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Federal election 2019: Bill Shorten, Scott Morrison agree to third leaders’ debate

Phoebe Wearne and Annabel HennessyThe West Australian
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the Brisbane debate.
Camera IconLeader of the Opposition Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the Brisbane debate. Credit: Kym Smith/News Corp Australia

Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison have agreed to go head to head in a third leaders’ debate on Wednesday night.

The Prime Minister on Monday responded to Mr Shorten’s proposal for the third clash of the Federal election campaign to be held at the National Press Club in Canberra, committing to a televised debate in prime time with a single moderator.

It came after an emboldened Mr Shorten, who won the popular vote in both the Perth and Brisbane debates, ramped up pressure on Mr Morrison to lock in a date for the third and final showdown.

Earlier in the campaign Mr Shorten was more cautious in debate negotiations, but he will front voters alone tonight on ABC’s Q&A program.

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Mr Shorten and Mr Morrison hit the airwaves on Monday, with the Opposition Leader answering questions about his now-infamous running style.

Mr Shorten told Sydney commercial radio stars Kyle & Jackie O he went jogging five mornings a week while on the campaign trail because he was a “determined fellow”.

He described his efforts as “Forrest Gump meets politics”.

Launching a new attack on the Coalition’s plan to tackle climate change, Mr Shorten said the argument put by some Government MPs that the rest of the world had to move to address climate change as well did not give Australia a “leave pass”.

“We can’t just pull up the drawbridge and not be part of the world,” Mr Shorten told KIIS FM.

“That’s stupid.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared on Sydney radio king Alan Jones' show where he continued his "spaces invaders" line of attack on Mr Shorten claiming the Labor leader was spending like there was no tomorrow without any plan on how to pay for his promises.

"The only space he is going to invade is people's wallets," Mr Morrison said.

"We're taking action on climate change and we've got record renewables, that's not the issue. The issue is that Labor has a policy and won't tell Australians what it will cost, "Mr Morrison said.

"He doesn't know the cost of anything because he doesn't have to pay it. It won't be him that's paying it, it's people working in central Queensland, out in Western Australia, Victoria, NSW, all across Australia."

Mr Morrison also criticised Mr Shorten for comparing his emissions targets to an overweight person to cutting down on the amount of McDonalds they ate.

"You can't compare people losing their jobs to eating big macs which is what he did and I think that shows a great insensitivity to the real impact,” he said.

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