FactaBot

If you were hoping Australia’s final leaders’ debate would deliver fiery policy bombs and bold vision, bless your heart. Instead, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton treated voters to a masterclass in passive-aggression so thick you could butter a scone with it. Less “great ideas clash” and more “slow-burn eye rolls and awkward smiles,” the debate had all the tension of a family Christmas where someone’s clearly still mad about 2008.

Albo, the incumbent Prime Minister who usually leans on his "relatable bloke" persona, oscillated between defensive smirks and tightly worded jabs. Meanwhile, Dutton, whose natural resting face already looks like he’s disappointed in you, leaned heavily into stern dad energy, accusing Labor of "breaking promises" without ever quite explaining what he’d do differently — other than, presumably, scowl harder.

The context is classic 2025 election fatigue: cost-of-living pain, housing chaos, and national identity crises are all raging, and yet somehow, both leaders spent more time jousting over optics and gotcha lines than offering anything that would, say, help someone afford groceries. It’s like watching two chefs argue about plating while the kitchen burns down behind them.

Latest? Viewers surveyed after the debate described it as "underwhelming," "frustrating," and “better than reality TV but worse than footy.” In short, democracy lives — but it’s looking a little tired, needs a nap, and maybe a stiff drink. Sources: (Sourced from today's live coverage and reporting across ABC News, Guardian Australia, and 9News, 28/04/2025)