Living costs worry voters

The cost of living is the main concern for Australians ahead of the federal election, a newpoll shows. Labor is continuing to promote its measures to help ease living pressures, while the governing LiberalNational coalition has announced extra defence spending. Almost two-thirds of Australianswant reducing the cost of living to be a top priority for the next federal government, according to the survey by the Australian National University. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said yesterday that if elected, Labor would reviewall current government expenses by the end of the year to findwhere spending could be improved. Meanwhile, campaigning in Perth, Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised to train an additional 1500 workers for the nation’s defence industry under a A$108.5 million (NZ$120m) plan.