On a day when Ray Martin has followed George Negus into rejecting much that Current affairs so called " problem solving" has done, Tony Jones keeps alive the old format; hunting the poly/bad guy with pay up now questions.
At 9:30pm he would do better to try something new, He'd have some chance of getting to a decent subject and some "drawing out" time before time is up. Instead he wastes 30 minutes on old boat stories . Questions that drag out old predjudices just drag the program out . Maybe the questions could only be about non news issues- for a change at least ?
Very few insights into the public interests of politicians were gained. - largely only points to those who want to poke fun at them .
Sure we get to see some new sides to our leaders, but the guests would be much more interesting ( love to hear more of bertina )if the subjects were of actual interest to them . Why weren't they asked questions of genuine public interest -" Are you concerned about porn on the net and are we doing enough to limit it" . " What do women really want (Bertina) and rest of you - secret ballot before the show and then discuss it" ?
Does the ABC believe a bit more consensus might be nice at 10;30pm? No wonder our kids don't take politics seriously - when the HOST's "moving around" is only to ensure ringside entertainment for those who want yet another chance to beat up the other side with a lot of predictable old taunts.
as jonathon hinted, the real problem is often not "out there" , but in the room. Maybe many are just saying what they think they should say .
A CONSENSUS of sorts ( took a while- too long -as usual it was at the end )
Bertina, Jonathan and the "where's the motivational speech man " said it all - you've overplayed your hand, you spin merchants .
Even Bill Shorten chimed in, in a sort of a way, by overplaying the number ( rather than the quality) of the REAL things the government are doing.
Bill was sounding a bit like Father christmas Kevin i thought - maybe its Worse than father christmas -offering gifts before he asks us to pay a huge new tax in the new year ? -
Maybe labor is not seriuos; just doing what the program guests are doing - just talking about it ; talk just makes the leaders sound good; maybe the public are not seriuos either ; talking about it just makes them sound good. Lights and mirrors ?
One good gift ,like one good reason, is all we need to follow. If an ETS is so good for us - where's the speech Kevin or Peter or Penny ! Like Q&A maybe, its nearly all just talk.
