WITH less than three weeks until the ACT election, ACT Labor leader Andrew Barr and Canberra Liberals leader Alistair Coe squared off last night (September 30) in the first and only leaders debate of the election.

Televised from the National Press Club, and hosted by ABC Canberra’s Adam Shirley, both leaders turned in a patchy performance with neither one gaining the upper hand over all.

Barr was shaky in the areas of health and education, but performed strongly on the environment and renewable energy, using the debate to reiterate Labor’s commitment to deliver the biggest renewable battery storage systems in Australia, if re-elected.

Despite an obviously nervous start, Coe performed well in the key areas of education and health and made a better fist of the Aboriginal incarceration issue than the Labor leader.

Many Canberrans would have expected a stronger response from Barr on this issue given that Labor has painted itself as championing indigenous affairs and yet it has failed to address this issue. The clear message voters could take from Barr’s response is that he does not have an answer to the alarming increase of indigenous incarceration rates, which has increased by about 279 per cent (in comparison to other states and territories) since 2009. 

Barr went on the attack on the issue of the Canberra exodus to Queanbeyan, refuting Coe’s claims and questioning the figures he cites in support of it.

Coe responded by committing to releasing further land in the ACT, but was vague about where and when that would be, suggesting a few areas such as west of Belconnen, Gungahlin, Molonglo Valley and west of Molonglo. There was disagreement with the party leaders over the extent to which people are fleeing the capital and the reason they are doing so. Barr was not able to counter the perception of people leaving because of lack or land and cost of living pressures. 

In the face of repeated questioning from the moderator, Coe committed to stage two of light rail to Woden. However, there was a but from Coe, who said he wanted to release the business case for the light rail, first, and he wanted to make sure the project goes through a competitive tender process, accusing Barr of not taking it to tender, which he said would waste money. 

Barr seized on his opponents apparent reluctance to commit to the project as a sign of indecisiveness, saying: “That was the most uncomfortable two minutes of the debate for the Liberal leader, as he tried to find a reason to wriggle out of a commitment on the tram.”

But the Labor leader was less forthcoming about the finer details of stage two, in particular the tender process. While the Liberals have reluctantly agreed to supporting stage two, Labor is no clearer on how they intend to deliver it.

While overall it was a fairly tame affair, the debate was peppered with some testy exchanges and punctuated with a few interjections.

Neither leader missed an opportunity to point out their opponents’ mistakes and shortcomings. Barr delivered a stinging rebuke of Coe’s ascertain that the pandemic was “over in March” when the end is still out of sight. While Coe pointed out Barr’s focus was on building residential apartments at the expense of delivering the hospital he had promised some years earlier.

“I wish Andrew had the same determination to build Canberra Hospital that he does to build more apartments,” Coe said.

In their closing comments, both leaders focused on their perceived strengths and used the opportunity to discredit their opponent’s record. Barr was quick to point to the experience of the team he leads especially during the current health and financial crisis, while Coe was quick to point out that Canberrans are still waiting for a hospital and relieving the cost of living pressures remains his primary focus.

The debate ended on a good note with both leaders sharing a chuckle at the end.

While it will be difficult for undecided voters to take much from the debate, given that neither leader struck a decisive blow, there is plenty for people to mull over in terms of their unenthusiastic responses to some of the questions on matters that could be of great importance during the campaign.

That’s for the Canberrans still to vote. About 24,463 residents have already been to the polls after pre-polling opened on Monday.