Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Bill Shorten are preparing for their first leaders' debate of the federal election campaign.
The two leaders will come face-to-face in Perth later today ((mon AEST 7pm)), in a debate hosted by the Seven Network and The West Australian.
They are expected to be asked questions about the economy, tax, border protection and climate policy
It comes as a new opinion poll shows the election contest is tightening.
Meanwhile…
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is promising one-billion dollars to build three naval ships in Western Australia, if the Coalition wins the federal election.
The investment will see two new minesweepers and a hydrographic vessel built in Perth in the mid-2020s.
Mr Morrison is also promising 156-million dollars to improve cyber security for older Australians, small businesses and national security assets.
Meanwhile, a further 300-million dollars will go to building or expanding thirty park-and-ride facilities on seven train lines in Melbourne.
Mr Morrison says the Australian Defence Force will continue to receive record funding to keep Australians safe.
Labor has promised to increase childcare subsidies for Australian families, if it wins the federal election.
The party will commit an extra four-billion-dollars in childcare subsidies for families earning up to one-hundred-and-seventy-four-thousand dollars.
Childcare would be free for families on combined incomes of less than sixty-nine-thousand dollars.
The opposition is also proposing taxpayer-funded pay increases for early educators.
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek says it is the only way to boost wages in the industry without increasing costs for parents.
