Will the Turnbull strategy of considered media cowardice pay off?

[Play by Numbers]

He dodged the town hall on Sky, which he copped a small slap for, but given the viewer numbers and support Turnbull has with News, little came of it.

Now after a very direct and impressive performance on the ABC, where Shoerten was hammered with queries, but remained composed even under constant fishing and interruption by Jones, you have to wonder, will the media call out Turnbull over his strategy of avoiding debates and walking from pressers at any sign of heat. Ones hopes next week they go just as hard at Malcolm.

No head to head on Q&A is a big one for me, after Jones challenge.

It's been a pattern of his campaign, if there is bad news, or hard questions he walks or cancels interviews.

Given even the progressive guardian have been relatively easy on Turnbull to this point, I think the public or press may start to take note. When the opposition not only turns up, but surprises, then things may swing.

Sitting back, avoiding non scripted media time and hoping to pick at gotchas blown up by News, is a weak strategy that even they may become tired of

 

[pazza]

Think back to 1993.

Hewson basically hid in the final week of that campaign - even not turning up to the Press Club as was tradition at the time. So bad had Hewson's campaign been, he couldn't be bothered turning up to be grilled anywhere except where he had control of the discussion.

Will such hiding affect Turnbull this time around? Who knows.

 

[Showbags]

TBF to Turnbull he is appearing on Q and A next week.

But I honestly reckon he is worried about going head to head with Shorten. He has been outperformed in every head to head battle against Shorten so far.

Also he probably thinks he is ahead and doesn't need to chase the game so to speak. No major guffs or *ups and the government will be returned either with a slender majority or in a hung parliament.

Whether that strategy works we will have to wait and see. Its absolutely soft though and feeds into the narrative that he is a gutless wonder.

 

[Play by Numbers]

Think back to 1993.

Hewson basically hid in the final week of that campaign - even not turning up to the Press Club as was tradition at the time. So bad had Hewson's campaign been, he couldn't be bothered turning up to be grilled anywhere except where he had control of the discussion.

Will such hiding affect Turnbull this time around? Who knows.

Interesting with todays report by the Australia Institute, that they are the worst economic managers since Menzies.

The tactic of being the opposition party of government, waiting for Labor policy then throwing rocks, could end badly.

TBF to Turnbull he is appearing on Q and A next week.

But I honestly reckon he is worried about going head to head with Shorten. He has been outperformed in every head to head battle against Shorten so far.

Also he probably thinks he is ahead and doesn't need to chase the game so to speak. No major guffs or ****ups and the government will be returned either with a slender majority or in a hung parliament.

I think it's because they believe they have the media onside. Given how little criticism he has received, I think it's more a case of they believe that even progressive outlets will pick Shortens policy apart if they are starved of scandal.

For example, the NBN policy, which was well received by techies, was sneared at by the smh business section, not on substance but more just because it existed. Like the writer was desperate for negatives.

But at some point it will stop working. Strategy will be labelled cowardly, and it looks especially bad when bad news, arrives whilst a candidate previously described as boring appears primeministerial.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Whether that strategy works we will have to wait and see. Its absolutely soft though and feeds into the narrative that he is a gutless wonder.

This is the trick with such a long election. Turnbull has had the storm battering the East Coast and that let him look Prime Ministerial (has he ever thought he needed another credential other than looking Presidential?), but now it's another week and Shorten continues to lead on policy and look more and more Prime Ministerial every day. We get used to seeing Shorten, and Shorten himself seems relaxed about it all. 'Relaxed and comfortable' is the sort of stability that Howard presented and we kept him around for a decade.

Turnbull on the other-hand has in-fighting in his own Cabinet (which is why they keep publicising policies and then backing down on them a few days later) in-fighting in his own party (the Abbott supporters) and in-fighting in his own head (which version of which policy does he now believe in?).

 

[kickazz]

This is what happens when electioneering takes over.

When Turnbull usurped the leadership I was excited when he said he'd follow John Key's approach of really explaining his policies to the electorate.

Disappointed that he hasn't really followed through on this. Taking up opportunities for more than a three second sound byte would be a good start.

 

[JoseMourinho]

This is what happens when electioneering takes over.

When Turnbull usurped the leadership I was excited when he said he'd follow John Key's approach of really explaining his policies to the electorate.

Disappointed that he hasn't really followed through on this. Taking up opportunities for more than a three second sound byte would be a good start.

As I said, all he is good at is talking. Shouldn't have got further than being a spokesperson.

 

[kickazz]

As I said, all he is good at is talking. Shouldn't have got further than being a spokesperson.

But he isn't even doing that - he is avoiding longer engagements and "jobs and growth" is all we hear....

 

[JackOutback]

Quite possibly; voters are definitely tuning out after a long campaign, the numbers are barely moving in polls, I think his tactic is just to avoid gaffes and sneak over the line. The media definitely seem to have an infatuation with Malcolm (that Shaun Micallef has amusingly called out), so it will be interesting to see what kind of response he gets on Q&A where it's the public rather than the media in control. Shorten did quite well, though he got a little snappy at times and almost came across as arrogant. Yes, Tony Jones interrupted him a bit, but that was because like all pollies, Shorten was often trying to answer his own questions rather than the ones posed. All pollies should be called out on that.

 

[Benny78]

My biggest hopes for this election are for all QLDers lose their jobs to 457's and industrial relation laws.

That will knock some sense in their head. The people who hurt the nation last election, will now become the hurt. And can apologize to the rest of us by voting out their mistake.

What a backward state where the worker (most unskilled/low income) vote for the party that's completely against their own interests. Not many three digit IQ scores over there I'd imagine.

They're on the mental level of sacrificing their own health/education/their employee rights all because Rudd knocked up Sally on last weeks episode of the bold of the beautiful. They're stupid simpletons. Honestly.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Quite possibly; voters are definitely tuning out after a long campaign, the numbers are barely moving in polls, I think his tactic is just to avoid gaffes and sneak over the line. The media definitely seem to have an infatuation with Malcolm (that Shaun Micallef has amusingly called out), so it will be interesting to see what kind of response he gets on Q&A where it's the public rather than the media in control. Shorten did quite well, though he got a little snappy at times and almost came across as arrogant. Yes, Tony Jones interrupted him a bit, but that was because like all pollies, Shorten was often trying to answer his own questions rather than the ones posed. All pollies should be called out on that.

Shorten probably had memories of how Dyson Heydon did him over by making his completely un-judge-like comment at the Royal Commission. Pure politics from Heydon designed to make for big headlines in the newspapers.

Shorten didn't avoid any questions. He was straight up with people. e.g. A pensioner asked for a raise in the pension, and Shorten said it would be indexed, that they'd stopped the Liberals reducing the indexation calculation, plus Labor would help with medical costs. Jones then asked if they would raise it above indexation and he said 'no'. Fair enough. But a fair few other times Jones came in with his questions which he often tacks onto the audience questions. They can be good, but they're regularly the kind of 'inside the beltway' type questions that actually undercut the simple thing an audience member has asked.

 

[Play by Numbers]

So, will qanda allow questioners to grill Malcolm over the NBN?

 

[pjcrows]

Yes. They will retain Government so it will be considered a great campaign.

 

[Pessimistic]

Quite possibly; voters are definitely tuning out after a long campaign, the numbers are barely moving in polls, I think his tactic is just to avoid gaffes and sneak over the line. The media definitely seem to have an infatuation with Malcolm (that Shaun Micallef has amusingly called out), so it will be interesting to see what kind of response he gets on Q&A where it's the public rather than the media in control. Shorten did quite well, though he got a little snappy at times and almost came across as arrogant. Yes, Tony Jones interrupted him a bit, but that was because like all pollies, Shorten was often trying to answer his own questions rather than the ones posed. All pollies should be called out on that.

Jones interrupted him while he was answering questions. its pretty much the opposite to what you are suggesting

eg the indigenous guy. His point wasn't to make Shorten say it was an 'Invasion" but that was Jones 'cute' little line of questioning

 

[Pessimistic]

So, will qanda allow questioners to grill Malcolm over the NBN?

Or ask what exactly was the libs performance on "Jobson Growth" over the last term seeing as Abbott promised almost a million new jobs.

And seeing as they have failed the promise from last time, why people should believe his core mantra this time?

 

[Gough]

Or ask what exactly was the libs performance on "Jobson Growth" over the last term seeing as Abbott promised almost a million new jobs.

And seeing as they have failed the promise from last time, why people should believe his core mantra this time?

If we're to judge this government, as they asked us to judge the previous one, it should lose in a landslide to the ALP.

 

[Pessimistic]

If we're to judge this government, as they asked us to judge the previous one, it should lose in a landslide to the ALP.

You'd suspect that message will be the one Shorten hammers home in the final weeks. They've been particularly poor.

 

[Gough]

You'd suspect that message will be the one Shorten hammers home in the final weeks. They've been particularly poor.

Phil Coorey is suggesting that TA is sniffing around the Defence portfolio should the Libs get back in, Allah help us.

 

[Showbags]

If Abbott takes a knife to defence spending like he did when he was Health Minister then im all for it.

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

Phil Coorey is suggesting that TA is sniffing around the Defence portfolio should the Libs get back in, Allah help us.

That makes way too much sense. I guess that's 10 subs to stop the boats and 2 for shark-watch on the northern beaches.

 

[JackOutback]

Jones interrupted him while he was answering questions. its pretty much the opposite to what you are suggesting

eg the indigenous guy. His point wasn't to make Shorten say it was an 'Invasion" but that was Jones 'cute' little line of questioning

I disagree. I didn't see the same indigenous question, but I saw the question on secrecy. Shorten kept trying to direct his answers to whistleblowing when the clear intent of the question was immigration. Jones got him there in the end.

 

[Pessimistic]

It was the closest thing to immigration and asylum seekers, which shorten answered comprehensively

 

[Sinjin Smith]

If Abbott takes a knife to defence spending like he did when he was Health Minister then im all for it.

Why would you support that?

 

[madmug]

It must be hard for Turnbull to play the small target. He has such a big mouth so having to keep it shut would be killing him

 

[Showbags]

Why would you support that?

Spending billions on submarines and defence is ridiculous when the government keeps saying our healthcare system in unsustainable and they cant afford to fund Gonski. Warped priorities.