Two politicians, both alike in dignity, in fair politico land, where we lay our scene.

One, a once affable money man, now dogged by cigar chomping Foghorn Leghorn comparisons, who in speaking the “truth” about the fuel excise increase and the poor, reignited class war debate. The other, a once affable Lord Mayor, now dogged by dictatorial Bruce Banner comparisons, who in speaking his mind about any and all Queensland issues, sparked disputes and debate across the state.

Joe Hockey, however, has taken the “I am what I am” line, apologising for his comments, but not for who he is.

"Everyone keeps talking about how politicians are sometimes phoney, I mean I am what I am," he said earlier this week. But after almost two-years of criticism and just seven months to turn the electorate around, Campbell Newman is attempting to be anything other than Campbell Newman.

The rebranding of ‘Can-do Campbell’ as ‘Cuddly Campbell’ has been about as subtle as the message voters sent the previous government in the 2012 election.

In the past month, Mr Newman has been photographed with koalas and baby animals, women, eating scones and looking at woodwork, wearing hard hats and hi-vis and always, smiling, smiling, smiling.

The man who had an opinion on everything, now “won’t be distracted” from his bright, shiny government-approved opinions, lest anything he says that has not been through the advisor-PR machine upset those all-important Queensland families at next year’s voting booth.

Palmer shenanigans? No comment. Judiciary issues? No comment. Joe Hockey comments? No comment. There may be other things happening in the ‘great state of great opportunities’ and its people, but to the new and improved Newman government, they are distractions. Distractions from their message. Distractions from keeping the agenda on track. Distractions from the grand re-election scheme.

Voters don’t like the Premier? No problem! The premier has changed. Look – he’s in a crane. Wearing a hard hat. Now he’s laughing with movie stars. Oh, and did you hear him mention Queensland is on track to have the nation’s best performing economy? And yes, the unemployment rate is a bit pesky, but the whole country is grappling with that. But gee whiz! A mining company can build a railway line. That means jobs!  Huzzah.

There is nothing wrong with a government spruiking its message as loudly and as long as it can. Not everything is doom and gloom in the sunshine state. For every issue that has upset people, there is something quiet happening that actually does make a positive difference. But it is not the job of the media to sell the government’s good news stories. It is not the job of the media to sell the government at all. The media’s role is to ask questions, shine a light on what governments don’t want to talk about, and keep asking questions until they do.

Just ignoring everything that can’t be covered by a slogan or gives a tick to one of the four pillars holding up Queensland’s economy like a bronzed, ocker Atlas, does everyone a disservice.

It is not natural, authentic or real. And if there is one thing voters can sense, it’s when someone is trying to pull the wool over their eyes. It’s why the “real Julia” failed to raised more eyebrows than votes. And Queensland’s premier risks a similar fate, at least in his own electorate.

A happy medium is considered, informed comment. Scrap rash thinking and reactive decision making for actual consultation. But continued avoidance of tricky issues and giant smiles solve nothing.

Whether Mr Hockey’s tact works is still to be seen. Late Friday afternoon, he issued a grovelling apology for giving any suggestion he didn’t care about the disadvantaged. And no doubt he’ll be chomping his cigars a little more privately in future. But being yourself, even a public-friendly version, is a lot easier than just limiting yourself to only the public-friendly aspects of your personality. And it’s certainly a lot easier to keep up.