2016 Australian federal election debates and forums

On 8 May Turnbull attended Government House to advise Peter Cosgrove, the Governor-General, to issue the writs for a double dissolution.

[7] The Sky News Daily Telegraph People's Forum, the first leaders' debate, took place at 7:00pm AEST on Friday, 13 May in the RSL club in Windsor, New South Wales.

The leaders open the programme with a statement, and close with a speech,[11] with the unscripted questions asked in between.

[12] The Sydney Morning Herald, The Courier-Mail and The Australian Financial Review have criticized the debate being held on a Friday night, which generally has low television viewership.

[13][14][15] It drew an average of 54,200 viewers, making it the thirteenth most watched pay television program of the night.

[17] The first official leader's debate between Shorten and Turnbull took place on the 29 May at the National Press Club in Canberra.

[19] The second Sky News Daily Telegraph People's Forum took place on Wednesday, 9 June in the Brisbane Broncos sports club in Red Hill, Queensland.