Talk:Malcolm Turnbull

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His nickname was "Turney". My dad went to school with him. Sydney Grammar Preparatory School. Dad knew him in English class.

His private nickname may well be "Turney" but if it isn't used by the general public (e.g. how people call Robert Hawke, Bob Hawke) then it shouldn't be added here. Unless you can show that the general public reffer to him as "Turney", then it won't be added. I can't find evidence of it on google. Kyle sb 07:11, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

I think it is fairly safe to assume members of the public would call him Turney. It's an obvious Australian nickname based on his surname. Further, given that it was his private nickname in the past ensures that some proportion of the general public DO call him Turney. If he were more well-known, I'm sure "Turney" would crop up every so often. As it stands there is no way for me to categorically prove it, but I assure you it's true. LiberalMP 23:40, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

Please see Wikipedia:Verifiability. "Information on Wikipedia must be reliable. Facts, viewpoints, theories, and arguments may only be included in articles if they have already been published by reliable and reputable sources. Articles should cite these sources whenever possible. Any unsourced material may be challenged and removed." Cheers, michael ^talk 02:54, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

I can see what you're saying, but even if you didn't trust what I'm saying (and I am not offended if you don't, obviously one must approach all edits with scepticism) then it is fairly obvious, in Australia, that people receive nicknames based on their surnames. This is not an opinion, viewpoint, theory or an argument. It is fairly safe to infer that some significant proportion of people who know he exists will refer to him as "Turney". It is clearly not a disparaging nickname designed to offend.

Isn't part of the point of Wikipedia that information that is otherwise inaccessible is readily available? The point is, that wiki provides an avenue through which people who know things can contribute. If sources are demanded for even the most obvious of facts, wouldn't Wiki just end up being a one-for-one linking to Britannica? (Sorry if this has become a rant). LiberalMP 04:02, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

No, the Wiki ends up being a one-to-many linking with millions of books, newspaper articles, journal articles, webpages, and so on. Because of the nature of Wikipedia (there's no one editor responsible for claiming something is factually accurate) the only way we can provide any information to judge accuracy is by providing references to where information is obtained. Yes, sometimes some very widely-known facts are not referenced. But this is not the case for Malcolm Turnbull's nickname. --Robert Merkel 04:38, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Should this page be locked off to end this "Turney" sillines?

KivuliLesOmbre 08:43, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Not yet. Action will be taken directly regarding the user involved if the additions without references persist. michael ^talk 08:48, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

We can't just add "Turney" into the front of an article, because it's the claimed nickname of a politician. Does this mean we put "Johny" in John Howard or "Downie" on Alexander Downer? Both of those could well be their nicknames. If "Turney" is his nickname and it is used publicly you can add a source (in the article or at least on this discussion page) so we can verify it should be included. Kyle sb 11:16, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

I suppose the difference is that no one is asserting that Howard/Downer have the name. The assertion is that Turner does have the nickname, but that if you don't accept the assertion then there is the "fall back" of typical Australianism. The thing is with a nickname, you can't find it anywhere else, so there will never be a source. I don't think that means it shouldn't be in the Wikipedia, as Wikipedia is where you can find out this stuff. Spincycle666 12:56, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

I'm not going to insert "Turney" again; it's obviously not worth it. However, I don't understand this. I see that you want material to be reliable and all that. But kids aren't exactly going to be referencing wiki for a school assignment, and if they do, they are remiss in their studies. The information I am trying to insert is clearly not malicious: I am not trying to insert a nickname like "Idiot" or anything.

The irony is, if I was truly trying to ensure people had this information, I could just repeatedly enter it, make a new wiki id, edit it 3 more times, make a new wiki id etc. The way I see it, wiki has a unique advantage: everywhere else, you need water-tight sources, but here, a thing stays unless someone knows it to be false. That way, you get this information that you CANNOT get anywhere else. People insert it, then all the people on the web can peruse it and remove it IF IT IS KNOWN TO BE FALSE. I try and insert things that are clearly not malicious (and why a person would insert these things randomly is beyond me) and people are removing it because it doesn't have a source. They don't know it's false, just that someone else hasn't said it before.

But if you don't want this info, it's fine with me, you're just limiting the info that's on wiki. It's that little bit less you know about the world. LiberalMP 02:57, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

Plenty of people *have* tried to insert wrong or malicious material into Wikipedia (and sometimes succeed). That's why Wikipedia editors have gotten increasingly nitpicky when it comes to sourcing material, particularly on living persons. I refer you to this story to give you some idea about why we've gotten so anal. --Robert Merkel 04:20, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

True, and fitting, however that related to an issue that suggested the individual was complicit in a crime. "Turney" is not insulting at all, and certainly doesn't suggest a crime. Furthermore, it is fairly safe to assume (if you don't believe me) that it is true. If someone was trying to insert something wrong/malicious, why would they insert something that, on balance, is likely true anyway? It's like the guy in the movie breaking out of jail one day before release, it just doesn't make sense. LiberalMP 05:54, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

I think this argument has got off track. The points are:

• Whether or not it is true or inoffensive, "Turney" is not a publicly used nickname, so it doesn't have any place in an encyclopedia - any more than details about Turnbull's pets.
• The arguments about it being a "fairly obvious" nickname are obviously irrelevant.

--Jack Upland 23:25, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

OK, I am a Turnbull, obviously my entire family are Turnbull's, therefore I know like forty Turnbull's and not ONE has ever been called Turney, so no it's not a common name, or an "obvious nickname" and in any case, why the heck is it so important? It's just a nickname and I am sure no-one here is worse off for having not known that he was, at one point in his life called a certain name by one person --Dulberf 06:08, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 Autobiography 2 Turnbull's name isn't grant... 3 WikiProject class rating 4 Widespread belief that Malcolm Turnbull will become Opposition Leader soon

[edit] Autobiography

I reverted an edit that claimed that he published an autobiography in 1997. Coolcat says that no library in Victoria has a copy of such a book, which they certainly would if he had done so. --Robert Merkel 01:55, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Turnbull's name isn't grant...

While I haven't been able to confirm that his middle name is Bligh, his initial is definitely B. --Robert Merkel 01:58, 21 June 2006 (UTC)

His middle name is Bligh - his electoral disclosure return has it on the first page [1]. 60.241.168.215 08:36, 24 January 2007 (UTC)

Just a random note...thats a pretty shocking photo of him. Surely someone could find a better one that doesn't have his face all scrunched up, much like kevin rudd's?

[edit] WikiProject class rating

This article was automatically assessed because at least one article was rated and this bot brought all the other ratings up to at least that level. BetacommandBot 23:17, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Widespread belief that Malcolm Turnbull will become Opposition Leader soon

I am sure many of you have read that there is a widespread belief amongst Liberal Party figures that Brendan Nelson does not have what it takes to lead the Liberal Party at the next election, and that Malcolm Turnbull will occupy the position soon. I have added a section relating to this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.56.36.2 (talk) 08:38, 16 April 2008 (UTC)