Turnbull channels John Howard and Taylor Swift, solidarity with the UK and funding pledge for a second Basslink cable

Solidarity over British MP's shooting death ahead of first Facebook debate Good afternoon, Australia's politicians shared their shock over the killing of British MP Jo Cox, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader sparred over Medicare and we're gearing up for the first ever Facebook debate. Here's what happened today: 1. AUSTRALIAN POLTICIANS PLEDGED SOLIDARITY WITH THE UK IN THE WAKE OF BRITISH LABOUR MP JO COX'S SHOOTING DEATH The Prime Minister said he was deeply shocked, and called the incident an appalling crime. "It will rock the British people. Britain, like Australia, has a political culture which compared to other countries, has been relatively unmarked by violence," he said. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten echoed those sentiments, and called the murder a political crime. "In Australia, we take for granted our ability to get out and mix with people, to practise democracy in a safe way," Mr Shorten said. Greens leader Richard Di Natale, Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese were also among those to express their condolences. 2. PENALTY RATES AND THE TRADE UNION ROYAL COMMISSION WERE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT In a debate at the National Press Club, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the Turnbull Government would adopt the "overwhelming majority" of the recommendations from the Heydon royal commission into trade unions. Her Opposition counterpart Brendan O'Connor used the same debate to challenge the Employment Minister over penalty rates, and asked her to sign Labor's submission to the independent umpire in defence of penalty rates. 3. MALCOLM TURNBULL WILL 'ABSOLUTELY, COMPLETELY, UNEQUIVOCALLY' NOT PRIVATISE MEDICARE The Prime Minsiter channeled John Howard, or if you prefer, Taylor Swift, when asked about Labor's attacks on the Coalition's Medicare policy. "Medicare will never ever be privatised. Medicare will never ever be sold... It is an absurd falsehood and he should stop misleading people," Mr Turnbull said. Earlier in the day Bill Shorten, defending Labor's initial Medicare freeze, said the Coalition's policy went a step further. "If what we did was a freeze, what they're doing is an ice age," Mr Shorten said. 4. LABOR PLEDGES MONEY FOR SECOND BASSLINK CABLE The Opposition will spend $5 million to build on an existing feasibility study for a second electricity cable across Bass Strait, if elected. Bill Shorten also promised a loan of up to $500 million from the Infrastructure Financing Facility Fund to help with its construction. It is estimated a second cable could cost up to $1 billion. "We've got not only the plan for a feasibility, but the pathway to help finance it, if it stacks up," Mr Shorten said. A break in the undersea cable linking Tasmania and Victoria was fixed last week. The break created a prolonged power crisis that forced the Tasmanian Government to import costly diesel generators for back-up power. ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: YOUR INFORMATION How much do political parties know about you? How much of your personal information do they have? And where do they keep it? All those questions and more answered right here. FROM THE DRUM: BARRIE CASSIDY Fewer than 20 per cent of the population will cast a vote that really matters in this election, writes Barrie Cassidy. The other 80 per cent live in electorates where the result is pre-ordained, and the major parties know it. COMING UP NEXT: Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten are in Sydney for a Facebook debate at 6:00pm AEST Jason Clare and Mitch Fifield with take part in a panel discussion on the NBN on Lateline. Tune in from 9.30pm AEST on ABC News 24 Want more? Check out our Australia Votes homepage for all the latest election news and analysis. Follow ABC News About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com. Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Add or remove topics | Unsubscribe | Contact Us Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 © 2016 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters