Leaders’ debate 2022 LIVE updates: National Australian ‘pub test’ results say Anthony Albanese defeats Scott Morrison in final debate before 2022 election

The leaders reprise their opening pitches as they are given two minutes each to make their closing statements.

Scott Morrison goes first, having lost the coin toss, and says that a vote for the Liberals and Nationals on May 21 is one for a “strong, responsible and safe choice for a stronger future”.

Anthony Albanese says the government doesn’t have a plan for the future because they “struggle with the present”.

“We can do better,” he says.

Moderator Mark Riley thanks the pair for such a civil debate. Noticeably, there was no shouting from either this time.

Viewers who have been watching in key electorates for Channel Seven are now casting their votes.

To close the debate, the leaders are asked to describe a strength that they admire in each other.

Morrison says Albanese has never forgotten where he came from, having grown up in public housing.

However, he then goes on to say that as much as he respects what Albanese has achieved, he doesn’t believe he’s up to the job.

Albanese says he admires Morrison’s commitment to the nation and praises that Morrison has made mental health an issue that can be talked about. He says the extra funding provided by the government for mental health charity Headspace has been a good thing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Alan Tudge will be education minister if the Coalition is returned to government.

Tudge stepped down from his duties in December following allegations from a former staffer of abuse, which he has strongly denied.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert has been acting in the role of education minister since.

Morrison said Tudge – who has been focusing on campaigning locally in his Melbourne seat and has rarely been seen publicly during the election campaign – has not resigned or been dismissed as a minister.

“He will be happy to come back and serve in the ministry and I welcome that,” Morrison says.

Asked what they have done to drive voters away from Labor and the Coalition, Anthony Albanese says the leadership spills and rotating prime ministerships, which Labor started when Kevin Rudd was toppled in 2010, have turned voters off.

He says corruption is also a factor for voter disillusionment and that’s why Labor will bring in a national anti-corruption commission if elected.

Morrison’s answer is somewhat different. He blames the last two years of the pandemic and says that the challenges “greatly disrupted our society”.

He says it’s critical that voters don’t support the teal independents who are threatening to oust moderate Liberal MPs as he says that would cripple the government’s ability to manage the economy.

Now for something completely different, the leaders are arguing about who is tougher on boat turnbacks. Morrison goes first.

He says the previous Labor government wound back temporary protection visas, which led to more boat arrivals.

“We all know what happened after that: 800 boats, 1200 people dead, 50,000 people turning up causing chaos,” he says.

“We have fixed that with three clear policies: temporary protection visas and turn the boats back where it’s safe to do so.

“Mr Albanese has said if he is elected he will abolish temporary protection visas, that means permanent visas for people who have come on a boat. They have learnt nothing in the last decade.”

Albanese says Labor plans to “keep Australia’s borders strong”, including through processing refugees who arrived by boat offshore and resettling them in third countries.

“Anyone who comes by boat will not get any visa here in Australia; they won’t be allowed to settle here in Australia. We have the same position on all of those issues,” he says, pointing out it was the Labor government that organised the New Zealand resettlement deal.