Australian news and politics recap April 1: Dutton wages war on woke, vows to stop indoctrination of kids

This concludes our live news and politics coverage for the day.

Scroll back through for all the updates from Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton as they try to win voters over on their Federal election campaign trails.

Join us tomorrow for more live news action.

Have a great night!

The latest edition of The Nightly is out now. Read it here.

On the PM’s final stop of the day, he swung by the Werribee Medicare Urgent Care clinic, to greet astonished patients.

“Sorry to disturb you,” he said as he walked through the door to the waiting room.

“Not at all. What an honour,” said a woman called Davina who was waiting for her daughter to get some dental treatment.

“This is very exciting,” she said, shaking his hand.

The Prime Minister then said hello to Priya, 7, posing for a photo with her and father Ash Gibson. She sat politely and said “bye bye” before asking her father who the man was.

“That’s the leader of the country,” he said.

The PM stopped to speak with Lorraine Derby, 87, before moving through to a treatment room to speak with Dr Eddy, Dr Suma and Claire, a nurse.

The Werribee Medicare Urgent Care Clinice has seen 19,913 visits since becoming a Medicare UCC in May 2023 - “And all they need is their Medicare card,” the PM said.

“The local hospital love us,” said Claire, and revealed that treatments at Werribee were 48 per cent pediatrics.

Dr Eddy said most of the patients were young people, children with sports injuries and people with infections. The PM commented that national figures showed about one in three UCC patients were under 15 – kids falling off skateboards or injuring themselves at footy or netball.

He pointed out the benefits of the UCCs relieving pressure on hospital emergency departments who had to prioritise life-threatening issues. He recalled his own experience as a child when he had various stitches for injuries that were all done at the Royal Prince Albert Hospital emergency department.

“This sort of facility wasn’t there, it’s awesome,” he said.

“Thank you so much for what you do.”

Outside the clinic, a pensioner named Ron, wearing a T-shirt with the logo “this is what perfection looks like,” waited eagerly to show the PM his zippy maroon MGRV8, which he said was one of the benefits of retirement.

The PM was blown way by the “gorgeous” sports car.

“Is that yours? That is beautiful. That is awesome,” he said.

“Do you want a ride in it? I’ll drive you round the block,” replied Ron.

“I wish I could, but my team might object,” said a disappointed PM.

“You’re going to win mate,” said Ron.

“I am too,” said the PM, before jumping back in his own armoured car.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is in the electorate of Melbourne where he has made a research funding announcement in honour of the late Maddie Riewoldt.

Maddie died at age 26 from complications of a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome called Aplastic Anaemia.

Mr Dutton met with her brother, AFL legend Nick Riewoldt, to announce a Coalition government will invest $3 million to support Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision (MRV).

MRV is the only organisation in Australia dedicated to driving research, advocacy, and

support for Australians with Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes and their families.

The commitment would help grow the centre, expand its outreach and education offerings.

Nick said in a statement: ”We are incredibly grateful to the Coalition for making a funding commitment of $3m over three years to ensure that no family faces a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome diagnosis alone, and that we can continue to fund vital research in search of better treatments and a cure.”

The Prime Minister had his revenge on reporters and photographers in Victoria today when he got a bunch of netball players to hurl balls at them.

The Nightly’s Nicola Smith, who almost copped one in the head herself, reported that Libby Coker, Labor member for Corangamite, and Anthony Albanese announced a $5.45m fund for the Drysdale Football Netball Club to a round of cheers.

Standing outside on the netball court, surrounded by children of all ages in the team’s brown and yellow uniforms, Coker said it was “fantastic investment in this club and this community.”

The money will be used to upgrade the courts to make them compliant for the finals of local tournaments and to add two new club rooms and new spectator seating and lighting. The club was founded in 1879.

Trevor Hume, the club president, said it was a “truly exciting time for the club” and “a great step forward” and he thanked the government for its investment.

The sports teams posed with the PM, Coker and Hume before shouting their team chant “Go Hawks!” and launching netballs into and over the photographers.

Watch until the end.

Peter Dutton hasn’t ruled out placing funding conditions on the Federal Education Department in a bid to stamp out the “woke agenda” in schools, in a move Labor says is a blatant attempt to copy Elon Musk’s DOGE.

At a press conference in Calwell in Melbourne’s northern suburbs on Tuesday, Mr Dutton was asked for clarification around comments he made on Monday about perceived inefficiencies at the Department, and whether jobs would be on the chopping block as part of his bid to cut 41,000 public servants.

Mr Dutton said he wants students at high school and universities to receive education that “reflect community standards”, in a major sign he would oversee a crackdown if he wins the May 3 election.

“I support young Australians being able to think freely, being able to assess what is before them and not being told and indoctrinated by something that is the agenda of others and that is the approach we would take,” he said.

Read the full story here.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader is heading to Berwick, in Melbourne, Ellen Ransley reports.

The subusb is in the electorate of Bruce, held by Labor’s Julian Hill.

He’ll attend a community crime round table while he’s there.

There’s a lot happening in Melbourne today.

Peter Dutton’s visit has been followed closely by one from Anthony Albanese.

The Nightly’s Nicola Smith tells us he is heading to the seat of Corangamite with the Labor Member, LIbby Coker at 2.15pm.

He’ll then be joined by Penny Wong to announce major upgrades for the Drysdale Recreation Reserve for the Drysdale Football Netball Club - a $5.45m election commitment.

“When people say will Donald Trump like the AUKUS deal - why wouldn’t you? They’re getting a brand new submarine base and maintenance centre for their nukes in Perth, $3 billion US and furthermore, bright young Australian sailors are training to serve on their nuclear submarines and are already being peppered through the ranks of the US Navy,” he says.

“According to Joe Courtney, the Congressman who represents the district of Grotton in the Congress, they’re doing well and are topping the class. We’ve got our best and brightest serving in American submarines. But will we ever get them? In truth, my view, there is little prospect of doing so.”

“Australian sovereignty, sovereign autonomy, has never been so important, and yet in recent years, it has been diminished.

“The change of policy and attitude by Mr Trump does not mean we will not have shared interests with the United States. A key one will be to encourage the US to remain engaged in our region, not as the dominant hegemon of 30 years ago - those days have passed - but as a balancing force to China.

“It’s why these dramatic changes in the United States, many of which have been evident in less stark form for years, should not lead us to abandon the ANZUS Alliance.”