Leigh Sales has spectacularly taken down Malcolm Turnbull during a fiery clash over the Prime Minister’s disastrous poll results.
Appearing on ABC’s 7.30 Report on Monday, the Prime Minister was backed into a corner when he was grilled about his dwindling popularity in the opinion polls.
‘Many times now it’s been pointed out to you that you’ve lost 18 news polls in a row,’ host Leigh Sales said.
‘Many times now it’s been pointed out to you that you’ve lost 18 news polls in a row,’ host Leigh Sales said
‘One of your justifications for calling a spill against Tony Abbott was that he had lost 30 news polls in a row.
‘At that time you said it was clear the coalition was on a trajectory to lose the next election. You’re on the same trajectory are you not?’
In 2015 Mr Turnbull announced he planned to challenge Tony Abbott for his prime minister-ship, citing the coalition’s dwindling popularity in the polls.
‘The one thing that is clear about our current situation is the trajectory. We have lost 30 Newspolls in a row. It is clear that the people have made up their mind about Mr Abbott’s leadership,’ Mr Turnbull said in September 2015.
During Mr Turnbull’s 12 minute appearance on the program, he grew so impatient with Ms Sales, he was forced to ask her to ‘please don’t interrupt me so much that I can’t even finish my sentence’.
‘Let me finish,’ he said while attempting to talk about electricity affordability.
His plead prompted Ms Sales to say ‘I won’t interrupt you if you answer the question’.
Mr Turnbull was backed into a corner during the program when Ms Sales questioned him about his popularity in the news polls
‘At that time you said it was clear the coalition was on a trajectory to lose the next election. You’re on the same trajectory are you not?’ Ms Sales said
Two years after the leadership spill, Mr Turnbull refused to accept the last 18 polls reflected his popularity or his party’s projected success.
‘We’ll win the next election,’ he said.
Ms Sales pushed the point, saying: ‘But you’ve lost 18 news polls in a row, this is the standard that you’ve set for yourself’.
Her persistence appeared to anger the Prime Minister.
‘Well Leigh, again, I’m sorry that you’re not interested in talking about energy prices, you only want to talk about politics,’ he said.
Ms Sales defended the line of questioning and said ‘Prime Minister, look I’m sorry to have to pull out your quotes but you said ‘nobody looks at opinion polls with more attention than politicians’.
Ms Sales pushed the point, saying: ‘But you’ve lost 18 news polls in a row, this is the standard that you’ve set for yourself’
‘Well Leigh, again, I’m sorry that you’re not interested in talking about energy prices, you only want to talk about politics,’ Mr Turnbull said
‘One of the arguments you made at the time you replaced Tony Abbott was that if the liberal party under Tony Abbott continued on that trajectory, Australia would get Bill Shorten as Prime Minister, which you thought would be a disastrous outcome,’ she said.
‘If that’s your genuine view, then surely you must have to keep open the option at some point that you would step aside to give the liberal party the best chance of ensuring that Bill Shorten wouldn’t be prime minister.’
Ms Sales’ question drew the cold shoulder from Mr Turnbull who said: ‘Well Leigh, I’m really not interested in going along with this sort of political commentary that you want to engage in’.
‘You’re a commentator and I’m a politician. My job is to ensure that Australians have good jobs, affordable and reliable energy, are protected from terrorism and are safe,’ he said.
‘It’s your job to run the commentary, cynical or however you want to do that.’
‘One of the arguments you made at the time you replaced Tony Abbott was that if the liberal party under Tony Abbott continued on that trajectory, Australia would get Bill Shorten as Prime Minister, which you thought would be a disastrous outcome,’ Ms Sales said
The pair’s heated exchange made waves on social media.
Twitter users were quick to support Ms Sales and slam the Prime Minister for his evasive techniques.
‘Malcolm Turnbull’s interview with Leigh Sales showed his arrogance and belligerence at full throttle,’ one woman said.
‘Turnbull looks rather red and sweaty,’ another said.
