Thread by @PRGuy17

#LeadersDebate No. 3 — a thread. Are you ready?

25 'pub test' voters will deliver their verdict after the debate.

Scott opens: A mix of 'mea culpa' and 'BUT' and already on to the broken record of 'strong economy', 'uncertainty' and 'shields'. Blaming the globe, glossing over mistakes and talking up failure. It's his usual word salad, but he looks tired and sad.

Albo: Good government will change lives for better and deliver a better future not just for us, but for next generations. Albo wants to help Australians on cost of living, wage growth, health, childcare, women's equality, productivity. Albo all about the future, Scott - the past.

Albo wants to bring together old foes like unions and business, workers and employers, to work on this together to ensure nobody is left behind.

Question on wages - do you support 5.1% rise? Albo - it's $1. Heroes of the pandemic, cleaners, carers, retailers, they deserve more than thanks, but they've been given a wage cut instead. An Albo gov't will welcome and support wage growth keeping up with inflation.

Question - will it cripple economy? Scomo - he says wages are actually up (if you ignore inflation). He is misusing the term 'real' wages, because he doesn't understand it accounts for inflation. He is making out like an increase will be a burden on workers.

Albo: People on min. wages are doing it tough. When their rises are less than inflation, that's a real cut. Albo reaffirms his support for wages to keep up with inflation. He says people can't plan holidays because they're planning affordable dinners.

Scott says he now welcomes pay rises but we need a strong economy (hang on, hasn't he been saying 'strong economy' for months?). He says wages can't go up because it will drive interest rates up (that's never been a problem in the past). He says it's a great risk.

Albo says the increase is the equivalent of two cups of coffee a day. Morrison says if wages go up you'll lose your job and there are lots of moving parts and silly little you couldn't possibly understand.

Albo challenges Scott - should all employees get the minimum wage? Morrison says employees yes, workers no, because he believes Uber drivers are entrepreneurs.

On interest rates - Morrison says you've gotta keep downward pressure on inflation. He cites his economic record. He cites employment figures (which are boosted by covid border closures). He says Aussies are set up for interest rate hikes so it's fine.

Albo reminds Morrison Australia achieved its AAA credit rating under a Labor government he was apart of. Albo says plans like affordable childcare and infrastructure investments, instead of pork barrelling, will boost productivity and put downward pressure on inflation.

Question to productivity - why has it been so low? Scott: says he's done a good job because he's invested lots of money and businesses are getting online in the new economy, and cyber security, infrastructure, buzzword, etc. Lists off some classic Scott pork barrelling examples.

Albo says massive cuts in skills and infrastructure have killed productivity. Colour-coded spreadsheets (corruption) have helped to double the deficit and bring Australia up to $1 trillion in debt, without the benefits.

What can you do to increase cash position of families? Scott: he says budget looks good, he blames debt and deficit on Labor (lol) and he says he's saved 800,000 jobs and Europe is pushing up vegetable prices so we've brought down petrol prices and rich people will get tax cuts.

Riley says to PM: You are smashing out those talking points.

Albo: People are doing it really tough. How crazy is it that in 2022 that women have to pay money to work and are penalised - affordable childcare will address this. Renewables will bring power prices down and PBS will be repaired. Says one-off campaign payments don't cut it.

Scott says Albo hasn't released costings (neither has Scott, in fact virtually all Morrison policy costings remain to be released). Albo slams ghost submarines costing $5.5 billion to produce nothing. "Most wasteful government in history".

Question - why do you call Albo dangerous? Scott: Albo is far-left and very loose, a very loose unit. He makes things up, he doesn't think things through. This response is peppered with lies. Slams Albo's gaffe (they were the days). Morrison is in no position to throw stones.

Albo: I will lead the most experienced incoming Labor government in history. He lists off his lengthy list of impressive credentials. Remember that Albo is far more experienced than Morrison was when he become PM - Scott is Albo's junior in every respect.

Albo says the government has no policies for the future and we have to do better than that. Says PM doesn't turn up, doesn't take responsibility. Lists failures on bushfires, says PM turned up to fire areas with an ad asking for donations to the Liberal Party.

Albo slams Morrison on vaccine and covid failures. Not a race. Same on RATs. Says Morrison expertly blamed the states but never took responsibility. Morrison says Albo's an armchair critic and is always wise in hindsight (um, Albo sounded the alarm at the time, dickhead).

Morrison completely rewrites history, says Albo only knows the answers after the fact. That's completely untrue - opposition pressed gov't on virtually every failure during the pandemic).

Will boats come again? Scott: says Rudd started the boats and he fixed it. He says Albo will re-start boats (nonsense, there is no difference in policy on this front). Albo corrects Morrison.

Albo points out that Morrison released hotel detainees despite saying boats would start again if he did. Albo says Morrison flip flops on borders when it suits him and it's correct.

Scott says who do you trust? Him or Albo.

Gosh this boats stuff is stupid. China is on its way to Solomons with a military armada and we're bickering over dinghies.

Question - what have you done to push voters away from major parties? Albo: Says revolving door of leadership on both sides. Says corruption is putting people off. We need to restore faith in politics - lack of faith driven by too many corruption scandals.

Scott says pandemic was tough and that's why people are voting for independents and not majors (wtf). Goes straight back to 'mah strong economy' talking points. Says he runs a strong government and minority gov't is weak (forgetting he answers to Barnaby).

Question on Tudge $500K - don't taxpayers have a right to know? Scott: these are private matters. Says he held an independent inquiry (which was forbidden from investigating the complaint and the findings were buried - a cover up).

Scott says 'people have relationships in the office, that's something I've never approved of' - what the fark. He just minimised the entire abuse scandal as just an office romance.

Albo says Tudge is still (?) the education minister, Morrison says Stuart Robert is acting in the role, but Tudge is still Minister, he's been dismissed, but he's still in the roll. Albo is like huh? Morrison says Tudge will be back.

Albo says if this was one of his ministers, first and foremost he'd make sure there was transparency. He says we need to recognise when inappropriate behaviour has occurred.

Riley goes to Kitching - would it spark an investigation in an Albo government - Albo: yes it would, under previous structures already established. Morrison says he's disappointed by the Kitching claims, but ignores his record on Miller (et. al).

On ICAC - Albo says he'll bring it in this year. Morrison says he'll only bring in his universally panned bill if Labor agrees to it. Morrison says gotta get the design right (judges / commissioners / legal experts have all told him his design is wrong).

Albo: "We do need to clean up politics. We need an ICAC with teeth". Says under Scott's model, MPs decide what is / isn't corruption behind closed doors. Albo says that's not good enough, why would you vote for Morrison if he won't pass bills unless I (Albo) support them?

Ad break. This is a subdued debate. Both have been told not to let it get shouty like last time. The 60 second response times borrowed from Channel 9 are menacing. Albo's ahead, Scott's stuck on recycled talking points. But three debates is pushing it. Nothing new here.

Lanai Scarr asking questions now. Question - debt is too high, WA is the only state posting a surplus - to pay off debt, will you both rule out a carbon or mining tax?

Scott: Never have / never will (technically not quite true, you're currently paying a $10b annual tax to subsidise fossil fuels, I'd call that a carbon tax).

Albo: Also rules out carbon / mining tax. Adds that he can work with Mark McGowan, Scott can't, in fact Scott backed Clive Palmer's raid of WA's coffers, and Albo would never do anything like that.

Albo, how will you achieve net zero with no carbon tax? Albo says his gov't will use and improve Abbott's model which is backed by business, and invest in renewables to get the boom rolling.

Scott says his plan is technology, not taxes. Slams Albo's safeguards strategy (which was Abbott Gov't policy). Rattles off a bunch of scary numbers and says your bills are going up and it's a sneaky carbon tax.

Albo: "There he goes again - he says he supports net zero, then lists all the reasons why he doesn't want to" - Decent blow landed by Albo, yesssss. Albo says we need to move on from the debate, climate change is real, it's time to become a renewable super-power.

Scott lists off some pork barreling examples of how he's addressing climate change - $85 million here, $30 million there, that's how it's done. Albo says lowering emissions lowers prices and that's driving change, which is why renewables are the cheapest form of energy.

Question on women - why can't free childcare (as we saw in covid) continue? Albo says productivity commission will look at how far his gov't can go to make childcare as affordable as possible + enshrine gender pay equity in law. And adopt all 55 Jenkins Review recommendations.

Scott: Says gender pay gap fell under Labor (was that a gaffe, did he mean his gov't?). He says his government has been championing women, and there are so many women, everywhere, he's met them everywhere, they're all over the place and he's made that all happen.

Question - do you talk to Jenny about childcare? Scott: My children went through childcare, our policy is responsible and you can't make it cheaper because all Australians will have to pay for it. Reveals his 'strong economy' is not strong enough to handle it.

Albo: It's not just a cost. It's an investment in women, in families and our economy. Every time you spend $1 on childcare, more than $2 comes back. Australia has fallen to more than 70th in the world for women's participation and opportunity - we can do better than that.

Albo says women are retiring with > 40% less than men. Says he's put forward costed childcare policy - $5.4b (remember for every $1 in, $2 comes back).

Question - what is Albo's one strength that you admire and that worries you? Scott: He's never forgot where he comes from, he grew up in housing and he's shown the ability to be a leader. I admire that, and that's great, BUT, you need to know your stuff, you can't make things up.

Riley: "That's what we call a compliment sandwich, at least he gave it a crack"

Albo: It's a tough job, Scott's committed to his nation and I admire that. He's done good work on mental health, it's a good thing that the PM speaks about it.

Albo had no barbs for Scott.

Closing statements, Scott: Back to talking points here folks, blame covid, praise government, 'strong economy', 'strong economy', 'family', 'you', 'you', 'strong economy', etc, he's literally a parrot and I can't take it anymore 🦜🦜🦜

Scott lists discredited stats, including the recently busted bulk-billing furphy which counts non-bulk-billed consults. Finishes with a direct plea for your vote.

Albo: "I have a plan for a better future. A plan to grow the economy in a sustainable way. Investing in productivity and renewables..." Lists examples hurting Aussies right now, lack of equality, shrinking wages, climate, says we can't do this for another three years.

Albo says if we can't even handle a simple discussion on $1 an hour wage top-up, how can the country ever go forward?

My verdict: A non-event, learned nothing new, Albo won because he stuck to the future and outlined his plans. Morrison did better tonight, he was more restrained, but he did cut in a couple of times and was caught out lying.

Morrison was stuck in the past and the best he could offer was pulling the wool over your eyes. He very clearly had no plan for the future (other than saving his own job). His soundbites are sounding tired and overused.

Pub vox pops: Susan says at the end of the day it's Scotty from Marketing or a real man, for me it's Albo. Scotty's just a marketer, he dodged questions, Albo didn't dodge anything.

Guy (missed his name) says he's leaning towards Morrison, says Labor policies are uncosted but he things Morrison's are (they're also uncosted).

Sarah says she's heading towards Morrison. She says Albo can't fund his ideas (oblivious to fact that Libs are outspending Labor 7-to-1, thanks to a shitty media).

Another pub live cross, this time in Chisholm. Taylor, a student, says she chooses Albo, as he is leaving nobody behind and Morrison belittles people. Her concerns are cost-of-living and she wants Labor to hold its ground on wage rises.

Guy (missed his name) says he's still uncertain but Albo came out in lead on climate and corruption, but he'll make his mind up soon.

Another pub live cross, this time in Lilley. Simon says one side did better. Cheryl says one side was punchier but didn't commit as much as the other side. Kurt says closing statements helped him made up his mind - messages on 'you' (Scott) vs. 'we' (Albo).

Now to Hasluck. Rob says he's still undecided, thinks Albo came across as genuine, but disappointed with Scott. Rob says Christian Porter is a big problem in this neighbourhood (neighbouring Pearce). Kirsty says she was undecided, but Albo has won her over.

Now to Boothby. Alex says he's still undecided, but housing affordability was his issue and it wasn't addressed (there were no questions on it). He says Albo won the debate. James says he was undecided, but he was swayed towards Labor on climate and corruption.

Jeanette says cost of living is top of her agenda and neither leader addressed her concerns (*cough* wage rises, childcare, cost of living, Albo... *cough*)

Seven is really dragging this out. It's been half an hour since the debate wrapped and we still don't have their pub verdict. I want dinner, fucking get on with it 😡

I'd like a Royal Commission into that 'hole in your budget' song ad. I don't care who made it, I'm voting for whoever didn't make it.

Okay, we're back, they're playing replays of 'the handshake' as it unfolded. Because, this is Channel 7, and it can't just get on with it, we're now going to talking heads analysis. First up, Lanai Scarr - she says a much more civil debate (take that Channel 9).

Now they're replaying highlights. Dear god, it's nearly 11pm. We just saw the debate, we don't need to see it again.

More talking heads, Sam Maiden, some guy called Simon. Consensus is PM was walking a fine line between being a jerk and a prick. Wages shone through tonight.

First result...

Hasluck:
- Albo - 44%
- Morrison - 44%
- Undecided - 12%

Fuck me, more replays.

Macquarie:
- Albo - 50%
- Morrison - 25%
- Undecided - 25%

Talking heads are weighing up the Tudge dilemma. How Morrison backflipped on Tudge after dumping him, and the mystery $500k payout, and they suspect there's much more to this story.

Chisholm:
- Albo - 52%
- Morrison - 35%
- Undecided - 13%

According to my TV, this debate finished 25 minutes ago. But no, it's running way over, and now an ad break, because Channel 7.

Overall result of Channel 7 debate:
- Albo - 50% 🥇
- Morrison - 34%
- Undecided - 16%

Thank you so much everyone, I'm gonna duck out and grab some dinner. Thanks Channel 7 for having the good grace to wrap the debate up before the election.