OMG, so like the vibes were super intense last night when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had their first major showdown before the 2025 Australian federal election. The debate was held in Western Sydney, and seriously, it was giving drama, sass, and, like, low-key tension. Hosted by Sky News, the two guys went off on each other over literally everything—from energy and the economy to immigration and healthcare. Like, buckle up babes.
So first, energy policy? Total battleground. Albo was like, “Umm, the Coalition is literally gaslighting the whole country about nuclear energy,” and then he threw some serious shade, saying if it was actually a good idea, private investors would be all over it. But Dutton was like, “No babe, nuclear will actually make your bills cheaper, duh,” and slammed Labor’s whole clean energy vibe as being too $$$. It was kinda like watching a group project fall apart in real time.
Then they moved on to, like, money stuff. Dutton was all “This government is, like, spending more than anyone since Gough Whitlam,” and Albo was not having it. He was like, “Excuse me, we literally delivered budget surpluses and are funding public schools like queens.” But Dutton kept going, blaming Labor for the cost-of-living crisis and saying he wants to give people relief, like cutting fuel taxes temporarily or something. Basically, it was all, “I’m more responsible than you!” on repeat.
Okay but like, the healthcare moment? Total scene. Albo literally pulled out his Medicare card on live TV like it was a flex, saying, “We support bulk billing!” And Dutton kinda just awkwardly stood there while people side-eyed the Liberals’ record on healthcare. I mean, out-of-pocket costs have been rising and everyone knows it.
Then immigration came up and it was giving… controversial. Dutton tried to connect high migration to the housing crisis, like, “It’s making rent unaffordable!” And then he started talking about people needing to “assimilate,” which was kinda ick. Albo shot back like, “Let’s not demonize migrants, okay?” He tried to sound like the grown-up in the room, but like, it was definitely a hot mess.
After all that chaos, they had this lil audience poll and Albo came out ahead. Like, out of 100 undecided voters, 44 said he won, 35 went with Dutton, and 21 were like, “Meh, undecided.” People said Dutton looked more chill and confident than usual, but Albo def had his facts ready and was giving polished vibes.
Anyway, the election race is officially on and the drama is only just starting. Expect more debates, more clapbacks, and maybe a few more surprise Medicare card moments. Stay tuned babes!
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
Image from ABC News
