Party Games: Turnbull, Shorten prepare for leaders debate
THIS weekend’s leaders debate will be the most watched event of this election campaign. And Malcolm Turnbull may struggle, going in with a long list of “what to do” and “what not to do”.
Analysis
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THIS weekend’s leaders debate will be the most watched event of this election campaign.
While this doesn’t sound like a big deal given nothing has attracted a large audience so far, the combination of ABC television and pay TV should provide a lounge room audience of about a million.
The leaders will go into the debate seeking to win and, in their own ways, will have to manage expectations.
Malcolm Turnbull, who finds it hard to manage expectations because he presumes everyone has very high ones of himself, will have to dampen down his performance so he doesn’t come across as a smart alec.
Turnbull suffers from the smartest guy in the room affliction. He reckons he is, and usually he’s right but to make things worse, he doesn’t mind driving home the point.
This causes him to explain things from the beginning - which is why people refer to “Mal-splaining” or the habit of the Prime Minister to go through an issue from the most basic.
His handlers will also want him to refrain from name-dropping. His propensity to quote the head of the International Monetary Fund or a friend at the Federal Reserve is an instant turn-off for Turnbull.
Bill Shorten will have the easier task as expectations for him will be lower. He will only have to show up, not swear and stay awake.
That might be a bit unfair but Shorten won’t have too much trouble making general criticisms of Turnbull and then predicting the world will end if the Coalition is returned.
Shorten is so adept at hearing the question, processing the answer through a carefully programmed set of focus group-tested responses and - after a just perceptible delay - roll out a slick crowd-pleasing line.
So, Shorten will get the better lines up and have more research-friendly answers while Turnbull might find it hard going.
These contests more often than not go to the challenger but don’t always make much difference.
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