7News Viewers hand victory to Abbott

7News Viewers have overwhelmingly handed victory in the third leadership debate to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Using the exclusive 7News Viewer Vote technology, 67% said Mr Abbott had emerged from the Rooty Hill People's Forum as the victor.

Asked who they would vote for at the election, 64% of voters said they would vote for the coalition, 28% chose Labor and three per cent said they would vote for the Greens.

Two per cent of voters said they remain undecided, and three per cent chose 'other'.

Mr Rudd went into tonight’s People’s Forum, held at the Rooty Hill RSL in western Sydney, knowing he is set for a significant defeat on September 7 if his poll numbers don’t improve.

Western Sydney will be crucial to both parties' chances on election day, with several marginal seats expected to fall to the Coalition, handing them power.

Both leaders faced questions from 100 undecided voters. Here's how the night unfolded.

OPENING REMARKS: Mr Rudd opened tonight's debate making a direct pitch to western Sydney voters, advocating the work his government has done in building up skills and protecting jobs through the Global Financial Crisis.

Taking aim at Mr Abbott's Paid parental Leave scheme, Mr Rudd said the people of western Sydney will be paying for millionaires to have children.

Mr Abbott hit back, saying the Australian people deserve a better future and a better government.

The Opposition Leader said he would make building the WestConnex motorway a priority for western Sydney. He also said he'd scrap the carbon tax and crack down on crime in western Sydney if elected.

"I know western Sydney, I love Sydney. I think we are a great country and a great people. I just don't think we can afford another three years like the last six", he said.

LEADERSHIP: Asked if he had undermined former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and if he 'honestly believes the Australian people didn't see through it', Mr Rudd said he is working to reform his party.

Mr Rudd didn't directly answer the question, but spruiked his party reforms, which he says ensure Labor's leadership chaos will never happen again.

COSTINGS: On the issue of costings, Mr Rudd hit out at Mr Abbott, saying that with 10 days to go, it is time for the coalition to reveal its full costings.

Mr Abbott said Labor has been irresponsible with Australians' money, and his party is the better economic manager.

Mr Abbott hit out Labor's five budget deficits, to which Mr Rudd responded that his government had to make its way through the years of the GFC.

On the issue of election costings, Mr Abbott said Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey had today revealed $31billion in savings, but dodged the issue of when he will release his full costings.

Mr Abbott said he would reveal them well before the election.

EDUCATION: Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he is passionate about education, and wants his grandchildren to have the same opportunities he was able to give his children.

Mr Abbott said he particularly appreciates the way independent schools are run, and would like to see some of those characteristics taken on in the public system.

Mr Rudd asked why the coalition won't commit to the full six-year Gonski education funding cycle.

Mr Abbott said he is taking the responsible line and not over-committing himself.

ECONOMY: Asked how we could trust a party which hasn't delivered a surplus since the 80s, Mr Rudd once again responded that Australia had to make its way through the GFC.

Mr Rudd then hit out at some of the savings which will effect small businesses, announced today by the coalition.

Mr Abbott acknowledged that some of his cuts may hurt small business, but said it was the economically responsible thing to do, in order to deliver a surplus.

HEALTH: Mr Abbott says he has always wanted to have Medicare funding of dental treatment.

"Medicare funds all parts of the body except the mouth", he said.

Mr Abbott said he implemented dental health policies as health minister in the Howard government, which were scrapped by the current government.

The Opposition Leader said he supports Labor's current dental scheme, but does aspire to introduce Medicare funding of dental health at an unspecified time in the future.

Mr Abbott pledged to not cut Medicare services if elected.

Mr Rudd said his party had introduced Denticare, which he hoped to expand on in the future.

JOBS: Asked how they would boost the economy to create more skilled and un-skilled jobs, both leaders said the economy and jobs were at the centre of this election debate.

Mr Rudd said he feared for a potential Abbott government, and the cuts it would make in order to fill its alleged budget black holeq, which the PM says would cost jobs.

Mr Rudd once-again claimed the coalition has a $70billion black hole it needs to fill, and that could only come from cuts to services.

The PM said his government is diversifying the economy and investing in education, both of which are crucial to Australia's future in the post-mining boom era.

The Opposition Leader said he would abolish the carbon and mining taxes and cut red tape.

Mr Abbott said business has been over-burdened by taxes and regulation under the Labor government, and he would free them to grow again.

QUESTION TIME: One voter gave both leaders the chance to ask each other a question.

Mr Abbott challenged the PM to give a positive reason to vote for Labor, not just tear down the Opposition.

taking the ball with both hands, Mr Rudd highlighted his party's health and education reforms, and the NBN.

Mr Rudd said these reforms are crucial to the nation's future, and joked that he hoped Mr Abbott would vote for Labor on September 7.

Mr Rudd then challenged the opposition leader to release the full costings of 200 policies, so far announced but uncosted by the coalition.

Mr Abbott said the PM is once-again being negative rather than positive, but refused to reveal when he would release his costings.

Mr Abbott said he would reveal his numbers well before the election, and that economic responsibilities is in his party's DNA.

Mr Rudd called the answer 'waffle cubed'.

PROMISES: Mr Abbott said he is determined to keep all of his promises, including the promise to return to a surplus faster than Labor.

Mr Abbott said his commitments so far are 'fairly modest', because he didn't want to break his word, as former PM Julia Gillard did with the carbon tax in 2011.

Mr Abbott said he plans to 'under promise and over deliver' as Prime Minister. The Opposition Leader appeared to indicate it was more important to keep his promises than to return to surplus.

Prime Minister Rudd gave an absolute guarantee to honour his promises.

DISABILITYCARE: Both leaders appeared to strike a note of bipartisanship on care for the disabled and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to former PM Julia Gillard and to Mr Abbott, saying both helped to make the NDIS happen.

Mr Abbott agreed, saying the NDIS is an idea whose time has come.

UNEMPLOYMENT: Mr Abbott said he is determined to get more people into full time jobs, but the only way to do that is to boost the economy.

The Opposition Leader said it was his main priority to get people into any paid-work, not just full time work.

The PM promoted his government's history, saying Australia has a AAA credit rating, low unemployment and has continued decades of continuous economic growth - all important elements for a growing job market.

Mr Rudd also spruiked his party's trades training programs, which he says boost skills, which will boost employment for young people.

ENVIRONMENT: Prime Minister Rudd said climate change will have the biggest effect on the environment in the future, and his party's price on carbon was the best way to tackle it.

Mr Rudd said it's important to be part of a global solution to climate change, and the best way to do that is to put a price on carbon.

Mr Abbott reverted to the economy, saying a strong economy is able to put better environmental protections in place.

The Opposition Leader mentioned his 'green army', of 15,000 volunteers, which he called 'practical environmentalism'.

Mr Rudd questioned why the Coalition would scrap the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Mr Abbott said it simply wasn't responsible economic policy.

FOREIGN OWNERSHIP: Mr Abbott said foreign ownership is often in the national interest, injecting millions of dollars into the economy.

Mr Abbott said his party will lower the threshold for the Foreign Investment Review Board to review purchases of land by foreign interests.

The PM said joint ventures of both domestic and external investment are the best way to go.

Appearing to flag a new approach to foreign policy, Mr Rudd said he is 'quite anxious' about foreign ownership, and Australia may need to adopt a more cautious approach in the future.

SUPERANNUATION: Why can't we free up our own super to make investments to boost the economy, one voter asked.

Mr Rudd said this is a tough question, and there's no easy answer, but superannuation is crucial for Australians later in life, when they no longer have an income.

The PM said superannuation has been great for Australia, but he is willing to think about 'more flexible' access to superannuation.

The Opposition Leader agreed, saying that superannuation is crucial for Australia's ageing population.

Mr Abbott used the opportunity to attack the government, saying Labor had raided super whenever it needed a cash injection.

CLOSING REMARKS: Prime Minister Rudd returned to the theme of jobs, and continued to foreshadow cuts made by a future Abbott government.

Mr Rudd said his government was managing the economy as it transitions away from the mining boom, while saying investing in health, education and childcare.

Mr Rudd once again attacked the coalition's paid parental leave scheme and decision not to release its policy costings so close to polling day.

Mr Abbott countered, saying the debate is not about him, it's about the Australian people.

The Opposition Leader defended his paid parental leave scheme, saying it would be paid by big business, not Australian workers.

Mr Abbott also promised to 'stop the boats, get the budget under control, and deliver the NBN cheaper and sooner.'

Mr Abbott promised to scrap the carbon tax, build infrastructure and end the leadership chaos in Canberra.