ðə pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl nˈeɪtʃɚɹ ʌvðə kæmpˈeɪn wʌz ˈɛmfɐsˌaɪzd wɛn ðə hˈɛɹəld sˈʌn ɹˈæn ɐ dˈæmɪdʒɪŋ fɹˈʌntpˈeɪdʒ stˈoːɹi ɹᵻvˈiːlɪŋ ðæt mˈoʊst lˈɪbɚɹəl kˈændᵻdˌeɪts wɜː ɡˈæɡd fɹʌm spˈiːkɪŋ tə ðə mˈiːdiːə.
The presidential nature of the campaign was emphasised when the Herald Sun ran a damaging front-page story revealing that most Liberal candidates were gagged from speaking to the media.