Those talking heads at the National Press Club barely made it this morning. If it wasn’t for our old favourites, the websites of the ABC and The Australian , the performance of Peter Costello and Wayne Swan would not have made the five most read list on any of the 10 media websites we survey.

Use that as a gauge of public interest and not many votes are likely to have changed as a result of a question and answer session on the economy.

In truth it is another of those low interest days in federal political matters which have predominated in this election campaign so far. In the last fortnight only the aftermath of the debate between John Howard and Kevin Rudd has roused the interest of internet readers.The morning after the debate half the 50 stories in our 10 lists were about the election.  

Perhaps it is those morning Prime Ministerial walks that will finally arouse a more general interest. The presentation of a bouquet of flowers by a pair of FM radio hosts sporting the same kind of track suit top as the national leader was rocketing up the charts of The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald within hours of reports being posted.

As the caption underneath the SMH story shows, they have taken to posting videos of the daily walks now. “Raw footage shows Prime Minister’s early morning walk turn into a Benny Hill-style comedy chase”, is how it is described. There’s clearly life in the old boy yet. It makes Kevin Rudd seem positively staid.

Sydney Morning Herald

  1. Sarah Jessica Parker named world’s unsexiest woman
  2. Royal in gay sex video scandal outed
  3. Sole-survivor: “miracle” rescue of three-year-old
  4. PM walks into a circus
  5. Stopping the clock’s a risky business

The Age

  1. Heat on PM to cut link to pastor
  2. There’s a sucker born every day
  3. MySpace co-founder busted for faking his age
  4. Chaotic scenes on PM’s walk
  5. A right royal scandal

The Australian

  1. Rudd seeks climate control
  2. Muslim leader blames women for…
  3. Australia risks London-type…
  4. Debate drawn as pair stick to guns
  5. Immunity deal dogs Iraq inquiry

ABC

  • Govt fined $30,000 over anti-WorkChoices rally ban
  • Costello, Swan debate under way
  • Costello pledges further $170m for training
  • Researchers claim discovery of HIV source
  • PM pushes Rudd to sack MP over ‘warmonger’ comment

The West Australian

  1. WA beachgoers on shark alert
  2. Troubled Sampi quits Eagles
  3. Perth house prices tipped to fall
  4. Poll rise puts Howard on a high
  5. Oprah begs forgiveness over girls’ school sex abuse allegations

Sydney Telegraph

  1. Bigfoot caught on camera
  2. The Right Brain vs Left Brain
  3. “Fake” Vushe: Now Hines cops it
  4. Black Eyed Peas peeved
  5. Chasing leprechauns in traffic

Melbourne Herald Sun

  1. Right Brain v Left Brain
  2. West revels gritty role
  3. Water guzzlers revealed
  4. Tram crash in Burwood
  5. Royal sex plot suspects named

Advertiser

  1. Top detective demoted
  2. Labor in damage control
  3. Four dead children – mother…
  4. Brokers defect to city rival
  5. Brave Jane says thanks

Courier Mail

  1. Sex plot royal “to go public”
  2. Angry mob drives pedophile out
  3. Man poisons dozens of wedding…
  4. Jolie, Blanchett both pregnant
  5. Cruise ships locked out

news.com.au

  1. Tarasai burns her last Idol bridge
  2. “Haunted” swing keeps rocking
  3. Hunter takes ‘Bigfoot photo’
  4. Top 10 mistakes bosses make
  5. Now Tarisai lets fly on Natalie