Sales said her budget week interviews with Mr Hockey and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten were both "pretty standard political interviews". Leigh Sales "Go back and have a look at my budget interviews when Wayne Swan was treasurer or with Julia Gillard or with Kevin Rudd during the election campaign or Tony Abbott about BHP," she said. "In a courtroom you get six to eight hours [with the witness]; I get eight minutes. I'd argue my interviews are forensic - I try look at how the figures line up with what the person is saying. "I do the best I can to be fair, impartial and to always ask what I think the average viewer would want asked.

"If people aren't answering the question then I push them to answer it because that's what I'm paid to do." Malcolm Turnbull had some advice for Leigh Sales and other journalists on interviewing style. Credit:Channel Ten In her 2013 post-budget interview with Mr Swan, Sales' first question was: "Wayne Swan last year you promised with certainty a $1.5 billion surplus, tonight you've delivered an $18 billion deficit. How can you look Australians in the eye?" Mr Hockey said on Monday that he had no problem with the interview and that he respected Sales. Veteran journalist George Negus suggested that sexism may explain the criticism directed at broadcasters such as Sales and Alberici.