Peter Dutton Claims Victory in Australia’s Third Leaders’ Debate Amidst Heated Exchanges

Peter Dutton, the Australian opposition leader, has been declared the winner of the third leaders’ debate by some media outlets, including Nine’s expert panel. This debate came as the federal election approaches, with just over a week remaining. During the debate, both Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese engaged in heated exchanges, with Dutton admitting that he cannot outline specific budget cuts while in opposition, fueling Labor’s attacks on his agenda. Albanese used this admission to suggest that Dutton plans to implement cuts after the election without revealing them to voters.

The debates have been marked by mutual accusations of dishonesty and policy misrepresentation. Dutton seeks to brand Albanese as a liar, while Albanese highlights past budget cuts by the Coalition, saying they removed substantial funds from health and education in 2014. Despite these criticisms, Dutton maintains that spending increased, though the rate of increase was slowed.

Experts’ verdicts on who won the debate vary, but Dutton’s narrow victory has been noted by several outlets. The election itself remains closely contested, with both sides using every opportunity to sway undecided voters.