And so it seems there’s more to being a viable alternative prime minister than effective media management.

The stunts — armed with hard hat, safety vest (also a favourite outfit of Gillard and Rudd) and snappy sound bite (via two takes) — are getting old, as is the negative campaigning, within the Liberal party and the gallery. Where once Abbott got points for being “disciplined” and “gaffe free”, his Policy Lite approach is finally attracting some decent scrutiny.

Prime Minister Gillard is slammed repeatedly for her failure to communicate. Abbott more than anyone has capitalised on this, with plenty of free kicks from the media. As Laurie Oakes, fresh from being thoroughly depressed by a similar political scene in the US, wrote in the Herald Sun over the weekend, “… the Opposition Leader is getting away with purveying trashy policy because the nation is mesmerised by the Government’s woes. While Julia Gillard continues to stumble from one mess to another, Abbott largely escapes scrutiny”.

But cut through only gets you so far, at some point, as the Opposition Leader is now discovering, you need to have something of substance to communicate. Whether he’s dragged by the scruff of the neck in front of some substantial policy debate by the newly emerged Peter Reith, or called to account by a gallery that’s actually starting to ask some tough questions, pointing the finger at everyone else (most recently by suggesting that economists don’t know what they’re talking about, without outlining how or why) isn’t going to cut it any more.

Pragmatism isn’t enough for a public who want more from their politics. Start talking Tony, we’re listening.