Australian federal election 2016: Malcolm Turnbull hits out and misses the mark

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Malcolm Turnbull may have kept his cool over a gruelling eight-week election campaign but the rumoured Turnbull temper was close to the surface on election night after his strength and stability mantra was ignored by an unimpressed electorate.

In contrast to his words, the meta-message communicated by his tetchy election night performance, betrayed frustration, embarrassment, and anger.

Voters, Turnbull explained, had been conned by Labor's demonstrably false Medicare privatisation lie, and duped by last-minute text messages purporting to originate from the government scheme itself. Here was Turnbull's entire explanation for his party's calamitous reversals.

So egregious was this Medicare lie, and so decisive its effect, that police would "no doubt" be investigating.

Malcolm Turnbull greets Liberal party supporters at Sofitel Wentworth on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images

This was a far cry from the optimistic depiction of voters Turnbull had sought to convey during the campaign as he berated Bill Shorten for assuming some people may not be sufficiently wise and sophisticated to conduct a civil debate on same-sex marriage later this year.

Turnbull's long-awaited appearance before the party faithful, was a fitting end to an ill-fitting "small target" campaign with his address notable for what was missing more so than what was said.

On a night when his government's enormous majority had been reduced to mere vapours, and when his party yearned for an explanation, for reassurance, and for leadership, Turnbull blamed everyone but his own strategy.

The most obvious disappointments went unremarked. No commiserations were expressed for loyal colleagues poorly served by a patronising three-word slogan of 'jobs and growth'.

No magnanimous recognition was offered for the common wisdom of the voters.

No concession of legitimacy or goodwill was extended to the opposition nor crossbench MPs and senators who had just been elected - and who Turnbull may come to rely on for his majority.

And no personal responsibility was taken for leading the Coalition to the brink of destruction from a once winning position.

There was even revisionism as Australians learned for the first time that the failure to secure a more workable Senate had never been his aim.

A more considered Turnbull cleaned up many of these omissions in a press conference on Sunday. And Turnbull the deal-maker emerged as well as he began reaching out to crossbenchers. This is wise. But questions remain and internal critics are circling.

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