Worm

It’s demonstrative of how uninspiring the first week of the 2010 Federal Election campaign has been that Tony Abbott could have felt pretty chuffed last night that he didn’t really lose the Great Debate.

Yes Nine’s Worm gave the debate to Gillard by an overwhelming margin, but Seven’s Polliegraph had it almost line ball and various online polls and political commentators handed victory to Abbott. News this morning that Newspoll has tightened again to 52 to 48 to Labor, in significantly from last week’s staggering 55-45, will no doubt add to the spring in his step.

It’s all subjective really, but what last night did do was put Abbott back on track after his shaky start to the election campaign.

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It’s on. From 6.30pm AEST old sparring partners Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott will be reunited for the one debate of the Federal Election campaign, hosted by the National Press Club in Canberra.

One week into the campaign and the electorate is feeling decidedly uninspired. Polls show Prime Minister Gillard with a significant lead, but punters are grumbling about her “do nothing” strategy for election victory. Lets see if either leader can fill us with confidence tonight.

The debate will be broadcast commercial-free on Sky News, Nine, Seven, ABC1 and the ABC’s new News24. For the first time Seven and Nine will divide their audience members by sex so we can see how the Polliegraph (Seven) and the Worm (Nine) react by gender.

Sky’s David Speers will moderate, and the panel will consist of the Daily Telegraph’s Malcolm Farr, the Financial Review’s Laura Tingle and the ABC’s Chris Uhlmann. Lets get ready to rumble (before we all go and watch Masterchef!).