Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten go head-to-head in the third and final federal election debate

Facing off for a final time, both Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten tried hard to steer the debate their way — but neither could break through.

ANALYSIS

Bill Shorten doesn’t believe in Hell, which might provoke a weary and cynical voter to ask where he has been for the 28 days of this election campaign.

The Labor leader’s uncertainty about fiery damnation in the afterlife was one of a handful of revelations from the third and final debate with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

RELATED: Live coverage of the third federal election debate

The themes and arguments were familiar and much of the hour was spent in an arm wrestle as each leader attempted to wrench the discussion into favoured territory.

Mr Morrison wanted to talk Labor tax; Mr Shorten wanted to change the topic to climate change.

Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison during a tense exchange over housing policy. Picture: ABC

There were significant differences to the two previous debates.

The discussion, the to-and-fro, the atmosphere had more substance.

One factor encouraging this was that the pair did not have to impress a neutral audience in the room.

They had to woo the greater, broader national constituency watching on TV, not charm 100 people a few metres away.

The National Press Club in Canberra again asserted itself as the appropriate venue for such a showdown.

So it was perhaps not surprising when both agreed that before the next general election an independent debates commission would be formed — an idea of long standing but never delivered.

Neither man could claim resounding victory or a powerful breakthrough line, but Mr Morrison, who lost the audience vote after the previous two encounters, had to prevail.

In a default way at least, that gave victory to Bill Shorten.

Mr Morrison’s delivery and command of detail were impressive, but he could not portray a brighter Liberal future, sticking to his fear of a darker Labor one.

It was an unusual debate, too, because the contractual dispute of rugby union star Israel Folau was featured, after he used social media to say people in same-sex relationships would go to Hell.

RELATED: Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle under fire for Israel Folau saga

“I don’t know if Hell exists, actually,” Mr Shorten said.

But it will be the politics of the final campaign week, not theology, which will decide who forms a government.

Originally published as Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten go head-to-head in the third and final federal election debate