"They have good people but they haven't done this before," one said. Pollster Mark Textor is being utlised by Malcolm Turnbull's office. Credit:James Horan Said another: "Whatever you think of Abbott, his operation was very good at campaigning. Why did they announce a billion dollars of infrastructure for Victoria on the 35th floor of a hotel? Why weren't they in a seat? You can't campaign on the 35th floor." A third critic puts it like this: "The PMO needs to give more guidance. This is the problem with a loose, happy ship.You can get away with it for a while but when you're in an election campaign, a comma left out of a media release can cause a three-day shit storm". On this last point, people close to Mr Turnbull said he was determined to put an end to the "command and control" style of the Abbott regime and highlight his pledge on the day he challenged for the leadership to return to traditional cabinet government.

But there has been an acknowledgment that the government needs to run a tighter ship and while a July 2 election will not be formally called until soon after the May 3 budget, the undeclared campaign has been under way for some time. Special Minister of State Scott Ryan has unveiled the next tranche of political entitlements reforms. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Changes have been made inside the office from March 21 - the day Mr Turnbull announced Parliament would be prorogued and a double dissolution election was on the cards. These include Liberal Party federal director Tony Nutt chairing a daily phone hook-up about 6.30am with the government's leadership group. Communications chief David Bold.

Mr Turnbull and senior ministers including Julie Bishop, Barnaby Joyce, Scott Morrison, Mathias Cormann, George Brandis and Christopher Pyne participate in the calls, as do trusted lieutenants such as Arthur Sinodinos. Key advisers in the meeting can also include Mr Turnbull's principal private secretary Sally Cray, chief of staff Drew Clarke, deputy chief of staff Brad Burke, strategist Tony Parkinson, senior adviser Gemma Daley and pollster Mark Textor. Communications chief David Bold briefs on morning media, while Mr Morrison's chief of staff, Phil Gaetjens, and chief press secretary Sasha Grebe are also included. Principal private secretary Sally Cray. Credit:Twitter You can get away with it for a while but when you're in an election campaign, a comma left out of a media release can cause a three-day shit storm In addition, Queensland Liberal senator James McGrath, a former deputy director of the Liberal Party, and Victorian senator Scott Ryan, an experienced backroom operator, are now working more closely with the Turnbull office on policy and political strategy, participating in debriefs and phone hook-ups.

These are the MPs and the backroom operators that Mr Turnbull particularly turns to for advice and guidance. Chief of stafff Drew Clarke. While some of them may be new to the travails of running an election campaign, one observer said they "have known the PM a long time and that matters when you have the inevitable difficult moments on the road". The return of Mr Textor, widely regarded as one of Australia's pre-eminent pollsters, is significant - he had been placed in the deep-freeze during the Abbott era, a factor many Liberals point to when explaining the apparent political tin ear of the former prime minister. One Turnbull insider said: "Things may have been untidy a month ago but look at the China trip, our handling of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, the ABCC, our banks response. Things are on track and when the election is called, we'll be ready."

Mr Turnbull's allies highlight the importance of Mr Parkinson, Mr Nutt and of two other Liberal Party veterans - Tony O'Leary and Vincent Woolcock - in the PMO to counter charges the office lacks election campaign experience. Mr Nutt's decision to place former Abbott communications chief Andrew Hirst to Liberal Party headquarters has been widely welcomed inside the Liberal Party. Follow James Massola on Facebook