You can bloody well bet 60 Minutes’ political heavy hitter Laurie Oakes recognised that fact, so it’s just as well he had a chance to sit down with the PM himself after seven absolutely chaotic days.
Oakes opened strong on tonight’s show, asking how “Prime Minister Trumble” was doing.
“It’s a bit offensive too isn’t it that the White House spokesman doesn’t bother to get your name right?” | @TurnbullMalcolm NOW on #60Mins pic.twitter.com/Eg4YsW2wsl
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) February 5, 2017
That’s definitely up for debate, and Oakes didn’t relent. He asked Turnbull if that refugee deal Australia signed under the Obama administration would come with caveats that may send our nation up shit creek.
“You know that I always stand my ground, I defend my position, my nation’s position. I’ve stood up for Australia, and the president has given us a commitment to honour the deal entered into by his predecessor, and we thank him for that.”
.@TurnbullMalcolm tells @LaurieOakes he stood up for Australia & @realDonaldTrump has given a commitment ‘to honour the deal.’ #60Mins pic.twitter.com/bc0dzbmTSy
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) February 5, 2017
Sure. Cool.
It wasn’t only international issues Oakes pressed Turnbull on, either. Talk of the same-sex marriage plebiscite reared its ugly head once more, and the PM maintained that it’s still his party’s stance that it should be put to a plebiscite.
Of course, unless Opposition Leader Bill Shorten suffers some kind of massive amnesia-inducing democracy-snag mishap, it seems unlikely the Labor Party will relent on its stance to block the plebiscite when parliament resumes next week.
“Only reason gay couples will not be able to get married…is because of @billshortenmp‘s totally political approach.” – @turnbullmalcolm pic.twitter.com/g934hgVZwt
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) February 5, 2017
Somehow, news that Turnbull donated over a million dollars of his own money to the Liberal Party only warranted a side-note in this cordial but intense exchange.
Just make this show sixty whole minutes of Oakes chatting with the PM, please and thanks – especially after nightmare weeks like this.
Source: 60 Minutes / Channel 9.