Australian news and politics recap: Anthony Albanese flails on bills and Peter Dutton fails to land knockout
Scroll down for the day’s news and updates as they happened.
Key events
16 Apr 2025 - 08:25 PM
Wrapping up
16 Apr 2025 - 07:13 PM
Top take-aways from a dull debate
16 Apr 2025 - 07:03 PM
Election is a ‘real choice’: Albanese delivers closing statement
16 Apr 2025 - 07:00 PM
Peter Dutton’s closing statement
16 Apr 2025 - 06:59 PM
Leaders can find bipartisan support on national security
16 Apr 2025 - 06:58 PM
‘Would it be a disaster if the other guy won?’: Speers
16 Apr 2025 - 06:56 PM
Albanese says failure to close the gap ‘breaks my heart’
16 Apr 2025 - 06:55 PM
Dutton comments on failed Voice referendum
16 Apr 2025 - 06:51 PM
‘No contingency plan needed on AUKUS’: PM
16 Apr 2025 - 06:50 PM
Dutton confident on ability to get Trump deal
16 Apr 2025 - 06:46 PM
PM pressed for detail on critical minerals reserve
16 Apr 2025 - 06:46 PM
Dutton asked whether he ‘trusts’ Trump
16 Apr 2025 - 06:44 PM
PM says he trusts leaders of US, China
16 Apr 2025 - 06:42 PM
PM slams Dutton for ‘extraordinary double-down’
16 Apr 2025 - 06:41 PM
Dutton admits comments on Russian airbase reports ‘a mistake’
16 Apr 2025 - 06:36 PM
Albanese says science ‘very clear’ on climate change
16 Apr 2025 - 06:36 PM
‘You can see there’s an impact’: Mr Dutton on climate change
16 Apr 2025 - 06:32 PM
Albanese won’t say when power bills will come down
16 Apr 2025 - 06:30 PM
PM says some renewables concern ‘not real’
16 Apr 2025 - 06:30 PM
Dutton defends water policy for nuclear sites
16 Apr 2025 - 06:27 PM
Dutton walks into Albanese’s trap
16 Apr 2025 - 06:27 PM
Albanese says renewables are the future
16 Apr 2025 - 06:25 PM
Dutton says energy will be his one big reform
16 Apr 2025 - 06:24 PM
PM attacks Dutton over public service cuts
16 Apr 2025 - 06:23 PM
Dutton dodges repeated questioning on cuts
16 Apr 2025 - 06:19 PM
Young Australians on the hook for debt
16 Apr 2025 - 06:17 PM
Dutton says he’s willing to support ‘sensible reform’ on rentals
16 Apr 2025 - 06:16 PM
PM grilled on giving renters certainty
16 Apr 2025 - 06:13 PM
Dutton says Albanese has a ‘problem with the truth’
16 Apr 2025 - 06:11 PM
Why won’t the major parties consider tax breaks?
16 Apr 2025 - 06:10 PM
Dutton deflects on housing policy question
16 Apr 2025 - 06:08 PM
PM forced to defend housing policy
16 Apr 2025 - 06:05 PM
PM says Australia must seize opportunities
16 Apr 2025 - 06:05 PM
Dutton talks cost of living in opening pitch
16 Apr 2025 - 06:02 PM
Leaders debate kicks off
16 Apr 2025 - 05:59 PM
Pro-Palestine rally gathers outside debate venue
16 Apr 2025 - 05:31 PM
PM, Dutton to go head-to-head shortly
16 Apr 2025 - 03:40 PM
ANALYSIS: Is it over for Peter Dutton?
16 Apr 2025 - 03:04 PM
Greens MP takes to OnlyFans to sway young voters
16 Apr 2025 - 01:49 PM
Second leaders’ debate: Albanese and Dutton head to Sydney for ABC head-to-head
16 Apr 2025 - 12:27 PM
Top take-aways: Housing clash marked by sledging and hidden modelling
16 Apr 2025 - 12:05 PM
Closing shots fired in National Press Club housing debate
16 Apr 2025 - 11:52 AM
‘The numbers don’t stack up’ both housing frontbenches label each other liars over policy
16 Apr 2025 - 11:43 AM
Housing frontbenchers ask each other questions during press club housing debate
16 Apr 2025 - 11:37 AM
Sukkar says Labor are treating voters like ‘mugs’ with set targets
16 Apr 2025 - 11:28 AM
Housing Minister says Coaliton’s housing policy could exacerbate gender inequalities
16 Apr 2025 - 11:17 AM
Neither frontbench puts figure on sustainable growth but says wages need to go up
16 Apr 2025 - 11:10 AM
Sukkar suggests Labor prioritising ‘yoga instructors’ over tradies in overseas migration
16 Apr 2025 - 11:03 AM
Sukkar vows to build more homes than Labor if Coalition elected
16 Apr 2025 - 11:00 AM
O’Neil admits more needs to be done and housing woes aren’t solved in three years
16 Apr 2025 - 10:51 AM
Housing Minister says Labor has ‘boldest’ housing agenda since the post-war period
16 Apr 2025 - 10:45 AM
Shadow housing minister Michael Sukkar slams Labor in opening address
16 Apr 2025 - 10:36 AM
Housing debate: Clare O’Neil and Michael Sukkar face off at National Press Club
16 Apr 2025 - 09:33 AM
Dutton says he doesn’t have security concerns.
16 Apr 2025 - 09:31 AM
Dutton asked about plan for female-dominated industries
16 Apr 2025 - 09:20 AM
What would Dutton do differently on Indonesia?
16 Apr 2025 - 09:16 AM
Coalition ‘wants to see NDIS grow’
16 Apr 2025 - 09:13 AM
Dutton skirts questions about whether he made a mistake
16 Apr 2025 - 09:12 AM
Is Dutton pushing the Pacific nations towards China?
16 Apr 2025 - 09:11 AM
Dutton defends Russia-Indonesia comments
16 Apr 2025 - 09:04 AM
Was Mr Dutton ‘irresponsible’ over Russia, Indonesia comments?
16 Apr 2025 - 09:01 AM
Peter Dutton is speaking now
16 Apr 2025 - 08:02 AM
PM showcases government’s ‘eye to the local community’ on Melbourne site
16 Apr 2025 - 07:58 AM
PM visits Forrest Hill construction site in key Deakin electorate
16 Apr 2025 - 07:49 AM
Dutton packs ‘buddy bags’ to support kids escaping family violence
16 Apr 2025 - 07:45 AM
Dutton pledges $6m to boost online safety for kids in Melbourne visit
16 Apr 2025 - 07:41 AM
Albo says he ‘has faith in AFP” after lobby confrontation
16 Apr 2025 - 07:38 AM
PM coy on assurances from Indonesia
16 Apr 2025 - 07:34 AM
Is the PM ready for tonight’s debate?
16 Apr 2025 - 07:30 AM
How is Australia countering Russia’s Indo-Pacific efforts?
16 Apr 2025 - 07:29 AM
PM has ‘clear evidence’ Urgent Care Clinics are working
16 Apr 2025 - 07:29 AM
Albanese can’t say if Russian request was actually made
16 Apr 2025 - 07:28 AM
Chalmers says Dutton’s comments was ‘disqualifying moment’
16 Apr 2025 - 07:23 AM
Dutton ‘verballed Indonesian President’: PM
16 Apr 2025 - 06:08 AM
Wong blasts 'reckless‘ Dutton over Russian airbase in Indonesia
16 Apr 2025 - 05:07 AM
Senator snaps at TV host amid message cut through struggle
16 Apr 2025 - 04:53 AM
Labor crunches numbers in latest Dutton attack
Dutton walks into Albanese’s trap
The opposition leader deflected several times on answering where his cuts would be coming from and in doing so, walked straight through the door Anthony Albanese was hoping he would.
“He won’t say where the cut also be, vote for me, trust us, we will tell you after the election. Last time the cuts came from health, education, $50 billion out of hospitals, $30 billion out of schools. That is why a decade later, we’re still trying to fix and repair the damage that was done by that 2014 Budget.”
In AFL terms, Mr Dutton just gifted the PM a 50m penalty.
Albanese says renewables are the future
Albanese says he is a friend of UK Prime Minister Sir Kir Starmer, who is having to deal with huge cost blowouts at the Hinkley nuclear plant, which have now topped $90 billion.
“It is coming in 14 years late and being built in a country that has a nuclear industry, by the world’s largest nuclear energy company, in France,” he says.
“That shows exactly the problem and Keir Starmer wishes, as do so many people, that they had the access with the solar resources, with the wind resources, with the space that we have here in Australia, to have renewables backed by gas, backed by hydro and backed by batteries. That’s the future.”
Dutton says energy will be his one big reform
Host David Speers has asked the leaders which election commitment they will be remembered by.
Mr Dutton said he would be remembered for their energy policy.
“What we have said is that we want to create an east coast gas reserve, so that will bring gas that we’re exporting at the moment beyond the foundation contracts, back into the domestic market,” he said.
“If we do that, that increases supply, it addresses Labor’s disastrous energy policy, and it will help bring the pressure, the cost pressures down across society.”
PM attacks Dutton over public service cuts
Dutton says the Coalition will give back $1200 in tax cuts but Albanese is quick in his rebuttal, saying: “That’s before they get to the $600 billion they need for their nuclear reactors.
He then goes on the attack, criticising Dutton for refusing to say where the public service will be cut.
“He won’t say where the cut also be, vote for me, trust us, we will tell you after the election,” the PM says.
“Last time the cuts came to health, education, $50 billion out of hospitals, $30 billion out of schools. That is why a decade later, we’re still trying to fix and repair the damage that was done by that 2014 Budget.”
Dutton dodges repeated questioning on cuts
Peter Dutton has dodged questions on what areas of the public service would be cut under the Coalition.
He said the cuts would be in areas they found “inefficiency”.
“We said in relation to the public service we will protect front-line positions which I think is important, incredibly important,” he said.
Earlier, he said the public service cuts would not not cover all election spending.
“The short answer is no, we won’t achieve all of the savings we need to achieve through our changes to the public service.”
Young Australians on the hook for debt
Speers asks about younger Australians having to pay for huge levels of debt and where the money will come from.
Albanese says Labor is the only government in the last 20 years to have produced consecutive surpluses.
“We halved the deficit as a direct result of the deficit as a direct result of the responsible economic managemen we have... debt is $177 billion less,” he says.
“We have improved the bottomline by $207 billion since we came to office.”
Speers presses him, noting spending continues to be higher than revenues for the next decade. He says none of the spending is means-tested.
“Measures like the HECS debt, for example, opposed by the Coalition, the HECS debt is about intergenerational equity. We spoke before about young people. I think young people deserve a fair crack,” the PM says.
Dutton says he’s willing to support ‘sensible reform’ on rentals
Peter Dutton has been asked whether he would support changing rules on rental lease lengths.
While saying it was an issue for the states he said he would support sensible reform.
“I’m happy to support sensible reforms, as you pointed out, it’s for the states,” he said.
“The focus on this election who is better to fix the housing crisis this Government created.”
PM grilled on giving renters certainty
Speers raises the issue of rent next, saying rent in capital cities has gone up more than incomes.
He asks whether Labor would put pressure on States to give renters more certainty.
“We delivered a renters’ rights program in agreement with states and territories that improved the rights of people renting,” he says.
The PM attacks the Coalition’s plan to provide early super access, saying: “If you give everyone super access to $50,000 and everyone at the auction will have $50,000 more, it will bid up prices as it did in New Zealand.”
“Again, it does nothing for supply,” he adds.
Dutton says Albanese has a ‘problem with the truth’
Peter Dutton has attacked his counterpart on his trustworthiness during a debate on negative gearing and housing.
He said Anthony Albanese had a problem with the truth.
“This Prime Minister has a problem with the truth, it’s not just in relation to this debate,” he said.
“There are many aspects that you could pick up in the course of this campaign.
“Where the Prime Minister misled the Australian people.”
Why won’t the major parties consider tax breaks?
Speers says neither Labor or the Coalition are willing to touch negative gearing or capital gains tax breaks at the election. He asks whether they can understand younger Australians feeling frustrated at being locked out of the market.
Albanese speaks first, saying Dutton’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,” he says.
Speers presses him on why he’s not willing to touch tax breaks for investors.
“The experts say that what that potentially do is is diminish supply, not increase it,” the PM says.
“That’s why the key to fixing the housing issues is supply.”
