Coalition proposes four TV leaders debates ahead of election day
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The news: The Coalition has written to Labor to finalise arrangements for four official leaders’ debates in the lead up to polling day, following negotiations kicked off with the networks earlier this year.
The context: The proposal would see Sky News and the Daily Telegraph secure the first debate in its People’s Forum format in Sydney, moderated by Kieran Gilbert, according to a letter written by Coalition Campaign Director Andrew Hirst to the Australian Labor Party’s national secretary Paul Erickson dated 28 March.
The Nine Network would get the second debate under the proposal, which would be moderated by Karl Stefanovic or Allison Langdon, with a panel made up of three Nine journalists, said the letter, seen by Capital Brief.
The third would be a Channel Seven Leaders’ Debate in Perth, moderated by Mark Riley, while the fourth and final debate would be hosted by the ABC, moderated by David Speers at the ABC’s Western Sydney studios.
What they said: “Further to my letter of 3 March 2025, I write to finalise arrangements for official Leaders’ Debates during the election campaign,” Hirst wrote in the letter.
The source: Coalition letter
