Good morning. The first leaders’ debate marked a turning point in this year’s election campaign, with the rivalry between the two major parties set to increase in the coming weeks.
Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese clashed over the NDIS, refugee boat turnbacks and China’s security agreement with Solomon Islands in the debate. The pair traded barbs over over the China-Solomon Islands deal, with Anthony Albanese labelling it a “Pacific stuff-up” and Scott Morrison accusing him of siding with China. During the debate, which the Labor leader won by swaying 40% of the audience over the prime minister’s 35%, Morrison focused on the handling of the economy while Albanese accused the government of “not pursuing any significant economic, social or environmental reforms”. In other election news, locals in the Sydney seat of Wentworth say the Coalition under Morrison is deeply unpopular and there’s only one hot topic up for discussion: “It’s all about bloody climate change,” one says.
