Question time in any parliament is overrated. Few people view or listen to it. journalists or former 'advisors' who do usually concentrate on the alleged theatrics of question time and not what has actually occurred. Have you ever read or heard of a minister avoiding answering the question?
First of all question time is all in favour of the government. Even a good speaker is hampered in getting ministers to answer questions. All questions from government member are dorothy dixers.
But let us be bi-partisan about this. Paul Keating and Peter Costello were allegedly masters of question time. Did this 'ascendancy' help their governments in terms of polling? No. did it help them individually? No again.
It apparently only affects the 'morale' of the backbenchers however this is never measured and it appears to be on the backgrounding of one or two members at best or merely opinion at worst.
Both Keating and Costello desperately wanted to be Prime Minister however their performances in parliament did not assist them.
What you say what about Keating. alas he gained voted because he had a different political contest to john Hewson's fightback for which Hawke had no idea. Also important here voters thought he had a 'vision' for Australia which was different to fightback. This evaporated after the 1993 election. ( The punters never thought Costello had a vision!)
Why do so many people concentrate on question time when it has little effect on the electorate? They need something to write or talk about!!
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