If the election were held next weekend, Labor would be struggling or, at very least, the poor campaign start from Anthony Albanese would have given the current PM more than a fighting chance. That’s more a prediction than a fact: what I expect some polls will be saying today or early next week.

Fortunately, Crikey’s very own poll bludger, William Bowe, is on hand this week to help us all understand what’s going on in polling land. Bowe will be writing a poll-watch column for Crikey throughout the campaign, part of our commitment to shed more light than heat on this crucial election.

Below is a selection of our first week’s work as well as some great non-election reporting. Check out Crikey’s Amber Schultz reporting from the Ukraine border.

There’s plenty more to come.

WILLIAM BOWE 3 minute read

Once you've lost trust it's hard to get it back, but since the debacle of 2019 Australian pollsters have racked up some pretty accurate results.

AMBER SCHULTZ 5 minute read

Ukrainians, some young and unaccompanied by family, are still fleeing their besieged country. But many are defying the invaders by returning home, or even refusing to leave in the first place.

CAM WILSON 2 minute read

The national broadcaster's online tool tells voters which parties share their views, but revealing people's true colours isn't going so well.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

Privatised monopoly or near-monopoly service providers who prefer to keep staff numbers low and profits high. Sound familiar? It should if you're stuck in a queue at Sydney Airport.

CAM WILSON 4 minute read

The maverick MP's One Nation reelection bid isn't about winning a seat. It's about gaining money and attention by taking advantage of us.

GUY RUNDLE 6 minute read

Team Albo’s instincts were right enough. Start at the most marginal electorate and move north. But the Labor leader was caught short in more ways than one.

DAVID HARDAKER 2 minute read

It looks like Liberals stacking the Administrative Appeals Tribunal with their mates has triggered the resignation of a long-serving member.

CAM WILSON 4 minute read

Australians overwhelmingly support trans rights, but the PM is trying to needle a political weakness — at the expense of trans people.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

Anthony Albanese has more to worry about than 'gotcha' questions. If he doesn't lift his game the punters will stick with the devil they know.

GUY RUNDLE 5 minute read

The city of Burnie in Tasmania was promised a 500-job green pulp mill. Four years later, it's still waiting.