Phemanderac
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I give Hockey 10 out of 10 for making an appearance, however, that score was not maintained.
I thought he started fairly strongly/confidently, this even though I did not buy some of what he said or agree with other aspects. However, at a mid point in the program, Hockey point blank responded to an audience members comment (I don't recall the specifics) with an old standard "I reject that..." He did attempt to clarify his "rejection" as though realisation of its implications hit him just after the comment left his mouth, but too little too late.
That lost me at that point - he is not the only politician to have "rejected out of hand" comments, views or queries over the years, as such, I am quite consistent in that it would not matter what brand the politician is, "rejecting out of hand" is an ignorant, disrespectful and arrogant response. It basically means the speaker has no good answer.
From that point on, Hockey was on his back foot and his "score" became irrelevant.
As to the show host.
His job is to facilitate questions and answers. Not just answers.
He is not there to bow down to whoever sits there, he is there to guide the show along and to ensure as many questions are asked as is feasible in the allotted time. Further, he has cut people off when there is a full panel in the past in order to allow more questions.
That is what facilitating is. The show is not a policy delivery, reframe or justify platform - it is about questions and answers, something that Joe Hockey is most certainly not alone in apparently overlooking.
Personally, I don't think the single panel version is the best Q and A has to offer to be honest.
To my mind the ABC, particularly Q and A presents mixed views generally speaking so, when K. Rudd, J. Gillard or, in this case J. Hockey have the floor to themselves, then it is not particularly mixed or balanced. I think there should always be a second person on the panel to counter, challenge and, where appropriate, correct a speaker.
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