Federal election 2025 as it happened: Dutton, Albanese hold second leaders debate; Russian plans to house aircraft in Indonesia ‘not true’ says Marles

Albanese and Dutton have now squared off in two debates. They launched their official campaigns on the weekend, and we are less than a week away from Australians being able to cast their vote (early voting opens on April 22 before the official election day on May 3).

So who won tonight’s contest? And did it sway your vote in any way?

Our experts have handed down their verdicts: Chief political correspondent David Crowe, national affairs editor James Massola, senior writer Jacqueline Maley, deputy federal editor Nick Bonyhady, and columnists Parnell Palme McGuinness and Jenna Price have all given their opinions on the debate.

You can read them here.

Thanks for joining us for our coverage of the election campaign and leaders’ debate tonight.

We’ll be back early tomorrow with more live updates, and we’d love for you to join us.

Thanks and have a nice rest of your evening.

Albanese and Dutton have now squared off in two debates. They launched their official campaigns on the weekend, and we are less than a week away from Australians being able to cast their vote (early voting opens on April 22 before the official election day on May 3).

So who won tonight’s contest? And did it sway your vote in any way?

Our experts have handed down their verdicts: Chief political correspondent David Crowe, national affairs editor James Massola, senior writer Jacqueline Maley, deputy federal editor Nick Bonyhady, and columnists Parnell Palme McGuinness and Jenna Price have all given their opinions on the debate.

You can read them here.

Thanks for following tonight’s debate, where leaders covered a vast amount of territory without digging deep on any particular topic.

The lack of detail was notable on questions of how Australia should tackle the growth in house prices, affordable housing and renters, energy, foreign affairs and defence.

We’ll have expert analysis from our leading correspondents tonight, but for now everyone should probably take a breath after what was a very fast-paced debate.

They say herding cats is one of the toughest jobs out there. David Speers might have been given a harder one – wrestling straight answers out of Albanese and Dutton.

The host of the ABC’s Insiders is well respected in journalism circles for his ability to nail down interviews with guests who more often than not talk themselves into trouble.

Moderator David Speers.Credit: ABC

Tonight, his problem was trying to get both men to stick to the question he’s asked.

On several occasions, he had to ask the leaders to “come back” to his question or “stick with your policy” as they tried to segue into some partisan attack on their opponent.

He wasn’t afraid to drill down into some policy areas and express a bit of scepticism whenever an answer was offered that may be at odds with reality.

In debates, the moderator is a key player and can shape the perceptions of the audience.

In tonight’s debate, Speers guided the debate to key areas, but also let both Albanese and Dutton express themselves and engage in the substance of issues.

Albanese wraps things up: “This election is a real choice, a choice between Labor’s plans to build Australia’s future and the Coalition’s plans for cuts when it comes to education. We have schools funding, and childcare [is] more affordable.

Albanese makes his closing remarks.Credit: Matt Roberts/ABC

“People know that we believe in Medicare.

“We’re acting on [climate change] with renewables backed by gas, batteries and making sure that we deliver on climate change and on renewable energy.

“We had a women’s health program, the most significant we have had. We had paid parental leave. We have had a gender program that puts women at the centre of our economic and social agenda.”

Now on to the leaders’ closing remarks.

Dutton goes first: “Can you answer the question, ‘Are you better off today than you were three years ago?’

Peter Dutton makes his final pitch to voters at the end of the debate.Credit: Matt Roberts/ABC

“For the vast majority of Australians the answer is no. We have a positive plan for our country. We have a desire to manage our economy.

“If people vote for the Liberal and National parties at the next election, we’ll successfully manage the economy to clean up Labor’s mess. We’ll bring inflation down, which brings interest rates down. We’ll restore the dream of home ownership.”

The leaders are asked if it would be a disaster for the country if their counterpart won the election (not sure if this should be encouraged!).

Albanese: “I think there are very different values that we have … I have a very different view of Australia and I think that Peter has taken his party to a more conservative bent than it has ever been. And I want very much to be able to continue the work that our government has been able to achieve.”

Dutton: “It really hurts me to see young Australians completely locked out of the housing market. It hurts me to see young families putting off having kids under this government. And the reason the prime minister is running a scare campaign at the moment is he doesn’t want to talk about the reality of the last three years, which has been a failure for our country.”

More well-behaved than I expected!

Dutton is asked about the message they send by failing so far to visit an Indigenous community on this election campaign.

“I can point to many trips that we’ve made to East Arnhem Land, Alice Springs and many communities across the country. The campaign isn’t just made up of the last 15 days or whatever it’s been. It’s made up of our term over the last three years.”

Albanese is asked about his achievement in closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.

“Neither side of politics has done well enough for First Nations people. That’s just a fact. And that’s something that breaks my heart. But, what we did post referendum was I went to Garma and spoke about economic empowerment of Indigenous people and we have a series of programs.”

The leaders are asked if Australia should have a contingency plan in case the US reneges on its AUKUS deal to provide Australia with nuclear submarines.

Albanese: “This is in the interests of both Australia and the US and the UK as well.

“I’ve been on a US sub there in Western Australia that’s been docked, nuclear-powered submarine … it has bipartisan support. And what is extraordinary is a questioning of that does nothing to advance Australia’s national interests.”

Dutton then accuses Albanese of scaremongering about nuclear technology.

“When the prime minister sneakily says to an audience when he thinks he’s not being watched [that] nuclear is unsafe, what does that say to our American partners?”

The leaders are asked about their response to Trump’s imposition of 10 per cent tariffs on Australian exports to the United States.

Albanese: “We’ll engage diplomatically, not through a TV interview, but we have put forward a proposition to the US.

“We won’t budge on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We won’t budge on biosecurity issues. We won’t budge on the media bargaining code. We will stand up for Australia’s national interests.”

Dutton says the Trump’s tariffs would be very different under a government he leads.

“[In the Morrison government], we were able to leverage relationships. Sadly for our country, ambassador [Kevin] Rudd can’t get into the West Wing and can’t get a meeting with the president.”

Dutton is asked if the Coalition is closer to the Trump administration than Labor, and he refers to former ambassador and Coalition treasurer Joe Hockey.

“We have an ambassador who can’t get a phone call to the president. We had an ambassador who used to play golf with him.”