LIVE: Election 2025 – Controversy erupts during Channel Seven leaders debate about ‘overdone’ Welcome to Country ceremonies

Dutton was asked about the ugly scenes at Anzac Day in Melbourne on Friday, where the Welcome to Country was booed.

‘Will you have Welcome to Country ceremonies, will you have smoking ceremonies, will you acknowledge traditional owners at your official events?’, Riley asked him.

Dutton claimed he wanted to ‘unite our country’ under one flag: the Australian flag, in contrast to the PM who stands in front of three flags.

But it is Dutton’s comments about Welcome to Country that will cause most controversy.

‘People have said to me as we had moved across the country, that there is a sense across the community that it is overdone,’ he said.

‘For the opening of Parliament, fair enough, it is respectful to do.

‘But for the start of every meeting at work, or the start of a football game, I think other of Australians think it is overdone and cheapens the significance of what it was meant to do, it divides the country, not dissimilar to what the Prime Minister did with the Voice.’

Albanese was asked directly if he though Welcome to Countries were ‘overdone’.

‘It is up to people to determine whether they have a Welcome to Country or not, but from my perspective, for major events, it is of course a sign of respect,’ the PM responded.

Dutton recorded another win on the topic of defence, with 43 per cent of the undecided audience backing him, compared to 37 per cent for the PM, while 20 per cent were undecided.

But he was soundly trounced in the hot takes/ rapid fire section, with 50 per cent backing Albanese and just 14 per cent for Dutton.

And, in the most important result of the night, the PM was streets ahead.

Half of undecided viewers – 50 per cent – endorsed Albanese, while Dutton only had the support of 25 per cent of them. The same figure were undecided.

Channel Seven had a group of 60 undecided voters watching the debate.

They have overwhelmingly backed Albanese’s performance.

On cost of living, 65 per cent sided with the Labor leader, compare to just 16 per cent for Dutton, while 19 per cent remained undecided.

On housing, the PM had slimmer win with 35 per cent with Dutton on 30 per cent, while 30 per cent were undecided.

Tax cuts were another bit win for Albanese, with 49 per cent backing him, compared to just 21 per cent for Dutton and 30 per cent undecided.

The Opposition Leader’s only victory came on Indigenous affairs where he was ahead with 46 per cent, while Albanese had just 27 per cent. Around 27 pe cent remained undecided.

Nat Barr and Mark Riley poked fun at the PM over his ill-judged decision to splurge on a $4.3million Copacabana mansion last year.

The pair were shown a picture of the clifftop beach house and asked what came to mind.

‘Marriage,’ a clearly-miffed Albanese responded.

Dutton said: ‘Retirement home’.

‘That was a bit pointed,’ Barr laughed. ‘Just a reminder: that was the house that Mr Albanese bought.’

But a terse PM cut in: ‘And Jodie Haydon.

‘I know some people have erased her out of history, but I haven’t.’

Both leaders were shown a picture of Elon Musk and invited to give a one-or-two word response.

Albanese answered a very diplomatic: ‘Tesla, and a very rich man’.

However, Dutton didn’t mince his words.

‘Evil genius,’ he quipped.

Musk has regularly criticised the Australian government, branding them ‘fascists’ over the move to regulate online misinformation.

Dutton dropped the ball when answering a classic ‘gotcha’ question: how much would a dozen eggs set you back?

The Opposition Leader guessed a very specific $4.20 but massively undershot it.

The PM guessed around $7, which was the closest to $8 a dozen eggs will cost in either Coles or Woolies.

‘I need to buy a dozen at a time instead of half a dozen,’ Dutton said, abashedly.

Channel Seven’s political editor was intent on quizzing Albanese about whether he had Donald Trump’s mobile number.

‘I’m not sure he has a mobile phone,’ a baffled Albanese responded.

‘It is not the way it works. With any global leader.’

‘We are not good enough to have Trump’s mobile number or he does not have one?’, he asked the PM.

Dutton pitched in, asking: ‘Do you have Keir Starmer’s number?’

‘When we have discussions, we have note takers on both sides, we have them in secure rooms, you don’t have (text) discussions with global leaders,’ Albanese added.

Riley then asked Dutton if Trump would give him his number.

But the Opposition Leader avoided the question, opting to speak about his work with previous administration.

Riley was panned for the line of questioning on X, formerly Twitter.

‘Can we focus on the real issues?’, one user wrote.

‘Channel 7 demonstrating how poor it’s become.’

Another added: ‘Mark Riley stop interrupting Albo when he’s actually answering a question! Infuriating.’

Both leaders are in furious agreement about whether to change the date of Australia Day.

It is a flat ‘no’ from both of them.

Albanese said the national holiday was an ‘acknowledgement of the fullness and richness of our 65,000 years of history’

‘But also there is acknowledgement of what happened with settlement, celebrating be 26th of January when the First Fleet arrived and the migrants who came to make Australia their home, we have three parts of that history and we should celebrate all of it,’ he added.

Dutton says it is a day to celebrate new citizens.

‘We have made mistakes in our history, no question about that, but we cannot live with that shame forever,’ he said.

‘We need to accept that mistakes were made and need to make sure we celebrate our national day.’

Channel Seven’s political editor Mark Riley asks Dutton what he’s offering families to cope with the cost of living crisis.

He flags the Coalition’s plan to halve fuel excise for 12 months and his pledge to a $1,200 one-off tax rebate.

‘The Prime Minister promises a band-aid on a bullet wound. The damage that’s been done over the last three years is significant,’ Mr Dutton adds.

He then gets emotional talking about how his promised relief will turn hard-working families’ lives around.

‘It’s emotional when you think about what families are going through but that long-term relief is actually going to turn around Labor’s very bad position,’ he said, appearing to almost tear up.

But Riley was having none of it and admonished him for going over time.

‘I’ve been lenient, Mr Dutton,’ he told him.

Albanese has claimed only Labor offer ‘certainty’.

‘During this campaign, we have put forward clear, decisive policies,’ he said in his opening one-minute address.

‘The opposition have chopped and changed. Australians deserve certainty. What we will deliver is just that.’

He said Labor would provide ‘ tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer’ and would strengthen Medicare.

Dutton wins the toss and delivers his one-minute address.

He claims he’s ‘spoken to families literally in tears’ who are hurting under Labor.

‘They can’t afford to put food on the table,’ he added.

‘They’ve stopped the registration renewal on their motor vehicle or on their house.

‘They have had a tough three years under this government. And there are very few, if any, Australians I have met over the course of the last three years who can say they are better off under this Prime Minister’s watch.’

Now that the 1% Club has finished, we are ready to go.

There is an audience of 60 undecided voters watching on in the studio and at homes across the nation who will declare the winner.

It will last for one hour, with both leaders being given an uninterrupted one-minute address at the start and the end.

It’s understood both leaders will be asked six questions, including a ‘rapid fire’ session of questions consisting of just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.

There will also be a four-minute debate section where both men can question each other, with Channel Seven political editor Mark Riley moderating.

This is the fourth debate between the two leaders.

Sky News hosted the first one, with an audience of 100 undecided voters adjudging Anthony Albanese the victor.

The second debate, which was moderated by Insiders host David Speers on the ABC, did not crown a winner and the third on Channel Nine was a split decision from their expert panel.

At least the gloves finally came off, with both men trading insults early on.

Daily Mail Australia’s political editor Peter van Onselen adjudged the third debate ‘a dishonourable draw’, meaning that tonight’s clash could be the decider.

Riding high in the polls, the PM has everything to lose, whereas Dutton is the definite underdog.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal both leaders will have to answer a question regarding the place of Welcome to Country ceremonies in Australia during tonight’s 7News’ debate.

It comes after a group of protesters booed the Welcome to Country ceremony during the Anzac Day dawn service in Melbourne on Friday.

The incident sparked a huge public debate, after a veteran was filmed arguing with a journalist about whether a Welcome to Country was appropriate during such an occasion.