Why I miss the political passion of Hawke, Howard and Keating

THE budget is an easy sell for a poor political salesman like Malcolm Turnbull. He’ll never match the campaigning gusto of those who rose to power in the previous decades, writes Justin Smith.

AT about the time Scott Morrison was giving us an election-revving budget, former PM Bob Hawke was on the TV in reports that he’d been admitted to hospital.

Thankfully it turned out to be nothing too serious for the 88-year-old. Just a case of “the wobbles” he said.

But seeing that old face and the mass of silver hair, had me thinking about the election that we’re about to get, and how bloody boring it’s going to be.

In file footage, Bob Hawke was shown in a wheelchair and carrying a walking stick, and yet he looked like he could out campaign both Turnbull and Shorten before he finished his morning crossword.

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke came to see Kim Beazley sworn into office as the new Governor of Western Australia earlier this month. (Pic: Tony McDonough)

Last night, the Treasurer presented a crowd-pleasing tax plan. Most people will love it and the Opposition will struggle to combat it, unless they match the plan.

But politically, it was designed for one purpose: to give Malcolm Turnbull something easy sell. Because so far, he has been a failure at his job of salesman.

Many in his own party were shocked at how poorly he campaigned in the last election. They watched him fumble for months as he tried deliver ever the clearest of messages. He argued with journalists about the way they asked their questions, he dribbled out tired expressions like “jobs and growth”, and he walked tensely through crowds like he was about to be mugged.

Malcolm Turnbull knifed a sitting prime minister to get the job — believing that Australia needed him so badly — and then he spent his first campaign looking like an awkward teenager going in for his first kiss.

He made Bill Shorten — a man who has knifed a couple of PMs himself — look empathetic and energetic by compassion. And that’s not easy.

PM Malcolm Turnbull hasn’t been much of a salesman thus far. The crowd pleasing tax plans in the latest budget are an attempt to change that. (Pic: Kym Smith)

And then, after just managing a win, he went on to lose every poll that followed. Not because he has tough opponents, or because of a bad economy, or because there had been a parade of national crises. But because he can’t sell himself. And his party knows it, so they have given him something easy. Tax cuts.

So if you didn’t catch the details of the Scott Morrison’s tax plan, don’t fear, because you’re going to be hearing it from the constantly moving lips of Malcolm Turnbull for months.

And months.

And months.

You’ll be able to hear it when you sleep, and sing it as you shower.

And it will bore you silly. It will make you long for the presence of a real campaigner. Like the one who has been in the Royal North Shore Hospital, or John Howard or Keating.

With these people, you could feel their desperation for the job, as though they were bred to do it. Turnbull has never looked like that. Not while he’s been in the job anyway.

The election campaign has now begun. If you were hoping to see some real campaigning, you may have to go to YouTube and watch some old clips from ‘83, ‘93 and ‘96 to get a dose of political passion.

Because if the last election is any example, you won’t be getting it from the current lot.

Justin Smith is a 3AW presenter and NewsCorp columnist.

@justinsmith3AW

Originally published as Why I miss the political passion of Hawke, Howard and Keating