Strange Politics: Tech-gaffes and soggy socks on the trail

OPINION: Unions embarrass our alleged "tech whiz" Prime Minister while Shorten and Abbott get soggy socks. How good are elections?

Strange Politics: The Turnbull Coalition Team needs to lift its game when it comes to sneaky cyber-squatting. Picture: Digitally altered

AN EMBARRASSING techno-gaffe has befallen Malcolm Turnbull just days after releasing his sleek new campaign logo, and the unions are having a deep old belly-guffaw at his expense.

The Prime Minister's circular symbol of his race back to the newly renovated Lodge in Canberra is an elegant blue and gold affair that curiously resembles the official seal of the CIA.

It spruiks his election squad as "The Turnbull Coalition Team", conspicuously forgoing any mention of the Liberal Party.

Only problem, the former Communications Minister and alleged tech-whiz forgot to buy the domain names for his website.

Those tricky little blighters at the Australian Workers' Union snapped up the domain name TurnbullCoalitionTeam.com (and dot-au) as soon as they learnt of the re-branding.

Our PM forgot to register the domain names for his new brand. Thanks Malcolm, we own them now. #auspol #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/IVla7npcSZ

— AWU (@AWUnion) May 11, 2016

While writing this, the websites were still parked domains and no condescending and downright nasty content had been uploaded. But that is sure to change.

AWU Queensland secretary Ben Swan said they "went on a shopping spree", buying up 12 domain names using different blends of Turnbull's new slogan: "The plan for a strong new economy".

It might seem like an easy slip-up. But consider that, ahead of last year's budget, the party bought the domain name AbbottLies.com.au and redirected all traffic to the Liberals' website spruiking the May budget.

Just last month, it emerged the party had also registered such web addresses as NotHappyMalcolm.com, Libs.fail and Liberal.wtf. Donald Trump did the same with JebBush.com, redirecting it back to his own website.

The Liberals have form and it was an obvious blunder.

Just like Greens leader Richard Di Natale's self-perjury effort last month, when he told the National Press Club his party "haven't done internal polling. We don't waste our money on that".

Now Fairfax has documents revealing the Greens' campaign manager got in touch with polling company ReachTEL the very next day to conduct the same number-scrunching the party apparently did not waste its money on.

It was for the seat of Eden-Monaro, my favourite electorate name behind Batman because it reminds me of my childhood mate's backyard in Cairns (his brother's idea of paradise was a yard full of rusted-out Holden husks).

Maybe the press club interview prompted the Greens' memory and they decided to jump on a new tactic because polls can be pretty dang helpful in an election campaign. Either way, Di Natale's credibility was somewhat dampened by the bungle.

Which brings us to our next clumsy segue: both Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten getting slightly soggy this week.

Video of a lonesome Abbott, standing in the depressing Sydney drizzle handing out how-to-vote cards to underwhelmed commuters at a train station, got my sympathy glands pumping.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten runs thru a sprinkler this morning on his Birthday in Townsville #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/4mxdlFFKwM

— kym smith (@kymbo9) May 11, 2016

Especially when an irate iPhone wielder recorded himself calling our former prime minister a "homophobic dinosaur" and threw unnecessary expletives his way before uploading the footage to Facebook.

Even begrudgingly, you have to admire Abbott for sticking it out in the mud with obvious antagonism directed his way. Bill Shorten's waterlogged moment happened on Thursday (his birthday, no less) when he went for a photo-opp jog through a park in Townsville.

Not even a potential prime minister can escape the relentless threat of automated sprinkler systems, and he and his band of joggers copped a soaking in front of the cameras.

Now all that remains to decide is who to vote for.

Easy, right?

Personally, I am waiting until the party leaders start skolling beers for the cameras. Quickest beer-bonger wins the race.

STRANGE POLITICS with Chris Calcino