10:28am: It seems the budget won't be all savage cuts and hard times.
One of the big claims for extra funding has been from childcare workers who want wage subsidies.
The industry is rapidly expanding and the government has set new training standards and staff to children ratios in order to improve the quality of care.
But wages have not kept pace. Childcare workers typically earn $18 an hour which makes them one of the lowest paid workforces in the country.
The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, has announced workers will get a $3 an hour pay raise in the budget - in return for centres promising to keep fees low and having enterprise bargaining agreements in place.
10:19am: Which is an opportunity for a segue into the issue of 457 visas. You may remember chief political correspondent Mark Kenny wrote a piece last week in which he talked about how the government's strategy is playing well to voters in key seats.
Mark has written another piece today which looks at what people think based on the Nielsen poll that was taken at the weekend.
10:15am: And here's the PM looking at it (the Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy, is to her left in the picture).
Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Migration and Settlement Awards on Monday night Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
10:14am: Last night politicians of all stripes gathered for the Migration and Settlement Awards at Parliament House. I know it's a bit hard to see but it's a lovely bit of political history - the Gillard family's incoming passenger card from 1966, proud ten pound poms that they were.
Incoming passenger card for the Gillard family Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
9:15am: Independent MP Tony Windsor is also over leadership speculation. He told ABC TV's Lateline last night that he is well sick of it.
‘‘If they continue with this election mode and this whole business about who the leader is well they might get to an election quicker than the September 14,’’ Mr Windsor said.
Independent MP Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott during a committee hearing yesterday Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
9:07am: Say it with a tweet:
8:48am: Meanwhile, over in policy land, independent MP Rob Oakeshott says he will not vote for any of the government's six media reform bills.
Mr Oakeshott says he is unable to support the reforms because of
It's looking a little grim for the package at this point in the day.
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott during a committee hearing into media reform Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
8:44am: Senator Carr - who is in the United States - has issued an emphatic denial both in a statement and a press conference.
In his statement Senator Carr said: "The views attributed to me in this article are incorrect and no comment was sought from my office."
Here is a summation of Senator Carr's point of view.
8:20am: It's been a big start to the morning - claim, counter claim, assertion, denial - and that's all before we get to the sticky business of media reform.
Let's have a look at leadership first. (NB Pulsers - I'm going to go through things chronologically so give me time to get through all the points.)
The Sydney Morning Herald's political editor, Peter Hartcher, has set the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons with a story claiming the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bob Carr, and the Minister for Aged Care, Mark Butler, are both reconsidering their support for the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Peter's story is here.
8:09am: Some days have the whiff of chaos about them - or do they? Join us for our live coverage of federal politics today.
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