Sunrise tells party leaders: No propaganda – you’re off the air unless you debate
Sunrise, Australia’s highest rating breakfast show, has banned the party leaders from appearing during the election campaign unless they agree to hold an unrestricted debate.
Sunrise executive producer Adam Boland said: “Rather than simply being used as a propaganda machine for the parties, Sunrise will no longer have either leader on the show during the campaign unless they hear the wishes of everyday Australians and take part in an honest encounter. Julia Gillard says it’s time to get real. Here’s the chance.”
As the first step, Sunrise this morning hosted a debate between the leaders of minor parties Family First and the Australian Sex Party.
Boland said: “This morning’s format was simple. The candidates took the gloves off and were forced to argue for what they really believe. The overwhelming view from our audience is that they’re yet to discover the real Julia Gillard or the real Tony Abbott.
Viewers of the Seven Network show are being invited to sign an online petition calling for the debate.
Update: In what appeared to be early progress, Gillard told fellow Seven show Today Tonight that she would be willing to participate if Abbott also agrees. She said: “It’s game on”.
However, it looks like Sunrise would not get to stage the debate. A statement from Seven said: “Seven Network CEO, David Leckie, has suggested 6:30pm as the timeslot for the second debate.” It quoted Leckie as saying: “We think the voters would appreciate a lively exchange between the two leaders and an opportunity to see more of their real personality.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Good on them.
That leaders debate was a fucking embarrassment.
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Its great to see the media pushing around the politicians. Does this show where the true power lies in Australia…
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About time. And what Tom said.
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they are still pouting that they were on team Rudd ;p
– I would love to see an unrestricted debate though
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Kerry Stokes no likey mining tax. Where will all his caterpillars go to work?
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The Mad Monk as Prime Minister?
God forbid.
Go Julia.
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Abbot needs to stand ground until (a) both parties agree on the format of the debate and (b) it’s not a ratings inner for the seven network. The debate should be held on the networks willing to broadcast it and should mutually agreed. Not dictated by a so-called leader who is not getting her way in the polls…
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It’s bloody obvious they should have this debate – neither of them should be afraid of it, unless they are unable to hold their own. It should be braodcast across all FTAs: ABC included.
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Both major parties are probably looking at the performance of Family First candidate Wendy Francis and thinking “nope, not a chance of a real debate happening.”
She was an absolute shocker, interrupting and completely missing the point of the issues most of the time. If that had been Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott the election would be over in favour of whoever kept their mouth shut longer.
Given the media’s attempts to turn every turn of phrase, facial expression or lack of something as a scandal, I don’t blame the major parties for holding back during the debate. That being said, I’d be the first to watch a real debate if it happened…
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I would like to see a debate between the ACTU and the Liberal party- isn’t that where all Labor’s funding is coming from anyway?
At the end of the day, the only thing that sets the boring Labor government apart from the Libs is the obvious Union bias and the effect it has on their policies.
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just shows that Sunrise has become as arrogant as the pollies
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Who the hell do they think they are? Who the feck is “Mel” to interrupt the Prime Minister of Australia and tell her (paraphrasing): “No, I’m sorry, we’re going to have to stop you there, we didn’t let Tony Abott have a go at you and we’re not goung to let you have a go at him and the Liberal Party”….?
I have no intention of voting Labor, but that’s no way to speak to the Prime Minister of the country. I would have loved Gillard to have a go back at “Mel” and said: “Excuse me, Mel, I’m the Prime Minister of this country, please don;t interrupt me and let me say what I have to say and let your viewers decide what they think of it”.
I’m gutted I missed this morning’s story on whether we should “force mothers to breast feed for 6 months”!
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As if any intellignt Australian watches sunrise.
If there’s going to be a real debate and an opportunity for the public to ask the important questions, Julia and Tony should accept the offers from ABC’s Q&A.
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and Bob Brown should also be invited to join the panel
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OMG … there IS someone madder than the Mad monk – Wendy Francis. She even manages to be ruder than him (voice from off-stage … “sorry, you’re wrong there – that’s not right”).
I bet SHE is the woman who puts the lone complaint into the ASB!
Save us … save us … please!
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@outdoor avenger: is it nice being that arrogant? Considering Sunrise is the highest ratings breakfast show in Oz, I assume quite a few people watch it. Of course, you’re more intelligent than all of them.
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Being one of the only 3 independents running for one of the 6 senate seat’s here in South Australia I find it quiet bad that sunrise as well as other mainstream media is controlling the information that is getting out to the public this election. So much for a fair democracy way of running for a seat in Parliament. Voting for Party Politics means that the person your voting for isn’t the one who makes the decisions on behalf of the people its the backers of the Party’s as well as other backroom groups who get involved. So before people waste their votes again and we all get price hikes on all every day costs of living as well as more money spent on band aid solutions to our States as well as country’s issues why not research the other choice people running for the people as this is clearly the only way forward as the people who u vote in will only answer to the ones who matter you the everyday voters and hard working people of this great country…….
Myself and my co running mate mark Aldridge have been lucky enough to draw the B Box on the senate ballot paper ahead of the Labor party as well as the liberals…… The amount of issues that have been raised to me while I’ve been out meeting the people doesn’t reflect what the mainstream media outlets are reporting on so this in it’s self proves that they are as bad as the Major party’s controlling what people really want to raise like issue such as the my-school program It is a great idea but at the moment it is in its starting point still and people want to know where does it go from here and what will it cost or the Murray River issue is still a hot topic as people are fed up with the marginal seats in the eastern states controlling the water allocations as it is unfair to the state as well as the family’s who rely on it for survival as if the river is treated the same way for a few more years it will not only destroy community ‘s but the natural fauna and species that also call it home will suffer as well. We also have other major issues such as health-care as well as mental health and how under a federal system will the services to this state be effected. Then there is crime towards the elderly as well as children that have risen from lack of services then the deaths of workers on work-sites so as you see the mainstream media aren’t doing the people a favor by watering the issues down as sometimes they forget that the real people of the country are hurting from decisions that were only band aid solutions we need real action to be done in order for the whole country to move forward in a fairer way for all.
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About time the election as a whole was based on the electorates actual choices, rather than the faces chosen by their parties, it has been like a bet on a 2 horse race, where neither and or both may not finish.
Plenty of good candidates out there, let the media create an informed electorate, so we end up represented by the most preferred, I have put in over a decade, and will take bets on me never getting main stream media exposure
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What a joke. How long is it since anyone in a key national position took SUNRISE seriously. I must admit that I used to watch it – up to nearly three years ago, but gave up when Kochie and offsider started giving their “star recruit” Kevin Rudd the “star” treatment. They almost claimed him as their own property, which, in a sense he was, because of their championing of him for eons even before his leadership ascension.
I do like Mark Riley and his delightful “edge” to his Canberra reports; he is refreshing to hear and stands right out from the crowd, and I usually watch the SEVEN NEWS when home; but cannot now abide SUNRISE – haven’t watched it for years.. THE TODAY SHOW for content quality and reporting leaves it for dead, with the added benefit of having Laurie Oakes leading a superior back-up Canberra team. Meaning when home I do first look to Oakes, but like to get Mark Riley as a preferred second opinion ahead of the obviously loaded reporting on the ABC. So on the NEWS One often uses the remote.
Somehow it seems that the greatest supporter and lover of SUNRISE is its “main man”; Kochie himself. His self-adoring preening is just too much.
Sorry David.
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I’m happy for this to be on Sunrise, means I will never watch it.
Whatever Koch-Head is on, I’m not watching.
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