Shorten shies away from prime time third debate

Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will face off in Perth today during the first leaders’ debate of the election campaign.

Basil Zempilas will host today’s leaders’ debate in Perth.

Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten will face off in Perth today during the first leaders’ debate of the election campaign, as negotiations for a third debate heat up.

Mr Morrison flew into Western Australia last night, and will make a cyber security announcement before using the rest of the day to prepare for the afternoon debate, scheduled for 5pm local time.

The town hall-style event at Seven’s studios, hosted by Basil Zempilas and moderated by Seven political editor Mark Riley and The West Australian’s political editor Lanai Scarr, will be broadcast live.

A Liberal campaign source said Mr Morrison was confident ahead of his first leaders’ debate, and planned to focus on the strength of the economy, national security and West Australian-specific issues ­including government changes to the GST.

Labor’s tax plan and Mr Shorten’s refusal to release costings are also on the Prime Minister’s talking points.

The Liberal camp believes Mr Morrison has nothing to lose going into the third week of the campaign. Advisers say he won’t shy away from tough questions and they are optimistic he can win the debate with stronger knowledge across economic and policy details.

The Opposition Leader also arrived in Perth yesterday and planned to campaign as normal today. A Labor source said Mr Shorten would continue to focus on the government’s health and education spending, which has been tracking well for the party.

A second leaders’ TV debate is scheduled for Friday on Sky News, but plans for a third have stalled.

The Liberal Party has rejected Labor’s proposal for a daytime face-off on May 8 at the National Press Club in Canberra.

Federal Liberal Party director Andrew Hirst wrote to Labor campaign director Noah Carroll yesterday requesting Mr Shorten participate in an evening debate hosted by the ABC in Sydney in the second last week of the campaign. “The Prime Minister will be available to debate the Opposition Leader in prime time (not lunch time) on any of the following evenings: Tuesday 7, Wednesday 8 or Thursday May 9,’’ Mr Hirst wrote.

Mr Shorten has been criticised for refusing offers from the ABC and Nine to debate Mr Morrison in prime time on free-to-air TV.

“Why not prime time?” Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann asked Mr Shorten yesterday.

“They invented iView,” Mr Shorten replied. “It is possible to do an interview at one point in the day and replay it. I often see that.”