TRANSCRIPT
- Leaders of the major parties debate key election issue
- The United States announces tariffs of 104 per cent on Chinese goods
- Leah O'Brien breaks an Australian athletics record
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have used the first leaders' debate of the federal election campaign - hosted by Sky News - to promote their policies responding to cost-of-living pressures.
The audience of undecided voters in western Sydney asked the leaders questions about bulk billing, immigration, the war in Gaza, tariffs and renewable energy.
Labor says nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion Medicare election funding promise, which the Coalition says it will match.
Both leaders sought to blame the other for the rising cost of health, while insisting they would do a better job going forward.
Albanese: What we inherited, which was bulk billing in freefall, while the Coalition was in government.
Dutton: Again, that is factually incorrect. So I was health minister in 2013/14. The bulk billing rate in our country was 84 per cent. It went to 88 per cent by the time we finished government. And the prime minister rightly will point out that includes services over COVID. But it was heading up under us. The fact is that it is now to 77.
Albanese: Didn't you try to introduce a charge to get to bulk billing?
Dutton: I'm happy to get to that. So it is now at 77 per cent. The prime minister wants you to believe it is much higher and it is in free fall - it's not.
---
During the leaders' debate, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton were also questioned about their response to the war in Gaza - and the role Australia could play to help end it.
Mr Albanese says it's a very traumatic time for Australians with families in Gaza and Israel, and re-stated his support for a two-state solution.
"My government's approaches are: every innocent life matters and we want to see a ceasefire. We want to see hostages released. We want to see aid get through to Gaza. I must say that there was no Australian weaponry involved in what is going on in Gaza."]]
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton said while he also wants peace there is an expectation for countries to respond to attacks like that of Hamas on October 7.
He also condemned attacks on property and individuals in Australia over the last 18 months.
"If it had happened to Australians, there would've been an expectation of our government to react, to send in the SAS, to make sure that we recovered those people as quickly as possible. And I want to make sure that in our country, people can celebrate the heritage, can celebrate their connections to a country of origin or to a country which is important to them."
The voters in the room backed Mr Albanese as the winner of the debate by 44 votes, compared to 35 votes for Mr Dutton. There were also 21 people still undecided.
---
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the "floodgates of horror have reopened" in Gaza since the collapse of the ceasefire in March.
No aid has been delivered to the Palestinian enclave of some 2.1 million people since March 2.
Israel has said it won't allow the entry of any goods and supplies into Gaza until Hamas releases all the remaining hostages.
Mr Guterres says the impact of Israel's actions have resulted in suffering.
"More than an entire month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza - no food, no fuel, no medicine, no commercial supplies. As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have reopened. Gaza is a killing field, and civilians are in an endless death loop."
The heads of six UN agencies have appealed to world leaders to act urgently to ensure food and supplies reached Palestinians there.
---
The White House says tariffs on China are set to rise to at least 104 per cent.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says the levy will apply to all Chinese imports.
US President Donald Trump initially imposed a 10 per cent tariff on all Chinese goods in February.
He says the decision is in the response to the country’s alleged role in aiding illegal immigration and getting fentanyl into the US.
Mr Trump has expressed anger over China's announcement of retaliatory tariffs.
His administration says the new tariff for China comes into effect within the next 24 hours.
---
In athletics, a 57-year-old record held by Olympic great Raelene Boyle has been broken by 17-year-old Leah O'Brien.
She clocked 11.14 seconds in the 100m event at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in her home city of Perth.
That time has beaten the national under-18 record set by Boyle in her Olympic debut at the 1968 Mexico Games. She achieved a time of 11.20 seconds.
O'Brien returns to the WA Athletics Stadium on Friday for the Open national championships.
