"Thank you to those who arranged the Leaders debate to avoid clashing with the finale of Master chef."

- NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos on Twitter, 21.7.10

With so many methods and opportunities for politicians to communicate with the public and interact with each other via the media, the Kennedy-Nixon style "Leaders Debate" is an anachronism. It certainly can't be done comprehensively in the timeframe of one hour-long session. But that's what we'll get next Sunday - at the special time of 6.30.

And why not in the traditional 60 Minutes Special Edition timeslot of 7.30pm? Because it will clash with the Live Grand Finale of Masterchef.

A federal election is the entree, what will be the main dish? (Allow me a quick look back at my preview of the 2009 Masterchef Australia grand final, which clashed with the Second Test of the Ashes.)

And how outraged is the voting public of South Australia (not to mention Channel Seven), where the Debate will now clash with the final quarter of the Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide AFL local derby? Considering that no seats are predicted to change hands in that state on August 21, probably not much.

At least no one has suggested a Leaders Twitter Debate - certainly not after the debacle when one was attempted in NSW on June 16.

There are so many ways for politicians to interact with the public these days - as so brilliantly exploited by Kevin Rudd on Sunrise for several years. Alas, everything Tony Abbott is doing in this campaign seems to be coming straight out of the "How Not To Manual". Who on Earth advised him that it would be a good idea to appear on the (hopefully) last-ever Wednesday-night edition of "Hey Hey It's Saturday" as a guest judge on Red Faces? Alongside Kylie Minogue no less?

According to the ratings released this morning, the TAbbott edition of Hey Hey was watched by 1.174 million viewers. Less than half of Masterchef's 2.467 million, screening at the same time.

Having been a huge fan of the show on Saturday mornings in the 1970s, I switched out of Hey Hey in the mid-1980s when it went moved to 6.30pm, and became mainstream and smug. (Its "retirement" in 1999 was acknowledged by John Howard in a press release which I can no longer find online.) I haven't sat through any of its 21st century reincarnations, so allow me to leave the last word to Channel Ten's Hugh Riminton, who did watch last night's program:

"Sorry Folks, #heyhey was the saddest, most embarrassing piece of TV on our screens in many a year. Smart move, JG to stay clear"