Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten outline campaign focuses

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• published: 13 May 2016
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Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten outline campaign focuses, Election 2016: Voters swing towards Opposition Leader Bill Shorten over Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after first leadership debate of the 2016 election campaign Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten faced off at the debate in Macquarie Post-debate votes by the audience scored Mr Shorten as the winner Mr Shorten gained 42 votes compared to 29 for Mr Turnbull It is the first leader's debate of the campaign Bill Shorten has scored a slim victory in an evenly-fought first leader’s debate where neither participant landed a knockout blow. Opposition leader Mr Shorten was the victor according to post-debate votes cast by the 100-strong live audience – gaining 42 votes compared with 29 for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Twenty nine audience members could not pick a winner. Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten squared off in the wide-ranging debate in Macquarie, western Sydney on Friday, pitching starkly contrasting policies on topics such as education, healthcare, banking and housing. Malcolm Turnbull spoke first at the debate, using his two minute address to plug his party’s policy to create more jobs and an environment for business growth. He said: ‘What we are setting out in this campaign is an economic plan for jobs and growth. ‘We live in an extraordinary time of opportunity and we need a plan to serve these opportunities. ‘Our plan is based on an innovation and science agenda. It’s based on opening up those big markets in Asia with our trade export deals. ‘It’s based on making our tax system support businesses. ‘ Bill Shorten replied by stressing his party’s people-first policy and emphasising the need for action on education. He said: ‘I’m looking forward to explaining Labor’s positive plans for Australia. We have positive plans for education, so that every child in every school can get a quality education. ‘I also hope to get the chance to talk about fair taxation and housing affordability. ‘If the government puts people first, nothing can hold us back.’ An audience member grilled the two about economic projections and the need for the government to escape its mounting pile of debt. Malcolm Turnbull outlined his plan to raise prosperity through business growth. He said: ‘If we drive economic growth faster than spending, then revenues grow and that enables us to bring the budget back into balance and then debt comes down. ‘I want to make sure that my grandchildren are not left with a mountain of debt.’ Bill Shorten said: ‘I’m deeply conscious of the obligation to reduce the deficit. I will not do that by giving multinationals a tax cut. 'What I won’t do is reduce debt by shoving all the problems of the budget onto the sick and the pensioners and other people in society.’ Mr Shorten used a question on the funding of small regional hospitals to make a point about wasteful government expenditure and same-sex marriage. He said: ‘Malcolm Turnbull made a throwaway remark about wanting to spend more money on hospitals and schools. ‘Yes we will spend more on schools and hospitals. And we will do that by cutting out wasteful government expenditure.’ He used the example of the government’s plan to spend $160m on a plebiscite – or referendum – on the legality of same-sex marriage. The leaders were asked about their plans to reduce the cost of childcare. Mr Turnbull emphasised the importance of female participation in the workforce and said his government would support people on lower incomes. He said: ‘We are very focused on making sure that there is more support, and we will deliver more support. Your concerns are our concerns.’ Mr Shorten said the issue was a matter of priorities – helping struggling people over successful big business.