‘Evasive, out of touch’: Teal independent Monique Ryan’s latest media train wreck could sink her campaign

The teal independent MP was at a pre-poll booth in Melvern in Melbourne’s southeast yesterday, handing out how-to-vote cards to those casting their ballots early, when her third shambolic encounter of the campaign played out live on Sky News.

Laura Jayes, a former fixture of the Canberra Press Gallery and now a prominent broadcaster, approached Dr Ryan on the footpath to ask how she was.

The politician, a long-time campaigner for transparency, repeatedly batted away questions in an awkward display before walking off and leaving a young staffer to block Jayes’ path.

You can watch the full awkward encounter in the player above.

The incident follows Dr Ryan fleeing questions from a Channel 7 reporter inside Parliament House last month after her husband was sprung ripping down a poster belonging to her Liberal rival.

And Dr Ryan’s appearance on the ABC’s Insiders program last week sparked further unflattering headlines when she fumbled through a reasonable question.

Corporate media trainer Greg Dyett, a former 30-year news veteran who runs Media Success, said Dr Ryan was missing opportunities to “make her case for re-election”.

Her repeated “rookie errors” in front of the cameras were no doubt damaging – at a time when she can least afford to instil doubt in constituents’ minds, given her wafer-thin margin of 3.5 per cent.

“Perhaps Dr Ryan thinks she’s protecting herself by avoiding what she regards as hostile media, but each time she’s evasive, she just damages her brand,” Mr Dyett told news.com.au.

“Walking away from TV cameras and failing to answer straightforward questions can’t be helping her win over undecided voters.

“Dr Ryan is making a habit of the ‘no comment’ interview, which any media trainer will tell you is almost always a bad idea.

“What is a voter in Kooyong likely to make of that answer? At worst, it leaves people with the impression that you have something to hide.”

Sending a damaging message

Phoebe Netto, managing director of Pure Public Relations, said Dr Ryan risks being judged as “evasive, unhelpful, inaccessible, combative or out of touch” by refusing to answer reasonable questions.

“In the heavily scripted and tightly controlled environment of an election campaign, reporters fervently look for the unplanned moments that bring insight, entertainment, sensationalism, outrage or new revelations,” Ms Netto said.

“Even with the rise of social media and citizen journalism, the media are still the most direct way that voters can experience candidates at scale.

“So, to snub a journalist is to be seen as snubbing voters, especially if that journalist represents how a voter feels or is asking questions that voters have been wondering about themselves.”

Voters expect politicians to be transparent and accountable, she added, and on three occasions now Dr Ryan has missed an opportunity to show leadership.

Yesterday’s display was not a good look, Ms Netto said.

“If you can’t handle a few tough questions from journalists, how can you be trusted to handle the pressure of representing your electorate?”

Amber Daines is a strategic and crisis communications expert and said Dr Ryan has just made weeks of negative public attention worse.

“As a media trainer who has worked with thousands of leaders including politicians, this clip is a great example of ‘what not to do’ as a spokesperson under pressure,” Ms Daines, founder and chief media trainer at Bespoke Co, told news.com.au.

Ms Daines said the public expects more from political leaders – especially when they’re in the throes of an election campaign.

And a pretty stock-standard doorstep is not a big ask, nor should it come as a surprise to a seasoned politician, she added.

“Silence breeds suspicion. There have been weeks of media speculation and public interest in the Member for Kooyong.

“This media doorstop was an easy chance for Dr Ryan to thaw that defensiveness and get voters [backing] for her again.”

For the first time this election, young Australians make up the largest share of all voters – and they’re likely to see plenty of political content across social media.

That’s bad news for Dr Ryan.

“That clip of Monique has gone viral and is not a great look for a teal who won votes on transparency. Her tone of voice and body language were hostile and turning away from the reporter … was also giving a message of defensiveness.

“That’s unhelpful in these last two weeks of a close election, I am sure. Time will tell if voters remember this beyond the news cycle.”

Monique’s multiple missteps

The cold reception received by Jayes yesterday left the broadcaster baffled, especially after being told “the middle of an election campaign” was not the “ideal” time to be questioned.

In a scathing post-mortem later, Jayes told Sky News viewers that Dr Ryan and her staff had been “unhappy” and “really sensitive” by their presence from the moment they arrived.

“Why she wants to avoid reasonable questions should be examined – not just by us in the mainstream media but by any voter,” she said.

“Three years ago, Monique Ryan won this seat campaigning on transparency and wanting a better form of politics. After three years, you have to ask yourself whether she’s achieved that, whether freezing out media fits in with what she promised.

“Having a disdain for media, complaining about the media, is like complaining about the weather.

“The best part of our democracy is that from the prime minister and opposition leader down, they can be asked any question.”

Yesterday’s display, Dr Ryan’s third media run-in of the campaign, “beggars belief”, Jayes said.

On April 13, Dr Ryan was the special guest on Insiders with David Spiers, who asked the MP her views on social media influencers being paid to promote candidates.

That’s a thorny issue that engulfed her fellow teal independent Allegra Spender, in the crucial Wentworth battle in Sydney’s east.

“I don’t have an opinion on it,” Dr Ryan said.

“I have to give it thought. It’s not something I have given great thought. I haven’t engaged in anything in it.”

The bizarre response left Spiers noticeably bemused. Mr Dyett said he was also baffled by Dr Ryan’s performance.

“That failure to have an answer meant her appearance on Insiders was a wasted opportunity because most of the publicity generated focused on her non-opinion,” he said.

“When you’re being interviewed, you should see it as an opportunity to get your message across and that means knowing exactly what you want to say ahead of time.

“You should always rehearse beforehand and make sure you have answers prepared for obvious questions.”

And in March, when footage emerged by Dr Ryan’s husband Peter Jordan ripping down a sign belonging to Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer, then running down the street, the pair issued written statements apologising for the incident.

But when Dr Ryan was approached at an event inside Parliament House by a Channel 7 reporter, she refused to speak.

“Could you please get your cameras away from me?” she snapped before fleeing.

Of that uncomfortable footage, Mr Dyett said: “By being evasive and walking off, she was left looking like some shady character being exposed by a TV current affairs program.”

Ms Netto said Dr Myrna has joined “an unfortunate club” of public figures who want to be in the media on only their terms.

“By stonewalling a journalist, they become a bigger story than their comments could ever have been,” Ms Netto said.

“When any leader is feeling ambushed or under pressure by an unwanted confrontation, their options are not fight, flight or fawn,” Ms Netto said.

“Their only helpful options are to charm and disarm, inject humour or humanity, or acknowledge concerns and bridge to their message.

“Monique Ryan needs to see every moment – even the unpleasant ones – as an opportunity to connect with voters on a human level.”

Dr Ryan did not respond to a request for comment.