"It's A Terrible River": Murray-Darling Gets The Blame For Political Troubles

    Ex-pollie calls famous river "very poor", while Tony Abbott sees red over Speedo piss-take.

    What you need to know...

    - Ex-Liberal pollie Pru Goward was very mean to the Murray-Darling Basin

    - Labor leader Bill Shorten promises casuals an easier path to permanent work

    - Liberal candidate Warren Mundine jokingly calls himself a "pimp"

    - GetUp pulls ad and apologises to surf lifesavers

    - Zali Steggall critics double down in tabloid interview

    - First election debate on April 29 broadcast on 7TWO

    We're not sure what the Murray-Darling Basin ever did to recently retired politician Pru Goward, but she hasn't forgotten it.

    “Governments have struggled with how do we solve sharing a very poor river. Let's face it, it’s a terrible river, between three states with all these competing interests.” @PruGoward on Murray Darling Basin #auspol #TheDrum

    "Governments have struggled with how do we solve sharing a very poor river," Goward said on ABC TV. "Let's face it, it's a terrible river..."

    Murray-Darling Basin supporters weren't just going to sit back and let this happen.

    @ABCthedrum @PruGoward I mean, how *dare* the river flow so far. And how *dare* the river form a natural border. And how *dare* the river not cope with massive over-extraction. Honestly, some rivers just don't know their place. #TheDrum #auspol

    @ABCthedrum @PruGoward Never used to be "a terrible river". I'm offended by that. The river has nourished families, & Dreaming, & native flora & fauna for 1000's of years. How long did it take the colonisers to destroy it? Not bloody long. Let's face it, you are a terrible person #MurrayDarlingBasin

    @ABCthedrum @PruGoward Typical clueless politician. The Darling at Bourke was flowing pretty well during the 1956 flood.. The system has survived droughts for thousands of years. Never been the same since Cotton growers got their greedy mitts on it.

    Opposition leader Bill Shorten was in Townsville, where he took an early morning run with former rugby league great Johnathan Thurston.

    Shorten's main pitch was to Australia's 2.6 million casual workers.

    Liberal candidate for the NSW south coast seat of Gilmore, Warren Mundine, was quoted in Nine media as saying you could describe him as "officially unemployed" or "a pimp".

    The couple who made headlines by laying into Warringah candidate Zali Steggall have tried to tamp down the resulting furore by... inviting a tabloid reporter into their house to talk about the whole thing some more.

    Meanwhile, left-wing lobby group GetUp apologised for an advertisement that allegedly portrayed Tony Abbott as a lifesaver in red budgie smugglers.

    Still, it was enough to generate some heat...

    Forget me, but @GetUp should apologise to Australia’s 150,000 plus surf lifesavers for mocking what they do. https://t.co/3uvNyT8ZL2

    @TonyAbbottMHR @GetUp Especially in the context of a father and son lifesaving duo dying over the weekend while in action. We should praise anyone who risks their life to save others - including you @TonyAbbottMHR. On behalf of everyone, even those that claim to despise you, thank you for your work.

    GetUp gauged the mood and backed away with haste.

    The Coalition says it will work to discourage gay conversion therapy, The Guardian reports.

    Next. One Nation's Pauline Hanson's tweet about water security was a bit Trumpian.

    A lot of fake news being spread about One Nation's plan for water security. One Nation is advocating for a "Hybrid Bradfield Scheme". We want to use the original proposal as inspiration but update it to make sure it works! Human ingenuity can deliver Australia water security! -PH

    And, finally, the first TV debate between Morrison and Shorten will be held in Perth on April 29 and televised on 7TWO, TV Blackbox reported.