THE first showdown of the election campaign was dominated by the state of the economy, Labor's GST scare campaign and a decision on a second airport for Sydney.
Laying out his pitch to the electorate, Kevin Rudd appealed for three more years to show ''new way" while Tony Abbott spoke directly to voters on the economy and border protection.
At the debate at the National Press Club in Canberra, the Prime Minister made a pitch to young voters and then moved straight to economic management.
He said Labor had kept interests rates low, had abolished Work Choices, had introduced DisabilityCare and the NBN and he said there was more to be done.
Mr Rudd warned the mining boom was over but said Labor could deliver a bright new future and "a new way of positive politics in this country."
In a bid to turn the first leader's debate in favour of the government, he also pledged a vote on gay marriage with Labor MPs to act according to their conscience
Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd have faced off in the first federal election debate. Picture: Stefan Postles
Mr Abbott said the Coalition party room would reconsider its position on gay marriage after the election.
On a controversial note, Mr Rudd was accused of breaching the rules by reading notes.
The debate's moderator, Sky News political editor David Speers, revealed following the debate that Mr Rudd had used the notes and that was not allowed.
According to the rules issued by the National Press Club on Friday, both Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd were prohibited from having the help with their memory.
"The leaders may have a pen and paper on the lectern and no other documentation or props,'' the rules stated.
The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate
In the debate wrap up following, Speers said: "Kevin Rudd had notes. That wasn't allowed under the rules.''
Labor figure Graham Richardson said: "If I was Kevin Rudd, I would sack whoever wrote them."
Looking down the camera lens during the debate, Mr Abbott appealed directly to voters, telling them under a Coalition government the carbon tax would be scrapped, with compensation and tax cuts to stay, and boats arrivals would be stemmed.
"We can make your life better," he said.
He promised he would "make a decision" in his first term, if he won the election, on a second airport for Sydney but said the existing gateway to the city could be used more efficiently.
The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate
Mr Rudd did not match the pledge.
Mr Abbott said a Coalition government would not raise the GST, could ease cost of living pressures and protect jobs and he listed infrastructure projects he has promised to help fund.
They included funding for the West Connex in Sydney, the East West Link in Melbourne, duplication of the Pacific Highway and an upgrade of the Bruce Highway in Queensland.
He focused on government failures throughout the debate, including the disastrous home insulation scheme which was linked to four deaths, the boat influx and 1000 deaths at sea, the NBN blowing its budget and the carbon price forecast of $38 a tonne by 2020.
The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate
"Mr Rudd talks about a new way, well if you want a new way you have got to choose a new government," he said.
One of Mr Rudd's weakest points was when he was questioned on why Labor's spending is higher than under the Howard Government and over forecasts tens of thousands of people are will lose their jobs over coming months as unemployment rises.
Mr Rudd responded that the government had staved off recession during the Global Financial Crisis and created around one million jobs.
Mr Abbott's point of weakness emerged over how the Coalition will pay for its promises with Labor claiming there was a $70 billion black hole - a claim Mr Abbott called a "fantasy."
He did not articulate last night what cuts would be made to fulfil spending promises but said there had been "an enormous amount of waste over the past six years" and that the Coalition had already identified $17 billion in savings, which includes the axing of the Schoolkids bonus.
Debate erupted over the GST with Mr Rudd claiming it was "legitimate to raise questions about the future of the GST" in light of the Coalition's promises and a tax review the Opposition planned if it won government.
"The GST doesn't change under the Coalition," Mr Abbott shot back."The people watching this deserve better than a scare campaign from the Prime Minister of this country."
RELIVE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DEBATE ON OUR BLOG
He said the campaign over the GST was "a little embarrassing to have the Prime Minister of this country, who had three years in power himself, he voted for the carbon tax...he was part of the surplus that never happened."
When asked if he had said the mining boom was coming to an end to cover over the budget problems after the government revealed a $30.1 billion deficit this financial year, Mr Rudd said the mining boom investment phase "was coming to a close."
Mr Abbott described Mr Rudd's explanation for his rhetoric as "waffle" and claimed if the boom was over it was because Labor had "killed it" with the mining tax and red tape.
The two leaders managed to agree on the debate format after weeks of argy bargy about the details.
Mr Rudd's first challenge was issued in the press conference he held after snatching back the Prime Ministership, but Mr Abbott always insisted any debate should be held during the campaign proper.
The debate was moderated by Sky News presenter David Speers and questions asked by a panel of journalists from the ABC, Fairfax and News Corp Australia.
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