I’m more concerned with her hair. Yikes. Brush much?
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks with Leigh Sales tonight
Tonight on 7.30 on ABC
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins Leigh Sales in the 7.30 studio tonight to talk about the US refugee resettlement deal and to discuss whether our political leaders in Australia are in touch with the issues that most matter to Australian voters.
Leigh has lost the plot.
That was actually the most woeful 10 minutes of interview I’ve ever seen in my life.
That it was with the Prime Minister of this country, is inexcusable.
Apparently, Leigh’s take home message from the Brexit vote, and the US Presidential election, is that politicians are out of touch with community sentiment and therefore, why is Turnbull not enacting euthanasia laws, as a poll recently put support at 70%.
She persisted with this bizarre line of questioning, jumping down rabbit holes, until Turnbull finally had to state the obvious point - that it is often political pundits and elite media like the ABC that are out of touch. There is no community hunger for euthanasia laws. That there is support for something, doesn’t necessarily mean it is a priority for voters, or an area in which they demand change. It is simply an expression of opinion.
She then weirdly went on a rant about some Government backbenchers talking about section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, and Turnbulls desire for an inquiry. Are Australians really talking about this at the kitchen table, she earnestly inquired, not realising it completely contradicted her point about euthanasia laws. Turnbull stated it was in fact the elite media, like the ABC, constantly obsessing over this issue. Which silenced Leigh, knowing full well we had half a programme last week dedicated to an interrogation of Triggs of the HRC.
So, one day, Leigh thinks Triggs has serious questions to answer about the application of section 18C by the HRC…but by Monday, she thinks it is an issue that some backbenchers have even raised it as a concern. Never mind the fact we actually had a court determine a related high profile matter just last week, and The Australian cartoon complaint was withdrawn today.
Seriously stupid.
Then, Leigh asked why wasn’t Turnbull instead focusing on issues that really matter to Australians - a 40% increase in the female suicide rate (never mind the fact the male rate is astonomically high in comparison and has been persistently so), and the fact the average Australian female uses all of her take home pay on child care each week (probably the most factually incorrect statement ever to be uttered on 7:30, or Australian television).
Leigh - the message from the two votes, in my opinion. Centre right wing politicians like Turnbull are not out of touch. Ranty left wing media participants, at state propaganda broadcasters like the ABC and BBC, are out of touch.
Leigh seriously needs to be removed from this programme. That was amateur hour.
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Crowded House’s Neil Finn & Nick Seymour speak with Leigh Sales
Tonight on 7.30 on ABC & iview
Crowded House members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour join host Leigh Sales tonight on 7.30 for a wide-ranging interview ahead of Sunday night’s highly anticipated event, Crowded House Live at Sydney Opera House.
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks with Leigh Sales tonight: ABCC bill
The show will take a break in the final week of the year, just like last year, according to ABC schedules thread.
Urgh another two horrible interviews by Leigh on tonight’s ep with the Treasurer and his Shadow. Dopey devil’s advocate argument of what’s the big deal if Australia’s credit rating is downgraded; dopey argument about whether Scott Morrison likes fiscal stimulus or not. Both questions answered sufficiently by both men, but of course Leigh wasn’t able to move on from her script.
Is such a poor interviewer on the national/public broadcaster’s flagship political programme really a good host?
It’s actually embarrassing. There are 50 other political journos around the country that could do a better job than her.
Stan Grant is filling in for Leigh from Monday.
They should get rid of his token role for ABC News as Indigenous Affairs editor, and have him replace Leigh permanently. Much better suited to the role than her.
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Sabra Lane should still be at 7:30, hosting, rather than being at AM on radio this year.
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I often wonder if people like Sabra would rather do radio over television? AM is a high profile programme which does set the news agenda for the day.
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Stan Grant is excellent as host. Liked the different set up for the interview as well.
How much better is Stan Grant as host of this programme? 
Always thought Leigh was poor.
That a different interview set up was trialed tonight perhaps indicates changes to this programme coming in 2017? Let’s hope…
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Oh wow, how refreshing has it been having some grown up analysis and discussion on this programme for the last week.
What an absolutely vast difference from the usual student-style sniping and superficial understanding of Leigh Sales.
Stan Grant must immediately take over from her in the hosting role.
If the ABC is fair dinkum about providing a quality current affairs programme each night, it will get about organising Leigh’s removal right away.
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I somehow think that the ABC won’t be removing Leigh from any flagship program anytime soon. Just six months ago she hosted the election coverage and there’s been no significant push from any quarter for her sacking nor any career-damaging scandal.
I get that you don’t like her and her style, but I really don’t think you should be getting your hopes up.
Oh, you’re mistaken. It’s not about anything I like. I don’t ask for anything based on a personal preference - she is simply not up to the same standard as Stan Grant or previous hosts of this programme.
As for her hosting of the election coverage - that was woeful and capped off with a vulgar remark directed towards Kerry O’Brien. Definitely not in any way a success.
In any case, Stan Grant’s poaching by the ABC for a role obviously beneath his capabilities on ABC News, quickly followed up by a stint hosting this programme, with new segment formats being trialed, didn’t happen by accident.
But you’re right, I shouldn’t get my hopes up that the ABC would do something which so blindingly obviously needs to be done.
Oh and she can easily be shifted around to 4Corners, Lateline or Australian Story - they’ll give her a flagship programme.
[quote=“Firetorch, post:50, topic:238”]
I don’t ask for anything based on a personal preference
[/quote]I’ve screenshotted this.
[quote=“Firetorch, post:50, topic:238”]
As for her hosting of the election coverage - that was woeful and capped off with a vulgar remark directed towards Kerry O’Brien.
[/quote]Felt pretty mundane and in good spirits to me. She had been broadcasting for seven hours - she was entitled to get a little loose at 1am.
[quote=“Firetorch, post:50, topic:238”]
In any case, Stan Grant’s poaching by the ABC for a role obviously beneath his capabilities on ABC News, quickly followed up by a stint hosting this programme, with new segment formats being trialed, didn’t happen by accident.
[/quote]More likely than not, he jumped ship because moving from Sky News to the ABC in any form is a step up the ladder. The amount of journos fleeing Sky at the moment indicates there’s nothing good going on behind the scenes there. And there’s no law forbidding Stan from being utilised in other programmes across the ABC. There’s TV, radio and online for him to appear on. It doesn’t have to be 7.30.
We’re getting dragged into rabbit holes here.
Let’s get back to the big picture.
Stan is a far better host of this programme than Leigh.
Simple.
Where were these rumours? In any case, glad to know I’m not the only one who thinks Leigh needs replacing. Hopefully Stan’s new replacement programme for 7.30 on Fridays is the first step to that happening.