2013 Federal Election: 7 September 2013

[Zedd]

Quick comment on Rudd's notes - Did anyone see him walk on stage with them? If he was allowed pen and paper what's to say he didn't scribble some notes while waiting for the debate to kick off? Certainly a recognized strategy in most debates and exams.

If he did take notes with him he did a pretty average job of preparing them, as the opening remarks weren't very well scripted, and he only had some figures to refer to.

 

[Tightwad]

Only saw a bit of it.. seemed Rudd had more detail in his answers. I found some comments by Abbott to be cringeworthy, appealling to patriotism and slogans.

 

[Zedd]

Wow! Exceptional performance from Abbott versus my expectations.

Rudd's constant comments on the GST were ridiculous; I imagine we'll see that dropped soon as he's not doing himself any favours. I don't think Abbott nailed the GST accusation though so it may keep cropping up. Rudd's nit-picking and talking over the host showed his arrogance come through.

Rudd's reply on productivity was great as was his answer on aged care, climate change and marriage equality.

Abbott's points were light on policy as usual, but I was impressed with his opening remarks on the economy. His closing statement was a bit scripted, but overall you can't argue with - "you should never be pessimistic about our great country", although the little dig of "almost nothing at all wrong with Australia now that wouldn't be improved by a change in government" was a bit cheeky.

I felt Abbott offered less spin than Rudd tonight, and when someone tried to back him into a corner he answered responsibly without being drawn in to silly comments or commitments. Kudos.

Overall I felt Rudd had more substance on the night, but no different to what he's been saying for a while. I think it was a win for Rudd in terms of the debate, but this was a pitch for voters, rather than point scoring and the improvement in Abbott's demeanor was mind-blowing, from someone who has appeared scripted and stilted for the better part of the last 3 years, and I think he'll be taking away more votes from this debate then Rudd.

One of my biggest concerns regarding Abbott has been that he wasn't prepared to look down a camera and say something without using rehearsed lines, as has become his norm. He obviously had a number of lines memorised, but overall he has never looked more like a leader than tonight and my concerns regarding his ability to represent the nation on the world stage have been allayed. Still disturbed by the fact that his great plan for the nation - build the economy, get in the black, scrap the carbon tax, build new roads, turn back the boats - is the most populist piece of crap in the whole campaign.

 

[Tink]

Agree Zedd, I thought Abbott was exceptional, even though I am biased and have admitted, I dont like Rudd one iota. He has damaged this country enough with his spin and I found Abbott way more honest last night in his approach, even to the point of following the rules and coming in with no notes.
The arrogance of Rudd, showing his true colours.

Abbott zoned in on exactly how I felt, that this government has destroyed the opportunity for all, especially the young ones, as there is no limits on what you can achieve in Australia. Its a lucky country and its a young country.

I thought he looked like a PM, was very confident in his approach, and determined to deliver for our country.
I also noticed Abbott kept saying, we, the Coalition and I.

Rudd, on the otherhand had no confidence and how could he, when he is the master of destruction, watching our country go down the gurglar and only worrying about himself and his sons on the payroll.

 

[noco]

Wow! Exceptional performance from Abbott versus my expectations.

Rudd's constant comments on the GST were ridiculous; I imagine we'll see that dropped soon as he's not doing himself any favours. I don't think Abbott nailed the GST accusation though so it may keep cropping up. Rudd's nit-picking and talking over the host showed his arrogance come through.

Rudd's reply on productivity was great as was his answer on aged care, climate change and marriage equality.

Abbott's points were light on policy as usual, but I was impressed with his opening remarks on the economy. His closing statement was a bit scripted, but overall you can't argue with - "you should never be pessimistic about our great country", although the little dig of "almost nothing at all wrong with Australia now that wouldn't be improved by a change in government" was a bit cheeky.

I felt Abbott offered less spin than Rudd tonight, and when someone tried to back him into a corner he answered responsibly without being drawn in to silly comments or commitments. Kudos.

Overall I felt Rudd had more substance on the night, but no different to what he's been saying for a while. I think it was a win for Rudd in terms of the debate, but this was a pitch for voters, rather than point scoring and the improvement in Abbott's demeanor was mind-blowing, from someone who has appeared scripted and stilted for the better part of the last 3 years, and I think he'll be taking away more votes from this debate then Rudd.

One of my biggest concerns regarding Abbott has been that he wasn't prepared to look down a camera and say something without using rehearsed lines, as has become his norm. He obviously had a number of lines memorised, but overall he has never looked more like a leader than tonight and my concerns regarding his ability to represent the nation on the world stage have been allayed. Still disturbed by the fact that his great plan for the nation - build the economy, get in the black, scrap the carbon tax, build new roads, turn back the boats - is the most populist piece of crap in the whole campaign.

Lots of laugh Zedd, You are a comic.

 

[Logique]

Hi everyone.

The Worm - they must have got the Q&A balanced audience to run the worm. It dipped down before Abbott got a sentence out, whereas Rudd's waffle and blarney saw the worm go ballistic.

Notes - it's all about Trust, said Rudd, and then proceeded to read from pre-prepared notes, in breach of the agreed rules.

The final Handshake - I thought watch it Tony, we saw Rudd's 'handshake' on that little schoolkid at the weekend. The poor little tacker went '..ouch!'.

 

[MrBurns]

Hi everyone.

The Worm - they must have got the Q&A balanced audience to run the worm. It dipped down before Abbott got a sentence out, whereas Rudd's waffle and blarney saw the worm go ballistic.

Notes - it's all about Trust, said Rudd, and then proceeded to read from pre-prepared notes, in breach of the agreed rules.

'.

Yes the worm was a joke they shouldn't use it at all, it's misleading, anyone who saw it knows that Abbott won the day.

 

[chiff]

After the hyena was heard during the debate Rudd should have made some bird calls.Hard to comment seriously on that debate.I had to channel surf during that tedium.
Liven up and loosen up!

 

[explod]

I watched the worm against the content of the speakers throughout and it was clear that Rudd won the debate hands down.

The bias is so great on here that most of you are blind to reality.

Some of the comments in the Age today are laughable and there were the results of five polls on the debate published and the descrepancies are are so great as to be a complete joke.

Trying to make the people think that Abbott is winning is clearly not going to work (witness the worm) and the continued ploy is only going to make the vote for the ALP stronger. Things are tough out here for people and the glossy garbage of the Libs with no promise or content is just not going to crack it.

The real poll. ALP 55%, Coalition 2 party preferred on both 45%

The Greens look like getting two more in the lower house with consolidation in the Senate.

 

[dutchie]

The bias is so great on here that most of you are blind to reality.

The real poll. ALP 55%, Coalition 2 party preferred on both 45%

I'll bet you a $20 scratchie that the coalition win the election.

 

[Tink]

Channel 7, 9 and 10 said Abbott won
ABC said Rudd
So I wonder which one is true.

The polls are saying 52 to 48 in favour of the Coalition, we are just saying what is said, even on the ABC.
A few more weeks and we will all know the outcome.
I say the Coalition will win.

 

[MrBurns]

Coalition will win decisively and Abbott will be a good PM , pragmatic and just do what has to be done.

 

[sptrawler]

Wow! Exceptional performance from Abbott versus my expectations.

Rudd's constant comments on the GST were ridiculous; I imagine we'll see that dropped soon as he's not doing himself any favours. I don't think Abbott nailed the GST accusation though so it may keep cropping up. Rudd's nit-picking and talking over the host showed his arrogance come through.

Rudd's reply on productivity was great as was his answer on aged care, climate change and marriage equality.

Abbott's points were light on policy as usual, but I was impressed with his opening remarks on the economy. His closing statement was a bit scripted, but overall you can't argue with - "you should never be pessimistic about our great country", although the little dig of "almost nothing at all wrong with Australia now that wouldn't be improved by a change in government" was a bit cheeky.

I felt Abbott offered less spin than Rudd tonight, and when someone tried to back him into a corner he answered responsibly without being drawn in to silly comments or commitments. Kudos.

Overall I felt Rudd had more substance on the night, but no different to what he's been saying for a while. I think it was a win for Rudd in terms of the debate, but this was a pitch for voters, rather than point scoring and the improvement in Abbott's demeanor was mind-blowing, from someone who has appeared scripted and stilted for the better part of the last 3 years, and I think he'll be taking away more votes from this debate then Rudd.

One of my biggest concerns regarding Abbott has been that he wasn't prepared to look down a camera and say something without using rehearsed lines, as has become his norm. He obviously had a number of lines memorised, but overall he has never looked more like a leader than tonight and my concerns regarding his ability to represent the nation on the world stage have been allayed. Still disturbed by the fact that his great plan for the nation - build the economy, get in the black, scrap the carbon tax, build new roads, turn back the boats - is the most populist piece of crap in the whole campaign.

Good objective summary zed, well untill your bias broke through in the last paragraph.lol
I must admit I thought the debate could possibly be Abbotts undoing. But as you say, he came over measured but not stilted.
Rudd I thought, got caught up in repeating the commercials currently running on t.v, rather than improvising.
Also I felt Rudd expected less from Abbott and this got him flustered, therefore he looked as though he was playing catchup footy and reacting to Abbott.
He really should have gone unscripted, wasted oppurtunity. IMO

IMO this round Rudd was blind sided and lost on points, the next round should be better as stratergies improve.

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Anyone who watched a station with a worm graphic was manipulated.

I was so stunned by what I saw with channel 90's worm that I switched to 72 and had a look at their worm. They were exact opposites of each other. Watching the two stations on split screen, you could see this as plain as day.

Channel 90's worm swung to '+' whenever Rudd spoke and swung to '-' whenever Abbot spoke.
Channel 72's worm did the exact opposite.

So...

What we have is media big shots trying to manipulate their audiences through use of the worm. It was so obvious I can't imagine how anyone would not have noticed this. If you watched either 7 or 9, you were manipulated. Media heavy weights on 7 and 9 treated its viewers as complete idiots last night. F##K them. Manipulative pricks.

 

[waza1960]

What we have is media big shots trying to manipulate their audiences through use of the worm. It was so obvious I can't imagine how anyone would not have noticed this. If you watched either 7 or 9, you were manipulated. Media heavy weights on 7 and 9 treated its viewers as complete idiots last night. F##K them. Manipulative pricks.

Maybe or it could be the fact that Ch9's worm is represented by hand picked swinging voters
Whereas Ch7's worm was an app where anybody could contribute.

 

[Julia]

Channel 7, 9 and 10 said Abbott won
ABC said Rudd
So I wonder which one is true.

It's a subjective evaluation, Tink. Not actually measurable.
As GB points out, the worm thing is just silly and demeans the whole debate. Like the studio audience for Q & A, there will be built in bias even just according to the normal viewer demographic for those channels.

The polls are saying 52 to 48 in favour of the Coalition, we are just saying what is said, even on the ABC.
A few more weeks and we will all know the outcome.
I say the Coalition will win.

More worryingly for Labor, their primary vote in today's Newspoll is down to 35%.

Explod, you're living in some sort of dreamworld.

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Maybe or it could be the fact that Ch9's worm is represented by hand picked swinging voters
Whereas Ch7's worm was an app where anybody could contribute.

The problem was that as soon as Abbott or Rudd opened his mouth, the worm would swing to the 70:30 or 30:70 position. And it happened every single time. There was no deliberation on the part of the audience as they considered the message being delivered, it would just happen predictably and automatically. Channel 9 in one direction, channel 7 in the other. It's just the big wigs' version of putting tape on the cricket bat.

 

[Calliope]

From The Australian editorial;

After a week of the campaign it is no surprise that they should play a cautious and, at times, defensive game. None of that excuses, however, the refusal of either leader to acknowledge the historical challenge the next administration faces: to check and then reduce the size and cost of government.

Any debate is worthless when neither party is prepared to tackle this issue. It is the overwhelming problem, and the election winner will have no choice but to tackle it head on like Qld premier Newman.

 

[Julia]

Agree. It was also disappointing last night not to hear either of them make any comment about homelessness, entrenched poverty and long term unemployment. It's as if both sides try to pretend these very real concerns don't exist.

One real plus was that the PM finally was called on his (and his party's) repetitive and quite untrue assertion that under the Pacific Solution "70% of the people on Nauru ended up in Australia anyway". Good to see Tony Abbott jump on him here and correct the figure to the reality of 43%, the remainder either going back to where they came from or settled in other countries.

Mr Abbott let himself down on Aged Care where he didn't appear to have any sort of policy or thought at all.
Lot of potential consumers voting on this, Tony.

 

[sydboy007]

Mr Abbott let himself down on Aged Care where he didn't appear to have any sort of policy or thought at all.
Lot of potential consumers voting on this, Tony.

It's a lose situation for both parties. Any changes will cost the aged, so neither party is willing to do what's necessary for fear of alienating a very powerful, and increasing in size, voting block.

I cannot understand how people with million dollar properties complain about the cost of aged care, AND how they expect the rest of us to pay for them.