Australian news and politics live: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fights emotion as he honours Pope Francis

The Nightly’s Latika M Bourke reports Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will attend a church service in Sydney to mourn the death of Pope Francis.

The Pontiff’s death has derailed campaigning in the federal election, denying Mr Dutton a crucial day of electioneering in the NSW regional seat of Calare where a fierce three-way contest between Nationals candidate Sam Farraway, Nats defector Andrew Gee and teal Kate Hook is underway.

But the political hostilities will resume on Tuesday night when Mr Dutton will later go head to head with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Nine Network’s leaders debate.

The Prime Minister has often spoken of being brought up with three faiths: the Catholic Church, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Australian Labor Party.

He became emotional answering questions about the personal effect of the pope’s death, although he acknowledges he generally tries not to speak about his religious faith in public.

“At times like this, I think what people do is draw on who they are. Catholicism is just a part of me,” he says.

“And one of the things about the Holy Father is that … I think his humility, for the way that he embraced the poor, the way that he embraced the social justice message that I see as the message of Jesus Christ, is really important for so many Catholics.

“He was someone who I personally admired… He had a great deal of courage as well. He was very much a modern leader in the way that he conducted himself.”

Mr Albanese added he believes it is very important that Australia has a secular democracy.

Anthony Albanese has spoken with Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who was already headed to Turkey to attend the dawn service at Gallipoli on Anzac Day.

She is likely to stay in Europe and attend the Pope’s funeral to represent Australia.

He’s also spoken to former Nationals MP Keith Pitt, who was appointed as Australia’s ambassador to the Holy See earlier in the year.

Because of the Pope’s illness, Mr Pitt has yet to present his credentials and formally start in the role but he is making arrangements.

Anthony Albanese has spoken from parliamentary offices in Melbourne to again pay tribute to Pope Francis.

He says the Pope will be mourned not just by Catholics but by people from all walks of life.

“In the truest sense of the words, he practised what he preached,” the Prime Minister said.

“The Holy Father was one of the most consequential leaders of this century and indeed our lifetime.”

Mr Albanese says he will suspend the rest of his campaigning for the day. Peter Dutton has done the same.

Earlier this morning, Mr Albanese attended a service at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne.

The Nightly’s Latika M Bourke reports that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was due to campaign with the Nationals Candidate Sam Farraway in Orange in the seat of Calare in regional New South Wales.

Mr Dutton’s intention to campaign in the once-held Nationals electorate is unusual but reflects the fierce contest underway for the seat.

Former Nationals MP Andrew Gee held the seat before defecting to the crossbench.

He is fighting to retain it as an Independent but is fending off a strong campaign by teal Kate Hook and Mr Farraway.

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are still expected to front the third leaders’ debate on Tuesday night, but the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader have cancelled planned events for Tuesday.

The Opposition Leader has said “today’s not the day for big politicking”.

Mr Dutton says he will spend the day “reflecting” instead of engaging in “overt politicking” on Tuesday, out of respect for Pope Francis.

Both leaders have indicated that although voters will head to the booths from Tuesday, there will be disruptions to campaigning in light of the death of Pope Francis.

“I don’t think there’s any need for over-the-top politics today. I think we can respectfully put our positions,” Peter Dutton said.

Although when asked about the news polls that found voters’ biggest concern about the Coalition was his personality, the Opposition Leader said his party was focused on law and order, fuel price cuts and getting young people into homes.

“We have a chance to course correct to get the country back on track and that is what we are concentrating on,” he said.

“That is what the election will be contested on – not the personalities and mud being thrown by Labor.”

Anthony Albanese also indicated that his plans have changed today so that he can pay respect to the Pope and show his support for members of the Catholic community.

The death of Pope Francis is set to loom large over Anthony Albanese on the election campaign trail, as the Prime Minister leads tributes to the pontiff.

The Prime Minister, a devout Catholic, praised the late Pope as an inspiration who as also committed to peace, following his death on Monday after a battle with pneumonia.

“For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father. Pope Francis lived out his faith and vocation in work and deed,” he told reporters.

“The memory and example of his compassion will long endure as we mourn his death.”

The Pope’s death is expected to overshadow domestic issues on the campaign trail, with the prime minister beginning his day in Melbourne.

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The Prime Minister has started his day at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne.

There is a portrait of Pope Francis at the front of the cathedral, near the altar and some floral tributes have already been laid on it

Mr Albanese was greeted at the entrance to the cathedral by Monsignor Stuart Hall.

Service usually runs for 30 minutes but may go a little bit longer due to the Pope’s death.

Both major parties have promised to release the full costing of their policies before May 3.

Coalition MPs have defended delaying policy announcements until late in the campaign, saying they will unveil them when Australians are paying the most attention.

But that approach could come back to bite the party if 2022’s early voter turnout of more than 5.5 million people is anything to go by.

Analysts expect many voters going away for the upcoming Anzac Day long weekend and school holidays will take advantage of pre-polling, meaning parties may have to change tack.

“If they’ve got something that they want to have a maximum impact, they can’t reveal it at the last minute the way they used to,” University of Tasmania public policy associate professor Kate Crowley told AAP.

Pre-polling is becoming more popular as voters turn away from major parties, which means Labor and the coalition need to strategise about how election sweeteners are offered during a campaign, she said.

Political hopefuls are running out of time to unveil and sell their major policies as Australians begin to cast their votes in the federal election.

The first ballots will be cast on Tuesday as early voting begins ahead of the May 3 poll, with millions expected to skip the lines on election day.

It’s sparked warnings about parties not having enough time to sell their messages if they keep policies up their sleeves for too long.

The Coalition still has at least one major announcement to come on its defence spending allocation, while it is yet to specify what public service jobs are on the line as it aims to reduce the commonwealth payroll by 40,000 people.

Labor has seized on the Coalition not balancing its spending with enough cost-saving measures to launch attacks about “secret cuts” as it campaigns heavily on Medicare and other health initiatives.

“When Peter Dutton cuts, Australians will pay,” has been the government’s tagline, which was used again on Monday by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a visit to an urgent care clinic in the marginal NSW south coast seat of Gilmore.

Mr Albanese called it “extraordinary arrogance” for the Opposition Leader not to tell Australians where all the flagged cuts will come from until after the election.

Mr Dutton has said he needs the resources of Government to determine areas of waste to be targeted.