ELECTION MADNESS

Victoria’s election system is currently facing upheaval on two ends, The Age reports.

• A legal challenge from state Nationals and Liberals against the electoral commissioner aimed at opening a loophole to allow cash transactions between Coalition partners.
• A wild, nigh-3am vote in state parliament for a change to single-member local government elections, which, despite protests from the Greens, looks set to pass and pave the way for more major party councillors.

Up north, former Queensland LNP leader Lawrence Springborg is set for a political comeback, after the electoral commission revealed he was the only person to nominate for mayor of Goondiwindi, The Courier-Mail ($) reports.

Meanwhile, both CLP and Territory Alliance have refused a coalition ahead of the August territory election, NT News ($) reports.

FORMER MANUS GUARD CALLED FOR MORRISON TO ACT BEFORE DYING BY SUICIDE

A former security guard suffering PTSD from the 2014 Manus Island riots has died by suicide before her legal battle with the federal government and G4S Australia reaches court next week.

With permission from her children and executor of her estate — and amid 12 fresh compensation cases from former staff — The Age reports that Diane Parker, 53, also addressed a suicide note to Scott Morrison, one that called for him to settle her claim but that was ultimately not delivered.

Lifeline: 13 11 14; Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636.

FRYDENBERG TAKES ACTION

In news that feels just a tiny bit sad, The Australian ($) reports the major banks will pass on the Reserve Bank’s interest rate cut — a record-low 0.5% that saw an immediate jump in investment — to borrowers “swiftly”, after Treasurer Josh ­Frydenberg called chief executives directly last night.

TALKING POINT: In terms of government policy, the Coalition has only hinted its coronavirus-response package will target affected sectors and, as the ABC reports, be announced sometime between now and the May 5 budget.

A FAILED PLEDGE

The ABC’s managing director David Anderson wrote to Communications Minister Paul Fletcher on January 24, pledging to invest another $10 million a year in regional journalism if the Coalition lifted its planned $40 million-a-year indexation pause, The Australian ($) reports.

The letter was clearly ignored, and the broadcaster is now set to absorb a cumulative $105.9 million in annual budget cuts.

TALKING POINT: News of Anderson’s offer comes after the ABC confirmed in Senate estimates that its bushfire coverage cost $3 million and, as The Guardian reports, promised Eric Abetz no public funds were spent on a Mardi Gras float.

THERE IS NO OTHER AAP FOR THAT

The backbone of Australian journalism, AAP, will officially close in June this year after delivering vital, breaking and often unappreciated news for 85 years. While some jobs may be reabsorbed into parent company’s Nine and News Corp, it was a depressing day for Australian journalism.

The Crikey team thanks our colleagues for their peerless work, and hopes that — for the industry’s sake, if not theirs — they find a new way to get back on the wire. Check out The Guardian’s wrap of some of AAP’s recent, astonishing photojournalism.