"It'll be a bit of an arm-wrestle between Channel Nine and the ABC for the third one." After a day of furious argument over Labor's position, Labor moved on Friday night to propose a National Press Club debate rather than one with the ABC or Nine, writing to the club to suggest lunchtime on May 8 as the date. "We request that the debate be facilitated by a panel of journalists, including a representative from Nine, ABC and a journalist nominated by the National Press Club," Labor National Secretary Noah Carroll wrote. Liberal Party director Andrew Hirst said Mr Shorten should agree to a prime time television debate if he had nothing to hide about his policies. "Bill Shorten will clearly do anything to avoid prime time scrutiny. Mr Shorten either can't or won't explain his plans for higher taxes and he hopes the Australian people won't notice."

The National Press Club earlier expressed concern that its proposal for a national debate, provided to all television networks in prime time, had not been taken up by the major parties. Monday's debate is being hosted by The West Australian newspaper and the Seven Network and will air on the lower-rating 7TWO channel rather than the network's main channel. It will air at 7pm AEST. The debate in Brisbane on Friday, May 3, is a "people's forum" hosted by Sky News, airing at 6.30pm. Nine Entertainment, the owner of the The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, sent a joint proposal from the Nine Network and the newspapers for a debate to both major parties in early March. The Coalition indicated it wanted to accept the offer but Labor initially declined. Nine Network news director Darren Wick said the network reached 12 million viewers and was "disappointed" Labor had not recognised the opportunity to impress voters.

"It's critical voters are fully informed on the policies of all parties and gain an unbiased insight into the people putting themselves forward to lead this nation," he said. Loading ABC news director Gaven Morris also said Mr Shorten had turned down an invitation to a debate. "The ABC also invited the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to a debate to be broadcast in primetime on radio and television and across the national broadcaster's ABC news platforms. The Opposition Leader declined the invitation," Mr Morris said. Labor said it was wrong to suggest it was avoiding scrutiny, adding that it was open to further debates.

Coalition campaign headquarters triggered the public dispute on Friday by saying it wanted more debates but that Mr Shorten was refusing because he expected voters to "rubber-stamp" him. Mr Morrison intensified the attack by saying he was happy to have debates with Mr Shorten in addition to the two debates next week. "We've got two coming up this next week but for some reason he doesn't want to have them in the last two weeks of the campaign," he said. "I'm happy to have one with Nine. We're having one with Seven on Monday. We're having one with Sky at the end of [next] week. I'd be happy to have one with the ABC. "I've personally been in touch with [ABC television host] Leigh Sales. I said I'd be quite happy for Leigh Sales, Bill Shorten and I in the same room. Fine by me."