Leaders and their campaign staffers - and particularly this time, Morrison and his people, because they are on the back foot - have become so risk-averse that journalists regularly find themselves on buses and planes without having a clue about the destination.
Shorten’s travelling comet of journalists get press releases the night before announcements are to be made, and reporters are even informed ahead of time where they are going.Once Easter and Anzac Day are over and these early days of the campaign and the phony arguments about billions squandered or saved or cut - all in the abstract future - are behind us, the Opposition Leader can expect scrutiny of his agenda to sharpen considerably, and campaign paranoia to heighten.
The first time I got on the bus - which is to say, the first federal election campaign I physically followed - seemed tremendously exciting.Opposition Leader Bob Hawke sat up the front with his minders and maybe 12 journalists piled in the back. Buses picked us up and conveyed us to rallies and country shows and meeting halls, just as they did for those following the doomed PM Malcolm Fraser.Reporters covering election campaigns needed to rock around the nation with political leaders: it was the only way they could see and record what was going on, and their reports were the only way voters could be properly informed.
I agree with your sentiments.This is a pathetic beauty contest.There is no true vision for the country,just vote buying.Economic and environmental sustainability are the real vision,but that takes time and won’t gratify the voters who affect the outcome in the marginal seats
Best media follows Bill.........who knows where him and his union cronnie mates will stop for the night.