What Malcolm Turnbull needs to do if he wants to keep his job

[Redneck]

I dont think he is up to it myself!

What Malcolm Turnbull needs to do if he wants to keep his job
February 8, 20173:32pm


WHY is Malcolm Turnbull hanging onto his job? He clearly isn’t in it for the money, and has surely reconsidered the prestige of being in the world leaders’ club now that it means getting yelled at by Donald Trump.

Presumably, as with the republican campaign, he wants to make Australia a better place, leaving a lasting legacy beyond “first guy to skip Kirribilli House for his own waterside mansion”.

And yet, 18 months into the job, he’s stuck with a tiny majority, endless lectures from his more conservative colleagues about how he needs to deliver their agenda, and constant criticism of his perceived weakness.

The honeymoon is long over, and we seem to be on the verge of a breakup.

The PM has succeeded in disappointing both the moderates who hoped he’d don that Q&A leather jacket and fight for their causes, and the right, many of whom still think Tony Abbott’s the solution to more than a trivia question about which ex-PM served the tenth shortest term.

Turnbull’s poll numbers continue to slide too, undermining his argument for terminating Abbott.

More challenging still, passing legislation requires not only winning over his fractious colleagues, but then convincing the crossbench or Labor to sign on.

It’s hardly surprising that Turnbull hasn’t set out a bold program, when passing legislation is more frustrating than a climate debate with Malcolm Roberts.

Given these challenges, the PM could be forgiven for giving the game away and going fishing. (Does he fish? I can’t see it — but he does owns a handy wharf.)

But if he’s going to stay, surely there’s no point waiting for his popularity to slide to the point where he becomes the latest knifed leader. Surely it’s time to go hard, or go home. And surely the only way to guarantee his future is to win back the popular support that made him a compelling option in 2015.

He won’t do that by moving to the right. For every Tory that Tony Abbott delighted with his budget cuts and knights and dames, several more voters flipped to Labor. Newspoll says the two-party preferred vote is 46-54, and it’s those who currently prefer the Opposition that Turnbull needs.

Like the advocate he was, Turnbull thrives when he has a solid case to prosecute. Without one, he offers glib, half-hearted platitudes about sticking to the plan — but based on what we heard at the National Press Club last week, what plan is there besides not frightening the horses on either side?

Fortunately, there’s one issue that the prime minister could embrace in a bid to change course. Same-sex marriage is going to happen with or without the Coalition, so why not claim it? In the end of the day, everyone loves a wedding, and Turnbull could be confetti-thrower-in-chief.

He should stare down the base with the evidence that every electorate but one supports it. And he should make the conservative case for same-sex marriage as a pro-family institution, as David Cameron did. Now that reform’s seen as a major part of Cameron’s legacy — something Turnbull himself badly needs.

Delivering marriage equality would signal that the Turnbull people used to like, the principled fighter, is back in the saddle. His numbers would probably improve, and he could stare down his colleagues and pursue more signature reforms.

He could build train lines and get kids learning coding. He could incubate nifty start-ups with clever incentives and remake the tax system to set us up for the new economy. If he significantly turns things around, he could even take another crack at the republic.

Turnbull may not achieve all these things, or even most of them. But why stay in the top job if he isn’t going to try? He still has a shot at being the most successful PM since Howard, admittedly a low bar — and even surviving to fight the next election would probably net him the title. But he’ll have to shift out of neutral and start inching forward.

Turnbull’s moderate, centrist instincts should resonate with the voters the Coalition needs to survive. But being in the centre has to mean more than disappointing everyone equally.

Instead of repeating those stale lines about jobs and growth, it’s time the PM took decisive action to grow his poll numbers and save his own job. Otherwise, well, there are plenty more fish off the end of his wharf.

http://www.news.com.au/national/politic ... e666143535

[IQS.RLOW]

He must be worried because he found his balls today and smashed Shorten

http://twitter.com/pm_live/status/829184821934985216

[Redneck]

He must be worried because he found his balls today and smashed Shorten

http://twitter.com/pm_live/status/829184821934985216

"One swallow doesn't make a summer IQ!"

Whats the current score 54 - 46 or something like that!

[Neferti]

54/46 is that and AGE thing? I would reckon it is more 65/45 .....

[Black Orchid]

Neither party reflects the beliefs of the people and both think that they are more important than the people they represent. I think both parties should take this as a big slap in the face message.

[Redneck]

Neither party reflects the beliefs of the people and both think that they are more important than the people they represent. I think both parties should take this as a big slap in the face message.

I totally agree!

I just like stirring the righties up a bit!

[Outlaw Yogi]

The Libs dumping Abbot for Turnbull in the same manner Labor ditched Rudd for Gillard has trashed the party's brand loyalty.

The only chance the Libs have got to reform their woes is to copy Labor again and reinstate Abbot like Labor resurrected Rudd. And even then, doing so might not be enough. The electorate has moved on and both Liberal and Labor are only just realising it now, so playing catch up.

I suspect most Ozzies have had it with the Laborals.

[LEFTWINGER supreme]

Policy paralyzed and completey out of their depth , epic fail rtards

[lisa jones]

Policy paralyzed and completey out of their depth , epic fail rtards

Yeah.....COMPLETEY out of their depth.

Just like you.

[Wayne]

The Coalition have no choice but to keep Turnbull - they would be raving mad if they dump him! There is absolutely no one on the front bench who could replace him and do a better job. So keep him there. Turnbull did show a modicum of self realisation when he gave Shorten an earful yesterday - but it lacked the "Keatingesque" flair for ripping a new one for your opponent. In fact, most people viewed it in the negative and saw it as just a rich man having a whinge - BUT - at least it shows he has some form of attack dog in him. A return to Abbott would be a huge mistake - the man is a fool and not a team player - keep Turnbull!