TV performance demonstrated Turnbull’s delusion

The former prime minister has exhibited unmitigated chutzpah.

It was unmitigated, delusional chutzpah for Malcolm Turnbull — the principal underminer of Tony Abbott’s prime ministership who turned a large majority to a single seat at the 2016 election — to accuse his former cabinet members on Q&A of “blowing up the government” and being guilty of an “act of madness”.

Turnbull’s only claim to possibly winning the next election was his support for same-sex marriage. His resignation from parliament, departure to New York and virtual silence in support for David Sharma while his son promoted Sharma’s defeat from afar, was an act of bastardry. He would do himself and the country justice if he disappeared quietly into the sunset.

Mort Schwartzbord, Caulfield, Vic

Malcolm Turnbull says he is oblivious to the reasons the Coalition sacked him. The answer is in the numbers. Australians principally rate the success of their leaders on the improvement in their party’s standing.

In that respect, Turnbull was a failure. The loss in 2016 of all but one of the 14 seats Abbott gained in 2013 underscores his lack of effectiveness.

Furthermore, the Coalition’s position did not improve as clearly indicated by Newspolls for all of his term as PM. Turnbull left the Coalition government in a worse position than when he seized it.

David Taylor, Newport, NSW

It’s ironic that in a program supposedly devoted to free debate we had scripted questions but not a single one that went to actions on Malcolm Turnbull’s part that might have led to his downfall. Actions such as his knifing of Tony Abbott or his abandonment of his energy guarantee, no mention of 38 negative Newspolls or of the disastrous result of the 2016 election. And he has done nothing since to help the government.

Peter O’Brien, Kiama, NSW

The more we hear of Malcolm Turnbull, the better the decision to remove him looks. The more he tries to justify himself, the more decent and manly Tony Abbott looks. The more he criticises those he blames for his demise the more he invites comparison with the plot to depose Abbott.

Turnbull is delusional if he thinks the Libs under him could have won the next election. He has shown that he is an inept campaigner. He squandered a comfortable lead engineered by Abbott and was saved only by the campaigning of Barnaby Joyce. That one-seat majority was thanks to the Nationals.

Frank Pulsford, Aspley, Qld

As a self-made man, I greatly admire Malcolm Turnbull, whose drive and acumen led to business success. But having watched a glib Turnbull on ABC’s Q&A, I have to question why such men feel the need to dabble in politics, and in particular when it leads to the parlous state of politics with which we are now faced.

I accept it is naive of me to ask this, but I wonder if in future when wealthy men come knocking on the doors of the main parties in order to fulfil their political ambitions, these parties reject such overtures. Take their money of course, if it is offered. These people seem to have far too much of it anyway. But don’t take the individual.

Crispin Walters, Chapel Hill, Qld

The Q&A special was the most obvious piece of bias the ABC has ever come up with. Malcolm Turnbull was spoon-fed Dorothy Dix questions from the hand-picked audience, never interrupted by Tony Jones, never asked any difficult questions.

You could tell by the expressions on the faces of the audience as the camera panned over them they were all Turnbull groupies.

Bob Vinnicombe, Sefton, NSW

I have some sympathy for Malcolm Turnbull and the manner of his ousting. I really do. But to hear him proclaim same-sex marriage as a legacy of his government was risible.

H. Jensen, Paddington, Qld

It beggars belief that Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t know why he was dumped. I also find it extraordinary that no one questioned why Turnbull — if he was such a popular PM — managed to reduce a majority of 14 seats to one in the 2016 election.

Furthermore, Turnbull claims he supported Liberal Dave Sharma in Wentworth in private conversations. Quite how that would encourage voters to support the Liberals is a mystery. As always, the Q&A program was all about Malcolm, ably assisted by the fawning Tony Jones.

J. Hargreaves, Kew, Vic