The Opposition finally got on the front foot yesterday with its politically canny education rebate policy that trumps Labor’s uniform allowance. One wonders, though, if the Liberals might have been better announcing that policy before the campaign was called, when it would’ve got more clear air – policies announced during election suffer a devaluation from being caught up in the clutter of the campaign and suffer from a “well they would say that wouldn’t they” attitude from voters. The other thing I’d have changed was dropped the bit where Christopher Pyne spoke about learning music.
Did the Opposition under-cost its education rebate yesterday? Almost certainly. Does it matter? Not a jot. Policy costing in election campaigns is a mug’s game that Oppositions can never win. Accurate social policy costings require a Byzantine process based on large numbers of parameters, some of which change significantly if other parameters change. Without the actual up-to-date funding models used by the Department of Finance and the Budgets areas of relevant line agencies, getting it right is tremendously difficult. Labor partly addressed the problem in 2007 by building in a 10% buffer in its costings of some policies.
Now they’re doing to the Liberals what Nick Minchin used to do to them. But does it reflect at all on the Opposition’s economic literacy or readiness for Government? No way. Judge the policy itself, not the costings.
Whatever you thought of his performance, Tony Abbott was right to go on Hey Hey rather than The 7.30 Report. Why? Even the zombie format of Hey Hey rates higher than Kerry’s Corner. And 7.30 Report viewers got what they always get, Dead White Male Journalism in which two middle-aged blokes – one in the role of Inquisitor-General, the other being interrogated – play out the same old game in which the former tries to get the latter to admit the bleeding obvious and the latter refuses. Politicians and journalists might watch it and consider why both professions are regarded with something approaching contempt by the punters.
Nice production of Much Ado About Nothing mounted by Sky yesterday, switching from a Prime Ministerial speech to Kevin Rudd having an anodyne conversation with a talkative local school principal, then coming back to the studio to debate whether their decision to switch over to Rudd showed Rudd was a “distraction”. John Hewson insisted that Rudd had spoken to the principal in order to distract from Julia Gillard and Cheryl Kernot (it was obviously failed leaders’ day at Sky) claimed Rudd “knew exactly what he was doing.”
For a moment, Sky teetered on the brink of disappearing into a vortex of endless self-analysis, but luckily Sky’s reporter on the spot came on to berate Rudd for refusing to answer questions after the former PM had said before the event he wouldn’t be answering questions.
No campaigning from the leaders today as they will both be travelling to Murwillumbah for the funeral of Private Nathan Bewes. Other campaigning will continue, but don’t expect any big set pieces.
I dislike Tony Abbott’s politics intensely, would never vote Liberal, and I abhor Hey,Hey. Nevertheless, I watched some it while simultaneously trying to catch The Gruen Transfer. Well, I also rather like the wholesome and deservedly popular showgirl, Kylie.
Reading and listening to comments about Abbott’s participation on the program today puzzles me. He was no more a disaster than Kevin Rudd was on Rove in ’07. The booing which attended Abbott’s appearance was nothing more than that which any politician would have received from that crowd.
I applaud politicians who are willing to mix it with the hoi polloi, often at great personal risk. So, the cognescenti might think that it was beneath him and his party, but I know for a fact that some younger voters supported Labor earlier due entirely to Rudd’s appearance on Rove. In the queue on election day, I overheard one young woman ask ‘which one was on Rove’? ‘Labor? that’s what I’ll vote’.
My opinion is that Abbott scored, and with the least well-informed in our community, who, let’s be honest, are in the majority.
The PM’s minders erred in advising her to decline to appear, in my view.
Bernard, your constant criticisms and negativity towards Kerry O’Brien are perplexing. What is it, did he once refuse to give up his seat in a bus for you?
O’Brien has the ability to show-up the shallowness of politicians whilst maintaining his cool. He’s an experienced operator and has successfully Indian-wrestled more prime ministers and opposition leaders across his desk than almost any current TV journalists (the major exception being Laurie Oakes).
Perhaps, because you’re a taxpayer you think you’re contributing to his salary and, on that basis, he presents a sitting target (let’s face it, he does SIT a lot) for your commentary. There are journalists in the commercial media who are infinitely more deserving of your disdain, please save it for them instead.
Well I was right…BK has joined Michelle Grattan, Andrew Bolt, Peter Hartcher, Piers Ackerman et al as rAbbotts campaign team and cheer squad…..if this keeps up I will cancel my subscription to Crikey…..
Denise I think the pace of the election, the deadlines, the socialising are all a bit much for our Bernard. When he staggers out of the cot in the early hours he realises he is not as young as he used to be and takes a while for the mist in the head to clear. May explain his somewhat strange offerings at times. Doubt he will ever sink to the depths of the motley crew you mentioned. When he is on his game, he makes a good deal of sense. But he certainly has his off days, I agree.
Meant to add this review from the West Australian re Abbotts appearance on Hey Hey…
http://www.watoday.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/hey-hey-its-abbott-20100721-10lcd.html#poll