When I first picked up the personally addressed envelope, I thought ‘Oh no, not again, so soon‘. It was only a few days since the last campaign letter. Then I opened it and saw that this one was from Lucy Turnbull, who had written to tell me about “the man I have known for almost 30 years”. I had a strong feeling of deja vu — sure enough, Lucy said that “before the last election I wrote a similar letter to many people living in our area”. She’s done so again because “a lot of new people have since joined the electorate” (aka a redistribution).
The two-page letter is essentially a chronicle of Malcolm’s life story — in her eyes. The key points:
When I got this letter in 2004 [I’m not entirely sure if it’s exactly the same letter, but close enough] I was sceptical and amused and a bit embarrassed. This time, ditto, though the embarrassment factor has grown. I’m glad for Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull if they have the genuinely happy and supportive relationship that this letter speaks of — really I am. I accept that Malcolm Turnbull works hard. The question is, what is he working for?
This letter is clearly intended to soften and broaden Turnbull’s image, to paint him as progressive and fair-minded. There’s no mention of the environment or of any ideals he might hold in relation to that.
I’m in two minds about these sorts of attempts to personalise campaigns. On the one hand, we do make assessments of candidates as people, based on a mish-mash of information and impressions. I’m not entirely opposed to bringing the private into the political. On the other hand, I reject the trend in campaigning towards politics as PR, towards candidates as having “character” and “values” but hardly any policies or political ideas on display.
In 2004, this letter [or similar] was addressing the qualms of Liberal voters who may have been going to vote for independent ex-Liberal Peter King, on the basis that Malcolm Turnbull was an arrogant blow-in. The 2007 version appears to be addressing the qualms of working women about Coalition conservatism (”Malcolm understands that it is vital for women to have a good work-life balance”) and the qualms of the new bloc of gay voters added in the redistribution (Malcolm has supported causes such as “the AIDS Trust and Bobby Goldsmith Foundation“). In what might be an attempt to counteract the Workchoices daemon, an odd little half sentence follows the list of Malcolm’s causes: “as well as speaking out on issues like work and family”.
Yes, but what did he say about work and family?
Now I understand why last weekend’s telephone opinion pollster asked me about my attitude to Lucy Turnbull. I said it was “neutral”. Nevertheless, her letter won’t influence me to vote for Malcolm.
Did it detail how he cocked up the republic?
I can’t really blame Malcolm for the failure of the Republic referendum. That one I lay solely at the door of JWH, with able assistance from Ted Mack and Phil Cleary. That said, I left the ARM after years of membership when they were again soliciting donations, for which one would receive some ARM cuff-links. Apparently the private school kids running the show at that point were unaware most Australians (Republican or otherwise) never wear cufflinks to work, let alone elsewhere. Also, a fair few Australians (Republican or otherwise) are female.
The letter was a great read - really paints Turnbull to be a “battler”. From Vaucluse. And *shock horror* a “small rented flat in Double Bay.” And given the dearth of information in the letter that had ANYTHING to do with policy, Lucy could have been a little more pithy (notwithstanding her apology and invitation to call her for a chat to discuss Malcolm futher).
Quite frankly, it is a waste of [very good quality] paper by the environment minister who is yet to show me that he actually cares about the environment!!!
And amusingly enough, the letter coincides with anti-union literature being dropped in Wentworth mailboxes by the Brethren….
To be fair, Wentworth turns over a large number of its electors through migration every cycle, especially in the areas where there are lots of units and rental properties, ie. Kings Cross, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. Since it’s hard to doorknock behind security gates and where people work odd hours, electorate-wide mailouts like these make sense.
To be even fairer, relative to the hoity-toity standards of the Wentworth electorate, the five points Lucy Turnbull listed are probably empirically true.
But yeah… sounds saccharine. Give me the usual moderately-plausible photographs of the candidate talking to resident “activists”, barbecuing some mystery meat, surveying a hole in the ground, and the obligatory 1980s file photo of a young, thin, hairy, newly elected candidate teaching primary school kids how to use the classroom Apple IIe, any time. (Make it a Microbee for the poor schools who cheaped out, naturally).
Which brings me totally off the topic to… the wumpus hunt.
Lets have a warm Bob’s Country Bunker welcome for Ms Lucy Turnbull
Growin’ up poor in a one-bedroom shack
Making sacrifices, well he never looked back
Helping women at all organisational levels
Carin’ bout people from saints to devils
Always contributin’ not worried about his job
Chuckin’ in some money for dead gay Bob.
Has he got a policy, well I sure can’t tell
But he’s my man he’s M-A-L
Take me home boys
etc.
To be fair, Wentworth turns over a large number of its electors through migration every cycle, especially in the areas where there are lots of units and rental properties, ie. Kings Cross, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst.
Those areas you mention are all new to the electorate this time. I don’t know why they didn’t just send the letter to that part of the electorate.
I reject the trend in campaigning towards politics as PR, towards candidates as having “character� and “values� but hardly any policies or political ideas on display.
Or positively bad ones, like the Tamar valley pulp mill.
Yes, but what did he say about work and family?
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=Malcolm+Turnbull+Work+and+Family&meta=
He seems to repeat “work and family” a lot but I haven’t got time to go into these google references to work out if it’s considered statements or just mouthing it as a slogan. The article on taxation at the top mentions EMTRs and barriers to entering the workforce but otherwise doesn’t touch on the subject.
Helen, you’re right to point out that this kind of letter ignores or conceals the active (and passive) damage Turnbull has done in his time as Enviornment Minister and simply as a member of this government.
There’s a very non-commital article in today’s Oz about whether the leaking of the Cabinet/Kyoto discussions is a help or hindrance to Turnbull.
Lucy’s also taken out a full-page ad in the Sydney Star Observer, one of the two freebie gay weeklies here:
Like equal rights for queer folk:
Yep, he sure fixed that.
Fixed them too.