Politics

Turnbull mocked for hilariously awkward photo after poll loss

Apr 09, 2018

Malcolm Turnbull suffered a very unfortunate coincidence. Source: Getty.

Many of the reactions to Malcolm Turnbull’s 30th Newspoll loss have been less than kind – but he walked (or floated) right into this one.

The prime minister was photographed, quite literally, up a creek without a paddle, as he enjoyed some time out on a recent kayaking trip. Now, the photo has been mercilessly mocked by social media users thanks to its unfortunate timing.

In the happy snap, Turnbull is seen smiling in a life jacket and shorts – a far cry from his business-like persona in front of the cameras – as he holds on to the side of his kayak amid some rough-looking rapids.

Sharing a snap of the smiling Liberal leader battling the creek’s current, reporter Caroline Overington wrote: “Which of @TurnbullMalcolm’s advisors allowed him, today of all days, to be photographed up the creek without, it seems, a paddle?”

https://twitter.com/overingtonc/status/983123788689653761

Other social media users immediately jumped on the bandwagon and shared their own funny reactions, and while some called the photo “perfect” and “classic, another wrote: “My advice as a press sec was never to be photographed wearing a silly hat. Now add never get photographed in a silly hat and in a kayak without a paddle!”

Another added: “The creek looks brown too, Caroline.”

It comes amid fresh calls for Turnbull to step down as prime minister, following his 30th consecutive Newspoll loss – which was published in Monday’s edition of The Australian. This means he has now matched Tony Abbott’s 30-poll losing streak, which Turnbull used as an excuse to oust Abbott as leader in 2015.

Bill Shorten’s Labor Opposition continues to sit ahead of the Government with a two-party preferred vote of 52-48. In addition, Labor’s primary vote has increased by two points to 39 per cent, while the Coalition rose to 38 per cent.

Despite that, Turnbull is still holding on as preferred leader of Australia. The latest results have him sitting on 38 per cent, while Shorten is at 36 per cent. Many, including Abbott, are questioning if Turnbull should be allowed to keep his job, given this was the exact reason he chose to step up as leader three years ago.

“The one thing that is clear about our current situation is the trajectory,” Turnbull said of Abbott’s losing streak in 2015. “We have lost 30 Newspolls in a row. It is clear that the people have made up their mind about Mr Abbott’s leadership.”

Abbott has made it very clear that he and the public deserve answers if Turnbull is allowed to remain as PM after this latest blow. Speaking on 2GB radio, the former Prime Minister told host Ray Hadley that Newspolls should never play a role in leadership worthiness.

“I never made the polls the be all and the end all,” he explained. “I never turned the poll into the ultimate test of leadership. It was someone else who did that. It was the prime minister who set this test and I guess if he fails the test it will be the prime minister who will have to explain why the test was right for one and not right for the other.”