Recently, the Australian Prime Minister survived an unsuccessful challenge on his leadership. Following this event, he promised that “good government starts today”. Various opinions on this issue were expressed in the Australian media. In her letter to the editor “fighting words bode ill” (The Age), Judy Bamberger uses a mainly angry tone to contend that Tony Abbott is an ineffective leader. Similarly, Mark Knight’s cartoon (Herald Sun) also mocks Tony Abbott’s leadership. In contrast, Margaret Lancefield, in her letter “Nation need you” via the Herald Sun supports Mr Abbott. These texts are aimed at members of the Australian public especially those who are interested in politics and Mr Abbott himself.
Bamberger begins by launching a scathing attack on Mr Abbott by unrespect fully calling him “Abbott”, positioning the audience to accept the contention because they see Mr Abbott as a negative influence. The writer’s main strategy is to provoke hostility towards the Abbott government. She launches her scathing attack on Tony Abbott right from the outset by calling him “Abbott” instead of the respectful “Mr Abbott” and saying “he still does not understand being in government”. The audience are positioned to agree with Bamberger as “Abbott” doesn’t seem like a good leader. Bamberger then continues her criticism of Mr Abbott by using similes, “Abbott tossed words like firebombs”. Readers then imagine the comparison and thus get a negative impression of Mr Abbott. Furthermore, Bamberger utilizes sarcasm by asking “What are war, cyclones and cancer then? Games?” The audience is angered by this and thus will most likely support Bamberger’s view on Mr Abbott.
Mark Knight’s visual depicting Mr Abbott and federal treasurer Joe Hockey in a bicycle race intends to mock his leadership. Knight’s main strategy is to make Mr Abbott’s leadership look worthless. The linesman quote “… I fired the starter’s gun over a year ago…” implies that good government should have started over a year ago. The audience is left questioning whether Abbott’s “good government” should have started over a year ago. Mr Hockey’s expression and body language is also pessimistic as his facial expression is confused and his body language is lazy/bored. The audience is given the impression that Tony Abbott and his government is lazy and will have a pessimistic influence on Australia. As well as that, Mr Abbott’s body language looks positive but unrealistic. As a result, Knight’s audience is left unconvinced that Mr Abbott’s leadership will be positive.
However, Margaret Lancefield’s paints a different picture. Her sympathetic letter “Nation needs you” urges Mr Abbott to be “the Prime