Ted O’Brien was all over Chris Bowen like a wind turbine on an endangered bird

Chris Bowen and Ted O'Brien face off in a political debate at the National Gallery of Australia.

From the National Press Club: I love the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), even if it’s gone so Woke that I can’t bring myself to be a member anymore. Today, the NGA was the battlefield for Speccie favourite, Chris ‘$275 cheaper’ Bowen, and Ted ‘too polished with little substance’ O’Brien for the National Press Club debate series. Clearly, the titles of Minister and Shadow Minister ‘for Climate Change and Energy’ indicate the level of importance your power bill matters to politicians.

The highlight was when some idiot protester – I picked this bloke as dodgy at the get-go – jumped up when Ted O’Brien began to speak and started shouting about ending coal and gas. The numerous AFP officers had the leftie protester out the door before I could get my phone out for a photo.

Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:

...Ted O’Brien and Chris Bowen went toe-to-toe, with Bowen ultimately getting trampled all over. Or, as Michael de Percy put it, ‘Ted O’Brien was all over Chris Bowen like a wind turbine on an endangered bird.’

Writing in the Morning Double Shot newsletter, Terry Barnes had this to say:

On the domestic dramas of our election, there was a bright spot for the Coalition yesterday. In a debate between energy spokesmen, the LNP’s Ted O’Brien made Chris Bowen look like the half-mad zealot and fanatic he’s proven to be, even to resembling Marty Feldman’s Igor in Young Frankenstein. Michael de Percy (now with caricature next his headline, denoting his cult status with our readers) gives an account of the debate, which was anything but Dullist. 

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Ted O’Brien was all over Chris Bowen like a wind turbine on an endangered bird.

Today, the NGA was the battlefield for Speccie favourite, Chris ‘$275 cheaper’ Bowen, and Ted ‘too polished with little substance’ O’Brien for the National Press Club debate series.https://t.co/YNdPVKQkkF

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) April 10, 2025

Angus goes to the mattresses, majority don’t like Adam

My Canberra Correspondent caricature for The Spectator Australia

Your Correspondent in Canberra: It was quite the day in the election campaign. Adam Bandt addressed a sparse-looking crowd at the National Press Club while Angus Taylor tore strips off Treasurer Jim Chalmers who cried ‘Uncle’ and asked Angus to ‘stop confusing me with your facts’. Chalmers’ charm and his obedient Lefties’ support all run out of steam at the supermarket checkout.

Adam Bandt has the answer. He will be Prime-Alt Minister. He will ensure Mr Dutton does not get in, and he will keep Labor under control using his stature and charisma. Further, you won’t have to worry about the checkout anymore because obviously the supermarkets, energy providers, service station owners, and every other business are taking the mick out of you.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Angus goes to the mattresses, majority don’t like Adam.

Angus goes to the mattresses, majority don’t like Adam https://t.co/yfKxepKrWd

— Rowan Dean (@rowandean) April 9, 2025

Albo and Dutton debate was a complete farce

Politics is a metaphorical war. It is no place for civilians

Central to our two-party liberal democracy is political debate. Our system allows for peaceful revolutions at the ballot box. It requires our political leaders to fight so that we don’t have to. The current debate format that brings voters into the equation is a complete cop-out. It sucks. Instead of our leaders debating each other, they have to be nice to the voters participating in the debate show.

The contemporary political debate format where voters get to ask questions in the middle of the debate sucks. It is not good for our democracy.

Writing in the Morning Double Shot newsletter, Terry Barnes had this to say:

Michael de Percy watched last night’s leaders’ debate and was unimpressed. You know what the debate told me? Instead of being about issues that really matter, this has become a Seinfeld election about nothing – when it should be about everything. De Percy effectively corroborated master Liberal campaigner Ian Hanke’s distaste for leaders’ debates. All that said, Peter Dutton deserves credit for performing solidly after just learning his father in Brisbane has had a heart attack, but Anthony Albanese was so gratingly on-message there was no winner (the audience polled gave it to Albanese by a decisive margin, an online poll said very differently). There were better things to do with one’s evening than watch this political version of World Championship Wrestling.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Albo and Dutton debate was a complete farce.

The debate format that brings voters into the equation is a cop-out. Instead of leaders debating each other, they have to be nice to voters participating in the show.

Politics in an adversarial system is a metaphorical war. It is no place for civilians.https://t.co/VuVGTiK2Lq

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) April 8, 2025