Malcolm Turnbull says if he is going to participate in another debate with Bill Shorten he would like it to be very different from the last format.
The most recent leaders’ debate, held at the National Press Club two weeks ago, was criticised for being dull.
Its format did not allow for interruptions from the audience, panellists or either candidate, with the consequence being it lacked spontaneity and life.
The prime minister has confirmed he would like to debate the opposition leader a third time during this election, but he would like to consider alternative formats – possibly involving Facebook, and a larger audience – so there will be more engagement from the public.
The pair have debated twice already, and neither debate has captured the public’s imagination.
“I can assure you, I enjoy debating and I want to reach as many people as I possibly can in the debate because we have a great story to tell,” Turnbull said on Monday.
“Our national economic plan is vitally important for our nation’s future, and I want to have the opportunity to explain it and take questions on it for as many people as possible.
“So we are looking at how we can achieve wider and greater reach for the debate.”
Turnbull and Shorten first debated in Windsor in western Sydney, on May 13, but the debate was only broadcast on Sky News so people with pay television were the only ones who could watch it.
They debated a second time two weeks ago, at the National Press Club in Canberra, and it was broadcast on the ABC – but no free-to-air commercial television stations broadcast it.
The prime minister’s office believes the format of the first debate suited the opposition because few of the audience questions were about the economy, and it thinks the format of the second debate was too boring for the public to engage with it.
Turnbull would like the format of the next debate to be more attractive for voters, particularly disengaged voters in marginal electorates.
With that goal in mind, he would like voters who will not be able to attend the event to still have the chance to engage directly with it. That means having some kind of system that allows questions to be submitted live via Facebook and answered by the prime minister and opposition leader.
But the details of such a plan remain vague. Labor headquarters say there have been no negotiations over a third debate yet.
Sky News is holding another people’s forum – held this Wednesday night at Brisbane’s Broncos Leagues Club – which Bill Shorten is attending.
Shorten has challenged the prime minister to attend, but the Turnbull said on Monday that the next time he debates Shorten he would like the debate to have a “wider and greater reach” than a Sky people’s forum.
Shorten says it will be offensive to Queenslanders if Turnbull does not show up for the debate this Wednesday.
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