Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was declared the winner of the final leaders’ debate before Saturday’s federal election, after a spirited and, at times, unpredictable clash with opposition leader Peter Dutton.
Held at Channel Seven’s Election Central, the hour-long debate saw both leaders make their final appeals to undecided voters across Australia.
A live studio audience of 60 undecided voters delivered the verdict, with 50 per cent naming Mr Albanese as the debate winner. Mr Dutton secured the backing of 25 per cent, while the remaining 25 per cent remained undecided.
Although Mr Albanese was judged the victor, the win was not overwhelming, with many audience members indicating they were still leaning towards independent candidates rather than the major parties.
The debate initially followed familiar lines, with both leaders reiterating key policies on housing, the economy, energy, and national security. However, the exchanges soon became less conventional as rapid-fire questions challenged both leaders on unexpected topics.
In one awkward moment, Mr Dutton underestimated the price of a dozen eggs, suggesting it was $4.20 — roughly half the actual cost — while in another, he referred to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk as an “evil genius.”
Mr Albanese also faced an unusual line of questioning regarding former US President Donald Trump, stating,
“I’m not sure that he has a mobile phone. He’s an elusive character to get hold of.”
Despite the unusual moments, the Prime Minister managed to outpoint Mr Dutton on key issues that have dominated the campaign. In the critical cost-of-living debate, 65 per cent of the audience favoured Mr Albanese’s approach, compared to 16 per cent for Mr Dutton.
Housing policy was more closely contested, with 35 per cent supporting Mr Albanese and 30 per cent backing Mr Dutton.
One audience member praised the Prime Minister’s closing remarks, saying,
“I think Albanese finished with inspiration, which was a nice change instead of that nitpicking that we obviously always see.”
However, Mr Dutton resonated strongly with the audience on other fronts, particularly on Indigenous affairs and defence. After suggesting the Welcome to Country had become “overdone” and had lost some of its original meaning, 46 per cent of the audience supported Mr Dutton’s stance, compared to 27 per cent who favoured Mr Albanese’s approach.
On defence, 43 per cent sided with the Opposition Leader, while 37 per cent backed the Prime Minister.
Throughout the evening, Mr Dutton positioned himself as a leader ready to “clean up a Labor mess,” drawing comparisons with former Prime Minister John Howard.
“Our job as a Liberal government — as was the case for John Howard — is to clean up a Labor mess,”
Mr Dutton said.
Mr Albanese, in contrast, sought to paint a more optimistic vision of Australia’s future.
“We’re undertaking these measures to look after people, not to go out there, talk Australia down and try to secure political advantage from grievance,”
he said.
With almost 2.4 million Australians having already cast their votes during pre-poll and postal voting, it remains to be seen how much influence the final debate will have on the broader election result.
The debate capped a frenetic final week of campaigning, as both leaders race towards the finish line ahead of the May 3 federal election.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
