Latest news with #JuliaGillard
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Australian PM says Welsh roots shaped her
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said her strong sense of Welsh heritage helped shaped her view of politics. Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, and was only four years old when her family emigrated to Australia. The 63-year-old, who was the Australian Labor Party prime minister from 2010-2013 said figures such as Anuerin Bevan were "idolised" in her home and her parents instilled in her the idea that politics can affect real change. Ms Gillard recently sat down with Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan who, like her, was the first female leader of her country. Neither of her parents spoke Welsh "apart from the occasional swear word", but had a "very strong sense of their Welsh identity," Gillard said. ''We always had this sense that our lives were formed in Australia, but we knew we had this heritage," she added. Gillard recalled that her father was particularly interested in politics and news from his hometown and he had a great impact on her career. ''He gave me the sense that politics really mattered and that it could change people's lives," she added. She remembered understanding even as a child the impact a "transformative figure" like Aneurin Bevan could have on people. He could "make people's lives better" and "I was obviously attracted by that", she said. ''But it was a long time before the penny dropped that I was the kind of person that could go into politics," she added. She recently reflected on this in an interview for her podcast with Morgan, Wales' first minister. ''We got to talk about life, the universe and everything, including being from Barry,'' she told BBC Walescast. She said that during her time in office she experienced many incidents of sexism and misogyny. ''I had expected a wave [of sexism] around me being the first female leader. ''I assumed, though, that that wave would break, that it would become normalised... and it would go back to politics as usual. ''So, I was taken aback by the fact that it never broke. If anything, the amplitude of the wave just got higher and higher.'' It was not until a speech she made in October 2012, that she felt able to lay out her experiences of sexism as a female politician. The speech, which called out the leader of the opposition for sexist comments about the prime minister, was shared around the world and seen by millions of people. But Gillard said she regretted not speaking out sooner and would advise any female leader today to "call it out" immediately. She believes it is important for people in a position of power to share their own experiences of prejudice. "Unless we call things out, unless we shine a light on them, human behaviour doesn't change," she said. Gillard said things have changed for a better in a lot of ways when it comes to gender equality, but social media has created a "toxic sewer for women". ''I think we have been having a far more robust and open debate about gender equality, particularly about sexual harassment," she said. She backed social media regulation as one way of helping to deal with this problem. Australia is set to ban children under 16 from using social media this year after its parliament approved the world's strictest laws. Gillard said social media could also have "huge benefits" but she was "extremely pro-regulation". "In the face of something that is mixed, good and bad, we regulate to try and get the bad out of the system." Welsh roots key to ex-PM's politics 'Grey suits are out' - The story of Wales' new first minister
The Advertiser
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
2025 Mitsubishi ASX ES Street review
Mitsubishi ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from:
New Statesman
19-05-2025
- Health
- New Statesman
The Policy Ask: 'Put down the reports and listen to people on the front line'
Photo by IPPR / Sebastian Rees. Sebastian Rees leads the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank's work on health. Here he talks devolution, community healthcare, and London's best commute. How do you start your working day? With a bike ride along the stretch of the Thames between St Paul's Cathedral and parliament – easily the best commute in the city! What has been your career high? Joining the IPPR at what feels like the most important time for health policy in decades. It's make or break time for the NHS and having the chance to inject ambitious, progressive thinking into debates on its future is a huge privilege. What has been the most challenging moment of your career? Every day has its challenges, but a constant has been trying to address the acute, short-term problems facing the NHS while carving out time and space to think about the bolder, long-term reform necessary to build a healthier nation. If you could give your younger self career advice, what would it be? Put down the reports a bit more often and spend time listening to people working in and using the NHS. A few hours in an A&E, a GP waiting room or a hospital discharge lounge can teach you more than an (ever-growing) stack of think tank publications. Which political figure inspires you? Julia Gillard. As Australia's first female prime minister – and now chair of the Wellcome Trust – she brought bold thinking and real political courage to health and care reform. The creation of Australia's pioneering National Disability Insurance Scheme under her leadership was a landmark. Even after leaving frontline politics, she's continued to champion health equity and mental health in particular. What UK mental health policy or fund is the government getting right? Reforming the Mental Health Act has been a long time coming, but when it finally passes, it will be a major step forward. Modernising this outdated legislation is essential if we want a mental health system that's fairer and genuinely puts people first. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe And what policy should the UK government scrap? There is still further to go for government to end its culture of micromanagement of the health system. Loading up NHS providers and systems with more and more targets is a dead-end when it comes to improving services for patients. But when things aren't going well there is always a temptation to add in more. Let's hope that the ten-year plan moves us in a different direction! What upcoming UK policy or law are you most looking forward to? I'm really interested in the potential of the upcoming English Devolution Bill. Most people I speak to in policy – especially in health – agree that hoarding control in Westminster and Whitehall is holding public services back. But shifting that culture will mean some very tricky conversations about accountability and funding. And it raises big questions about where the NHS – arguably our most centralised and most cherished institution – fits into that picture. What international government policy could the UK learn from? We've made real strides in the UK in recent decades when it comes to mental health, but there's still so much more to do to put people truly at the centre of their care. There's still a lot to learn from community-based approaches like those in Geel, Belgium, and Trieste, Italy – where support is deeply embedded in local life and relationships, not just services. If you could pass one law this year, what would it be? It's great to see the government legislating on issues like smoking, employment rights and housing, where law really can improve public health. It's not just about health legislation – it's about a whole agenda. But some of the biggest health gains don't need new legislation at all. They just need us to do the basics well – consistently, and for everyone. This article first appeared in the 15 May Spotlight policy report on Healthcare. To read the full report click here. Related
Bloomberg
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Australia's Liberal Opposition Elects Ley as First Female Leader
Australia's center-right Liberal party has elected Sussan Ley as its new leader, the first woman to head the party since it was founded in 1944, taking up the task of leading the opposition back to government after a devastating election loss 10 days ago. Ley is also the first woman to lead Australia's opposition in the country's history. The nation's first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, became leader of the Labor Party in 2010 while it was in office.
West Australian
03-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Your ultimate Federal election polling day guide: How it works, the key seats to watch and what it all means
Federal elections come and go every three years, so if you need a refresher on how it all works — and the key 2025 seats to watch — we have you covered. To form a majority government, 76 seats are needed for one party. Polls have sweetened for the Labor party as the election has gone on with most now predicting a Labor government, but whether Labor can win a majority or will rely on crossbench support as a minority government is largely an unknown. The last time there was a minority government in Australia was in 2010 under Julia Gillard — if a minority government is elected it would be just the third time since 1943. Cost of living Labor is offering a 'modest' tax cut from mid 2026 as well as promising to implement an instant $1000 tax deduction write off and cutting student debt by 20 per cent. The Coalition has pledged to cut the fuel excise by 25c promising to save the average family $14 a week if they fill up one vehicle once a week. They have also promised to implement a tax offset plan worth up to $1200 for middle-income earners. Housing Labor have promised to build 100,000 homes reserved for first time buyers while also expanding their help to buy scheme and increasing access to the 5 per cent home deposit. The Coalition have promised to allow first time home buyers to access up to $50,000 from their superannuation for a home deposit and allow them to claim interest payments on their mortgage as a tax deduction. The party will also spend $5 billion for infrastructure in housing developments to 'accelerate' the construction of 500,000 homes. Health Both parties have pledged at least $8.5 billion to expand bulk billing services to a goal of 9 in 10 GPs. Both sides will also cut the maximum price of PBS medication by nearly $7 to just $25. The Government has promised to build 50 more Urgent Care Clinics at the cost of $644 million while the Coalition says it will restore the number of subsidised mental health appointments to 20 from the current number of 10. Energy The Government has promised to extend its energy bill rebate from July 1 which will see another $150 taken off household's power bills. It will also spend $2.3 billion to lower the cost of batteries for households by 30 per cent. The Coalition have pledged to build seven nuclear reactors around the country which they say will cost $118 billion although they would not be producing power for at least another decade. Peter Dutton has promised to back the expansion of gas including approving the North West Gas Shelf proposal within his first 30 days in power. National Security The Coalition announced it would spend an extra 21 billion on defence before the end of the decade to buy more F-35 fighters and firm the AUKUS deal. The extra spend aims to lift the current share of GDP spent on defence to three per cent in 10 years time compared to Labor's goal of spending 2.3 per cent of GDP in the 2033-34 financial year. Anthony Albanese did announce a $1.2 billion spend to buy critical minerals for a new strategic stockpile to increase negotiating power. NSW: VIC: SA: QLD: TAS: WA: NT: No party currently has a majority in the Senate with Labor having 24 seats, the Coalition having 30, the Greens 11 and others 10. A party needs 39 seats to hold an outright majority in the Government, a feat which rarely happens. Forty seats are up for grabs this election, 18 Senate positions won by Coalition members up for re-elction compared to 13 of Labor's, six Greens and one One Nation seat as well as David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie. Labor are the heavy favourites coming into the election currently having 1.06 odds on SportsBet compared to the Coalition's 9.50. The website also has a Labor majority government as the favourite with odds of 1.57 compared to a Labor minority government of 2.88, a Coalition minority government at 10 and a Coalition majority at 34. The odds are slightly better — but still grim — on TAB with Labor having odds of 1.09 of winning and the Coalition at 7.50. These are expected to change as the day rolls on.
