During a tense exchange on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, journalist Deborah Knight posed a compelling question to Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison, asking them to define what a woman is. Both leaders responded curtly, effectively shutting down the query.
This interaction unfolded on Sunday night as Mr. Morrison and Mr. Albanese faced off in the second leaders’ debate. The high-stakes event was broadcast nationally, capturing the attention of viewers eager for insights into the candidates ahead of the impending election.
Knight, joined by fellow journalists Chris Uhlmann and David Crowe, turned the spotlight on the Liberal and Labor leaders by asking for their definitions of a woman. Her bold question was met with concise, almost dismissive responses from both politicians.
In a striking moment, Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison were questioned by Deborah Knight on defining a woman, resulting in both leaders providing terse replies.
The exchange took place during the second leaders’ debate on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, as Mr. Morrison and Mr. Albanese faced critical questions on a national platform.
‘In a sentence, how do you define a woman?’ she asked.
Mr Albanese answered first with a very short and matter-of-fact response.
‘An adult female,’ he said.
Mr Morrison followed: ‘A member of the female sex’.
Knight nodded her head at the responses before trying to justify the reason for asking the unexpected question.
‘There’s been a degree of confusion around that issue, so good to get your clarity on that,’ she said.
Mr Morrison jumped in to insist he did not doubt the definition of a woman.
‘Not confused at all,’ Mr Morrison responded.
Mr Albanese added, ‘I don’t think it’s confusing.’
Mr Morrison and the opposition leader were grilled by a panel of journalists on cost of living pressures, interest rates, climate policies, affordable housing and the economy.
When asked whether he had seen corruption in the Liberal party, Mr Morrison replied: ‘No I haven’t.’
Mr Morrison followed Mr Albanese with his definition of a woman: ‘A member of the female sex’
Mr Albanese said ‘there is a stench around Canberra at the moment’ and repeated his promise to legislate a national anti-corruption watchdog this year if he wins the election.
Mr Morrison asked his opponent how Australians can believe he is ‘now for them’ after having changed his policies on negative gearing and boat turnbacks.
When questioning turned to the independent candidates, the panel asked the prime minister if he would resign to allow the coalition to form government. He said: ‘No’.
Mr Albanese said he would not negotiate on any of the policies Labor took to the election in the event of a hung parliament.
‘I am campaigning very hard to form government in my own right,’ he said.
Asked who won the often feisty and shouty debate, viewers were evenly split 50-50 between the men vying for the nation’s top job.