Turnbull suffering election-itis as mammoth campaign takes toll on health

The PM has been sick as a dog for days as this mammoth campaign nears its home stretch. Is it going to affect the outcome?

Flu-like symptoms are taking their toll on Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: Stefan Postles

IT WAS he who called this mammoth, eight-week campaign, but Malcolm Turnbull is showing clear signs the strain is getting to him as he enters the home stretch.

The Prime Minister is looking increasingly tired and blotchy, with deep bags under his eyes, and has sought medical advice for flu-like symptoms.

The signs he was under the weather began to emerge on Saturday, when he sniffled his way through a press conference at a Melbourne netball club.

At Sunday’s truck rally in Sydney, it became clear he was battling a heavy cold, with his voice breaking during a speech to owner drivers and his eyes puffy and red.

When reporters asked afterwards if he thought he would make it to the end of the campaign, he thanked them for their concern and said he’d accept advice for flu remedies.

The PM has tried to brush off his “man flu” but with the two parties neck-and-neck and just under a fortnight to go, a sub-par performance could be devastating for his election result.

He made an early start in western Sydney yesterday, where he was seen coughing and spluttering while announcing funding for urban development and farewelling Australian Paralympians. He then flew to Brisbane for a hoarse Q&A appearance, but maintained he “sounded worse than he felt.”

There’s no rest for the wicked on this exhausting campaign trail, with both Mr Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten working non-stop, putting in up to 18-hour days, including weekends.

The Prime Minister ramped up his schedule last week, appearing at five events in Perth on Tuesday rather than his usual one or two.

They included a youth employment forum, fundraising lunch, funding announcement for a local sports hub, campaign rally and Julie Bishop’s campaign launch — followed the next day by a business breakfast and flight to Sydney for two further engagements.

Later in the week, he began taking short day trips from his Sydney base, covering multiple cities and states in the same day.

“There’s research to show stress over any significant time period compromises the immune system and makes us more susceptible to viral illnesses,” holistic GP Cris Beer told news.com.au.

“The time to recover is longer if you’re not allowing yourself to rest, eat well and drink a lot of water.”

Prepping for @QandA with a honey and lemon tea to help with a slightly croaky voice #manflu pic.twitter.com/vwSAagT33J

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) June 20, 2016

She said Mr Turnbull could try taking paracetamol and vitamin C for a boost or natural remedies such as zinc, echinacea and olive leaf extract. Cold and flu remedies might ease the symptoms, but won’t make his illness clear up any faster.

Ultimately, she said, the Liberal leader needed seven to nine hours sleep, rest throughout the day and plenty of nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables instead of “processed, cafe-style food”.

That’s likely to be the opposite of what is actually happening.

Travelling back and forth across the country, eating plane food and getting minimal sleep isn’t going to leave anyone looking the picture of health.

“The word from the travelling party is ‘he’s powering on,’” the Prime Minister’s Office told news.com.au today.

At 61, Mr Turnbull is more than a decade older than his 49-year-old opponent, and perhaps this is starting to show.

While Mr Shorten has been getting up at the crack of dawn to go running most days, it’s not so clear what the PM’s exercise regime is.

As the final countdown to polling day begins, Mr Turnbull needs to give it everything he’s got.

— Additional reporting by Liz Burke