Kevin Rudd

Age 55

Party Labor

Family Married, three children

Career Former diplomat elected to House of Representatives in 1998. Labor leader 2006-10, and since June 2013.

Policies

Climate Labor has introduced an emissions trading scheme, starting with a fixed price, to meet Australia's greenhouse gas abatement targets of 5%-25% of 2000 levels by 2020.

Asylum Labor has increased thehumanitarian intake to 20,000. The Coalition would cut it to 13,750. Both major parties would process

asylum seekers who arrive offshore by boat in Papua New

Guinea and the Pacific island of Nauru.

Mining Labor has introduced a tax on mining company profits, though it has reaped little revenue so farowing to its design and lower commodity prices.

Broadband Labor is spending A$37.4bn to provide the fastest possible broadband service to almost every Australian business and home.

Paid parental leave Labor already pays the minimum wage of around A$620 (£360) for 18 weeks' leave.

Tony Abbott

Age 55

Party Liberal/Coalition

Family Married, three children

Career Trained in a Roman Catholic seminary and worked in journalism and business before being elected to House of Representatives in 1994.

Policies

Climate The Coalition says it will meet the same targets as Labor with "direct action" to reduce emissions through "reverse auctions", where firms, farmers and others can bid for government grants to help them reduce emissions.

Asylum The Coalition has also promised "Operation Sovereign Borders", led by a three-star general, to intercept and turn around people-smugglers' boats on the high seas.

Mining The Coalition will repeal Labor's mining profits tax.

Broadband The Coalition says it can spend A$17bn less than Labor, complete the rollout more quickly and still provide speeds as fast as people actually need by taking fibre optic cables only to streetside "nodes" and using existing copper wire into premises.

Paid parental leave The Coalition proposes to pay the mother's full replacement wage (up to a cap of A$150,000) for 26 weeks.

John S wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 9:41am:

And here is a somewhat less polite take on the issue. Warning: strong (and quite repetitive) language.