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ABC News 24: when too much non-news is never enough

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While we contemplate the tragedy that has befallen the once great party of Billy McMahon, let us also consider what’s on Bill Shorten’s to do list today. Pop into the office late, check emails, go to question time, make merry, flip through soft furnishing brochures, have a long lie down.

That’s pretty much all Bill Shorten has to do right now. I would add Labor’s tactics yesterday to suspend Question Time and bring forth a vote of no confidence in the Turnbull government were terrible. It would have been a better exercise to drag up Liberal frontbenchers who had voted for the challenger, Peter Dutton, and asked them questions of the “Does the current Prime Minister enjoy your full support?” type. Almost certainly the questions would have been ruled out of order, but it would have made for great theatre.

Look, it’s not all bad news. At least Malcolm Turnbull won a poll for the first time yesterday in what, 18 months or more.

For now, it is enough to know that voters hate what they are seeing. The next Newspoll promises to be such painful reading for the Liberal Party that the numbers may just as well have been toted up by the Marquis de Sade. Thank you, Sir. May I have another?

In times of great tumult, if you are like me you will turn not just to print and online reports but to television for that additional sense of immediacy. I have followed the travails of the Liberal Party, leading to this reckless act of self-destruction on Sky News because it offers the best political coverage on television bar none. It does so without ostentation. It is political news done on the smell of an oily rag. The team led by David Speers is well connected, often reporting on SMS communiques received from members of the beleaguered party in real time.

Full column here.

128 Comments

  • Milton says:

    Thanks to the memory of Entsch, Brendon Nelson gets to give Turnbull a belated bird!

  • Penny says:

    Well I have to say my opinion has totally changed on two things today….ABC television is presuming we want to watch back to bloody back boring details on the swearing in of Morrison and Frydenberg, rehashed over all the political developments from the last few days…..so yes JTI too much repeated news is enough.
    Then I read the press release from Bill Shorten about Malcom Turnbull….I am now an unabashed Shorten fan 🙂

    • jack says:

      yes Penny saw it, very good, not sure it made me a fan but good it was

    • Tracy says:

      Can’t stand the bloke but like you Penny thought it was a very thoughtful piece, Julia Gillard tweet was also very gracious.
      Nice to see that some ex-pm’s can maintain some dignity.

  • Henry Donald J Blofeld says:

    Scott Morrison, your Negative Newspoll Count starts now! 38 is the magic number big boy but methinks the Aussie Voters will rid ourselves of the Lib/Nats Coalition very very soon.

  • Milton says:

    And exit stage left, Julie Bishop. I still thinks she’s got bucket loads of loyalty left but young Josh Frydenberg could be the goods. Hopefully his time in the limelight will put an end to his protracted receding hairline.

  • Carl on the Coast says:

    Yes, Labor’s screeching about not having a government for a day or so is all theater. Belgium didn’t have one for 541 days and the sky didn’t fall in.

    • Jack The Insider says:

      You remember the Libs’ campaign slogan in 2016, Carl? Stable government.

    • Bella says:

      No mate the sky didn’t fall in but the Fibs are now more on the nose than ever. Australians want a stable government who looks after their interests, not one that lies about locking up refugees & the reasons they’re running backwards on our Paris agreement & climate change.
      Morrison & Frydenberg will never listen to what Australians need them to hear, no matter what cunning rhetoric they use.

  • Jean Baptiste says:

    98 back to 36. Hmmn.

  • Jean Baptiste says:

    Well yes, but you have to admit the conservative politicians have been very effective in doing what they are there for.
    And I’m not talking abut what they are ostensibly there for.

    https://www.businessinsider.com.au/rich-list-australia-2018-2018-5
    Whop it up ’em .

  • Jean Baptiste says:

    Are you absolutely certain you will get me the numbers Tony?

  • Dismayed says:

    cormann does not come out if his looking too good. He supported disloyalty. I think he was done over by the far right cons. His voice was very shaky on Fox just now. one has to say turnbull played it pretty well in the end to ensure his choice got up

    • Razor says:

      Absolutely agree

      • Penny says:

        Razor, you know what I thought was sad? There was a photo of Peter Dutton having lunch with his family in a Canberra restaurant all dressed up “in their Sunday best” as the report stated. I presume that this was because he expected to win the leadership spill and they needed to roll out the family for the photos. That tells me that he was used badly by Tony Abbott and cronies. I never thought I’d say this but I feel sorry that he was humiliated this way and for absolutely no beneficial outcome for anybody but Scott Morrison.

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