The ABC is set to host the free-to-air leaders’ debate when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton go head-to-head on 16 April.
According to ABC news director Justin Stevens, the debate will give Australians a chance to hear from both leaders.
“The ABC serves metro, rural and remote areas with Australia’s largest audience footprint for radio and terrestrial coverage and the leading digital news service,” he said.
“It’s terrific that the leaders will be appearing on the national public broadcaster and talking directly to as many Australians as possible.”
The debate will be moderated by ABC national political lead and Insiders host David Speers, who first moderated a leaders’ debate in 2007.
The topics and questions in the debate will not be shared to the candidates or the public prior to the event, and each leader will make an opening and closing statement and have equal time to answer questions.
Speers said his goal is to give both leaders equal treatment.
“This will be a gimmick-free debate, focused on the major challenges facing Australia at a critical time, and where the two leaders stand,” Speers said.
“The aim is to give voters an opportunity to hear the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader discuss their competing visions for the country and genuinely debate each other.”
The debate will be help at 8pm AEST on 16 April and will be broadcast live on ABC TV multicast on ABC NEWS Channel, live-streamed on ABC iview and then available on demand. It will also be available across ABC Local Radio, Radio National, ABC NewsRadio and on the ABC listen app.
The debate announcement comes as Peter Dutton refused to rule out cuts to the ABC and also refused to say which public servants he is planning to axe as part of his plans to slash 41,000 jobs.
