Abbott keeps us guessing
Satisfying the needs of 30-plus media representatives, all with different demands and agendas, is no easy task. In fact, for the leaders' advisers travelling with the press pack, balancing the competing interests seems downright impossible at times. And so it was on day six.
In what's fast becoming an election ritual, Tony Abbott decided to surprise the media on Friday by jumping on board the campaign bus as we travelled to his next event. Adding to the surprise factor, he was joined by two of his daughters, Bridget and Frances. It was their first appearance on the trail, and generated an immediate buzz amongst the journos.
For TV reporters, this is perhaps our only chance to get 'one on one' access with the leader. Each of us position ourselves so that Abbott can sit alongside us briefly and we can interview him on camera. It's an opportunity for light-hearted chat and a behind the scenes glimpse of life on the road for our viewers. The trouble is, there are radio, newspaper and online journalists who then understandably demand the same opportunity.
After chatting to me, Abbott then moved further down the bus to where the non-TV journalists were waiting. What was supposed to be a calm, orderly and good-natured chat soon descended into a quasi-press conference as Abbott was grilled over policy positions and apparent contradictions. Cameras were jostling for position, journos were talking over each other and Abbott's advisers could only helplessly watch on as their control over the situation slipped away.
In this case, the element of surprise backfired. The better way to have handled the situation would've been to give the media a decent briefing about the event beforehand. Journalists would've known what to expect, and the camera crews could've sorted an arrangement to lessen the sense of chaos. We live and learn.
Despite the hiccup, at the end of the campaign's first week Abbott's team will be happy with how it went. Their boss didn't make any election-losing blunders, and looked calm and confident throughout. The Coalition is no doubt buoyed by a run of opinion polls showing its position is improving and Labor's doing the opposite. Coalition MPs are privately sounding far more confident than they were in the week leading up to election being called. Then again, you'd expect nothing less at this stage of the campaign.
Most commentators have declared week one a nil-all draw between the leaders, and I'd agree with that assessment. Saturday is my last full day with Abbott before switching to Kevin Rudd's camp. Being able to contrast the different styles and moods should give me a much better idea of where we're really at. Stay tuned.
