Australia election 2022: Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese clash in leaders’ debate 

The second leaders’ debate descended into chaos with Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese shouting at each other and ignoring 60 Minutes host Sarah Abo.

The pair had several fiery clashes at Channel Nine’s north Sydney studio with the biggest blow-up coming on the topic of national security when the two men continuously yelled at each other.

In a key moment, the Prime Minister was humbled when he admitted that he should have described the Covid-19 vaccine rollout as a race after he repeatedly told Australians ‘it’s not a race’ at the start of 2021.

But he landed a blow on Mr Albanese when told the Labor leader ‘you have changed your mind on so many things’ and listed his policy backflips over the past three years.

‘Small target, big risk,’ he said while gesticulating at his opponent.

As the debate raged a Newspoll showed Labor has extended its lead over the Coalition, leading by 54 points to 46 on a two party preferred basis.

If that result is replicated on May 21, Mr Albanese will form a majority government.

Some 50,000 Nine viewers voted for who they prefer as Prime Minister. Mr Albanese won with 49 per cent of votes, with Mr Morrison on 45 per cent and six per cent undecided – although the sample was not representative of the population.

However, 52 per cent of viewers thought Mr Morrison won the debate, with 48 per cent voting for Mr Albanese.

During the debate, the leaders clashed on the cost of living, energy policy and corruption.

On national security, the Labor leader said the Solomon Islands’ new secret security deal with China amounted to a ‘massive foreign policy failure’ by the Government.

He also blasted Mr Morrison over the Northern Territory Government leasing Darwin Port to a Chinese company in 2015 – which Mr Morrison defended by saying the Commonwealth Government had no say in the deal.

‘Your party, your tick off,’ Mr Albanese said before the PM responded: ‘You’ve been telling this lie for some time.’

That comment sparked a shouting match which host Abo helplessly failed to stop.

As she tried to moderate the debate, both leaders shouted over her, with Mr Morrison saying ‘it’s a very important point’.

The Prime Minister savagely blasted his opponent in a high-tempered brawl over their policies on a federal anti-corruption commission which Mr Morrison has failed to deliver.

He said Mr Albanese had not even tried to come up with his own version of a corruption commission after rejecting the Coalition’s model.

‘Do you have draft legislation for the commission,’ Mr Morrison asked his opponent.

‘You have put forward a private members bill. So you can but you have not done one for this proposal you are excited about. You don’t have any plan.’

The pair talked over each other as Mr Albanese replied: ‘I will tell you what the plan is, it is one you don’t like.’

The Prime Minister interjected: ‘Where is it? You have been hiding in the bushes for three years.’

Mr Albanese smiled and said ‘ah rubbish’.

In the early stages of the showdown Mr Albanese slammed the Prime Minister’s plan to ease pressure on households with one-off additional tax relief for low and middle income earners and the temporary halving of the fuel duty until September.

The first fiery moment of the night came after Mr Morrison spruiked his Budget measures to ease cost of living pressures.

Mr Albanese replied: ‘The problem with what Scott just said, the cost of living measures that he spoke about are all temporary.