How Malcolm Turnbull can lift his media game

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten during a people's forum debate hosted by the Daily Telegraph and Sky News at Windsor RSL in Western Sydney. Pic Lyndon Mechielsen/News Corp.

While having the right policies is essential in any election campaign, so is mastering the techniques required to market them effectively on radio and television.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has brilliantly mastered his radio/TV technique. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not mastered them.

So, given Bill Shorten knows the electronic media game backwards and forwards, there is an uneven contest. It’s no surprise that Shorten is winning in the opinion polls.

I realised that Turnbull does not know the secret of communicating on radio as I replayed yesterday’s interview with Alan Jones.

I have been around the radio game for many decades, so, with respect Mr. Prime Minister, let me give you a few hints.

There was nothing that the Prime Minister said to Alan Jones that was wrong and I understood exactly what he was saying. But Turnbull would have lost a large proportion of the morning radio audience as they drove to work or prepared children for school.

They are not in a courtroom but rather are often listening while they are doing other things. Turnbull opened by saying that he had a credible plan to promote growth and employment and Shorten had no such plan.

Every politician says that they have a plan — words are being wasted.

Instead, he should spend 20 or 30 words describing the plan and have those words ready. Here are a few lines he might have used to get his message across:

“We are going to enable small business people to create jobs with tax cuts and huge incentives to invest.” (19 words)

“Small businesses create jobs, so, we are going to protect them from job-destroying unfair contracts dictated to by large corporations and government bodies.” (24 words)

The PM will usually be asked to describe these unfair contracts and he needs to come back like a bullet — slow payment and changing orders --“And we are stopping it!”

Didn’t Bill Shorten also endorse this legislation?

That’s the chance for the next line: Bill Shorten’s small business policy is to bankrupt 35,000 owner-drivers and give his union mates their jobs. Farmers and those shifting house will pay through the roof.

As a radio listener, I might have spilt the milk or driven into the next car on hearing that, but at least you now have my attention.

You can then briefly explain the detail.

The ALP in government set up the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, which made owner-driver truckies charge much more than employed TWU members, so the owner-drivers were facing the prospect of being put out business. The pretext was the nonsense that if owner-drivers charged two or three times market rates, they would drive more safely.

Technology today delivers safety. Shorten promises to bring back the tribunal (The Coalition can take a leaf from Labor’s electoral playbook, March 2).

And, if the interviewer is interested, speculate (unfairly) that when Shorten has finished bankrupting the truckies he will move on to setting up a tribunal to bankrupt carpenters, electricians and plumbers so his union mates can take jobs in the housing construction industry.

I am not a fan of the government’s superannuation policy but, if I had to promote it on radio as the PM must do, then lines like this can be used:

“Only a few people can get $1.6 million in their fund — it’s a high figure — but we help your $25,000 a year entitlement with the ability to inject a $500,000 special payment if you get an inheritance or downsize.”

Never mention the words “concessional contribution” because few listeners will have any idea what you are talking about.

In fairness, the Prime Minister made his point about the $1.6m limit entitling people to tax-free income very well during the Jones interview.

He also decimated the opposition’s negative gearing policies but he could have been shorter, he needs to go for the jugular -- “he will destroy your house values” -- whether it’s right or wrong is another matter.

Turnbull also needs to get his “safe school” lines together.

Jones handed him “Dorothy Dixer” question on the subject and he fumbled. When the interviewer gives you a soft question, answer “you are right” -- then come back with a short hard point.

Bill Shorten understands that salaries are not rising and people are struggling. What they are worried about is health and education. That’s what he talks about in every interview.

He is brilliant at communicating that health and education message.

Refugees are a weakness but Albo came to the rescue.

Malcolm Turnbull is a lawyer and he likes to build up arguments, as lawyers do, and he is very good at it. But radio and TV interviews need sharp punchy lines. Go into detail if forced to, but keep repeating the punch line as you do.

There is to be another Jones interview next week. Malcolm needs to have mastered the radio interview technique before then. It’s not hard.