Australian Independent Debate Commission could signal the end of ‘heated debates on debates’ | Australian politics

It was the proposal that was to take the heat out of when and where the leaders of the two major parties would debate each other up to the election.

But a take-it-or-leave-it model for an “Australian debate commission” circulated by the government – far from cementing the body’s independence – suggests that six of its 10 members be appointed by either the government, the opposition, the Liberals or the Labor the manager offices.

The model also suggests that if no consensus is reached on when, where and how to engage, three debates will be cut down to just one outing in Canberra, overseen by the government-appointed “independent” commissioner or their choice of moderator.

At the conclusion of the third leader’s debate in May 2019, Scott Morrison and the then opposition leader, Bill Shorten, both pledged to set up “an independent debate commission”.

On Thursday, the special prime minister, Ben Morton, wrote to the federal leaders of the parliamentary and organizational wings of the Liberal and Labor parties, the public service broadcasters ABC and SBS, the three media organizations that own free-to-air television. stations, News Corp Australasia, the National Press Club and the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery.

In the letter, seen by Guardian Australia, Morton sought approval of a prescriptive set of rules described as a “precondition” for the commission and warns that it will not be established “unless there is agreement to do so from all relevant parties and media organizations.” The parties have until November 22 to sign up.

Morton explained that at least for the 2022 election, the commission will “have no formal or legal status” but will be supported by the finance department and cease operations two months after the election.

The framework proposes a commission of 10 people consisting of two representatives from each of the Liberal Party and the Labor Party; an independent commissioner appointed by each of the government and the opposition; two representatives from the broadcast media companies; and the club’s CEO and president of the gallery.

The 20 “basic principles” stipulate that there will be three debates in each election campaign, with one to be held in a regional venue and at least one in Canberra.

Debates will include one with a moderator and a panel, a town hall with a moderator and audience participation and one with a single moderator.

But as the rules claim that “two interviews broadcast on the same evening by a single program are considered a debate” – even back-to-back appearances by the two leaders at ABC’s 7.30 or at a Q&A special may constitute a “debate”.

Debates will be delivered to all networks, but no one may overlay the broadcast “with a worm or similar device” that records audience approval and rejection in real time.

All Commission decisions must be taken by consensus, and its deliberations are confidential. It is overseen by the convener, the government-appointed “independent commissioner”.

“The date and place of all debates must be agreed within seven days of the subpoenas being issued,” Morton’s proposal said.

“If the commission is unable to reach a consensus, a single debate will be held in Canberra during the election campaign, with the commission convener as the individual moderator (or their nominees) without panel or audience participation.”

ABC AM’s Sabra Lane, the former press club president, took note of the proposal on Friday and asked if the major parties and media organizations could agree on it.

Andrew Hirst, federal director of the Liberal Party, said it supported the commission, which he hoped would put an end to “sane debates about debates”.

“The proposal put forward by Minister Morton is a good one and we look forward to working with the government, the opposition and media organizations on its establishment,” Hirst told Guardian Australia.

The board of the National Press Club and the Press Gallery Committee have yet to consider the proposal. The gallery’s president, David Crowe, said a commission “should be set up”.

In the United States, debates are overseen by the Commission on Presidential Debates, a not-for-profit. Since 1989, the two major parties have had no input into their rules and no sitting officers on their membership numbers.

Morton said his proposal “meets the prime minister’s obligation to provide security around the debate process leading up to the federal election”.

“I am convinced that this model will create clarity around the debate process and allow Australians to focus on the issues that matter most,” he told Guardian Australia.

In his letter, Morton said the proposal strikes a “balance between having sufficient details or rails to enable agreement to set up a commission while allowing the commission to carry out its work”.

Guardian Australia contacted Morrison and Australian Labor Party Secretary of State Paul Erickson for comment.