03 August 2010 12:00
Election week two wrap up: Green deals in post-Masterchef TV land
With no cooking show to watch voters turn on to election satire as Abbott gets in the swing while passengers on a leaky Gillard ship go Green around the gills.
By Kate Ausburn & Ashlea Maher
As the second full week of the federal election campaign wraps up, a Herald/Nielsen poll at the weekend showed a dramatic 6% swing against Labor since its poll just a week before, putting the Coalition at a two-party preferred 52% to 48% lead.
If those figures were translated to the real ballot box, we would get our third prime minister in as many months.
It would seem though that despite the initial outcry of the conservative media, the majority of Australians are unfazed that the PM is an unmarried, childless, red-headed, atheist woman. Those polled for Nielsen still had Gillard 49 to Abbott 41 points as the preferred PM, but that was a margin slashed by 13 points over the course of a dire week for Labor.
Blame for the sudden slump in the Government’s fortunes has been laid on a series of leaks from within the Labor Party’s ranks. A certain Mr Rudd, who spent the weekend in hospital having his gall bladder removed, is the prime suspect.
What the Nielsen poll and a Newspoll released earlier in the week both showed though, was that up to 21% of voters are still uncommitted, so both parties have the opportunity to up the ante.
Growing support for the Greens from centre-left voters forced Labor to finalise a national preference deal with the party.
Speaking of The Greens, they used the second week of campaigning to propose high speed rail and universal dental care, as well as taking aim at Labor’s proposed climate change policy. “The average primary school has more knowledge about climate change than the cabinet in the national parliament” said Senator Brown in the interview with Australian Times.
Many Australians wondered where to channel surf to with the finale of Masterchef last week. The ABC would be a decent choice: what it lacks in macaron towers it makes up for in election gags. The ABC has all bases covered, running like a well oiled election commentating machine with the launch of their 24 hour news channel on 22 July.
The Chaser boys are back on Australian television too with Yes We Canberra!.Their inaugural episode answered the big questions on the minds of voters, like what's going on with Greens Senator Christine Milne's garden and water feature?
But it was Wil Anderson's Gruen Nation, the show that dissects the campaigning tactics, that proved most popular, delivering the ABC's highest ratings result of the year with 1.6 million viewers tuning in.
As we head into week three of campaigning, Abbott has caused great dramas by turning down Julia Gillard's invite for another televised debate and landed in hot water after an "inappropriate" sexual phrase levelled at Gillard on the campaign trail.
Asked whether he would take up Prime Minister Julia Gillard in more debates, Mr Abbott ridiculed the invitation, before saying: "Are you suggesting to me that when it comes from Julia, 'No' doesn't mean 'No'."
The phrase has become notorious, being referenced in several high-profile court cases, especially when it comes to a women's right to not have sex in Australia.
"When she said 'No', I thought she meant 'No' ... I believed her," Mr Abbott said.
"You can't change the rules just because you are in trouble."
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said there should have been three debates, and they should have included the Greens.
''In relation to Tony Abbott's comments, I do think they're inappropriate,'' she said.
Now, in an attempt to move on, Abbott promising a national crack down on gangs, look out team Chaser!
More Election 2010 coverage on Australian Times:
How to vote in Election 2010 from the UK
Greens say expats could hold key to balance of power
Election campaign week one wrap up
Aussie media divided over who won debate
VIDEO: Julie Bishop vs Chaser's stare-off