Election 2025: Anthony Albanese fumbles as Peter Dutton applies the pressure in second leaders debate

Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton debate at the ABC’s Parramatta studio in Western Sydney, moderated by David Speers. Picture: Matt Roberts/ABC

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Peter Dutton had a clear objective in the second debate of a campaign now at its halfway mark. He wanted to get under Anthony Albanese’s skin. And he came close on several occasions.

In the end he managed to force the Prime Minister into an awkward mistruth over whether the government had modelled negative gearing.

This was a significant blow for Albanese. Dutton would have won the debate had he not stumbled too. With housing now the most contestable cost-of-living issue in the campaign, Albanese’s answer will give the Coalition a lot to work with in coming days.

Albanese refused to say if and when power prices will come down under Labor’s renewables plan, refused to commit to a pause on excessive government spending and faced repeated accusations by the Liberal leader that he had a rocky relationship with the truth.

Dutton faced his own awkward moments. His interpretation of climate change was clumsy. More significantly, considering his claim to a pre-eminence on national security, he was forced to admit he was wrong to verbal the Indonesian President over Moscow’s apparent request to base military aircraft in Indonesia. On the negative pressure points of the debate, it was probably a nil-all draw. Both leaders faced tough questions and chose to answer them or not. And both made the points they wanted to make.

Albanese continues to argue for optimism, with the claim of a turnaround in the economy and inflation. Dutton sees this as fertile ground – a denial of reality by the Prime Minister.

He seeks to remind people of how much their household finances have collapsed over the past three years and the risk of further decline without a change of government.

Dutton won the cost-of-living argument.

Albanese said the legacy he wanted to be remembered for was cheaper childcare. Dutton wanted his to be the remaking of the energy market.

Both leaders were across the details. Both tried to demonstrate conviction and both made their opening pitch on cost of living with competing interpretations of recent history. Character was again on trial. Dutton continues to accuse Albanese of being a liar. Albanese accuses Dutton of being unfit to govern.

As for who will be deemed to have won the overall debate, that will depend entirely on who was watching.