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Australia news live: Malcolm Turnbull says Liberal party’s decision to preference One Nation in Farrer by-election ‘a retrograde move’

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 2278 words · By Nick Visser; Catie McLeod; Petra Stock; Jonathan Barrett; Graham Readfearn; Sarah Collard; Benita Kolovos; Krishani Dhanji
Political Criticism (Turnbull on Liberal Party) Local Infrastructure/Business Disputes (McDonald's) Public Safety/Tragedy (Fires, Road Deaths)
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What to know about Political Criticism (Turnbull on Liberal Party)

Liberals preferencing One Nation a ‘retrograde move’, Turnbull says Petra Stock Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has called the Liberal party’s decision to preference One Nation in the Farrer byelection, “a retrograde move”.

Claims checked 34
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left20%
Center80%
Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Liberals preferencing One Nation a ‘retrograde move’, Turnbull says Petra Stock Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has called the Liberal party’s decision to preference One Nation in the Farrer byelection, “a retrograde move”.

Why it matters

Speaking at a climate and energy panel on Monday, Turnbull said: I mean, look at the Liberal party – the party I’ve led in the parliament, in opposition and in government – instructing its voters to give preferences to One Nation in the byelection in Farrer.

Common ground

I mean, that would have been inconceivable during my time as prime minister, or indeed, Tony Abbott’s, or John Howard’s.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/apr/27/australia-news-live-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 34 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 24
check_circle Corroborated 5
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “As soon as petrol prices started to rise in response to the Middle East conflict, many Australians – already grappling with high living costs – changed their spending habits.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm that as petrol prices rose in response to the Middle East conflict, Australian spending habits changed, with consumers searching for cheaper alternatives.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — As soon as petrol prices started to rise in response to the Middle East conflict, many Australians – already grappling with high living costs – changed their spending habits.That has started to change…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/27/austr…
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web search NEUTRAL — Motorists are being urged to fill up their tanks, with prices expected to increase over the next week. |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPlAhmsI0P4
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web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/
schedule
Claim 2: “Particularly in the Geraldton area, we’re seeing numbers of calculated numbers of around 8,000 to 10,000 a hectare, which is just an extreme mouse situation.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 3: “The Australian dollar is buying 71.68 US cents, up from 71.23 US cents on Friday at 5pm.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was gathered for this claim.
schedule
Claim 4: “There was four children including an adult male inside the house.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “It was 2024, and the rubber was hitting the road hard on the Labor government’s plans to get the power grid almost entirely off coal by 2035.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 6: “The Persian Gulf conflict continued to simmer with the strait of Hormuz – an arterial route for a fifth of global oil and gas supplies – entering a ninth week of effective closure.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was gathered for this claim.
schedule
Claim 7: “Motorcyclists remain over-represented in road trauma, accounting for 21% of lives lost in 2025 despite making up less than 4% of registered vehicles.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 8: “Victoria’s civil and administrative tribunal (Vcat) has upheld McDonald’s application for a review of Darebin city council’s decision to reject its application to turn 323 High Street in Northcote into one of its stores.”
CORROBORATED
Both the cross-reference and multiple web search results from The Guardian confirm that Vcat upheld McDonald's application for a review of Darebin city council's decision regarding 323 High Street in Northcote.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Victoria’s civil and administrative tribunal (Vcat) has upheld McDonald’s application for a review of Darebin city council’s decision to reject its application to turn 323 High Street in Northcote int…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/27/mcdon…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Council rejects plan for 24/7 McDonald’s in Northcote.The 6-3 vote at a Darebin council meeting on Monday night knocked back an amended permit application to build the 24/7 restaurant at 323 High Stre…
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/council-rejects-pla…
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web search NEUTRAL — McDonald's has launched proceedings in VCAT to appeal a council decision to block a 24-hour restaurant in Northcote's High Street.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/northcote-mcdonalds-fast-f…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 9: “Darebin councillors voted 6-3 at a planning meeting in November last year to reject the application for minor works that would have transformed the dilapidated building into a McDonald’s convenience restaurant.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results cite that Darebin councillors voted 6-3 in November last year to reject McDonald's application for minor works at the site.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Darebin councillors voted six to three at a planning meeting in November last year to reject the application for minor works that would have transformed the dilapidated building into a McDonald’s conv…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/27/mcdon…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The City of Darebin council has voted against a planning application from McDonald's, which is seeking to open a new outlet on High Street in Northcote. While the application only sought permission fo…
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-11/darebin-council-rejec…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In both cases, a legal challenge from McDonald’s appears all but inevitable. Last month, the City of Greater Bendigo’s council officers recommended the McDonald’s application for a new outlet be appro…
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/town-and-country-th…
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Claim 10: “McDonald’s is poised to open a 24/7 takeaway outlet on a Melbourne street once dubbed the “world’s coolest” after the fast food giant won its legal challenge against the local council’s attempt to block the new restaurant.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including cross-references and web searches from The Guardian, corroborate that McDonald's is poised to open a 24/7 takeaway outlet on a Melbourne street dubbed the 'world's coolest' after winning a legal challenge against the local council.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oscar McDonald (born 18 March 1996) is a professional Australian rules footballer for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previously played for Carlton and Melb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_McDonald
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — McCafé is a coffee shop-style food and beverage chain, owned by McDonald's. Conceptualised and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 and introduced to the public with help from McDonald's CEO Charl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCafé
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American multinational fast food restaurant chain. As of 2024, it is the largest by revenue and second-largest by number of locations in the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's
+ 4 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 11: “Angus Taylor, the opposition leader, yesterday joined others in denouncing the people who booed at Anzac Day dawn services but said he believes welcome to country acknowledgments are overused.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 12: “Pedestrian deaths also surged by 16.4% while cyclist deaths rose by 4.4%.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “Police say the man is known to authorities for domestic and family violence-related offences.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 14: “NSW police said two bodies have been discovered after a fire tore through a home in Bowen Mountain, at the foot of the Blue Mountains, overnight.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 15: “The Victorian minister for roads and road safety, Ros Spence, has announced motorcyclists will be able to use bus lanes along three key routes in central Melbourne.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 16: “Turnbull was speaking on a panel with former prime minister Kevin Rudd, Christiana Figueres, diplomat and architect of the Paris Climate Agreement, and Anna Skarbek, chief executive officer of Climateworks Centre, in conversation with Thom Woodroofe, for the launch of his book, Power, Prosperity & Planet: Climate and Energy Policy for All.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists entirely of Wikipedia entries about Malcolm X and general information about the UN Secretary-General selection and the Abbott government. None of the evidence confirms that Malcolm Turnbull spoke on a panel with Kevin Rudd, Christiana Figueres, Anna Skarbek, and Thom Woodroofe for the launch of his book, 'Power, Prosperity & Planet: Climate and Energy Policy for All.'
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in October 2016 to choose the ninth secretary-general of the United Nations to succeed Ban Ki-moon from 1 January 2017. Six straw polls were held …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Nations_Secretary-…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Abbott government was the federal executive government of Australia led by the 28th Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The government was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition. The Leader …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_government
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This list of stage names lists names used by those in the entertainment industry, alphabetically by their stage name's surname followed by their birth name. Individuals who dropped their last name and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stage_names
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 17: “Spence said the trial found no negative safety impacts for riders or other motorists and no impact on bus travel times.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 18: “Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has called the Liberal party’s decision to preference One Nation in the Farrer byelection, “a retrograde move”.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists entirely of Wikipedia entries about Malcolm X and general information about the Liberal Party and One Nation. None of the evidence directly reports Malcolm Turnbull calling the Liberal party's decision regarding the Farrer byelection a 'retrograde move'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian former politician, businessman and barrister who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as lead…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Turnbull
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Moderates, also known as Modern Liberals, Small-L Liberals Liberal Left, or The Mods, are a faction comprising the members, supporters and voters of the Liberal Party of Australia who are typicall…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderates_(Liberal_Party_of_Au…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pauline Hanson's One Nation (PHON), commonly known as One Nation (ON), is a right-wing populist political party in Australia. It is led by its founder Pauline Hanson, who has been a senator for Queens…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Nation
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 19: “Following a successful trial, motorcycles can now use bus lanes along: Eastern Freeway, west of Chandler Highway and Hoddle Street (westbound); Victoria Parade, between Hoddle Street and Nicholson Street (westbound); and Victoria Parade, between Nicholson Street and Hoddle Street (eastbound).”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 20: “In a press conference, NT police said they are looking for 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, who is known to police, but has not been located and may be able to assist with their investigation.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 21: “NT police are calling for urgent public assistance to locate Sharon, a five-year-old girl missing from an Alice Springs town camp, at Marshall Court, Old Timers Camp, Alice Springs.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 22: “The S&P/ASX200 slipped 0.26% as the broader All Ordinaries fell 0.17%.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While multiple web search results discuss the S&P/ASX 200 and All Ordinaries falling due to geopolitical tensions, the specific figures (0.26% and 0.17%) mentioned in the claim are not consistently corroborated across the provided search snippets. The evidence shows general declines but not this exact pairing of percentages.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The S&P/ASX 200 index closed lower Thursday, shedding more than 50 points as renewed uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, a sharp drop in a major healthcare stock and broad sector rotation left.
https://www.ibtimes.com/asx-200-slides-057-geopolitical-jitt…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The broader All Ordinaries index followed a similar path, falling around 0.8-0.9% in line with the benchmark. Looking ahead, attention turns to upcoming corporate earnings and any fresh news from U.S.…
https://www.ibtimes.com.au/asx-200-drops-091-88677-geopoliti…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Australian stocks notched a fourth consecutive decline on Friday, with the S&P/ASX 200 edging down 6.9 points, or roughly 0.1%, to finish at 8,786.5. The All Ordinaries index slipped 0.2% to 9,006.4.
https://ts2.tech/en/asx-200-falls-again-as-oil-shock-splits-…
schedule
Claim 23: “They were introduced relatively recently, with the first host trees planted in Tasmania in 1995, the first black truffles harvested in 1999 and Australia’s first exports in 2007.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 24: “Black truffles aren’t native to Australia but, since the first oaks and hazelnuts were planted in the 1990s, the local industry has flourished, becoming the largest producer outside Europe.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 25: “The dad and four children were taken to Penrith hospital. They are still currently in hospital and being treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 26: “Legislated renewable energy targets were repealed.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 27: “Police say they believe two children have died after a house fire in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 28: “Around 1:35am, police received reports that Sharon could not be located at her residence on Marshall Court, Old Timers Camp, Alice Springs.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 29: “Vcat member Michael Deidun said the building already had a planning permit allowing it to become a cafe or restaurant, which applied regardless of whether the site’s operator was McDonald’s or a smaller business.”
CORROBORATED
Both the cross-reference and multiple web search results attribute the statement that the building already had a planning permit for a cafe or restaurant, regardless of the operator, to Vcat member Michael Deidun.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — But a Vcat member, Michael Deidun, said the building already had a planning permit allowing it to become a cafe or restaurant, which applied regardless of whether the site’s operator was McDonald’s or…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/27/mcdon…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — VCAT member Michael Deidun said the planning system in Victoria was “somewhat blind to the final operator” and that the planned McDonald’s could not be denied on the grounds that a multinational fast …
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/mcdonald-s-green-li…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — According to VCAT member Michael Deidun, planning tribunals generally do not have the power to review a company’s corporate ethics, the health impact of its food, or whether a brand fits the “cool” ae…
https://www.newsy-today.com/vcat-approves-fast-food-restaura…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 30: “But that October the Liberal National party led by David Crisafulli won government, bringing a sharply different approach to energy in Australia’s highest-emitting state.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 31: “In the 12 months to 31 March, 1,326 people died in crashes across the country, 39 more than the previous corresponding period.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 32: “Andrew Wiedeman, the southern region director at Grain Producers Australia, told RN this morning there is an ongoing “extreme mouse situation” in Western Australia and parts of South Australia.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 33: “This is the 34th consecutive month that Australia’s 12-month deaths total rose, marking a 20.9% rise since the federal government’s 2021 road safety strategy was agreed to with the aim of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries by 2050.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 34: “A man and four children were able to escape the house, but two others were unaccounted for at the time.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.