Michael Gordon is the political editor of The Age.
Let's re-wind 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.
Listen to Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop and the explanation for the Coalition's disastrous election result is all down to Labor telling a lie about Medicare and the gullible voters falling for it.
On his third attempt, Malcolm Turnbull has delivered the words he should have conveyed on Saturday night.
One Coalition insider rates the PM's chances of surviving at one in 10.
Malcolm Turnbull is coming under massive pressure from within to recast the superannuation changes he took to the election amid widespread anger and despair in Liberal ranks over his election campaign.
Malcolm Turnbull is facing the worst kind of win, where the Coalition is returned with the most seats, but his authority is weakened, his internal critics are emboldened and his agenda is imperilled.
For Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, the size of the win or loss will determine whether they are secure in their positions and shape the Australian political landscape for the next 12 months and beyond.
Australians overwhelmingly expect Malcolm Turnbull to prevail in Saturday's election, but appear determined to give him a nervous night and an unconvincing victory.
Malcolm Turnbull has launched a revamped three-word slogan, amid Coalition fears that Australia could sleepwalk into a hung Parliament.
Malcolm Turnbull has shown leadership in not overtly seeking to exploit the end of the world as we know it for political gain.
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