Overview

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was declared the winner of the first leaders' debate, with 44% of undecided voters backing him compared to 35% for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
• The debate, held in western Sydney, focused on key issues such as cost-of-living, healthcare, energy policy, migration, and the Gaza conflict.
• Both leaders accused each other of dishonesty, clashing over policy funding and factual claims, while largely sticking to rehearsed talking points.
• Peter Dutton participated in the debate despite his father suffering a heart attack hours earlier, a decision he described as difficult but supported by family updates.
• Controversy arose when Coalition-affiliated social media accounts prematurely declared Dutton the winner, contradicting the audience vote and fueling post-debate narratives.