Scott Morrison's re-election strategy relies on him passing the 'pub test'
By political reporter
Jane Norman
Updated Wed at 10:01am
PHOTO: The key question for Scott Morrison will be whether he passes the pub test. (AAP)
Imagine if the entire campaign to convince a few million undecided voters who's best to lead the nation for the next three years came down to one attribute: a natural ease for drinking beer.
Unthinkable? Maybe. But not entirely.
Subtly but deliberately, Scott Morrison's re-election strategy relies in no small way on him passing the "pub test".
It's a forum for political evaluation the Prime Minister's chosen for himself and the logic behind it is obvious: to turn his consistent lead over Bill Shorten on measures like "preferred prime minister" into actual votes.
Call it the likeability or relatability factor — Mr Morrison reckons he's got it and has found a place to get more of it.
In almost two weeks observing the Prime Minister on the campaign trail, he's shown an unerring habit of seeking out an RSL or hotel, with a beer in hand, meeting the locals and (on at least one occasion) calling the bingo. There is method to it.
While Mr Morrison mingles, a photo of him is uploaded to his Instagram account, often accompanied by a self-deprecating comment.
It's an orchestrated media strategy aimed at showing voters he's just a regular bloke and no longer the shouty "stop the boats" persona he embodied as immigration minister.
"We haven't had a lot of time to introduce him to the Australian public, so we're kind of doing that at warp speed," one Liberal insider told the ABC.
Each time the Prime Minister travels, his advisers try to squeeze in an unannounced visit to a cafe strip or pop into a pub for a counter meal, because they have observed that when he meets people, they seem to like him.
?
