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| Malcolm Turnbull rules out changes to penalty rates in Facebook debate | Malcolm Turnbull rules out changes to penalty rates in Facebook debate |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Malcolm Turnbull ruled out a change to penalty rates in the next term of government and Bill Shorten called on the prime minister to lead on marriage equality regardless of who was elected in the third and final leaders’ debate. | Malcolm Turnbull ruled out a change to penalty rates in the next term of government and Bill Shorten called on the prime minister to lead on marriage equality regardless of who was elected in the third and final leaders’ debate. |
| Fewer than 13,000 of more than 23 million Australians streamed the final leaders’ debate on Facebook, though it was aired on the ABC and Sky. Of the 30 audience members, only seven felt Turnbull won the debate while 17 voted for Shorten. | Fewer than 13,000 of more than 23 million Australians streamed the final leaders’ debate on Facebook, though it was aired on the ABC and Sky. Of the 30 audience members, only seven felt Turnbull won the debate while 17 voted for Shorten. |
| The questions from the audience members and online ranged from marriage equality, corporate tax cuts, regional jobs and the national broadband network to mental health, climate change and education. | The questions from the audience members and online ranged from marriage equality, corporate tax cuts, regional jobs and the national broadband network to mental health, climate change and education. |
| Penalty rates were raised by a shift worker who described her “sacrifice” missing Christmas, birthdays, funerals and weekends. For the first time, Turnbull promised no changes to penalty rates. | Penalty rates were raised by a shift worker who described her “sacrifice” missing Christmas, birthdays, funerals and weekends. For the first time, Turnbull promised no changes to penalty rates. |
| Related: Debate forces leaders off script, but small targets still rule the campaign | Related: Debate forces leaders off script, but small targets still rule the campaign |
| “Not only do we have no plans, we will not,” said Turnbull. “I give you my understanding. We will not make changes to penalty rates. It is a matter for the independent umpire, the Fair Work Commission.” | “Not only do we have no plans, we will not,” said Turnbull. “I give you my understanding. We will not make changes to penalty rates. It is a matter for the independent umpire, the Fair Work Commission.” |
| Asked if the promise applied to the next full term of government, Turnbull said “all three years of it”. | Asked if the promise applied to the next full term of government, Turnbull said “all three years of it”. |
| Asked about marriage equality, Turnbull said he would vote for it in the promised plebiscite and was confident it would pass. Shorten urged Turnbull to dump the plebiscite. | Asked about marriage equality, Turnbull said he would vote for it in the promised plebiscite and was confident it would pass. Shorten urged Turnbull to dump the plebiscite. |
| “This is an opportunity for him and I to lead,” the Labor leader said. “Tonight, I ask Malcolm Turnbull, regardless of who’s elected on July 2 – please, let’s just vote for marriage equality in the parliament. We’ll have the numbers.” | “This is an opportunity for him and I to lead,” the Labor leader said. “Tonight, I ask Malcolm Turnbull, regardless of who’s elected on July 2 – please, let’s just vote for marriage equality in the parliament. We’ll have the numbers.” |
| By the 20-minute mark, the biggest Facebook reaction was anger but that changed when Shorten urged people to press “like” if they supported Labor’s original NBN policy for fibre to the home rather than Turnbull’s policy of fibre to the node. | By the 20-minute mark, the biggest Facebook reaction was anger but that changed when Shorten urged people to press “like” if they supported Labor’s original NBN policy for fibre to the home rather than Turnbull’s policy of fibre to the node. |
| Turnbull accused Labor of a “failed” policy. “We have connected more people to the NBN, paying customers, in the last month than Labor did in six years, 2.6 million Australians can get access to it,” he said. | Turnbull accused Labor of a “failed” policy. “We have connected more people to the NBN, paying customers, in the last month than Labor did in six years, 2.6 million Australians can get access to it,” he said. |
| Related: Facebook leaders debate: Bill Shorten wins audience vote – politics live | Related: Facebook leaders debate: Bill Shorten wins audience vote – politics live |
| Shorten said: “I’m interested to see what Facebook users – who have bad connections and delays and buffering – Malcolm Turnbull says everything’s fine. Let’s press ‘like’ if you prefer fibre to copper.” | Shorten said: “I’m interested to see what Facebook users – who have bad connections and delays and buffering – Malcolm Turnbull says everything’s fine. Let’s press ‘like’ if you prefer fibre to copper.” |
| Voter disillusionment was reflected in the debate’s opening question: “Given the number of changes of prime minister in the last five years or so, and the number of lies and backflipping by both major parties, why is that the Australian people should trust anything a politician says? Why should I vote for either Labor or Liberal and not an independent?” | Voter disillusionment was reflected in the debate’s opening question: “Given the number of changes of prime minister in the last five years or so, and the number of lies and backflipping by both major parties, why is that the Australian people should trust anything a politician says? Why should I vote for either Labor or Liberal and not an independent?” |
| Turnbull said he was opposed to churning prime ministers. “I’m very committed to the prime minister being the same after the election as it is now,” Turnbull said. | Turnbull said he was opposed to churning prime ministers. “I’m very committed to the prime minister being the same after the election as it is now,” Turnbull said. |
| Shorten said: “The Labor party learnt it lesson, the truth of the matter is that Australians want to choose their prime ministers and they don’t want political parties to overturn them mid-term.” | Shorten said: “The Labor party learnt it lesson, the truth of the matter is that Australians want to choose their prime ministers and they don’t want political parties to overturn them mid-term.” |
| To a question on housing affordability, Turnbull promised to bring together local and state governments under his cities policy while Shorten promised to work with the states to free up land supply. | To a question on housing affordability, Turnbull promised to bring together local and state governments under his cities policy while Shorten promised to work with the states to free up land supply. |
| The prime minister, who as opposition leader in 2009 lost the Liberal leadership over climate change, said he was confident the government’s emissions reduction fund – a policy he once described as “bullshit” – would help Australia meet its emissions targets. | The prime minister, who as opposition leader in 2009 lost the Liberal leadership over climate change, said he was confident the government’s emissions reduction fund – a policy he once described as “bullshit” – would help Australia meet its emissions targets. |
| Shorten said he was lucky to lead a party that did not dispute the science of climate change. | Shorten said he was lucky to lead a party that did not dispute the science of climate change. |
| A voter asked what evidence Turnbull had to prove the Coalition’s $50bn corporate tax cuts would lead to mass employment. | A voter asked what evidence Turnbull had to prove the Coalition’s $50bn corporate tax cuts would lead to mass employment. |
| Related: And the star of the election's Facebook face-off is … angry face | |
| “If you cut company tax, what you do is you improve the return on investment … therefore you get more investment, you get more employment, you get more employment, you obviously grow the economy and that does ultimately result in higher tax revenues,” he replied. | “If you cut company tax, what you do is you improve the return on investment … therefore you get more investment, you get more employment, you get more employment, you obviously grow the economy and that does ultimately result in higher tax revenues,” he replied. |
| But Shorten described the government’s tax cuts as a plan to reward big banks and mining companies to improve profits, for investments they’ve already made. | But Shorten described the government’s tax cuts as a plan to reward big banks and mining companies to improve profits, for investments they’ve already made. |
| The leaders were also asked why voters should have their superannuation concessions cut when politicians had a very generous scheme. Shorten said while he was minister he had lifted contributions for workers from 9% to 12%. | The leaders were also asked why voters should have their superannuation concessions cut when politicians had a very generous scheme. Shorten said while he was minister he had lifted contributions for workers from 9% to 12%. |
| Turnbull said the government had only “slowed the trajectory” and workers would get to 12% “a few years later”. | Turnbull said the government had only “slowed the trajectory” and workers would get to 12% “a few years later”. |
| “It is a real cost on business, it comes out of employees’ pay packets one way or another, and so what we’re endeavouring is to get the balance right.” | “It is a real cost on business, it comes out of employees’ pay packets one way or another, and so what we’re endeavouring is to get the balance right.” |