Seven moments that mattered as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton face-off in first leaders’ debate

Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese traded barbs – these are the moments that mattered from the leaders’ debate. WATCH THE VIDEO

And with that, the first debate of the election is over.

Both leaders stuck to their comfort zones with Anthony Albanese declaring the Liberals will cut health funding and Peter Dutton saying his government was best suited to protected Australia against economic uncertainty.

Here are the moments that mattered:

Anthony Albanese during the first leaders’ debate. Picture: Jason Edwards

‘Misleading’: Dutton calls out Labor’s Mediscare

The two leaders faced-off over cutting funding in health and education with Mr Albanese claiming Mr Dutton cut funding during his time in government.

Mr Dutton interjected, saying “That is not a factually correct statement, it’s misleading”.

“It’s misleading, it’s designed to scare people, and I think it’s dishonest from a man who wants to be re-elected as the Prime Minister of our country.”

Mr Albanese doubled down saying “it’s a fact”.

Albanese gets Gough Whitlam comparison

Mr Dutton challenged Mr Albanese by asking if he was the biggest spending government since Gough Whitlam.

“Are you the biggest spending government since Whitlam? In 40 years there hasn’t been a higher spending government than yours, is that true?”

Mr Albanese is quick to respond with “Except for the one you were a part of”.

Leaders clash on energy policy

The leaders have exchanged barbs over their respective energy policies.

Mr Albanese rolled out what was likely a pre-planned zinger by telling the audience “the only gas policy that the Coalition have is the gaslighting of the Australian public” while Mr Dutton claimed rooftop solar’s popularity was driven by high electricity prices and said the Coalition would not support people on lower incomes being made to subsidise batteries for others.

Mr Albanese cut in, saying the Coalition was happy to “ask us to subsidise nuclear reactors”.

Mr Dutton hit back saying: “As they are offshore wind and your green hydrogen that doesn’t work.”

Earlier Mr Albanese said “If the nuclear plan stacked up, the private sector would invest in it.”

It’s worth noting there is currently a national ban on nuclear power.

Peter Dutton didn’t rule out extending his fuel excise. Picture: Jason Edwards

Dutton leaves door open on extending fuel relief

Truckie Ian called on both leaders to do more on fuel cost support, he demanded Anthony Albanese commit to the policy while asking Peter Dutton to extend it to the whole first term.

In a swipe at Mr Albanese’s $5 a week tax cuts, Ian told the Prime Minister that “people are hurting now, not 15 months later”. Mr Dutton does not rule out extending the excise saying, “in 12 months time, if we needed to extend it, we could do that.”

Anthony Albanese addresses the audience. Picture: Jason Edwards

Question to audience member

Mr Dutton jumps in and takes the chance to ask an audience member how often she has to take her credit card to the doctor.

“I don’t want you to miss out on going to the doctor … the Prime Minister if he was being truthful with you would say ‘Yes the cost that you pay out of pocket has increased under this government’.

Mr Albanese returns fire, saying “Peter, you tried when you were Health Minister you tried to abolish bulk billing.”

Labor has made about $10bn in primary care commitments — most of which have been matched by the Coalition.

“Very confronting scene”

Debate host Keiran Gilbert asks the crowd to put their hands up if they have struggled with the cost of living — about half the audience puts their hand up.

Mr Dutton says the visual is “very confronting”.

“That was a very confronting scene, if I might say, from where I’m standing to see the number of hands raised then, of people who are working hard, people who have done everything they can in their own budgets to cut back.”

Quick fire

The leaders are given a final rapid fire with Mr Albanese grilled on deals with the Greens, legislating the Indigenous Voice to parliament, and if he’ll end the AUKUS submarine pact with the US — all of which he ruled out.

Mr Dutton is quizzed on cuts to health funding and forcing people to work from the office if elected — he rules out both.

Originally published as Seven moments that mattered as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton face-off in first leaders’ debate