Gee this annoys me, in the SMH this morning he writes that to get elected Turnbull needs to address 4 key issues, gay marriage, climate change, indigenous recognition and becoming a republic, ok but hang on isn't that the platform of the left or the Greens?, does it ever get into his head that maybe these issues are not what most aussies find important?, what about the deficit?, what about jobs and the economy?, according to him none of these issues are important and to get elected Turnbull must back left wing agendas...
And as for indigenous issues?, well massive tax dollars already go to this group, when do we say your equal, stand up and look after yourself..
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Look, no one asked me, but for what it's worth here is my analysis of the coming election, based on the obvious premise that what truly counts is who gets the progressive swing voters in the middle – the ones Malcolm Turnbull rose to the Prime Ministership on.
My reckoning is that there are four standout issues that can sway that group right now: serious action on climate change, gay marriage, Indigenous recognition, and the republic. I include the last not just because I am chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, but because Turnbull first came to wide fame on the basis of his passion for that most progressive of causes.
On three of those four issues, the progressive middle lost all faith in Tony Abbott as a possible agent of change, and within the Coalition government Turnbull was the obvious solution: the One Mostly Likely. Hence his poll numbers rose, and he got the job.
At that point, Bill Shorten was no chance of winning this next election. But since? The ALP leader has moved stronger and harder on three out of four of those issues – Turnbull does appear to be ready to move on recognition – and more and more of the progressives now look to the ALP. Shorten's numbers have risen accordingly. The key challenge for Turnbull in the weeks that remain – notwithstanding whatever commitments he has made to the right wing of his party – is to convince the progressives he actually can deliver on those four. Many have given up hope. For what it's worth, I have not.
