Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten fought each other to a draw in an election debate that failed to excite and was dominated by questions about economic management, border protection, climate change and trust.
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After the first three weeks of an election campaign which has seen a succession of own goals by both sides, the contest at the National Press Club offered both men a chance to speak directly to voters.
Mr Turnbull began by emphasising the Coalition's economic plan, including a company tax cut designed to stimulate jobs and growth, as he pitched economic management as the government's key strength.
"My government has set out a national economic plan, every single element of which will create stronger economic growth and more and better jobs for Australians," he said.
Mr Shorten, in turn, focused on fairness, arguing Labor's policies were focused on schools and hospitals while attacking the government's plan to cut company taxes and change superannuation for high-income earners.
"The election is about choices. We are not convinced giving the largest banks in Australia $7.4 billion over the next 10 years is good for the budget, Medicare or the nation," he said.
"These economic theories have been tested before by Thatcher and Reagan, but it's a very risky expensive gamble."
The Opposition Leader summed up his populist line of attack over company taxes when he said Mr Turnbull "wants to give them [big banks] a tax cut, I want to give them a royal commission".
But Mr Turnbull fired back by pointing out that Labor treasury spokesman, Chris Bowen, has advocated tax cuts for business and that Labor legend Paul Keating had cut business taxes.
"The stuff about banks and big companies is just a smoke screen. He has no plan for economic growth," Mr Turnbull said.
Two of the most contentious issues in the campaign - Labor's negative gearing reforms and the Coalition's plan to deal with union and construction sector lawlessness - were not directly mentioned once.
But both men were confronted over trust and their role in removing sitting prime ministers.
In a reference to his role in knifing Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, Mr Shorten said Labor had "learnt its lesson about that difficult period", whereas Mr Turnbull's response was weaker, avoiding talking about this axing of Tony Abbott.
But the Prime Minister seized on the trust issue to question Labor's decision late last week to junk about $9.2 billion in promises, including restoring the Schoolkids Bonus, reviewing the pensions asset tests changes and restoring aged care funding.
"Uncluttered by any consultation with his shadow cabinet, he made that decision on the run. Now, how can you believe any promise that he has made?" Mr Turnbull asked.
The Prime Minister landed a blow when he warned Labor was "hopelessly divided" over boat turnbacks.
"If Bill becomes prime minister, his government will be tested by the people smugglers...Australians cannot trust Labor to keep the border security."
An angry Mr Shorten said Mr Turnbull should be ashamed for "giving the people smugglers any hope they could be back in business".
The pair then went on to trade blows over climate change, with Mr Shorten questioning Mr Turnbull's commitment to the issue and the Prime Minister signalling Australia signing up to deeper emissions cuts in the future.
The debate at the National Press Club is the second time the two leaders have squared off in the campaign.
With five weeks to go until polling day, the Coalition has a slender 51-49 per cent lead in the two-party preferred vote over Labor in the most recent Fairfax-Ipsos poll published two Saturdays ago, but a Seven News/ReachTELpoll released on Friday gave Labor a 52-48 lead.
