But in a pressure cooker such as last night on Sky News Au leaves plenty of opportunity for similar outcomes for a leader
Last night I watched, so others did not have to, the debate between Anthony Albanese, Federal Prime Minister and opposition leader Peter Dutton in a “Town Hall forum” where the questions come direct from randomly selected “Undecided Voters” of the audience, with a Moderator – on this occasion Sky News presenter Kieran Gilbert and no suspected Journalists seeking a gotcha moment.
The answers from the two contenders favoured Dutton in the opinion of most asked, but a vote taken from the 100 strong audience after the debate gave support from the “Undecided Voters” to the ALP leader, 44 vs 35 for Dutton, with 21 claiming to be still undecided.
For me the body language and the responses favoured Dutton heavily. Leaving the question: were the voters from Western Sydney in Parramatta really that undecided?
Albanese gave great emphasis to the two surpluses for budget ’23 and ’24, that had to be more influenced by the inherited economy of Scott Morrison’s coalition than any actions of Federal Treasurer “Grim Jim” Chalmers, who incidentally has very overt designs on Albanese seat at the cabinet table.
A very clear image of what three years of largesse result in, as with a summary of budget ’25 – that incidentally the ALP did not want delivered before an election, briefly delayed by a tropical storm bearing down on Southern Queensland and Northern NSW coasts – now predicting a string of deficits stretching out for over a decade.
The two contenders avoided any serious blunders, but many lauded the performance of the two leaders acting Prime Ministerial, particularly in the light of the fact that Dutton was dealing with his father suffering a serious medical event in the hour before to the debate. Several persons after the Debate were impressed greatly by Duttons efforts, in particular his exploiting of a telling moment when Gilbert asked for a show of hands for those in the audience who were finding it very challenging coping with the current cost of living scenario, with a clear majority raising hands. Cost of living is a very real issue.
It may well be worth waiting, it is suggested the fat lady has not yet been caught singing.
No Minister 
There’s something off about Australian voters. Reminiscent of Wellington local election voters and their battered wife syndrome. They’ve been subject to endless and ongoing abuse, particularly through COVID from Labour politicians, but keep coming back for more. Albanese is just the worst. A simpering, wet little sitzpinkler with a rictus grimace yet they are still thinking about voting for him? Good lord.