Dutton admits mistake on Indonesia in second leaders' debate
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The news: Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have squared off in their second debate, with the Prime Minister saying his biggest legacy would be cheaper childcare while Dutton named nuclear power.
The context: The ABC held the debate between Albanese and Dutton on Wednesday night from its new Parramatta studios, hosted by David Speers.
It is the second debate during the election campaign, with Channel Nine to host a third leaders’ debate next Tuesday night.
Highlights included Dutton conceding he made a mistake in alleging that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had declared that Russia had submitted a request to establish an air force base in his country.
Albanese’s most awkward moment came when he denied his government had requested Treasury to cost changes to negative gearing and the capital gains discount, when it in fact did exactly that last year.
On Donald Trump:
Albanese: ”I have no reason not to [trust him]. I've had a couple of discussions with him.”
Dutton: ”We trust the US, and I don't know the President. I've not met him.”
On Russia and Indonesia:
Albanese: “That's an extraordinary double down from the alternative Prime Minister of Australia who verballed the Indonesian President yesterday.”
Dutton: “The reference I was making shouldn’t have been to the President. It was in relation to sources from the Prabowo government.
On housing:
Albanese: “We have a plan not just for demand but for supply."
“The key is supply. That's why only Labor is offering a plan at this election to increase supply of housing."
“Peter's suggestion this has been a problem that developed in the last two years is a nonsense. Everyone watching this program knows that this has been developing for a long period of time. We have not had enough homes been built.”
Dutton: ”Over the past two years, the Government has brought in people all of who want homes and competing with younger Australians to purchase a home or a rental property."
“That's a million people... The demand the Prime Minister generated has created a housing crisis, at the same time you have had the CFMEU and others who choked supply, stopped houses being built. It's been this perfect storm that every Australian understands.”
Revenue versus spending:
Albanese: ”We are the only government in the last 20 years that produced consecutive surpluses, and we halved the deficit as a direct result of the responsible economic management we have.”
Dutton: “What the Prime Minister has not mentioned… most of the outcomes that he's talking about are because of variations in commodity prices, not because of decisions the Government made or the growth they put in the economy.”
On nuclear and the energy debate:
Albanese: ”What we need to do is to roll out renewables, make sure there's energy security, make sure it's backed up by batteries, by hydro and by gas.”
”That's what all the private sector is backing and investing in. Not using taxpayers' money to fund something [nuclear] that they never put forward the entire time they were in office.”
Dutton: “Australia is the only one of the top 20 economies that hasn't signed up to or isn't already using nuclear.”
”The Prime Minister whispers out the side of his mouth that nuclear is not safe. He signed up to nuclear power for our submariners and the Prime Minister again, it's another example of complete dishonesty in a debate I think that is worth having between adults.”
The source: ABC
