From what I recall, Stockholm Syndrome is about victims identifying with their captor or with the perpetrator of prolonged abuse or prolonged difficult circumstances.
There is little doubt in my mind that Australians have been subjected to a decade of captive political abuse and to varying degrees of national and personal trauma suffered as a result.
Post Howard to the demise of Abbott, we have seen 4 PMs lead the nation into political despair and stagnation. Vision has stalled. Policy progression has stagnated. The nation's psyche and confidence had been damaged and sapped. Daily in papers, on radio, on TV there have been graphic accounts of the imbroglio of political dysfunction for all to witness.
Abbott imo has had significant influence on a now normalised, combative, unworkable form of federal politics, first as an aggressive, argumentative uncompromising Leader of the Opposition and then, in much the same mode, as Prime Minister of the Government. Policy progression stalled, in large part for his inability or unwillingness to negotiate. The trauma continued up to and beyond his dismissal by frustrated colleagues.
The damage done, Turnbull was measured against a decade of truculent, argumentative, self absorbed leaders who history shows were unable to progress their nation. On the contrary, collectively they traumatised the nation through their public behaviours, tantrums, dramas and failures.
The damage was sufficient to cause some voters to lament for more of the same trauma and not to be able to recognise and respond to efforts of Turmbull, a different leader seeking to ... calm ... things ... down ... to not respond reactively to every perceived political nuance and particularly not to respond to the noise of a baying press and howling social media.
Changing political tack after a decade of national abuse is not something achieved overnight. It is also not something that can be achieved by a leader of similar ilk and similar disposition. It is only something that can be achieved by a different, patient, resilient leader absolutely determined to lead the nation to a better place.
It takes a leader with a different take on being ballsey.
