Several debates were held during the campaign for the

2025 Australian federal election The 2025 Australian federal election was held on Saturday, 3 May 2025, to elect members of the 48th Parliament of Australia. All 150 seats in the Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives were up for election, along with 40 ...

between senior figures of the governing

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...

and the opposition

Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia (LP) is the prominent centre-right political party in Australia. It is considered one of the two major parties in Australian politics, the other being the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The Liberal Party was fo ...

. Additionally, debates were held between representatives of

minor parties A minor party is a political party that plays a smaller (in some cases much smaller, even insignificant in comparison) role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so great ...

, and between ministers and their shadow counterparts.

Leaders' debates

8 April – Sky News and ''The Daily Telegraph'' People's Forum

The first leaders' debate took place on 8 April and was hosted by

Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel, live stream news network and news organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of ...

and ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

''. The debate was held at the Wentworthville Leagues Club in

Western Sydney Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

. The two leaders were asked questions by moderators and by an audience of 100 undecided voters. Albanese was declared the winner of the debate, receiving 44 votes, while Dutton received 35. 21 audience members were undecided. Both the Labor and Liberal social media accounts declared their leaders to have won the debate. The Sky News debate had a viewership of 410,000.

16 April – ABC News Leaders Debate

Albanese and Dutton debated again on 16 April on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

. It was hosted by

David Speers David Gordon Speers (born 9 September 1974) is an Australian journalist and host of ''Insiders (Australian TV program), Insiders'' on ABC (Australian TV channel), ABC TV. Previously he was political editor at Sky News Australia, as well as ho ...

. This was the first ABC Leaders Debate held without association with the

National Press Club A press club is an organization for journalists and others who are professionally engaged in the production and dissemination of news. A press club whose membership is defined by the press of a given country may be known as a National Press Club ...

since

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

. The ABC debate had a viewership of 1.7 million across broadcast TV and

ABC iview ABC iview is a video on demand and catch-up TV service run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Currently iview video content can only be viewed by users in Australia. As of 2016, ABC iview attracts around 50 million plays monthly and a ...

22 April – Channel 9 The Great Debate

Albanese and Dutton debated on 22 April on the

Nine Network Nine Network (stylised 9Network, and commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of the five main free-to-air television ...

. This debate was moderated by

A Current Affair ''A Current Affair'' may refer to: * ''A Current Affair'' (Australian TV program), 1971–present Australian current affairs program that airs on Nine Network * ''A Current Affair'' (American TV program), a 1986–1998 American television news ...

host

Ally Langdon Allison Langdon is an Australian television presenter, journalist, reporter and author. She is currently the host of ''A Current Affair'' and a presenter and reporter on localised version of current affairs program ''60 Minutes''. Langdon was ...

and questions were asked of the two leaders by journalists from

Nine Entertainment Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited is an Australian publicly listed company with holdings in mass media radio and television broadcasting, publishing and digital media. It uses Nine as its corporate branding. The entity is largely a succ ...

's media companies: Charles Croucher from 9News, Deb Knight from

2GB 2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia, owned by Nine Radio, that also owns 2UE. 2GB broadcasts on 873 kHz, AM. In 2024, 2GB held 14% of the total radio ratings share, making it one of the most widely listened-to radio sta ...

, and Phil Coorey from the ''

Australian Financial Review The ''Australian Financial Review'' (''AFR'') is an Australian compact daily newspaper with a focus on business, politics and economic affairs. The newspaper is based in Sydney, New South Wales, and has been published continuously since its foun ...

''. The panel decided in a split decision that the Opposition Leader narrowly won the debate. The Channel 9 debate had a viewership of 2.1 million across broadcast TV and

9Now 9Now is a live stream, video on demand, and catch-up TV service run by the Nine Network in Australia. The service launched on 27 January 2016, replacing Nine's previous service 9Jumpin. 9Now offers online live streaming of Channel 9, 9Gem, 9G ...

27 April – 7NEWS The Final Showdown: Leaders' Debate

Albanese and Dutton debated on 27 April on the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

Seven News Seven News (stylised 7NEWS) is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia. National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in South Eveleigh, Sydney, while its flags ...

Political Editor Mark Riley was the moderator for the debate. Host of ''

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...

Natalie Barr Natalie Ann Barr (born 19 March 1968) is an Australian television presenter, journalist, and news presenter. Barr is currently co-host of the Seven Network's breakfast television program ''Sunrise'' alongside Matt Shirvington. She was previous ...

hosted the event. This was the last leaders debate before the 3 May election. A panel of 60 undecided voters assembled by pollster

Roy Morgan Roy Morgan, formerly known as Roy Morgan Research, is an independent Australian social and political market research and public opinion statistics company headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. It operates nationally as Roy Morgan and internatio ...

declared Albanese the overall winner of the debate with 50% of the votes, with Dutton winning 25% of the votes and 25% remaining undecided. Several other topics were also polled. The Channel Seven debate had a viewership of 1,675,000.

Other debates

9 April – Sky News Treasurers' Debate

Sky News hosted a debate between treasurer

Jim Chalmers James Edward Chalmers (born 2 March 1978) is an Australian politician and economist who has been serving as the treasurer of Australia in the Albanese government since May 2022. A member of the Labor Party (ALP), he has been the member of p ...

and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor. It was hosted by Ross Greenwood.

10 April – National Press Club Energy Debate

The

hosted minister for climate change and energy

Chris Bowen Christopher Eyles Guy Bowen (born 17 January 1973) is an Australian politician who has been Minister for Climate Change and Energy in the Albanese government since June 2022. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and was first elect ...

, and his opposition counterpart Ted O'Brien for a debate on energy policies. The debate was hosted by Tom Connell.

16 April – National Press Club Housing Debate

The National Press Club hosted the housing minister

Clare O'Neil Clare Ellen O'Neil (born 12 September 1980) is an Australian politician who is the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness since July 2024, Minister for Cities since May 2025 and was the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister f ...

and shadow housing minister

Michael Sukkar Michael Sven Sukkar (; born 11 September 1981) is an Australian former politician who was the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing and as the Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing in the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Lib ...

for a debate regarding housing policies.

17 April — Housing Ministers Debate on 7.30

On the ABC's 7.30 program,

Sarah Ferguson Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson; 15 October 1959), also known by the nickname Fergie, is a British author, philanthropist, television personality, and member of the extended British royal family. She is the former wife of P ...

interviewed O'Neil and Sukkar for a debate on housing policies.

23 April — National Press Club Health Minister Debate

Mark Butler Mark Christopher Butler (born 8 July 1970) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has served in the Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives since 2007. He was a minister in the ...

and

Anne Ruston Anne Sowerby Ruston (born 10 June 1963) is an Australian politician who served as Minister for Families and Social Services in the Morrison government from 2019 to 2022. She has been a Senator for South Australia since 2012. Before entering pol ...

competed in a debate held by the National Press Club relating to health policies.

23 April — Business debate

On 23 April a debate was co-hosted by the

Business Council of Australia The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an industry association that comprises the chief executives of more than 130 of Australia's biggest corporations. It was formed in 1983 by the merger of the Business Roundtable – a spin-off of the Co ...

and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia where Chalmers and Taylor debated alternative policies regarding business prosperity.

Minor party debates

6 News Debates

6 News Australia 6 News Australia (also known simply as 6 News, formerly known as HMV Local News and formerly on videos as HMV News or HMV-6) is a streaming news channel based in Melbourne, Australia. The channel is known for a large portion of its journalists bei ...

hosted four debates between minor party candidates for each state's candidates for the Senate. Questions were asked of the following senators or candidates: 11 March Queensland * Belinda Jones, from

Legalise Cannabis The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country, in terms of its possession, distribution, and cultivation, and (in regards to medical) how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used for. Thes ...

* Senator

Gerard Rennick Gerard Rennick (born 5 November 1970) is an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Queensland from 2019 to 2025. He was elected to the Senate at the 2019 Australian federal election, 2019 federal election as a member of the Liberal Na ...

, from People First * Senator Malcolm Roberts, from One Nation * Jim Willmott, from

Libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

12 March Victoria * Jordan Dittloff, from

Fiona Patten Fiona Heather Patten (born May 1964) is an Australian politician. She was the leader of Reason Australia (also known as the Reason Party) and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council between 2014 and 2022, representing the Northern Met ...

, from

* Warren Pickering, from One Nation *

Jordan van den Lamb Jordan van den Lamb (Birth name, né van den Berg; born 1995), also known by his online alias Purple Pingers, is a South African Australians, South African-Australian lawyer, social media activist, and Socialism, socialist political candidate know ...

, from

Victorian Socialists The Victorian Socialists (VS) is an Australian political party based in the state of Victoria. The party's stated aims are "to put politicians on a worker's wage so they live like the rest of us" and "to get socialists into parliament who wil ...

19 March South Australia * Christopher Brohier, from Family First * Jennifer Game, from One Nation *

Rex Patrick Rex Lyall Patrick (born 8 May 1967) is an Australian politician. He served as a Senator for South Australia from November 2017 until June 2022. He was appointed to the Senate to fill a casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Nick Xenophon. H ...

, from

Jacqui Lambie Network The Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) is an Australian political party founded in 2015 by Jacqui Lambie, at the time sitting as an independent senator for Tasmania. The JLN has contested multiple federal and Tasmanian state elections since its creati ...

* Dianah Walter, from SA Matters 15 April New South Wales * Miles Hunt, from

Craig Kelly Craig Kelly (born 29 September 1963) is an Australian conservative politician who represented the division of Hughes as a Liberal Party (and later United Australia Party) MP from 2010 until his defeat at the 2022 federal election. Kelly in ...

, from the

Libertarian Party Libertarian Party may refer to: *Libertarian Party (Argentina) * Liberal Libertarian Party * Libertarian Party of Australia * Libertarian Party of Canada ** British Columbia Libertarian Party **Libertarian Party of Manitoba (now Freedom Party of Ma ...

* Warwick Stacey, from One Nation * Lyle Shelton, from Family First 28 April Western Australia * Steve Klomp, from the

Australian Christians Christianity is the largest religion in Australia, with a total of 43.9% of the nation-wide population identifying with a Christian denomination in the 2021 census. The first presence of Christianity in Australia began with British colonisatio ...

* Megan Krakouer, from

Australia's Voice Australia's Voice (AV) is an Australian political party founded in 2024 by independent and former Labor senator Fatima Payman. History Party founder Fatima Payman was elected to the Senate in May 2022 on the Australian Labor Party (ALP) ticket ...

* Jason Meotti, from

* Elana Mitchell from the

Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is a centrist political party in Australia. Founded in 1977 from a merger of the Australia Party and the New Liberal Movement, both of which were descended from Liberal Party splinter groups, it was Australia's lar ...

29 April Tasmania * Chrysten Abraham, from the

* Phillip Bigg, from the

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFF) is a Conservatism, conservative List of political parties in Australia, Australian political party. It primarily advocates for increased funding and services for rural and regional Australia, protec ...

* Matthew Owen, from

Dickson debate

On 1 May, 6 News hosted a debate between candidates for the seat of Dickson where

Peter Dutton Peter Craig Dutton (born 18 November 1970) is an Australian former politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition (Australia), Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party from 2 ...

, the leader of the

Liberal party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

is the incumbent. Peter Dutton and the

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

challenger Ali France chose to skip the debate.

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

challenger Ellie Smith, and Vinnie Batten of the Greens did attend.

Paul Murray The Mavericks: Live Pub Test

Paul Murray from

hosted The Mavericks: Live Pub Test debate on 14 April, featuring

National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia, commonly known as the Nationals or simply the Nats, is a Centre-right politics, centre-right and Agrarianism, agrarian List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia. Traditionally represe ...

senator

Matt Canavan Matthew James Canavan (born 17 December 1980) is an Australian politician. He was elected to the Australian Senate representing the state of Queensland at the 2013 federal election for the term beginning 1 July 2014. He won re-election at the ...

Katter's Australian Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP) is an agrarian populist political party in Australia that advocates for agrarian socialist economic policies and conservative social policies. It was founded by Bob Katter, an independent and former National ...

leader and member for

Kennedy Kennedy may refer to: People * Kennedy (surname), including any of several people with that surname ** Kennedy family, a prominent American political family that includes: *** Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), American businessman, investor, ...

Bob Katter Robert Bellarmine Carl Katter (born 22 May 1945) is an Australian politician who has served as the member of parliament (MP) for the Queensland division of Division of Kennedy, Kennedy since 1993 and Father of the Australian House of Represent ...

, and One Nation leader senator

Pauline Hanson Pauline Lee Hanson (''née'' Seccombe, formerly Zagorski; born 27 May 1954) is an Australian politician who is the founder and leader of One Nation, a right-wing populist political party. Hanson has represented Queensland in the Australian S ...

References

{{2025 Australian federal election Debates and forums Australian federal election debates and forums, 2025 Election campaigns in Australia Federal election debates and forums

Leaders' debates

8 April – Sky News and ''The Daily Telegraph'' People's Forum

16 April – ABC News Leaders Debate

22 April – Channel 9 The Great Debate

27 April – 7NEWS The Final Showdown: Leaders' Debate

Other debates

9 April – Sky News Treasurers' Debate

10 April – National Press Club Energy Debate

16 April – National Press Club Housing Debate

17 April — Housing Ministers Debate on 7.30

23 April — National Press Club Health Minister Debate

23 April — Business debate

Minor party debates

6 News Debates

Dickson debate

Paul Murray The Mavericks: Live Pub Test

See also

References