Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull vows he’s on course for election
MALCOLM Turnbull insists he is the only person who can lead the Liberals to defeat Bill Shorten while also arguing that John Howard has recovered from further behind in the polls to win on election day. EXCLUSIVE PICTURES
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MALCOLM Turnbull insists he is still the right person to defeat Bill Shorten, who he has described as the most “left-wing” ALP leader since Gough Whitlam.
And the PM has also argued Liberal legend John Howard has recovered from further behind in the polls than he is now to win on election day.
In a wideranging interview with The Daily Telegraph on the eve of the latest Newspoll results, Mr Turnbull said “if opinion polls determined who would win elections, Kristina Keneally would be the member for Bennelong and Nick Xenophon would be Premier of South Australia.”
The Australian’s Newspoll today reveals Mr Turnbull has recorded his 30th consecutive loss to Labor, with a two-party preferred vote of 48-52. The Coalition’s primary vote rose from 37 to 38 while Labor’s dropped from 39 to 37.
Thirty losses in-a-row to Labor was one of the main reasons cited by Mr Turnbull when he seized the leadership from Tony Abbott in September 2015.
Despite the latest Newspoll result, the PM claimed the electoral contest between him and Mr Shorten was actually “finely balanced” and they were on a “level pegging.”
“On some polls, on some measures, it’s 50/50. On others, we’re a few points behind, but either way it’s close,” he said.
“What that tells you is that the election is very, very winnable. There have been plenty of cases where Governments have been a long way behind and have gone on to win. John Howard’s Government provides examples of that.”
Asked about Mr Abbott’s constant promotion of an alternate policy agenda, Mr Turnbull said it was the obligation of every MP to ensure unity and discipline.
“It’s very good advice John Howard gave (last week), which is the obligation to maintain the unity and the discipline that political parties need is one that resides with every member of the party,’’ he said.
“Obviously the prime minister, but everyone, so every single MP.’’
But questioned on whether he and Mr Abbott would follow Mr Howard’s other advice to “bury their differences”, Mr Turnbull was not so sure.
“Well, I don’t know. I am just getting on with my job.
“I expect all my colleagues to get on with theirs. The key to politics requires a high degree of discipline, it requires a lot of unity,” he said. But Mr Turnbull has learned from Mr Howard in some respects.
He describes his personal political approach as “calm” and “measured” and said he seeks the counsel of every minister and many backbenchers before making a decision.
“I am operating as closely as I can to the way that John Howard ran his Cabinet. That’s been my objective,” Mr Turnbull said.
In order to turn the polls around over the next 12 months, Mr Turnbull will embrace a political strategy of portraying Mr Shorten as a “real risk” that would jeopardise the Australian way of life, the economy and jobs growth.
Mr Turnbull said Mr Shorten was pursuing an “anti-jobs, anti business, anti-investment and anti-economic growth” agenda.
“He is farther to the left in terms of the policies he is proposing than Gillard, than Rudd, than Hawke or Keating,” he said.
“It’s the most left-wing, anti-business Labor approach I would say in at least two generations and that is a real risk.
“Certainly you have to go back to sort of Whitlam’s era and you’re talking about a completely different world.”
Historically, Mr Turnbull noted, Labor leaders have sought to compete for the middle-ground economically, with even Mr Rudd claiming he was more fiscally conservative than Mr Howard in the 2007 poll.
“Shorten ... wants to have higher taxes on individuals, higher taxes on businesses, higher taxes on retirees, higher taxes on property,’’ Mr Turnbull said.
“He is channelling Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders, particularly Corbyn.’’
At times, Mr Turnbull said he had struggled to get clear air to communicate the Government’s achievements with other topics like the dual citizenship debacle, the same-sex marriage debate, Barnaby Joyce’s personal scandals and last week’s Monash Group statement in relation to coal-fired power dominating the news agenda.
“Obviously these things do distract,” he said.
Pointing to his own achievements, citing the Trans Pacific Partnership deal he brokered and the more than 200 pieces of legislation, he declared: “You know I don’t give up.”
GRILLING MALCOLM
Q Should Tony Abbott stop running an alternative policy agenda to give the Liberal Party the best chance of winning against Shorten?
A It’s very good advice John Howard gave which was the obligation to maintain the unity and the discipline that political parties need is one that resides with every member of the party. Obviously the prime minister, but everyone, so every single MP.
Q Would you be prepared to bury differences with Mr Abbott and his supporters?
A Well. I don’t know. I am just getting on with my job, I expect all my colleagues to get on with theirs. The key to politics requires a high degree of discipline, it requires a lot of unity.
Q Do you think you can win the election given the losing polls?
A There have been plenty of cases where governments have been a long way behind in the polls and have gone on to win elections. If you took that opinion polls determined who would win elections, Kristina Keneally would be the Member for Bennelong and Nick Xenophon would be Premier of South Australia.
Q Has the hate campaign against you by Alan Jones and others been a problem in getting your message through to the public?
A The reality is, what can I say? They’re free to express that. I can tell you it’s not something that is resonating with the public.
Q Is Shorten one of the most left-wing, socialist Labor leaders we’ve had in Australia?
A Yes ... he is far to the left in terms of the policies he is proposing than Gillard, than Rudd, than Hawke or Keating ... He is channelling Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders ... He wants to have higher taxes on individuals, higher taxes on businesses, higher taxes on retirees, higher taxes on property.