in the Senate to pass both budget measures.
But the Deputy PM says the Senate and the House of Representatives should heed the message from voters.
"If they vote for it, we expect that to go through the Senate, otherwise the whole thing becomes a farce because we have certain senators saying they're more important than the mandate of the Australian people," Mr Joyce said.
3. LAW COUNCIL PUSHES FOR MORE LEGAL AID FUNDING
The Law Council of Australia is continuing its push to ensure Legal Aid becomes an election issue.
The council's president Stuart Clark said at least 45,000 people were forced to represent themselves in court since 2009 because the service was in crisis mode.
He said it would take $350 million to properly fix the service, which currently only 8 per cent of Australians qualify for.
"We're not just talking about people like ice dealers," he said.
"These are Australians who may be a woman with two or three children whose marriage has sadly broken down and is now facing the prospect of trying to reach a financial settlement with her former husband in circumstances where she's forced to go to court without a lawyer."
4. THE NORTHERN LAND COUNCIL IS CALLING FOR A NEW INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER
The peak body for Top End traditional owners says the Coalition should find a new Indigenous affairs minister if re-elected, because Nigel Scullion is pushing his own agenda.
Northern Land Council chief executive Joe Morrison told the National Native Title Conference in Darwin that Mr Scullion had always wanted to abolish land rights in the NT and apply native title instead.
Mr Morrison said this would provide only a fragile bundle of rights and has called for a new minister who is sensitive to the issues of Indigenous people.
Mr Scullion has been approached for comment.
5. THE UNITED PATRIOTS FRONT HAS MISSED THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER A POLITICAL PARTY
The right-wing group, which was active in a series of anti-Islam rallies over the past 12 months, failed to deliver on a promise to register a political party for next month's election.
It means any budding politicians from the group will have to register as independents.
ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: FACT CHECK
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie told Q&A on Monday night that there were more than 1 million 457 visa workers in Australia, which was "why we don't have jobs here".
But her claim is wrong. Fact Check investigated and found the number of people who had been granted 457 visas, still valid as of March 31, was 415,103.
Of those, only 177,390 were actually using their visas on that date.
FROM THE DRUM: SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THIS WEEK
Michael Bradley has transformed the election into a play, with Act 1 set at the country manor of press baron Count Rupert. Lord Turnbull and Mr Shorten realise they are both courting the hand of young Miss Australia, but when a letter arrives addressed to both of them, they get a rude awakening, realising that to her, they are both as irrelevant as the other.
A funny take on courting the youth vote. Well worth a read.
COMING UP NEXT: - Brisbane Labor MP Jim Chalmers will be on RN Drive just after 6.00pm
- David Lipson looks at the rise of alternative parties on Lateline at 10:25pm
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