Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson declines three-way debate, sparking criticism

Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson has declined to participate in a three-way leaders’ debate scheduled by the Nine Network for November 5, citing a preference to avoid sharing the stage with One Nation’s state leader Warren Pickering. Premier Ben Carroll confirmed his attendance, while Pickering is also slated to appear.

Wilson told reporters she is willing to debate Carroll "any day" but did not address the invitation to Pickering. The Liberal Party has maintained that it wants a head-to-head contest between the two major parties, while the network argues that voters should hear all candidates, including One Nation, which polls show could attract up to a quarter of the Victorian electorate.

Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett, writing in the Herald Sun, suggested Wilson’s stance reflects a degree of hubris and warned her team not to rely on poll numbers alone. Former federal minister Josh Frydenberg, quoted in a memoir, likened the rise of One Nation to similar anti-establishment movements in the United States and United Kingdom, emphasizing the need for major parties to engage these voters.

The debate dispute has intensified political rhetoric, with both Wilson and Carroll accusing each other of avoiding the forum. Analysts note that One Nation, while unlikely to win many lower-house seats, could hold the balance of power in the upper house, making its inclusion in the debate a point of strategic importance for all parties ahead of the election.