Bill Shorten hijacks the Leaders’ Debate by imploring people to hit ‘like’
BILL Shorten hijacked news.com.au and Facebook Leaders’ Debate by imploring people to hit “like”, and there was a big response.
Debate reaches more than 2.2 million people
Bill Shorten hijacks debate with call for ‘likes’
Live audience judged Shorten the winner
- Audience members share their thoughts
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten had plenty to talk about during last night’s third and final Leaders’ Debate.
But once the debate was finished, it was time for the live audience of undecided voters to have their say.
More than 2.2 million people have watched the news.com.au and Facebook Leaders’ Debate in their Facebook newsfeed on Friday, according to the latest figures, but that number is expected to climb as people catch up over the weekend.
The live debate was shared 1800 times and generated more than 38,500 comments live on the night.
Voters expressed their response to what the leaders were saying with 13,000 Facebook reactions, including 9200 likes and 2100 “angry” faces.
Jobs and marriage equality were the top issues being discussed on Facebook after the debate kicked off at 6pm, according to the Facebook data team.
The debate was the most interactive in Australian history, because voters could react in real time and questions posted live on the news.com.au Facebook Page were asked by moderator Joe Hildebrand.
Those in the live audience judged Mr Shorten the winner, by 17 to 7.
Members of the live audience were chosen from marginal electorates and had some cynical comments to make on the leaders.
Paul Bartlett, a 49-year-old business owner from Lindsay, called Malcolm Turnbull a “snake oil salesman” while saying Bill Shorten was “more to the point”.
At the end of the debate the audience was asked to vote for Mr Turnbull or Mr Shorten, with just seven going for the Prime Minister and 17 the Labor leader.
Brisbane’s Lauren Boubouras was one of the seven audience members to vote for Mr Turnbull. The 21-year-old university student said that it was the Prime Minister’s focus on the economy as a whole that gave her confidence.
“The only way to get a job after university is to grow the economy,” she said.
Ms Boubouras said she did prefer Mr Shorten’s stance on same-sex marriage but felt Mr Turnbull won the debate overall.
Enwei Lim, 31, a casual hospitality worker from Brisbane, said he was also one of the minority who voted for the Prime Minister because he “came across as more convincing”.
“I think he had convictions in the way he spoke,” said Mr Lim. “Bill Shorten was hard pressed on some issues and was a little too serious for me.”
Kahn Quinlan, a 31-year-old roadhouse attendant from Paige in NSW, said: “I was expecting Bill to be a bit slimy and he wasn’t, which was really nice and refreshing. I was expecting Turnbull to be more Turnbull-ish and be was a bit dead. I don’t know how much expectation came into it, you expect someone to be s**t and then they’re mediocre and it comes across as good.”
Ricky Geerin, 28, from Petrie, was concerned the leaders had failed to sufficiently address the problem of affordable childcare.
The primary school teacher, who earns $64,000, said his partner had to work seven hours a day just to break even so they decided it wasn’t worth her staying in her job.
“They kind of skated over it,” he said. Thousands of people across Australia have the same issue. I went to uni for years and I’m on less than average wage.”
Kylie Anderson, 35 from Queanbeyan, was undecided before attending the debate but left the night leaning towards a vote for Mr Shorten.
“He was more direct with answers, he didn’t beat around the bush. His stance on marriage equality really hit me — we don’t need to take it to the people, (the leaders should) just make a decision. That was a major standout for me.”
But Ms Anderson, a mum-of-two, was also disappointed that childcare wasn’t really covered in the debate but acknowledged that the Opposition Leader at least mentioned it in his final answer and that it was integral to his “future planning”.
Shanice Da Costa, 18, of Glenmore Park in western Sydney, said she was undecided before attending tonight’s debate.
“I was a bit swayed (either way) because this is my first year voting,” said Shanice, who will vote in the marginal seat of Lindsay.
In the end, she was convinced by Mr Shorten, especially because of his promise to legalise same-sex marriage.
“Malcolm Turnbull could just do that right now but he hasn’t,” she said.
David Piper, age 70 from Deakon, said he was surprised by the results of the debate, and that he thought it would have been a lot closer.
“Malcolm Turnbull spoke in philosophical ways while Bill Shorten talked about what he would do,” he said.
Mr Piper came to the debate undecided and said he was leaving “open minded”. He said he really wants the leaders to lead by example. “It’s OK to say tighten your belts but they need to set an example,” he said.
Eddie Waraich, a 41-year-old ex-banker from MacArthur who is now studying education, said he thought the Opposition Leader was “more upfront” but he thought “we have to wait and see what the truth is.”
Mary Laus, 55, an airline worker from Reid who asked the question on penalty rates, agreed. “I’m leaning more toward Bill but the big question is how much of it do I believe? The promises were great but will they deliver?”
Another NSW voter, John Dickson of Hurstville in Sydney, said he was most impressed when the leaders showed their “human side” but they were “still just politicians”.
SHORTEN’S CLEVER MOVE
BILL Shorten hijacked news.com.au and Facebook Leaders’ Debate by imploring people to hit “like” if they wanted a better National Broadband Network.
The live video was overtaken with a flurry of “thumbs-up” emoticons after the Opposition Leader’s call-out, and the comments section was flooded with users saying “FIBRE”.
Those in the live audience judged Mr Shorten the winner in last night’s debate, by 17 to 7.
Many online agreed, with most of the social reaction also favouring Mr Shorten.
Some commented that Mr Shorten “wiped the Facebook floor” with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Shorten even tweeted a few hours afterwards to say he had “enjoyed” the debate.
“Some great questions. Asked Mr Turnbull if he’d agree to another debate. Watch this space.”
Enjoyed the debate tonight - some great questions. Asked Mr Turnbull if he'd agree to another debate. Watch this space.
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) June 17, 2016
In contrast, Mr Turnbull posted footage of himself answering a question about the economy.
For our economy to thrive, we have to back the enterprise and imagination of all Australianshttps://t.co/FcbMJrBAp2
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) June 17, 2016
Mr Shorten’s win came after Opposition Leader asked people to press “like”.
“I’m interested to see what Facebook users — who have bad connections and delays and buffering (have to say),” Mr Shorten said. “Malcolm Turnbull says everything’s fine.
“Let’s press ‘like’ if you prefer fibre to copper.”
And hit “like” they did.
News.com.au was closely watching the viewers’ sentiments live. At the beginning of the debate, most viewers were using the “angry face” emoticon to express their disappointment with the leaders’ answers.
After Mr Shorten’s comments, “likes” overtook as the dominant sentiment.
But Mr Turnbull hit back and said the Coalition inherited a NBN that was “completely failed”.
“We have connected more people to the NBN, paying customers, in the past month than Labor did in six years: 2.6 million Australians can get access to it ... it will be finished in 2020.
“We are getting on and getting it finished. That’s what a business-like government does.”
Other questions included those on university education, climate change, housing affordability and marriage equality.
Mr Shorten said the government should “just lead” when it came to same sex marriage, rather than conducting a plebiscite.
“Let’s just lead. Let’s not just wait till you appease the right wing of your party. Let’s just be done with it.”
In contrast, Mr Turnbull struggled to generate a breakthrough moment, instead fending off questions about his company tax cut.
RELATED: Facebook face-off - how the night unfolded
Both leaders faced an emotional question from one audience member about penalty rates.
Mary said she was a shift worker and had missed Christmas and New Year celebrations at least 17 times.
“I have missed my mother’s 80th birthday, missed weddings, funerals of close friends and family.
“I often feel disconnected from the life my family and friends share. If you believe penalty rates are too high, what value do you place on the sacrifice shift workers make and what incentive do you feel would be fair compensation?”
Mr Turnbull said the government had no plans to change penalty rates and they were set by the Fair Work Commission.
“I can give you this pledge — we have no plans whatsoever to change penalty rates,” he said.
Mr Shorten was asked whether he would follow the commission’s ruling if it decided to drop penalty rates but sidestepped the question. He did say he would commit to putting in a submission to the commission supporting the retention of penalty rates and challenged Mr Turnbull to do the same.
“I don’t think it’s the government's role to be telling the Fair Work Commission what to do about penalty rates,” Mr Turnbull hit back.
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