Last night’s speech by Malcolm Turnbull warning that the threat of Islamic State should not be overhyped is a statement of the obvious that, in the context of the Abbott government’s relentless exploitation of terrorism for partisan gain, stands out as bold differentiation.
But although Turnbull might like to portray himself as different, more moderate, less hysterical than the man actually running the country, his actions contradict his words.
It was Turnbull who established Australia’s first mass surveillance scheme, despite criticising data retention while in opposition. It was Turnbull who sent a “reviewer” into the ABC to provide the pretext for budget cuts the government said it would never inflict. It was Turnbull who sent bureaucrats in to investigate the ABC over Q&A. And it was Turnbull — that dogged critic of Stephen Conroy’s proposed internet filter — who introduced not one but two internet filtering schemes in government.
Turnbull is by far the government’s, and Parliament’s, most effective communicator, and yet he rarely communicates his party’s key messages. Instead, we get a skewed, more self-serving version.
Given his wealth, drive, intellect and global connections, Turnbull could undoubtedly accomplish much good in the world in his own right, certainly far more than he ever would as Tony Abbott’s disgruntled Minister for Communications. So why does he bother to stay in politics? It can only be because he believes he has a chance at the top job. In which case, Turnbull should stop subtly undermining Abbott with his relentless product differentiation, and openly take him on.
The choices are clear for Turnbull: shut up and be a team player; get out of politics; or take on Abbott. This current “look at me, I’m so much more reasonable than my boss” gig is getting old fast.
Yes you have hit the nail on the head.
He can’t stop himself when he speaks, from showing how differentiated and smart he is, but deep down he is playing a totally timid game, he is like Peter Costello on trainer wheels.
His confected surprise and derision with Barrie Cassidy about the QandA affair on Insiders last week proved how much he follows the party line.
He knows just what he has to do to avoid being sent to the back bench. In short his political actions are totally cowardly. He has too much ego to go to the back bench, and not to do so demonstrates how weak a leader he would ultimately be, constantly needing approval.
Given what he could have been he is a massive disappointment, and I think unrecoverably so. He must be simply biding his time until he starts on his next bucket list objective. What a stupid waste!
Let Turnbull get the numbers first, then go for a spill…. At least with Abbott on the backbench, Turnbull can start governing, and the ABC can start writing a new miniseries ‘Tony’s Grand Adventure’!
Timing in politics is everything and now is not the time for Turnbull. Abbott’s position has strengthened since the spill motion in February. But that could change soon. If the conservative wing plays hardball over same sex marriage, it could be a reason for Turnbull to go to the back bench and then as SSM grows as an election losing issue for Tony Abbott, Turnbull’s opportunity may open up.
Urbane, cultured, sane, ‘liberal’ and reasonable as he might seem, Malcolm Turnbull has lost all credibility by continuing to be a part of the malevolent circus that is the Abbott Government. Hopefully by the end of next year he’ll be onthe scrapheap with the rest of them.
Much better Spinbull on the back-bench?
He’s still a part of this government/problem – no matter how he tries to distance himself.