The new Malcolm Turnbull debuts at National Press Club

A FRESHLY minted Malcolm Turnbull went on display today. And it was a rarely used method that kept the PM on script.

ANALYSIS

A FRESHLY minted Malcolm Turnbull went on display today.

He is certain about policies, wants voters to think of him as a pragmatist and not an ideologue, and sees himself as a businessman, rather than one of those untrustworthy “politicians”.

A year of turmoil, including an election in which he almost lost government, meant a touch-up was necessary and the 2017 model Prime Minister appeared at the National Press Club.

This version might not appeal to the voters disappointed they no longer see the vintage Malcolm Turnbull and his outspoken convictions on climate change and constitutional reform

But it could go some way to connecting him with voters who thought he was more interested in himself than their problems.

At times he sounded like that much loved Liberal vehicle, the JW Howard.

“We Advance Australia Fair. We are a generous and compassionate people, a fair go and a hand-up if you fall behind,” he said.

“This reflects the essence of mateship — that is deep in our Australian DNA.”

It is useful to recall that in February 2016 Mr Turnbull was thrashing around a thicket of tax proposals — from a rise in the GST to reintroduction of state income taxes — which left many confused and doubting he had a handle on his job.

Today Mr Turnbull had one tax scheme in mind — a cut in corporate rates starting with small and medium enterprises — and he wasn’t sidetracked. An autocue system not often seen at the NPC, made sure he stuck to the script.

PM Malcolm Turnbull addressing the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

And in a period when “politician” is sometimes a dirty word, Mr Turnbull wanted to declare himself free of the restraints binding some opponents.

“I came into politics at the ripe old age of 50,” he told an audience which included the full cabinet.

“I’d spent my whole life in business. I approach issues very objectively, very pragmatically.

“My interest is in results. I am not a political hack. I am not a political animal in the way that some of my — perhaps some of my rivals on the other side of the chamber are.”

He also acknowledged the alarming cynicism many voters have about MPs’ payments, and again separated himself from “politicians”.

“Coming into politics after a lifetime of business, I found the term ‘entitlements’ rather inappropriate,” said Mr Turnbull.

“Politicians’ travel and other expenditures are business expenses and they should be spent prudently and cost effectively. The Australian people are entitled to expect that politicians spend their money appropriately, and feel let down when politicians have not.

“After all, it’s their money, not ours, and we should spend it more frugally than we should spend our own. That’s why I announced the biggest reforms to parliamentarians’ expenses in more than a generation.

“These reforms speak to the very heart of our liberal and national values — transparency, accountability, integrity.”

The prime minister also backed timely reporting of political donation, although his enthusiasm did not stretch to revealing his own gifts to the Liberal Party, which will not be made public until next February.

The careful structure of the address, the Prime Minister’s first major outing of the political year, underlined how cautious he will have to be with the Senate cross bench and other potential obstacles to his legislative program.

He would not, for example, offer a commentary on “the political evolution of One Nation” which has gone from bottom of the Liberal preference list in 2001 to a preference partner in the coming West Australian election.