▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁election ▁commer ci als ▁was ▁corrected ▁after ▁it ▁incorrectly ▁said ▁Wayne ▁Sw an ▁and ▁Craig ▁Em erson ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁union ▁officials . ▁ ▁Le aders ' ▁debate ▁A ▁debate ▁between ▁the ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁and ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁under ▁the ▁moder ation ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Press ▁Club , ▁was ▁shown ▁live ▁on ▁ABC ▁TV , ▁the ▁N ine ▁Network , ▁and ▁Sky ▁News ▁Australia ▁at ▁ 7 . 3 0   pm ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁October . ▁Rud d ▁had ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁three ▁deb ates ▁between ▁himself ▁and ▁Howard , ▁while ▁Howard , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁r ated ▁poor ly ▁by ▁studio ▁aud ien ces ▁at ▁past ▁leadership ▁deb ates , ▁pressed ▁for ▁a ▁single ▁debate . ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 . 4   mill ion ▁Austral ians ▁watched ▁the ▁event , ▁with ▁N ine ▁aver aging ▁ 1 . 4 2   mill ion , ▁the ▁ABC ▁aver aging ▁ 9 0 7 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁Sky ▁News ▁aver aging ▁ 6 2 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁last ▁election ▁debate ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁was ▁watched ▁by ▁ 1 . 7 7   mill ion ▁on ▁N ine ▁and ▁the ▁ABC , ▁while ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁average ▁aud ien ces ▁on ▁N ine , ▁Seven ▁and ▁the ▁ABC ▁total led ▁ 2 . 4 4   mill ion . ▁David ▁Spe ers , ▁Sky ▁News '