Michael Gordon is the political editor of The Age.
Let's rewind the clock. It's the Tuesday before polling day and Tony Nutt, Malcolm Turnbull's campaign director, rings his Labor counterpart with an offer George Wright could not refuse: a final leaders' debate on prime time TV.
There has been much discussion this past six months about whether we have been seeing "the real Malcolm" or a politician who has traded convictions and adopted a more conservative stance to secure the prime ministership.
The danger is that immense damage will be done to communities served by the CFA by pitting professional against volunteer.
Turnbull's return to Q&A; might be his most daring move in this risk-averse campaign to retain government.
The battle over the final the weeks of the campaign will be as much for the hearts as the minds of the undecided.
What should worry the prime minister, and what will worry his MPs and candidates, is that his approval rating has dropped another three points in the last fortnight, while his opponent's standing continues to improve.
Malcolm Turnbull had a decision to make this week when Peter Dutton went rogue in his bid to impose border protection and boats on the election campaign and, in the process, become the most polarising figure in Australian politics.
The Coalition's plan so far: don't get anybody too excited, and wait for the other side to blow it.
Malcolm Turnbull has given Bill Shorten another leg-up by calling the election this weekend.
The PM has no answer to the asylum seeker situation beyond inflicting more harm.
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