Exchanges about banks and housing dominated the first election debate with prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's full-throated defence of bankers and real estate agents standing out to the audience.
Turnbull attacked Labor leader Bill Shorten's position on negative gearing, claiming everyone's "rents (will) increase if Bill becomes prime minister."
"The real estate agents are all at one. they know Labor's policy will lower home values and jack up rates," said Turnbull.
The PM was talking about today's News Corp story which ran with heaps of real estate agents crying loudly about Labor's negative gearing policy.
Except in the room ... well, it died.
One person clapped as Turnbull said we should listen to real estate agents #peoplesforum
Because Aussies really f*cking hate real estate agents.
Turnbull cites real estate agents as his authority on the property market. Like asking butchers about the advantages of meat. #peoplesforum
Then when the idea of banks popped up, Turnbull claimed Shorten was demonising the banks and don't worry because he had given them "a lecture".
"Here you've got Bill who wants to be prime minister of Australia who says you should line the banks up as though they're accused of a crime, as though they're all criminals," said Turnbull.
But then people clapped.
Shorten was able to get some applause when he said, "I bet they just went home and changed their practices when they had a lecture from you."