If all else fails, you can always blame the media

Two weeks should have been enough. A break from the campaign that by mid-April had already turned stale would, I was sure, see me return to it with fresh eyes. Perhaps find evidence things had moved on from the repetitive grind that's prompted so many to vote early and put the business behind them.

It was not to be.

I plunged back in to catch up on Sunday only to find the campaign much the same as I'd left it: a hollow and nakedly transactional contest, as boring to watch as two competing carpet salesmen spruiking their respective wares from opposite sides of the street.

"Everything must go!"

"Sale must end Saturday!"

But there was one big surprise, something I did not, perhaps naively, expect to see.

"Forget about what you have been told by the ABC, in The Guardian and the other hate media," Peter Dutton told supporters at a rally in outer Melbourne, an event ironically covered by the ABC.

At this late stage of the campaign, after trying wanly to distance himself and the Liberal Party from Trump-style politics, here was Dutton again resorting to Trumpian rhetoric. He'd put his hand back on the hotplate despite being burned - possibly fatally - by it throughout the campaign. Ill-considered or reflexive? It's hard to know.

Dutton's choice of words did not sit well with at least one of his high-profile colleagues. Monday morning and Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume was at first saying "hate media" were not words she would have used even if The Guardian and the ABC had been tough on the Opposition Leader. She later tried to hose down Dutton's comment as being flippant.

The Guardian makes no secret of its progressive leanings but the ABC is obsessive to the point of tedium about "bothsideism". It's why critics from the left continually accuse the national broadcaster of conservative bias and those from the right accuse it of being too left-leaning. Whether meant flippantly or not, Dutton's "hate media" comment, even if uttered to a friendly crowd, was an error of judgement, of which there have been many during this campaign.

With five full days left, we'd arrived at the "blame the media" stage of the opposition's campaign. It needn't have been this way. Had Peter Dutton sharpened his media skills by holding more Canberra press conferences during the past three years, he'd have been better prepared to weather the intense scrutiny he's now under. Instead, he chose regional appearances and the safe harbours of friendly radio appearances and Sky News.

After Albanese was declared the winner of the 7 Network's The Final Showdown leaders debate - an unedifying exercise more like a game show than a serious clash of ideas - Dutton had another crack at the media yesterday morning, questioning the makeup of voters in the audience who'd turned their thumbs down on him. Unsaid but suggested: the game was rigged. Which sounds too familiar for comfort.

In a further twist of irony on Monday morning it was the media that tried to extricate the Opposition Leader's campaign bus after it became stuck on a concrete bike lane barrier in Sydney. The symbolism escaped no one.

Four more sleeps and the campaign will be over, none too soon for many of us. We won't know the outcome until Saturday night, even later if it's too close to call on the night.

What follows will be infinitely more interesting, as the major parties come to terms with loss, victory or something in between and assess who's best to take them forward. Chances are there'll be more than one conclave to keep an eye on.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it a sign of desperation when politicians blame the media for their poor showing in the polls or debates? Is there such a thing as "hate media" in Australia? Who do you think will - or should - lead the major parties after the election? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

- Queensland government quarterly data shows there has been an 8.2 per cent fall in car theft and an 8.4 per cent fall in break and enters since the Liberal National Party's "adult crime, adult time" laws were passed in December.

- Chasing the votes of small-business owners, the major parties have offered a slew of promises, from tax incentives to energy relief, but operators are largely unimpressed.

- A mind-altering medication chemically akin to ketamine will be made cheaper to improve the lives of Australians suffering from treatment-resistant depression - the first new government-backed initiative to treat the chronic mental illness in decades.

THEY SAID IT: "Rhetoric does not get you anywhere, because Hitler and Mussolini are just as good at rhetoric. But if you can bring these people down with comedy, they stand no chance." - Mel Brooks

YOU SAID IT: Elections are like house parties that go on for too long, wrote Saffron. Which explains why so many people choose to vote early.

"I have every sympathy with anyone who wants to vote early," writes Patricia. "On polling day, it's too loud, the queues are too long, but that's secondary to this particular election. We're voting for our own candidates, but the overarching results will affect which of the two stale, pale, male leaders with very little to offer is successful. Neither truly reflects my values or wishes. How has it come to this?"

Gaye writes: "Enough is enough! You can fool some of the people some of the time! But not all of the people all of the time! One can only hope this proves to be true."

"I will probably vote on election day, but if I happen to be close to an early voting centre before Saturday, that could change," writes Sue. "The date is not an issue. As far as I am concerned, the election has been over for a while (about four weeks) except for that final bit about numbering the box. There is a limit to how much amusement is provided by politicians during elections by scoring their backflips (Dutton is much better at these than Albo)."

Arthur writes: "I am looking forward to next week when this ridiculous campaign is over."

"Another reason for four-year terms - and senators for four years," writes Susan. "I have always felt that voting is a privilege and feel a touch of national pride that I can do so safely, know that it will be counted properly and get a sausage. Seems to me that independents, etc. are blockers and slow down any change that the government may be trying to introduce to the detriment of all. Greens are the prime example but the others seem to just want attention. Then we blame to incumbents for not doing things."

Alan writes: "I was a scrutineer at federal election a few years ago. I found many had voted informal with stupid remarks like 'bingo'. That shows you their intelligence."

"I have just reached the conclusion that somebody should talk the premiers of South Australia, Queensland and NSW into standing for Federal Parliament," writes John. "Any one of these three would make a better prime minister than Albanese or Dutton. If all three were elected, things would really happen."

Louise writes: "These days I do not vote on election day because of the crowds and, yes, it has been one of the dullest runs up to the election. It might be dreary but grateful it has carried on the tradition of being peaceful."

"The policies pronounced are vapid but the personalities remain the same, and I am appalled that the majors still trot up the same discredited candidates flogging their pie-in-the-sky schemes with both sides hoping for a majority so they can sneak their agendas through out of the glare of parliamentary debate," writes Col. "I'm off to vote today, I'm over it, a pox on all their houses, no matter who you vote for - a politician still gets in. In my case, it won't be 'don't vote, it just encourages the bastards' but equally not the idiots on the edges."

Jocelyn writes: "I always save my vote for the real polling day, and cast my vote at the little primary school up the road where I've always voted. However, I've seen a couple of very well-attended pre-poll places last week! Go early voters! I believe some citizens confused ANZAC day with polling day, and I heard about an Israeli flag being unfurled at one of these solemn events. The flag-bearer was told to buzz off. Wrong flag for that day."

"Both major parties are spending the month leading up to the election dribbling bribes to selected members of the electorate," writes Ian. "I'm tired of and disgusted by these silly games. The lack of vision for the future of Australia characterised by the campaigns of both sides is most disappointing. So, my voting decisions are mainly based on party performance (or non-performance) over the last three years and previously too. Hence, no need for me to hang around until polling day to decide whom I'm going to vote for."

Del writes: "I vote on election day. Can't see the point in lining up. Why have early voting anyway if there is an 'election day' and the postal votes if one isn't able to do it on the day? How long should a campaign be? God knows, as this has been the most boring ever!"