The caustic editorial followed similar comments made by The Project co-host Waleed Aly who on Wednesday noted Mr Turnbull had also failed to appear on their show.

Armytage said all of commercials networks had been frozen-out by the Prime Minister's office and suggested Mr Turnbull had no interest in talking to Sunrise viewers.

"We should point out we have asked Prime Minister Turnbull to appear on this show throughout the later stages of this election campaign," she said.

When Tony Abbott suddenly declared the push for marriage equality to be "an important issue" last year – breaking with the political right's belittling of it as a boutique pre-occupation of inner-city "luvvies" – it was tempting to imagine the Coalition had undergone an epiphany.

It's a neat pre-election trick in which the Coalition is taking the political dividend of appearing modern and progressive, while studiously avoiding discussion of critical details of its plebiscite. 

You will have rugs, fabulous, fabulous rugs.

Here are some words from a letter in the Sydney Morning Herald of June 25th, 2016 …

There was great anticipation as Trump stepped up to the microphone at a press conference on the ninth hole of the course, close to a cliff. Before he could say anything, a man wearing a Turnberry sweater jumped up to apologize for having forgotten to hand out golf balls to the crowd— then tossed dozens of red golf balls featuring a black swastika in Trump’s direction. Secret Service agents surrounded the man, British comic Simon Brodkin, and escorted him away.

You had high hopes... Malcolm was different. Malcolm was progressive... You have been disappointed. You don't know why.

You should feel robbed. Malcolm is a smiling con man. And the cover of the Daily Telegraph is proud to announce such, this morning as if it was a valuable feat of brilliant deceit.