Dutton declared narrow winner of third debate – as it happened (2025)

Thanks for being with us here on the blog for the third leaders’ debate between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton. Here are all the main takeaways from the past hour:

• Nine’s expert panel declared Dutton the narrow winner of tonight’s debate, 2-1.

• Making a pitch to voters, the prime minister said this was the “time to build Australia’s future, not to cut”, while the opposition leader said this was a “a sliding-doors moment for our country”.

• Dutton blamed Labor for the Coalition’s declining poll numbers, saying Labor had “spent $20m throwing mud and negative ads”.

• Albanese said Australia’s relationship with Indonesia was “damaged by the comments that Mr Dutton made last week”, and also said every Pacific leader “remembers him joking about water lapping at their doors.”

• Dutton, however, defended his ability to work with past US administrations and said he brings more experience to the job “than any predecessor”.

• Albanese argued that “kindness isn’t weakness” after Dutton said his police career had “hardened” him.

• Dutton said he was “committed to nuclear” even if it’s not “politically popular”. Albanese repeated his call for the Coalition to outline what it would cut to fund this.

• The PM attributed the rise in undecided voters to “changes in our economy [and] our society”.

Nine’s expert panel has declared Peter Dutton the winner of tonight’s leaders’ debate by 2-1.

Deb Knight answered first, saying that for her “Peter Dutton just beat out Anthony Albanese” – basing it on his previous performances.

I think it was very, very close. But I think Peter Dutton sort of you can see him getting a bit more confidence, and he had that tonight.

Phil Coorey answered next, giving it to Albanese by half a per cent.

[Dutton] was coming from further behind, he had to do better, but I’m going to give it by half a per cent to the prime minister.

Charles Croucher had the deciding answer, saying he would give it to Dutton “by a nose”.

I think [this was] by far Peter Dutton’s best debate … he won by a nose.

Expert Nine panel to declare a winner of the debate

The expert Nine panel is now analysing the leaders’ answers tonight.

We’re standing by for them to declare a winner of the debate.

PM makes closing remarks

Anthony Albanese is now giving his closing remarks, saying this is the “time to build Australia’s future, not to cut”.

We are in uncertain times, and this is not the time to cut, which is what the Coalition will do, have to do, in order to pay for their nuclear plants …

The last time the Coalition came to office, they said there’d be no cuts to education and health. And of course, we know that they ripped in. This is a time for building, for strengthening Medicare, for helping to make things here in Australia …

This is a time as well where we need to make sure we have serious relationships with the world, from someone who’s engaged and built those relationships, has a record of building relationships, whether it be with the United States, the UK, whether it be in our region, in Asean or with our Pacific neighbours.

And with that, the third leaders’ debate has wrapped up.

Dutton makes closing remarks

Peter Dutton is now giving a pitch to voters as the debate wraps up, saying he has the ability to “lead our country through an uncertain time, rebuild the economy and help get the cost-of-living pressures down”.

I think this is a sliding-doors moment for our country. We want to cut migration so that we can help restore the dream of home ownership … We want to cut the fuel tax by 25 cents a litre. We want to give you $1,200 back through the tax rebate. We want to make sure that we can fix the economy so that we can bring inflation down, bring interest rates down and grow the economy.

We want to help people with cost-of-living pressures, and we want to make sure that we can keep people safe in their homes, in their communities, and also make sure that our country can be safe in a very uncertain time. We need to also make sure that at this election, we elect a prime minister who has strength of character and the ability to stand up for our country in a very uncertain time.

Albanese has been asked to list three things he admires about Dutton.

The PM said the opposition leader has a “terrific family” and “longevity” in politics, adding:

In that time as well, [he’s] had a tough seat that he’s contested consistently over a long period of time.

Dutton is now listing what he admires about the PM, also saying he has a great family. Albanese cut in, saying:

We’re both punching above our weight, we can agree.

Dutton finished his answer, acknowledging the PM’s support for Aukus.

Taking rapid-fire questions, both leaders were asked if they would do a deal with the minor parties.

Albanese responded: “No.”

Dutton said:

Not with the Greens, no, but with independents.

Dutton accused the PM of not being truthful, but Albanese doubled down.

Dutton says Coalition committed to nuclear even if not ‘politically popular’

Peter Dutton is asked whether the Coalition will abandon its nuclear energy policy if the party is unsuccessful on 3 May?

He said that “we are committed to nuclear not because it’s politically popular”.

I haven’t committed to nuclear energy for votes. I committed to it because it’s in the best interests of our country.

Anthony Albanese said it was a “fact” that “no one will invest” in the Coalition’s nuclear reactors:

David Crisafulli doesn’t support lifting it, nor does the Victorian opposition leader, nor in NSW. This is a friendless policy because it doesn’t stack up … If nuclear stacked up, there’d be a queue of people saying, ‘we think this is a good idea. We’re prepared to invest our own dollars.’ Instead, taxpayers are going to pay for it …

It is a recipe to take us backwards. What we need to do is to acknowledge that coal-fired power stations, 24 out of 28, announced their closure when they were in government, and they did nothing for new investment.

Dutton argued that the reason there is no investment in nuclear is because “it’s against the law” currently.

Albanese said the Coalition still can’t explain where the cuts will come from to pay for it.

Bipartisan support for under-16s social media ban

There has been a moment of unity in the debate, with the PM touting Labor’s policy to ban social media for under-16s:

The social media ban that Australia is implementing with bipartisan support is world leading. There is no question in my mind that in the lead up to December, when it comes into force, you will see major pressure being placed on us by some of these social media giants.

We can all agree, I think, in Australia, that social media has a social responsibility, and we are very firm on that, and it’s one of the things that my government has got done with bipartisan support.

Dutton rules out increase to welfare base payments

Peter Dutton has been asked if he believes it is possible for people to work themselves out of poverty, as welfare groups have consistently asked for increases in the base payments welfare recipients receive.

The opposition leader said he understands “people are in a very difficult situation and would want to see that that increase”, but:

I don’t believe that our economy, that our budget can afford to do that at the moment.