With the deadline for applications now closed and deliberations underway, attention turns to who will ultimately secure the number one spot in Western Metro

While conceding that government measures—such as a fuel excise cut—would not fully offset rising costs, he insisted they would provide some relief.

“I want to acknowledge the courage of victim-survivors who continue to speak out. Child sexual abuse is abhorrent, and I unequivocally condemn it,” he said.

“These could include more generous payment plans, remission of interest and penalties, and also support in various [pay as you go] instalments where there’s been a downturn in taxable income,”

With One Nation well ahead of the Coalition in second, no two-party estimate was provided. An estimate using 2025 election preference flows gives Labor a lead under 54–46.

For critics inside and outside the party, the answer is uncomfortable. They argue the Gourisetty affair is not only about judgment but about power.

The cut will reduce the excise from 52.6 cents a litre to about 26.3 cents a litre, with the change due to take effect from Wednesday.

“They wanted Moira out, and used Dinesh for it,” the source said, suggesting the preselection outcome was influenced by internal factional objectives rather than candidate scrutiny.

Despite backing from prominent conservative figures, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and media commentator Peta Credlin, Deeming was unable to hold off the challenge.

Speaking in Canberra on Friday, Albanese said Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, a Category 4 system, was impacting the West Pilbara and Gascoyne coasts, while parts of northern Australia were still recovering from recent flooding.