The Day News Limited Took Over Our ABC

Mark the day – Sunday 13 March 2011, the day Andrew Bolt took over as compère of the ABC’s Insiders, bullied his way into the dialogue and eventually ruled the roost, leaving Barrie Cassidy looking defeated.

That day the panelists comprised three current and past News Limited journalists – Andrew Bolt from Melbourne’s Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph’s Malcolm Farr, and Kerry-Anne Walsh, a political reporter for The Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and The Sun-Herald and now writing and commentating for national and international publications and broadcast media.

Many who comment here and on other blogs in the Fifth Estate have lamented what seems to them to be a steady take over of OUR ABC by News Limited. Again and again ABC news headlines replicate, sometimes word for word, headlines in a News Limited outlet. While everyone knows that news is news and that accounts of the news are likely to resemble each other, the carbon copy we see so often on the ABC suggests that ABC staff, now required to run a 24 hour news service as well as its TV and radio news bulletins, are so stressed that copying headlines is the best they can do, or that this is a deliberate strategy that is approved by ABC management. How many times have we heard ‘The Leader of the Opposition says…’ or ‘The Opposition has objected to…’ before we hear what the Opposition is responding to? Instead of putting it the other way round, leading with what the Government is saying or doing, and then giving the Opposition response, an eminently logical sequence, it is the Opposition up front. This looks to be quite deliberate. And since many of these sorts of headlines in News Limited media derive directly from Coalition press releases, the inbuilt bias of such releases is perpetuated.

But this infringement of political reportage pales when compared with the flagrant infringements we see when Andrew Bolt appears on Insiders.

Bolt, who is vying for the title of Australia’s most aggressive shock jock, has a penchant for taking over Insiders with his bullying, loud-mouthed, ‘I will not be silenced’ behaviour that thrusts aside comments from the other panelists and sadly the show’s host Barrie Cassidy. Any comment with which Bolt does not agree, whether made by Cassidy or the other panelists, is dismissed with an imperious wave of his hand and a supercilious smirk. On this week’s show, Malcolm Farr tried to counter Bolt’s claim that Kevin Rudd had sought to dominate the front page of the Sunday edition of The Courier Mail, by explaining that the decision about what appeared on the front page was the paper’s not Rudd’s, but that was of no interest to Bolt who peremptorily dismissed Farr’s comment. Kerry-Anne Walsh made no attempt to contradict Bolt. Perhaps she agreed with his every utterance, but I suspect Bolt’s intimidation ensured her compliance.

The saddest sight though was Barrie Cassidy, who many of us like and respect, diminished by Bolt’s aggression, intimidated by his bullying, subjugated by his rudeness and self-opinionated dominance, and eventually reduced to the defeated look of the conquered in a cock-fight. We longed for Cassidy to pull Bolt into line, to contradict his outrageous statements filled with hate and loathing for Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, but no, Bolt was allowed unfettered opportunity to emit his bile on whomever he pleased.

This is not the first time that Bolt has behaved this way on Insiders. Similar performances have evoked angry letters to Cassidy imploring him to ditch Bolt from his panel in the interests of balanced discourse about contemporary politics that at present are as complex as they have ever been. But the pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Is Cassidy deaf to the damage Bolt inflicts on our ABC when he appears on Insiders, or is he bound by a contractual arrangement that guarantees Bolt a regular place, or is Bolt’s appearance part of a deliberate strategy of ABC management to facilitate Bolt’s extreme views? We ask the questions, but know not to expect any answers.

Past communication with Barrie Cassidy have evoked an always-courteous but generic response. The ABC values our feedback and is grateful for our communications, but excuses itself on the grounds that the likes of Bolt are used to provide what the ABC euphemistically likes to call ‘balance’.

You cannot achieve balance by engaging someone who is consistently antagonistic to one side of politics, even if the others are leaning the other way. Balance is achieved by engaging balanced people. By no stretch of the imagination could Bolt ever be categorised as balanced.

While facilitating difference of opinion is stock in trade for current affairs programs, that is achieved by engaging panelists who exhibit a diversity of opinion, sometimes for, sometime against the various political parties and their policies. Check this week’s Insiders and find even one occasion when Bolt said anything complimentary about Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd or any member of the Government. It was all negative, carping, destructive, finishing with his prediction: "Julia Gillard is finished".

We know that Greg Jericho’s caustic comments on Grog’s Gamut about reportage of the run up to the last election caught the attention of Mark Scott, MD of the ABC, who took his comments to a meeting of his executives and to a forum on journalism. He took them seriously. Whether any change of behaviour at the ABC resulted is difficult to discern, but we hope he might similarly take note of all the voices of protest that were generated by this week’s Insiders, more than I can recall previously. Evidence of action in response would be the permanent removal of Bolt from the Insiders panel. That might prove to be too difficult for the ABC who no doubt would fear a backlash from Bolt and from News Limited for whom he operates. I suspect that a ‘long talk with Andrew Bolt, asking him to tone it down a bit’, would be the ABC’s preferred option. But those who have observed Bolt over the years know that a ‘good talking-to’ will do nothing to change his behaviour.

Bolt is a case hardened political operative for the conservative side of politics. His aim is to remove the Labor Government from power, even if that means having to endure an Abbott Government. He will use any means in his considerable armamentarium, backed as he is with all the power that his sponsor News Limited has at its disposal. He is a formidable operative boosted by a level of arrogance that saw him yesterday returning to his blog to boast about what ‘fun’ he had had on Insiders, while ‘others were choking with rage’.

Those of us who value what OUR ABC has to offer, resent the influence News Limited appears to exert on our ABC through its news bulletins and current affairs programs, and the pernicious influence that the likes of News Limited’s Andrew Bolt has on the ABC’s flagship political program Insiders. We are angry at the subversive influence of News Limited on the ABC through its media outlets and political operatives.

Yesterday seemed like a turning point, when what we had been suspecting for years – that increasingly News Limited was dominating the ABC – became obvious as Andrew Bolt took over and arrogantly, and with almost no resistance, pushed his venomous agenda as he pleased. If you see it differently, don’t forget what Bolt and other political operatives tell us repeatedly, ‘in politics, perception is everything’.

This is our perception - we want OUR ABC back. And if we can’t have it back, don’t expect us to stay tuned to Insiders when Bolt is there.

What do you think?

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TalkTurkey

14/03/2011What do I think Ad astra? I think what you have said is like hearing my own thoughts in an echo-chamber. Swordies with contacts on other sites, please gee them up to fight back. Tonight, on Q&A, especially. We have let THEM have their way far too long. Yesterday's Onesiders was the most bigoted programme I have ever seen on ABC or anywhere else.

tredlgt

14/03/2011 Agree wholeheartedly with this article , well written. It's been a long time since Insiders was a must see program . Nowadays you must check guest list to find out if any real discussion will take place and far to often this is not going to happen. Also unless 24 starts to provide better coverage and less comedians as commentators with more people who actually know about a subject to add to a discussion their days are numbered too. Conspiracy theory time. It was always howards desire to see the ABC destroyed and as it could not be done quickly he stacked the board with like minded people and put in place a system that could slowly self destruct ,make bad program choices so the audience looses interest . Alienate die hard ABC viewers who would back the station by blatantly lowering standards in what is the best news service to the same standards as commercial stations . When standards are low enough Friends of the ABC will disappear . The board can then do as they like and good-by to what was once dependable ,factual and mostly fair reporting. murdoch gets the 24 contracts ,bolt gets a bonus, we get more shit to watch and the gutless inept journos get to work for murdoch .

Feral Skeleton

14/03/2011And this is what might be happening in Australia, and by extension, to OURABC, if the ultra-conservatives, led by the megalomaniacal Tony Abbott, follow their spiritual brethren in the United States Republican Party: http://ezkool.com/2011/03/republican-governor-to-raise-taxes-on-the-poor/ You thought Andrew Bolt was just a problem of tirade and verbal tyranny on Insiders, well, just imagine if PM Tony Abbott appointed him to run your Local Council, or worse still, appointed News Ltd to run it. Sound far-fetched? Not after you hear Rachel Maddow lay out the evidence which proves that exactly that scenario is playing out right now in Michigan. And if it has wings in the Republican Party, then Tony Abbott will be onto it like a fly onto red meat.

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011TT, tredlgt Thank you for your comments that even more starkly highlight the danger to the ABC of News Limited and its ruthless operatives, like Andrew Bolt. FS Thank you for the ezkool.com link. This is frightening stuff; what happens in Michigan will be closely studied by Tony Abbott.

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011Folks Don't you wonder at the ABC's capacity for gloom. Echoing the Fairfax media reporting today's Nielsen poll, it highlights the fact that Julia Gillard's popularity has reached its lowest point since she became leader, having dropped seven points, but failed to point out that it still stands at 47%, which after all the carbon tax negativity seems a respectable level. Her disapproval rating is the same. Nielsen doesn't give a breakdown by party, but with Coalition voters so vehemently opposed to the carbon tax, most would have given her a big disapproval rating. No one seems to have pointed out that as the TPP falls for Labor, now at 46%, so would one expect her popularity to follow downwards. It is only as an after thought that it is mentioned that Tony Abbott's approval has dropped three points and his disapproval risen three to give him a net disapproval of nine points. So while it might be expected that Julia would dip, it just as reasonably might be expected Tony's would rise. It has done the reverse. Much is made of Kevin Rudd being preferred by five points over Julia Gillard as PM, but only a footnote reveals that Malcolm Turnbull is preferred to Tony Abbott by six points. They attribute Gillard's fall in popularity to the carbon tax, but fail to explain why opposition to it has not boosted Abbott. The Hartcher article finishes inconclusively: [i]"This two party share of the vote appears unaffected by the eruption of the debate over Labor's proposed carbon tax. Only the standing of the leaders seem to have been effected."[/i] What is that supposed to mean, and where is Hartcher's evidence to support that conclusion? All this Fairfax analysis is faithfully regurgitated by the ABC with no better attempt to explain what it all means. Frankly, I doubt if these analysts have a clue what it all means. They are guessing like the rest of us. Why do they bother? Because it sells newspapers and fills news bulletins, and the worst conclusion that can be drawn for the Government is the one that dominates bulletins. Why do we bother with polls? Because they generate revenue and juicy stories for the media, and because the media knows that poll outcomes do influence politics and politicians profoundly, and indeed they have now become part of the equation instead of being simple a reflection of what people think. They are fashioned to change the thinking of people in the direction desired by those conducting them, and analysed by their commentators in a way to reinforce the desired changes. We have seen this particularly with Newspoll which now sees itself as a central player in fashioning public opinion, not simply reflecting it. It is a pernicious process that is insidiously eroding informed debate by distorting public opinion. Yesterday on [i]Insiders[/i] panellists came as close to conceding this than I have hitherto seen, Even Andrew Bolt seemed to agree. But what is most distressing is that OUR ABC seems no more capable of, or willing to analyse the polls intelligently, preferring simply to regurgitate media spiel.

TalkTurkey

14/03/2011Ad astra said "TT Your comments about the Gulf oil spill were most interesting. Thankfully the worst case scenario did not eventuate - otherwise it might have truly been Armageddon." Yes true. But whereas humans think in terms of next week, or 5 year plans if we're thinking hard, or in terms of living memory at most, the oil/gas deposits have been stewing away there for millions of years, and the radiation pollution we are releasing are there in practical terms for eternity too. And of course genetic damage is forever as well. Gaia can take as long as She wishes to punish us. She's just getting started. Such a beauty She was before humans. Like a woman disfigured in an acid attack, she'll never get her looks back, but why would her vengeance be anything less than terrible? But I'm so sad for all the other creatures . . . I do wish people worldwide had listened to us old Hippies and other ZPGers. But BTW I know one old Hippie ZPGer mate of mine now with 8 strapping kids and a score of grandkids . . .

Lyn

14/03/2011Hi Ad Thankyou, Ad for finding time in your busy day to write us another ejoyable article, you really do spoil us, and don't we just love it. [quote]increasingly News Limited was dominating the ABC – became obvious as Andrew Bolt took over and arrogantly, [/quote] It seems News Ltd is complaining about ABC 24 coverage of Japan's earthquake, they dominate the ABC, so I guess they feel the right to complain: Mumbrella reports: [quote]The coverage has drawn strong criticism, particularly from [b]News Ltd commentators[/b].[/quote] Columnist Tim Blair wrote in today’s Daily Telegraph: “Now, I can almost understand how the ABC’s hidebound culture would cause it to stick And Caroline Overington wrote in The Australian: “And how did the station do? It failed, and spectacularly. Viewers who tuned in over the http://mumbrella.com.au/abc-news-24-hammered-over-japanese-tsunami-coverage-41444

Feral Skeleton

14/03/2011Actually, to be fair to the ABC, when they do try and conduct a balanced forum for the views of both major political parties, the Opposition just abuses it. I just watched a head-to-head session on ABC24 moderated by one of the ABC's political reporters that had Senator Matthias Corman(WA) from the Liberal Party, up against Senator Kate Lundy(ACT) from the ALP. Reasonable questions were put by the interlocutor. A reasonable answer was given by Sen.Lundy. An unreasonable response, which had very little to do with the question but everything to do with the Coalition's constant drone, like a swarm of angry bees, ushered forth from the mouth of Sen.Cormann. As the interviewer went on, Sen.Cormann then adopted the posture much-favoured by the Coalition, Because.It.Works., of constantly interrupting and mocking Sen.Lundy's attempts to answer the questions. The Coalition don't care about accepted standards of behaviour. They just care about winning back power. And if that means going for the jugular at every opportunity, so be it. What do they care if they aren't answering a reasonable journalist's questions? What do they care if they aren't providing answers that we, the electors who wish to be properly informed, as opposed to the self-interested aspiratiional bogan demographic, want? That's not what politics is about to the Coalition, and their facilitators and enablers in the media, such as Andrew Bolt and Piers Ackerman, plus, now, too many more to mention. They just want power. They want it by hook or by crook. And they don't care what they have to wreck, by way of institutions or traditional parliamentary practices, to get it. I told you Tony Abbott was a dangerous man. The polls seem to suggest that most electors realise this. What most people don't realise is that as long as the electorate votes for the Coalition, whether they like him or not, they WILL GET Tony Abbott. And, like he will care less then what they think about him personally. He will have his 'Precious' that he has focussed, gimlet-eyed and with a cast-iron resolve upon, since he was a child and his father nurtured his feelings of exceptionalism in him. And, as above in the Republican Party US, so Down Under in the Coalition in Australia.

Feral Skeleton

14/03/2011Could a journalist of integrity, if there are anyt left out there, please ask Barry O'Farrell how is is so confidently predicting that the Carbon Tax, whose precise parameters haven't even been decided upon yet, will cost NSW families '$500 per year' in increased Electricity Prices? I thought that, when you made an election ad, you had to be factual? Or, does the Liberal Party know full well that the boards that they stacked before they lost power, and defanged legislatively, would only ever give them a slap over the wrist with a limp lettuce for such blatant infringements of what's left of the law?

Feral Skeleton

14/03/2011No mention by Barry O'Farrell of compensation for those increased Electricity Prices either.

Darryl Mason

14/03/2011Andrew Bolt has demanded, openly campaigned, for the following leaders, and opposition leaders to quit, in just the past 4 years alone : John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull, Brendan Nelson, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard. It's an ego trip.

2353

14/03/2011I'm wondering if advertising would work. The theme line of the advertising could be "That's crap Mr Murdoch" - consisting of the claim, the tag line then a one line justification of the "crap" claim. The problem is that Government bus and train services, won't touch it - it's political; Newscorp won't allow it (which then opens avenues to claim bias - but that's another discussion) and some billboard companies are owned by major media organisations. Don't forget the "ethics" of Billboard companies are pretty low - after all they allowed the "Longer Lasting S*X" ads until the advertising standards board forced them to do something. It would be harder for the same body to insist on the removal of something that was overtly factual. Now . . . who knows someone with deep pockets to fund it?

Acerbic Conehead 2

14/03/2011AA, after yesterday’s tour de force on Insiders, Andrew Bolt is cock of the walk. So much so, he is stretching his talents that bit further by taking up Angry Anderson’s invitation to be part of a re-formed Rose Tattoo. As you know, Angry has accepted the invitation to be the guest speaker at the Peoples’ Revolt Rally in Canberra and will not only give a spiel, but will perform, with his new band, a revised version of Rose Tattoo’s, “We Can’t Be Beaten”. Andrew will play bass, as they don’t come much baser than him. And Tony Abbott will be the drummer, but he won’t have to use drumsticks – his head will be hitting the kit as he nods in his own unique idiosyncratic style. And to make up the quartet of the re-formed Rose Tattoo, Alan Jones will play guitar. Alan has been his usual canny self and arranged a deal where he is paid by the number of times he strums his instrument. He calls it “Chords for Comment”. And the background staff is equally talented, AA. For example, Julie Bishop is in charge of music copyright. Godwin Grech will look after any emails from fans, and Ban Morrison will organise a follow-up tour of Nauru, with the invited support band, “A Flock of Seagulls”. However, there is absolutely no truth in reports that Joe Hockey is in charge of backstage catering. So sing along with Angry and the band, AA, but don’t forget to go and get a couple of tats, or you will look somewhat out of place. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZZnhBQXRaI&feature=related :- ( Oh yeah, yeah...yeah Had a gutful of Gillard’s gang, then stake out with us We'll start a revolution, get on the Peoples’ bus Joints a bit weaker, arthritic to the core Can't be defeated, not like at Singapore :- ( Zimmers at the ready, we're gonna stand The kinder, gentler polity was only a sham Can't be defeated, in our incontinence daks With our hip replacements, we'll fight the carbon tax :- ( Won’t stop our bleatin’ What do we tell 'em, guys - won’t stop our bleatin’ :- ( There comes a time when everyone must fight When they believe that the left isn’t right They’ll hear us as we wake up from our nap Take our dennies out, an’ give our gums a flap :- ( Even though the leftie government Deserves credit for doin’ some good things It won’t stop our whingin’ and bleatin’ An’ tuning in to the shock-jock kings :- ( Won’t stop our bleatin’ Let me hear ya - won’t stop our bleatin’ Sing it out loud - won’t stop our bleatin’ :- ( Wagin’ war on pollution - won’t stop our bleatin’ Fast NBN - won’t stop our bleatin’ Escaped the GFC - won’t stop our bleatin’ More classrooms for kiddies - won’t stop our bleatin’ Rebuilding Queensland - won’t stop our bleatin’ Kev n’ Jooles friends again - won’t stop our bleatin’ Paid maternity leave - won’t stop our bleatin’ WorkChoices cremated - won’t stop our bleatin’ Jooles found her hand-bag - won’t stop our bleatin’ Virtually full employment - won’t stop our bleatin’ Tones has jet-lag - won’t stop our bleatin’ Inflation 2.7 - won’t stop our bleatin’ [fade...]

Lyn

14/03/2011Hi Ad Ad this column by Dave Gaukroger, who shares our sentiments, it's worth a read, applicable to your topic today. [i]Aunty, we have a problem. Dave Gaukroger, Pure Poison[/i] [quote]By allowing Bolt to introduce misinformation this way Insiders is actually harming the quality of debate. As the saying goes, we are all entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts. as Andrew Bolt gleefully pointed out on his blog those viewers seem to be getting more and more fed up with the sub par performance of Insiders and some of its guests, you only need to have a look at the #insiders tag on twitter to see it .[/quote] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/03/14/aunty-we-have-a-problem/#more-9394

Rx

14/03/2011[i]the likes of Bolt are used to provide what the ABC euphemistically likes to call ‘balance’.[/i] Funny, they never seem to say exactly what or who the likes of Bolt and Akerman are supposed to "balance". The ABC's idea of "balance" seems to be balancing centre-right commentators with far-right ones. I don't know what they're using the Charter for these days. Toilet paper, perhaps?

Doug Evans

14/03/2011Along with everybody else I emailed BC. Pointed out that he didn't need to piss in the Bay when Bolt was pissing on his (Cassidy's) boots every time he was allowed on screen. I sent Barrie about 50 of the choicest 'reviews' of Sunday's Insiders from Bolt's blog so he could ponder whether or not he really wanted to be part of inciting that sort of frenzied hateful triumphalism. I think Daryl Mason is right about ego driving Bolt's perennial campaigns to oust whatever leader is centre-stage at the moment. As I said Bolt is a scorpion and dangerous. I'll come back on the actual article above later. I'm off to see The Girl who kicked the Hornet's nest or something.

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011FS Your comments,as always, are germane. Coalition advocates [i]"…just want power. They want it by hook or by crook. And they don't care what they have to wreck, by way of institutions or traditional parliamentary practices, to get it."[/i]. Absolutely. Darryl Mason You are right - in fact it was not long ago, while Bolt was gunning for Kevin Rudd, he was advocating for Julia Gillard. How the scorpion turns. 2353 Perhaps News Limited would run the ads, so long as they paid well! AC Neat verse for a neat song. Won’t stop our bleatin’ 
Let me hear ya - won’t stop our bleatin’ 
Sing it out loud - won’t stop our bleatin’ How apt. Hi Lyn Thanks for the Crikey link - what a good piece by Dave Gaukroger. We are not the only ones thinking this way. Rx Your definition of the ABC's idea of 'balance' hits the mark. Doug Evans The more who assail Barrie with complaints the more likely we will see some action, even if only token.

annie thrope

14/03/2011at least we had #insiders trending on twitter yesterday and many people responded to blot's...er..bolt's so-called balancing act. it could be that the ABC is seeking to become a "popular" station by means of instigating controversy and, you know, the simon cowell effect on the X-factor-type discussion... so we can all go boooo! and enjoy the frisson. for me, the issue is that we need journalists to comment on that program, not right-wing mouthpieces. there are plenty of those out there who can rant and rave using the typical unjustified bare assertions that bolt is also famous for - but surely 'balance' can be achieved by someone whose opinions are considered and at least attempting to be factual

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011Folks I'm still battling this cough, so I'm off to bed to watch Media Watch and Q&A. Give it to them Julia!

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011annie thorpe Welcome to the [i]TPS[/i] family. Do come again. You are right - lets have quality journalists in place of right wing mouthpieces, of which Bolt is quite the most arrogant, self-opinionated and destructive.

Lyn

14/03/2011Hi Darryl Mason Welcome to "The Political Sword", thankyou very much for your comment, I hope you keep coming back. You are right of course,Andrew Bolt has a huge ego,it's the ego that drives him, notice how sooky he gets when anyone says anything to him, drops the bottom lip every time. [i]Millions Of Americans Will Not Be Killed By Nuclear Fallout In Two Weeks, It's Just A Fake Map, Darryl Mason, [quote]The Orstrahyun[/i]Twitter spam accounts (fake accounts pumping exact same tweet & link) are busily flogging the Nuclear Fallout Map, also claiming it's very, very real, and the truth is being suppressed, presumably aiming to spread panic in the United States. Most of these fake accounts only became active shortly after the fake Nuclear Fallout Map started circulating online[/quote]http://theorstrahyun.blogspot.com/

Ad astra reply

14/03/2011Folks Julia did very well on Q&A. She was good humoured, articulate, informative, and best of all did not allow herself to be intimidated by the questions, particularly the arrogant one from Julian Assange, and she adroitly circumvented Tony Jones' feeble attempts at gotcha questions. It will be interesting to read the MSM's appraisal of her performance. Don't expect it to be complimentary and you won't be disappointed. It's bedtime now.

Fluffula

14/03/2011I agree, I was watching and teething, when he is on the debate ends and the bullying begins. I think he is subdued by David Marr, who is not afraid of him. ABC should always ensure that panels are more diverse in media employment. Using last one as an example would be, replacing one with a long term fairfax or Australian correspondent from another media outlet not associated with NC, they do exist. I was mortified on Sunday morning watching Bolt take over and run his own agenda and only allow discourse on perspectives he touted, the nuclear and then Prime Minister link to Bono was just plain stupid. Seriously, our PM is overseas he focuses on that she mentioned the moon like Bono, I have no doubt others have before them. This is just fatuous nit picking, not worth our consideration. Now why she mentioned it, may be but assuming she copied Bono is a bit of a stretch. However, he has become so venomous, he is not functioning in the role required of an Insiders landlady. There are more than enough right leaning journalist that don't resort to bullying to get their point across. Yes we need balance and to hear from the right but not abuse and that was my perception. I will be complaining to Aunty, enough is enough!

Acerbic Conehead 2

14/03/2011Fluffula: "However, [Andrew Bolt] has become so venomous, he is not functioning in the role required of an Insiders land[b]lady[/b]." Erm...do you know something we don't...pray tell...

NormanK

14/03/2011Ad astra I sincerely wish that I could have watched tonight's Q&A through someone else's eyes tonight. Someone who saw lies, deceit, obfuscation and political point-scoring. As you say, no doubt tomorrow we will hear a great deal from people who have that point of view. Or perhaps an echoing silence. Unfortunately I only have my own eyes and ears and I fully agree with you that the PM looked relaxed, confident in her subjects and displayed good humour without being patronising or artificial. Her explanation of a carbon pricing mechanism was simple and understandable and her multiple attempts to explain the shift from 'no carbon tax' to the current proposal was entirely plausible to me but I guess she didn't have to convince me. Her standing should be greatly improved by tonight's performance. Tony Jones on the other hand ....... why on earth does he behave in that way? Channelling anger over the Great Carbon Tax Lie. Insisting on detail when he knows that it will not be forthcoming. Assuming (along with just about everyone else it seems) that announcing a framework for public discussion was a blunder rather than a deliberate ploy in order to be inclusive and not go down the path of the RSPT.

Casablanca

15/03/2011I stopped watching Insiders years ago but due to the level of outrage that I was reading about here and elsewhere I looked at several of the clips of this week’s program. Now usually I don’t have any problem with high blood pressure but I was so outraged by Bolt’s venomous outpourings that I went and took my blood pressure as I felt as if I was about to blow a valve. The man is unhinged.

Doug Evans

15/03/2011Dear all Back from the movies I've now read the article properly and utterly agree with it. A really well written, well argued piece. There have been a couple of protest storms after outrageous behaviour from Bolt and I thought that his appearances reduced somewhat, perhaps in response to protests. Maybe it will happen again. Fluffula David Marr generally stands up well to being Bolted but I remember one particularly nasty episode when the odious one's treatment of Marr was so vitriolic and bullying that Marr and he were not seen on the same episode for a long time. Marr I guess had simply had enough.

Casablanca

15/03/2011Ad I agree Julia did very well on Q&A. Just as I have come to expect really. I even felt that she may have won over a few people in the audience. Tony Jones can’t resist any opportunity to be boorish with his gotcha questions. He has been doing it for years on Lateline with little effect except to boor and annoy his audience. The meme that the ALP can’t sell its message is rather disingenuous. Few journalists write up what the PM says in QT where she has explained the workings of the carbon tax very well. Rather they write their articles using the Coalition’s talking points as you have pointed out in your excellent piece. The PM by being prepared to go into the lion’s den is cutting out the ineffectual and biased journalists to a great extent. The "Tony Abbott said" basis for journalism will see them become marginalised over time.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Casablanca, The thing that I can't understand is why do the so-called experts in the Canberra Press Gallery continue to believe in the veracity of anything that comes out of the mouths of the Opposition? Of course the Opposition, and especially this Tony Abbott-led Opposition, are going to naysay everything this government tries to do. Every day they wake up and brainstrom ways to attack the government, put it down in a Press Release which they send out to all the media outlets, and program the words into the mouths of their spokespersons. It's as plain as the nose on your face that's what they are doing, so why aren't the media more sceptical, and 'ferociously holding them to account'?

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011I had the most brilliant lightbulb above the head moment last night about how the government could take the fight up to Tony Abbott in the next federal election, should he still be leader by then(and it's not to certain he will be, especially if Malcolm Turnbull's Preferred Opposition Leader numbers stay strong and Abbott continues to alienate). Do you remember those nodding dogs that everyone's parents used to have on the back parcel shelf of their cars or in their house in the 60s? Well, as the Opposition did with their lemons with government faces on, so should the government get a heap of those nodding dogs made with Tony Abbott's head on them and send them out to every candidate to have on the counter in their campaign offices and to hand around to the media. We all know, without having to make it specific, what they will remind people of about Mr Abbott. :)

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Ad Well I never, Dennis Shanahan defending, Julia Gillard, or do you think more of an excuse for News Ltd to bash the ABC: [i]ABC's ambush a travesty of politics and news reporting , Dennis Shanahan, News Ltd[/i] THE ABC has gone too far - for a publicly funded, so-called even-handed public broadcaster, last night's Q&A ambush of Julia Gillard was a travesty of politics and news reporting. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abcs-ambush-a-travesty-of-politics-and-news-reporting/story-fn59niix-1226021429347

Lyn

15/03/2011 TODAY'S LINKS [i]Bolt makes me question my ancestry, Greg Jericho, Grog's Gamut[/i] Bolt did decide to target me. You see while watching Insiders, I let forth a series of tweets suggesting that the show had become a joke as it pandered to Bolt’s bias. http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com/2011/03/bolt-makes-me-question-my-ancestry.html [i]Noise Vs Signal, Mr Denmore, The Failed Estate[/i] Barrie Cassidy, appearing on a taxpayer-funded public broadcaster, can just sit mute as one of Rupert Murdoch's professional trolls is paid to come on the Insiders program and spray deliberate mistruths to support a far right political agenda. http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/ [i]Slip Sliding Away, Ashghebranious, Ash's Machiavellian Bloggery[/i] If Julia Gillard swayed people to her side last night, then the coalition will suffer in the polls. If not, then it will be the government http://ashghebranious.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/slip-sliding-away/ [i]The party of opportunity?, Andrew Elder Politically Homeless[/i] The Coalition's path to office lies over the (politically) dead body of Tony Abbott. The Liberal Party could change the game by dumping Abbott http://andrewelder.blogspot.com/2011/03/party-of-opportunity-labors-federal.html [i]Aunty, we have a problem. Dave Gaukroger, Pure Poison[/i] as Andrew Bolt gleefully pointed out on his blog those viewers seem to be getting more and more fed up with the sub par performance of Insiders and some of its guests, you only need to have a look at the #insiders tag on twitter to see it. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/03/14/aunty-we-have-a-problem/#more-9394 [i]While Abbott is Opposition Leader, Gillard is safe,Admin, Independent Australia[/i] The monk doesn’t cut it with voters and for him to play on the Prime Minister’s lack of honesty is rich indeed. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/while-abbott-is-opposition-leader-gillard-is-safe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=while-abbott-is-opposition-leader-gillard-is-safe [i]Concentrated media ownership: a crisis for democracy, Admin, Independent Australia[/i] NewsCorp owns 8 of that 12, and also dominate the regional and suburban newspaper publishing industry, as well as owning a major slice of Foxtel. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/democracy/concentrated-media-ownership-a-crisis-for-democracy/ [i]Nuclear myths erupt in Japan, Ben Sandilands, Crikey[/i] It has taken less than three days for Japan’s notoriously dishonest and evasive nuclear industry to concede the seriousness of the crisis http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/03/14/nuclear-myths-erupt-in-japans-post-quake-confusion/ [i]Japan: nuclear crisis , Gary Sauer-Thompson, Public Opinion [/i]had seriously underestimated the potential risks posed by major earthquakes to their nuclear plant. http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2011/03/japan-nuclear-c.php#more [i]Has Australian politics ever been more depressing?, Mungo MacCallum, ABC[/i] At first glance, Abbott’s position is even worse; not only is his net approval rating well down at minus nine (Gillard’s is now a flat zero) but Turnbull has 37 per cent support http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45110.html [i]ABC News 24 hammered over Japanese Tsunami coverage, Mumbrella[/i] returned to its scheduled programming including reruns of an aboriginal reconciliation conference from last November, a roundup of the week’s news from Queensland http://mumbrella.com.au/abc-news-24-hammered-over-japanese-tsunami-coverage-41444 [i]The End of the nuclear renaissance, John Quiggin[/i] arguing that the US and maybe other countries should increase the subsidies for nuclear power associated with the attempt http://johnquiggin.com/index.php/archives/2011/03/14/the-end-of-the-nuclear-renaissance/#more-9586unch a ‘nuclear renaissance’ [i]Melbourne’s Price on Pollution Rally, Australian Politics TV[/i] We still haven’t come across any videos from the anti-carbon price rally held in Werribee (30 minutes outside of Melbourne) although we’ll post any we come across. http://australianpoliticstv.org/2011/03/14/melbournes-price-on-pollution-rally/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianPoliticsTv+%28Australian+Politics+TV%29 [i]Neilsen 54 - 46 to Coalition, William Bowe, The Poll Bludger[/i]UPDATE 3: The latest Essential Research survey joins the 54-46 club http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/ [i]Liberal Party News: Inside calls for Abbott to sack Greg Hunt, Douglas, Mangled Thoughts[/i] This scientific ignoramus is also an economic ignoramus, because he said his “Direct Action” (he must have read the expurgated dictionary for treacherous Leftists, http://mangledthoughts.rumcorps.net/?p=2829 [i]The junk science behind Minchin's climate change denial, Barry Bickmore, Unleashed[/i] The sordid truth of the matter seems, instead, to be that Senator Minchin simply believed whichever expert would tell him what he wanted to hear. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45086.html [i]Turning Around the Titantic,Peter Lewis, EMC[/i] danger for Tony Abbott; the more he attacks the Government’s carbon price, the more he boxes himself into a corner as denying climate change.Sure he will point to his Direct Action plans, but most credible http://www.theunspun.com.au/?p=487#usermessageb [i]No One's trying to reduce Government Waste, Ross Gittins[/i] I'd like to see Abbott and the soon-to-be-elected O'Farrell government promising rigorous evaluation of spending programs. That would test their sincerity. http://www.rossgittins.com/2011/03/no-ones-trying-to-reduce-government.html [i]Back to Australian politics , Opinion Dominion[/i] Andrew Bolt, I was a bit surprised to see that even he acknowledged on Insiders yesterday that [b]Abbott uses weasel words on the science which the climate change deniers [/b]http://opiniondominion.blogspot.com/2011/03/back-to-australian-politics.html [i]If not now then when? if not us then who, Doug Evans, Earthsign[/i] his campaign is not grounded in the climate change policy debate but in Tony Abbott's overweening lust for power. http://duggyvans.blogspot.com/ [i]ABC's ambush a travesty of politics and news reporting , Dennis Shanahan, News Ltd[/i] THE ABC has gone too far - for a publicly funded, so-called even-handed public broadcaster, last night's Q&A ambush of Julia Gillard was a travesty of politics and news reporting. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/abcs-ambush-a-travesty-of-politics-and-news-reporting/story-fn59niix-1226021429347

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011lyn, Above and beyond the call of duty, Tweety Bird, flying into the lair of the News Ltd lion, Dennis Shanahan, to see what he is saying. :)

janice

15/03/2011An excellent piece as usual Ad astra. I've come to the conclusion that we're not about to get our ABC back any time soon. IMO it's got to the stage now where it's so full of toe-rags that it will be almost impossible to purge them except by withdrawing public funding and taking that funding to start up a new organisation. on QandA, our PM was most impressive. I particularly liked the bit where she was asked if she felt like being less polite when facing the grubby Alan Jones. The question was followed by Jones asking "why" she enters such a lions den. I noticed, but perhaps others didn't, that the audience applause was not insignificant when she answered the why question with the reason that she does not think the stuff with which Alan Jones contaminates the airwaves should go unchallenged. Whilst the meme is out there that Labor are poor at selling their policies, I believe that if given a fair go in the media to put their case it wouldn't be so. I am of the opinion that the Government should resort to bombarding the airwaves with the information they want the electorate to hear. When the inevitable screams of waste of public money appear hot on the heels of the governments ads, another ad ought to appear to inform the public that in the present climate their government has no alternative option to get the facts (untainted by a raft of biased opinion) out to them so they may make an informed judgement.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Tony Abbott is a devious & dangerous dill. End of. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/carbon-dioxide-not-the-bad-guy-says-abbott-20110314-1bul3.html

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011Hi Lyn What a great collection of links you have for us today, over twenty. You are a gem. Thank you.

Mr Denmore

15/03/2011I'm not quite sure how the ABC justifies leasing out airtime on the publicly owned broadcaster to representatives of Rupert Murdoch when the latter already controls 70 percent of our metropolitan print media. But an entire program on Insiders given over to Murdoch's paid shills just defies belief. For those who are interested, I have touched on this in The Failed Estate today - the link thankfully provided by Lynn above.

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011Fluffula Welcome to the [i]TPS[/i] family. Do come again. It is revealing how many folk, like yourself, have come out to condemn the performance of Andrew Bolt on [i]Insiders[/i] and Barrie Cassidy's ineffectual attempts to control him. If the ABC allows this sort of occurrence to continue, we can but sadly conclude that OUR ABC is beyond redemption.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Ad Astra, Gee I'm coming up with a lot of clear and strategic thinking atm(if I don't say so myself, and if I don't who will? :) ), but I was just reflecting back to the days in the Howard government when they were trying to grapple with the 'Lefty' journalists in the ABC, as they saw them, and the Minister for Communications, Richard Alston would regularly sally forth into the other media and declaim the ABC's alleged bias loudly and long, until such time as he got the result he wanted from the ABC, which was their so-called 'Balance' policy. So where's Stephen Conroy now when the Andrew Bolt incident has so enraged decent and fair-minded viewers of Insiders? Quiet as a mouse. Surely he is not afraid of the likes of Andrew Bolt, et al. in the Murdoch media? Politics is 90% about perception. So Sen.Conroy should be out there giving a serve to Andrew Bolt and reassuring us generally that he doesn't want to see the Australian Broadcasting Corporation held hostage by flagrant purveyors of Yellow Journalism. I still remember the blog I wrote about Yellow Journalism, however no one in any position of authority in Australia appears willing or able to do anything about it.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011janice, How are the fledglings going? Hope you and they are OK? :)

Mr Denmore

15/03/2011To be fair to Stephen Conroy, I think his media advisor quite rightly would be telling him that bagging The Insiders would only give publicity to a show whose combined audience would probably fit inside my front yard. Nobody watches it apart from a few political tragics and masochists who think spending a Sunday morning watching Andrew Bolt is pleasurable.

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Mr Denmore Congratulations on your latest post, you are amazing, also thankyou so much for alerting us of your update. Keep up the good work Mr Denmore, you are an asset to the blogosphere, we always welcome your well thought out informative posts on "The Political Sword", as well as enjoying your Blog "The Failed Estate". The year ahead, full of Ad Astra's and your work, put together, we have "beautiful information" . Hey, that's a good title for a book. Noise Vs Signal, Mr Denmore, The Failed Estate Rupert Murdoch's professional trolls is paid to come on the Insiders program and spray deliberate mistruths to support a far right political agenda. http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/ Cheers Mr Denmore

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Ad Ash is conducting a very worthwhile poll, I hope everyone will vote: Post Qanda Poll, Ash, Ash's Machiavellian Bloggery the poll is designed to see if there has been a change of views since the PM’s appearance on the show. http://ashghebranious.wordpress.com:80/2011/03/15/post-qanda-poll/ Here is a link for anyone who missed last night's Q&A Assange poses Q&A question to Gillard, David Knox, TV Tonight Last year Q & A denied its David Hicks video question had been arranged by the ABC. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/03/assange-poses-qa-question-to-gillard.html

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011Mr Denmore Thank you for your always-welcome comment, and for your piece [i]Noise vs Signal[/i] with its focus on 'short-termism' and the 'institutionalised innumeracy' that afflicts much of the MSM. You put your finger on basic problems with contemporary journalism, about which all journalists ought to be aware. I wonder though how many are, or even care to discover.

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011Hi Lyn Thank you for the link to Ash's poll. We should have more of such polls to counter the online polls run by the MSM which generally lead people in the direction favoured by the news outlet. Well done Ash.

TalkTurkey

15/03/2011Thank you Mr Denmore, You made me feel better after that. I was thinking, along with FS, well yes why isn't Conroy in there like Cazaly? But he is a very clever man, and the Government, for all the image it has been given by the msm and all the terrible run of hurdles and pitfalls it has encountered since 2007, is a very very clever Government, and the Rt Hon Julia Gillard PM is a very, very, VERY clever woman. Labor has a strategy for the future, and inclusiveness of the Independents is part of it. They are clever and responsible men too, I honour them for their courage and nous. Under Gillard the Government will stick to its guns and stare THEM down as she has vowed to do. So I am sure you are right, Conroy is being cool. BTW other new and sometime contributors, welcome to you all. Great to see staunch new recruits. On this blog you don't need to be like-minded but there is huge general agreement and if you have a really divergent view OK but be reasonable. Exactly like THEY aren't. Swordsfolks I tole yez, did'n I, I tole yez Julia was going to make Q&A last night the first firm step on the way back up after all the setbacks . . . She done it good eh. Actually it seems she done better than I even thought myself, the reaction from Les Autres (never mind Ewen Mee) seems to be amazingly positive. I think perhaps Oakes and some others are going to jump ship wrt the motley crew of shockjocks and anti-journalists of whom Mr Denmore isn't one. Why wouldn't any decent right-minded professionals want to distance themselves from smelly Bum-Bolt and pooey Anal Jones? Even Pus Acridman has gone very quiet, I think he's wedged between his hatred for and envy . . . [9.42 AM Replay Q&A Assange gazzump on ABC 24 as I write. More on this later when I get the chance.] . . . of Bum-Bolt, who has jumped 8 lengths ahead of him in the Slime Stakes, and his unwillingness to go any further himself because he is shrewd enough to realize that he will be held to account for it in the slightly longer run and then he'll just be a despised and derided and irrelevant bitter old phrrrt. Julia Gillard is alive and kicking. Thanks to the Labor Government's actions during the GEC we have a top economy, and at least compared to everywhere else, a splendid future if we are wise enough to be wise. Courage, mes amis. Venceremos!

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011NormanK, Doug Evans, Casablanca, FS, janice Thank you for your comments and your assessments of [i]Insiders[/i] and [i]Q&A[/i]. Lyn has kindly given us the link to the Dennis Shanahan article which asserts, with surprising annoyance, that Julia Gillard was 'ambushed' last night on [i]Q&A[/i] with the question from Julian Assange. Dennis is right. On Jon Faine's ABC 774 Melbourne radio show this morning, Tony Jones conceded that Julia had had no prior notice of the Assange web question. So it was a shameless ambush. But while such an ambush might have been understandable on such an unrehearsed show, Tony Jones' response to Jon Faine's question about whether Jones had arranged the ambush sounded disingenuous, the sort of response Jones is so fond of criticising when it comes from a politician. He sounded devious, obfuscated about how much he knew about the background to the question, waffled on about how his crew had been having contact with Assange to 'get him on the show', but gave no indication about how this question came about. It is hard to believe that someone as professional and experienced as Jones, one so fond of ambushes and gotchas, was only vaguely aware of the origin of the question. In my opinion Jones let himself down this morning by appearing to not be straight forward, something he demands of politicians. In my view Jones is far too fond of gotchas and ambushes. It diminishes his professionalism, and what's more his attempts at 'gotcha' seem never to succeed. Fancy asking Julia Gillard to name the starting price for carbon on a current affairs program when she has explicitly stated the price will arise from the dialogue she has established to take place over the year ahead. It really is infantile, but Jones persists with his silly game. Wake up Tony - we're onto you and we don't like what we see. You're better than that.

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011TT I enjoyed reading what you wrote just now, composed with such fire in your belly. We need more bellies on fire.

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Fluffula Thankyou for your very welcome comment on "The Political Sword", we hope you keep commenting here. Yes Andrew Bolt does not like David Marr very much at all, mostly pretty obvious. Of course the reason is Mr Bolt doesn't like anyone to disagree with himself. cheers

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Talk Turkey Yes you did tell us, and your wise words have come true, thankyou Talk Turkey. Ash thinks that Julia did well and most other blogs I have read do, even Dennis Shanahan said Julia did well. I thought Tony Jones was rude though, everytime Julia tried to explain he buts in, then says she hasn't explained the carbon price plan very well, stupid isn't it. Thankyou again Talk Turkey, for your wisdom and very enjoyable posts, I value your words very much. [i]Swordsfolks I tole yez, did'n I, I tole yez Julia was going to make Q&A last night the first firm step on the way back up after all the setbacks . . . She done it good eh[/i]

TalkTurkey

15/03/2011Anyway FS Conroy is a broadsword man, and quite a good one too, but Bum-Bolt swings a big spiky troll-ball on a chain, no science but much grimace and spittle. He could possibly prevail against Conroy. But Julia is a RAPIER lassie, and that's why she is #1. She has space to fight her way now, and Bum-Bolt and Anal Jones are among those she will hunt down. She don't want nor need no man to do her fighting for her. She is a real Boadicea. I always said so. Just stand aside.

TalkTurkey

15/03/2011and Ad astra you are our Merlin. Or maybe Gandalf. Or at least Getafix!

Doug Evans

15/03/2011Lyn completely agree. Jones made it as hard as he could for JG with constant interruptions. Wonder what the issue was? Perhaps he is nervous about being seen to be too closely linked to 'leftist' opinions. I've always quite liked TJ but this was not his finest hour. The ambush with Assange's question? Well not such a big deal JG handled it with ease. She did very well, A few more outings like this and (no more stuff ups) and the polls will soon turn around.

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011Folks Tony Abbott's real views on global warming are becoming more and more exposed, and his denialism emerging as his true position. Speaking yesterday at a community forum in Perth, Tony Abbott said: [i]''I don't think we can say that the science is settled here."[/i] and that he [i]"does not accept that carbon dioxide is a proven ''environmental villain'' or that cutting greenhouse gas emissions is the most important environmental challenge."[/i] and [i]"…there is no doubt that we should do our best to emit as few waste products as possible, but, having said that, whether carbon dioxide is quite the environmental villain that some people make it out to be is not yet proven.[/i]". On [i]Insiders[/i] in Sunday, Andrew Bolt, who is as expert on denialism as any, outed Tony Abbott's direct action plan as [i]"a token response to a non-existent problem".[/i] How can Abbott carry on the charade that he does believe in anthropogenic global warming and yet make utterances that show he believes in it to such an insignificant extent that no real action is required? When will the people wake up to his fraudulent behaviour and see him for the denialist he really is, and his plan as but 'a token'. Do they really want to stick with Abbott, erroneously believing he can fix the (non-existent) problem at no cost to the consumer, and let the planet be overwhelmed by carbon dioxide?

Doug Evans

15/03/2011Ad Astra Well said. Bernard Keane on Crikey noticed the schizophrenic nature of Abbott's climate commentary and trawled up an interesting chronology of contradictory crap. I'm sure you know it but anyone who wants to refresh themselves it can be found at http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/03/09/climate-change-cage-match-abbott-debates-abbott/

Ad astra reply

15/03/2011TT Merlin, Gandalf or Asterix? All rather flattering descriptors. But, having no pretensions to magic, I prefer Asterix - 'a brave, shrewd warrior of somewhat diminutive size, who eagerly volunteers for all perilous missions.' I'm not sure I'm that brave, but the like of you TT make us all feel braver and willing to tackle the unequal task of taking on the ABC, the Bolts, even the Abbotts. Doug Evans I saw that. It was one of most revealing exposés of Abbott's contradictory positions on climate change. But why is it left to niche publications like [i]Crikey[/i] to expose this fraud in such a devastating way? Why is it that the MSM simply regurgitates Abbott's every utterance on climate without bothering to point out his contradictory behaviour. Today Abbott is saying that climate change is real and that something must be done about it, faithfully reported without comment by the ABC. Yesterday CO2 has not been proven to be the environmental villain 'that some people make it out to be'; today he says climate change is real and needs action. He can't have it both ways - either CO2 is an environmental villain and requires action, or it is not. But the MSM allows this contradictory tripe to go unchallenged - how disgraceful and incompetent.

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Ad A bit more support for Julia, well sort of: National broadcaster defends approach to WikiLeaks founder , Joe Kelly, The Australian Hard-Right Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi said the decision reflected poor news judgment. "To place Julian Assange, to give him a national platform to pursue his radical ideology would be to me inappropriate,'' he told The Australian Online. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/national-broadcaster-defends-approach-to-wikileaks-founder/story-e6frg6n6-1226021693225

janice

15/03/2011HS, [quote] How are the fledglings going? Hope you and they are OK? [quote] Well, I raised them successfully and then discovered three of the four of them had a congenital condition similar to hip dysplasia. Sadly they had to be euthanaised. However the survivor which has turned out to be a female is hail and hearty but refuses absolutely to leave home. She has a group of her kind of like age living in her peewee territory and goes off with them on excursions :) She always returns in less than 48 hours and announces her arrival loudly, demanding a handout and my company in the garden. It seems I'm going to have to wait until spring when she finds a mate and 'settles down' with a family. However, she may turn out to be like the kookaburra I raised some years ago which used to return home every January with her hubby and kids and demand I give handouts to the whole brood. It got a bit much as the years went by though because the kookaburras stay together as a family, helping the parents to feed each new brood of young, so the numbers lining up on the back fence grew considerably. Miss Peewee has won the hearts of both my sons and their families so that she is able to persuade any one of them to turn over a log or move a heap of mulch so she can partake of the insect feast disturbed. On the other hand, the eastern rosella left home. He/she found a small flock of her kind. For a week or so he/she would fly off with them at sundown and return at sun-up. Then one morning the whole flock arrived and stayed a short time while he/she ate from her feeder. The following morning they all turned up again but this time they just circled the garden and flew off to wherever their feeding grounds are. They haven't been back since so I presume that last flight was my rosella's farewell to me.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Anyone who was watching Qanda closely last night would have seen the smirk on Tony Jones face when the Julian Assange question came up. He knew full well about the set-up. He thought he would embarass the Prime Minister of Australia, live, on National TV. I bet he had evil little thoughts about Walkley Awards and the like running around his lizard journo brain. In fact, in a very subtle and deliciously knife-twistingly accurate way, Julia Gillard also alluded to the fact of what was going on in Tony Jones' mind as he peppered her with his 'Gotcha' attempts at extracting a headline for tomorrow's news bulletins. Sadly, wrt this particular blog topic, the ABC are still trying to gin up this story, in a very tabloidesque fashion today by repeating the unsubstantiated assertions of Mr Assange. Julian Assange should either put up, or shut up, I reckon. And the ABC should hold off until he does. I am still deeply suspicious of him and his motives because I am still yet to see any substantial revelations concerning the Conservative side of politics.

TalkTurkey

15/03/2011Ad astra you said: "TT Merlin, Gandalf or Asterix? All rather flattering descriptors. But, having no pretensions to magic, I prefer Asterix - 'a brave, shrewd warrior of somewhat diminutive size, who eagerly volunteers for all perilous missions.'" You got that bit at the beginning muddled didn't you! You meant Getafix there, and Asterix later. Now we got that straight - OK, so you're ASTRAFIX ! Got it all!

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011janice, Thank you for your detailed reply. I must admit, my favourites are still the Magpies who always sing for their supper here. If I have any meat leftovers they always seem to know it and turn up on my veranda and starrt carolling madly until I turn up with my scraps for them. Which I have no qualms about whatsoever as they sing the sweetest song of all. Also, right outside my window where my computer is is a bush which flowers all year round and since I have got rid of my domestic pets it has become frequented by the tiniest little nectar-eating birds and Blue Wrens darting from branch to branch to stick their beaks in the flowers or look for insects to eat. What joy they bring to my life, and all for free! Also, as our sage explained to me when I was having trouble with the quote thingy, you have to highlight it first in blue before you press the 'quote' button. :)

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Hillbilly I agree with you I am sus, of Julian Assange as well, there has not been one tiny little word released about John Howard or any of the Liberal MP's when they where in power. Strange really everyone who is anyone has been named, too obvious really.

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Ad Interesting piece about Q&A, don't like the Porcelain Queen, tag, I guess the bootstappers will run with that new name for Julia, suppose it's better than Juliar though. The Hottest reality TV: Q and A, WH Chong, Crikey There was regular applause for questions that put her on the spot, especially ones about the evening’s main topic, “the carbon tax” and her election “lie” about bringing one on. The camera kept cutting away to disapproving faces. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/culture-mulcher/2011/03/15/the-hottest-reality-tv-q-and-a/

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011[b]Gotcha Blogism[/b] While Swordsfolk are busy decrying 'gotcha journalism' on last nights QandA an outright blatant piece of gotcha blogism has gone uncommented. I refer to yesterdays post on [b]Grog's Gamut - Bolt makes me question my ancestry[/b] linked first on Lyns Daily Links today. This was Gotcha Blogism at its' best. The temerity of a Public Servant using the cover of a little known Public Holiday in the National Capital to post during what for others was 'normal working hours' is just beyond the pale. I mean how dare he hoodwink poor unsuspecting commentors by posting during the day. There should be a Royal Commission or some other high powered inquiry into this. I am just flabbergasted and beyond further words except to say [b]Gotcha Blogism[/b] must be called ou for what it is.

TalkTurkey

15/03/2011All four reactors at Fukushima now in deep strife. Oh dear. FS I sure have no admiration for Julian Assange as a person now, and not very much as a tactician either. I cannot and will not resile from my support for his right to freedom until and unless real and credible criminal charges can be proven against him, but as far as his empty charges against JG or the Australian Govt, what, they passed information about members of Wikileak to foreign (US?) govt, D'Urrrh? Did Wikileaks never pass information on to all comers? What's wrong with information? (As long as it's the real thing?) ain't that what we're all about? It's certainly the reason I have hitherto supported Wikileaks' cause, and criticised Gillard for what I saw as precipitous condemnation of what I thought to be a sincere effort to bring megacriminality to account. Well I have to defer to PatriciaWA here as concerns the value of anything Wikileaks have ever released as they said they were going to do day by day, whatever happened to that? As JG has said wtte that circumstances alter cases. Assange has not delivered much at all, agreed. Most of all he has burnt his bridges from the point of view of sympathy from his previous supporters, including me, except insofar as I firmly believe he has done nothing to merit his incarceration, let alone extradition and possible, just possible, death penalty at the hands of US crazies. Meanwhile Toe-Rag Jones (another Toe-Rag, another Jones!) has pooed his pants publicly on his own programme. Smarmy snide Gotcha smirk, yes we see FS. (Several times.) Looks worse each time. Well Toe-Rag, you Gotchaself didn't you you self-important supercilious snake. You know you have defined yourself forever in that one act? As James Masturbola defined himself forever by Gotcharing Grog, Oh no, we don't forget. I metaphorically spit on my metaphorical shoes and throw them at you. [Gee Swordies if I do this to everyone I feel this way about I'll run out of metaphorical shoe-money, mtm metaphorical spit.] Btw JG laughed with not-real-amused surprise at Toe-Rag's sudden revealing of his star canned questioner, and the fact that she was so surprised makes it clear that their ABC had very deliberately set her up. This was apparently confirmed by Jones himself but I didn't see it. Gillard handled it and THEM perfectly anyway. Har Har.

Doug Evans

15/03/2011About gotcha journalism. Didn't TJ also pull this stunt on John Howard with a video question from David Hicks? Howard didn't miss a beat as you might expect. Maybe its not very ethical but were we as upset when he did it to Howard as we apparently are now? Gillard is after all a pretty tough cookie, she didn't miss a beat either.

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011Doug Evans, thanks for that bit of info on Hicks/Howard. Guess it was one of those things I have 'misremembered'.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Doug Evans, You don't get from being a Welsh immigrant to South Australia, via Unley Public High School onto becoming the first female Prime Minister of Australia without being one tough, smart cookie. :)

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15/03/2011TT Muddled or not, I prefer Asterix the warrior to Getafix the druid. I've left being a druid behind, and prefer now being a warrior. But Astrafix will do.

NormanK

15/03/2011Doug Evans I can tell you that I for one am not mortified by the attempted Assange assault. Yes it was poor practice and it exposes Jones and Q&A for what they are (cheap tricksters) but at the same time it gave JG a chance to speak to the subject, which she did with aplomb. It was unethical in both instances (Hicks and Assange) and is not to be encouraged but the questions needed answering and who better to put them than the protagonists themselves. A little bit of forewarning would have been polite however. Incidentally, Assange did himself great harm by participating in that bit of theatre. He was arrogant and guilty of more than a little bit of overacting.

Casablanca

15/03/2011Feral Skelton @ March 15. 2011 07:49 AM Your question of me is I know a rhetorical one but I recommend, if you haven’t already done so that you read Mr Denmore’s two most recent posts: The End of the Affairs? and Noise Vs Signal http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/ Mr Denmore commences the first article with the following: “A truism about journalism is that it consists of applying six basic questions to issues of public interest: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. In breaking news, journalists often will deal with the first four questions fairly readily. The last two are sometimes harder”. On Saturday, 13 March the SMH ran a piece called “Heat’s on for Carbon Debate”. The author, Paul Daly a regular contributor is billed as a Canberra-based writer and an award-winning political journalist. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/heats-on-for-carbon-debate-20110312-1bs4r.html Daly commences his article thus: “Tony Abbott says he is running a ''truth campaign'' on the lies that underpin the government's appallingly managed policy to introduce an interim carbon tax next July. Our award-winning political journalist pursues the how, what, when, where and why of incisive award-winning journalism by peppering his article with the following string of statements that he obviously believes are incontestable: “Julia Gillard, on the other hand, is just running for her government's political life, going one step forward for every two back in a constant battle to patch up and recalibrate the deeply flawed political strategy to sell the carbon tax”. “The naivety of Gillard, her senior ministers and some of her key advisers has been startling”. “Rudd and his ministers failed to explain precisely how the policy worked, its global context or why it was so morally significant”. “The policy was dropped because Rudd arrogantly failed to explain it. He was dropped for dropping it”. “[Gillard’s] government would have ''war-gamed'' an explanation for her about-face - as well as a plan to clearly enunciate everything that Rudd failed to spell out on the road to his climate change downfall”. “Instead we were simply told a few weeks ago that we would, after all, have a carbon tax. That it remained an interim measure on the way to a market-based abatement scheme, was lost along the way”. “...if the government is to cut through it must argue the efficacy of its case on economic grounds”. After ten paragraphs of vacuous unexamined statements like those quoted above, Daly poses his award-winning, intellectually hard hitting analysis: “Which brings us to what the government may do next”. The answer: Gillard and Abbott may engage in town hall-style debates. This astounding insight is based on the apparent fact that “Last week Abbott was asked if he saw ''merit in challenging the Prime Minister to a debate on the carbon tax?'' to which Abbott replied, ''Look, I would see merit in that . .” Daly, the award-winning political journalist, concludes with the clincher, “Gillard might soon see Abbott on his proposed carbon tax debate - and raise him one”. In the interests of balance I should reveal that the article did throw some doubt on whether Abbott can “withstand the scrutiny of his opposition's own flaky, market-anathema stop-gap ''direct action'' policy on climate change that would be intrinsic to such a debate”? This pusillanimous piece is what passes for political analysis. It appeared in “The National Times” a section for Opinion, Analysis and Commentary no less.

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15/03/2011Hi Lyn Thank you for the [i]Crikey[/i] link. Can anyone tell me more about W H Chong who wrote today for [i]Crikey[/i] about [i]Q&A[/i]? A Google search says he is a graphic designer and a 'culture mulcher', whatever that is. What qualifies him to write an analysis of last night's Q&A, apart from being a citizen, like the rest of us? One point he (I presume it is a he) made was the regular cutting away from Julia Gillard and Tony Jones to audience faces, almost all of whom looked quizzical, or sceptical, or suspicious, or even disbelieving. I noticed that and was surprised that the audience reaction to what looked like a good performance was so neutral or negative. Knowing Tony Jones for what he is sadly becoming, just another hack journalist scratching around for a scoop, I now suspect that was a deliberate ploy that he engineered with his producers. It would be so easy to have several cameras focussing on disapproving faces, and avoiding approving ones, to make it look as if her audience was not with her at all. It all sounds like a conspiracy theory doesn't it, but given the falling standards we are seeing in some sections of the ABC, it is not all that implausible. If it is so, it is yet another nail in the coffin of ABC credibility. Did you notice what I'm referring to Folks?

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011My thinking about the 'Assange Assault' has been presaged in Casablancas, comment above @ 03:17 PM Surely it would be 'How to handle live media 101' for advisors to workshop the 'gotchas' that are likely be presented. In fact I can imagine a of a 'game' being played amongst advisors on which journalist will come up with todays 'gotcha' and what it will be. I suggest the PM was coached on a number of possible 'curly' questions and possibly breathed a small sigh of relief that it was Assange and not someone else that was the 'patsy' in last nights setup.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Ad, Yes, I did notice that as well. In fact I thought that those cameras were panning for audience members who were making disapproving grimaces or disgusted looks as the PM was giving her answers, in a poorly-disguised attempt to give the impression that the audience were not that impressed. Also, and this really gets my goat every time it happens, but whenever the audience were giving a sustained round of applause to a response by the PM, Tony Jones would peremptorily cut into it and move along rudely to the next questioner. I understand that he is attempting to run a time-constrained show, but maybe, just once, he could have let that applause go onto its natural conclusion. Finally, I was disgusted at the female questioner who was allowed to get away with calling the Prime Minister, "Julia", before launching into her barely-disguised attempt to be a simulacrum of an Australian Mean Girl, no doubt so she could boast to her 'aspirational' girlfriends today over coffee about the way she spoke down to 'Julia'. Not that Tony Jones had the good grace and concern for the Prime Minister to pull her up about it. Probably thought it was too good a bit of TV to do anything about it. Which appears to be the only way his mind works it seems.

Rx

15/03/2011We should not put ANYTHING past Their ABC.

janice

15/03/2011HS, Thank you for the info re the quote button - I might as well admit that I caused the error because I messed up the process and was too lazy to start it over. Also, I didn't use the 'preview' button as I usually do so wasn't aware until I saw my post appear. Just goes to show that short cuts often don't work :) I agree with you that the maggies sing beautifully and all the resident magpies up here on my hill are ones I handraised. However, I can assure you Miss Peewee is a great imitator and her songs are quite delightfully a mix of magpie, butcherbird and blue wren as well as her normal peewee voice. Sometimes, I swear, I detect human sounds in her repetoire as well. re the ABC and QandA. I was reading this morning that the ABC has admitted to having approached Assange to put a question to the PM. Apparently also the ABC Manager/director/whatever swears blind he and they had no idea what the question was and were not involved in his making the video. I guess you'd believe that if you were gullible enough. IMO Julia simply showed her mettle and her leadership qualities to the public which must have been like a spit in the eye to the ABC and Tony Jones. They were very wrong if they thought they'd see a Tony Abbott moment of seething anger from our very capable (female) Prime Minister who has more strength of character and sheer guts in her little finger, than all her sniping and carping critics combined.

janice

15/03/2011Yes, I know exactly what you are referring to, Ad Astra. I also notice that the ABC is only reporting the Assange section of the QandA programme. And now they're reporting the cockroach Abbott saying he doesn't believe Julia's "excuse" about her great big "lie" and that saying 'the Greens made me do it' just doesn't wash. The only hope I hold is that the 650,000 viewers they say tuned into QandA last night, believe their eyes and ears and realise what these reporters are doing to distort the truth. re Assange: I have read that Assange is on record as saying he dislikes/hates left wing governments and therefore it is not surprising that he would put such an over-the-top question to the PM. I have never believed his motives for publishing leaks is for the good of the people but instead is out to big note himself whilst destablising the governments he doesn't like. He is nothing but a nasty grub and I'm appalled that so many Australians have been sucked in to support him. Assange is the sort of grub that has the power to cause a world war and should be exposed as the slime he is.

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15/03/2011Folks I have just sent this email to Tony Jones about last night's Q&A. If you wish to send him a message, the email address is: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/contact-us-form.htm [i]"Tony Jones Having watched you over the years and having witnessed your professionalism, I am concerned that you are letting yourself down with your recent conduct. It would be a pity if an experienced journalist like you morphed into a scoop-seeking hack like so many others. I refer to your penchant for gotcha moments and your willingness to ambush your guests. Last night's Q&A was an example of an ambush with the Assange web question to Julia Gillard You did it too with John Howard with a David Hicks question. Because both are experienced politicians they were able to respond with aplomb. But an ambush is designed to embarrass, to wrong-foot, to evoke a newsworthy misstep. That in itself is not worthy of you. You can do better than entrap your subject. You conceded on Jon Faine's show this morning that the Assange question was an ambush, and you might have been able to argue that such a technique is valid in an unscripted show, but when Faine probed you about how this question came about, you left me with the impression that you were obfuscating and giving a disingenuous reply, somehow attributing it to your crew, not yourself. It is hard for me to believe that a journalist as experienced as you are would not be fully informed about the genesis of a question with which you were prepared to surprise our PM. In my eyes that reply did you more damage than a straight forward response would have. I continue to wonder why you continue asking gotcha questions. It must be that you a playing a percentage game, but frankly I can't remember when you last succeeded in getting your scoop. I hear myself saying: 'Tony, why do you bother.' For example, last night did you really expect Julia Gillard to give you a starting price for carbon after she was at pains to explain that the purpose of the consultation with stakeholders over the year ahead was to determine just that? Yet you persisted like a cat trying to shake a response from its prey. It's a silly and irritating habit which I wish you would abandon. It does you no credit. I have a final question for you. Last night I noticed that the audience cameras cut to many faces to display audience reaction. In contrast to previous episodes of Q&A, almost all the images showed the audience looking quizzical, or sceptical, or suspicious, or even disbelieving. There were few showing enthusiasm. Now this may be a true reflection of audience reaction, but it looked so unusual that I ask the question: was this a deliberate attempt to portray an adverse reaction to the PM? I expect you will deny this, but if viewers are thinking that the spectrum of audience reaction might have been engineered to look bad, that is something you ought to think about in future programs. Q&A is a good program with much of interest to those interested in the political scene. It is laudably unique. Last week's was informative and congenial - one of the best. This week reverted to the gotcha style and let itself down in the process. Please take these comments seriously from one who wants to see this program prosper and not descend towards the indifferent levels to which so many commercial current affairs programs have sunk. Yours sincerely"[/i]

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15/03/2011Casablanca Thank you for the link to the Paul Daley piece. Nothing in it surprises me. This is Daley's orientation, but more so his self-opinionated confidence. He knows best. It would be pointless to reason with someone so assured of the correctness of his position. D Mick Weir But isn't it a shame that it is necessary to workshop gotchas? Has journalism so deteriorated that even fronting the ABC requires preparation for gotchas? I guess when you see the likes of Tony Jones and at times even the highly regarded Leigh Sales reverting to gotchas, I suppose politicians have to workshop the possibility. FS, janice Isn't it interesting that you too noticed the camera images last night, almost all unflattering to Julia. We are not imagining this. The question is - was it engineered? If deliberately so, the ABC has sunk another notch lower. I too noticed how the applause was cut short, and how Tony Jones permitted disrespect for our PM from questioners. If I were conducting Q&A I would make it clear to the audience that whatever their feelings about the people on the panel, their questions must never show disrespect for our nation's leaders. To not pull people up who flout this, is to willingly acquiesce to it. Rx It feels like an unequal battle, but we must persist with our campaign to insist the ABC maintains high standards of journalism. Otherwise we are lost.

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011Be warned Swordsfolk, I have been thinking again! Is 'gotcha journalism' a reaction to media management by the government (and opposition)? Somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind I can recall journalists decrying the rise of the 'media manipulators' within the ranks of political advisors. When it started is a good question but from dim memory a potted, possibly biased, and maybe not totally accurate history. Under the Fraser government colour coded passes were introduced into parliament house so that anyone that had anything to do with the 'press' could be recognised (and avoided) on sight. Around this time press secrataries become more prevalent in ministers offices. The Hawke governmemt refined it further with the Natioal Media Liason Service (known by the journos as the 'aNiMLS'). Howard became a master of the media and his dinners with selected journalists were the stuff of legend. Then along came Rudd who attempted to be the 24/7 master of the news cycle. Is the 'gotcha' in part a result of some of the pack being left 'out of the loop'? Has media manipulation backfired on pollies of all persuasions? No matter how it started it is (sadly) probably here to stay

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011Ad @ 05:36 PM [i]'... isn't it a shame that it is necessary to workshop gotchas?'[/i] Agreed, but as I opined above it is now part of the landscape that, for better or worse, is likely here to stay. Can we change it? Ummm, probably not. Even if we refused to watch or comment upon the gotchas they would live on as journos now consider it 'normal practice'

D Mick Weir

15/03/2011Sanity warning; Over at Menzies House: [b]The two questions Q and A should have asked the PM[/b] http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2011/03/the-two-questions-q-and-a-should-have-asked-the-pm.html The answer to question two could sway my vote: [i]Hello Prime Minister. Under your proposed Carbon Tax, [b][u]will Beer[/u][/b] and soft drinks, be taxed because of their Carbon Dioxide content? Thank you.[/i] My Rant: Beer, the poor mans champagne, is alrady taxed gto heavily. If anyone promises eternal free beer for all workers they will bribe me into voing for them!!!! and in Captcha Bingo: thasbe bar. [u][/u]

Casablanca

15/03/2011Ad, Thanks for the impetus to write to Tony Jones. Here are a couple of excerpts from my complaint: "The only occasion when I can recall you 'winning' your gotcha moment was when you got an admission from Tony Abbott, a few years back, that he had indeed met with Cardinal George Pell, but that it had just slipped his mind when you first raised it. Now by any measure that is a low strike rate and would suggest that the strategy is less than effective and should only be employed when you have verified your facts". "I expect a high standard of journalism from the ABC. I am appalled by the rise in partisan political comment parading as "balance" and of the combative "gotcha" style which you now employ as often as not. You have many fine journalism achievements on your CV but regretfully you are losing your credibility with your drift towards entertainment and populism. Please can we hope that despite the increasing drift to infotainment in ABC news and current affairs that you re-commit yourself to quality journalism?"

Casablanca

15/03/2011OOPs Taken out of context my first para to Tony Jones looks like an endorsement of "gotcha". I assure you that the opposite is the case. Red Faced.

Jason

15/03/2011Sorry All, Didn't know where to post but protest is comming to we good folk of Adelaide! http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2011/03/action-alert-rally-against-gillard-speaking-in-adelaide-tomorrow-.html#comments March 15, 2011 Action Alert! Rally Against Gillard Speaking in Adelaide Tomorrow! We have just received word that Julia Gillard will be speaking at Adelaide University tomorrow evening! I know this is late notice, and irrelevant for all of you outside SA, but Axe The Carbon Tax, run by Menzies House Editor Damian Wyld, has arranged a last minute protest, so we are passing o the following message from him: Julia Gillard will be speaking at Adelaide University tomorrow evening (7pm, Wednesday, 16 March 2011). Sickeningly, she is addressing the Don Dunstan Foundation on the topic “Governing for Reform: Values in Practice”. One wonders what values she was demonstrating when she broke her promise and announced a carbon tax! RALLY AGAINST THE CARBON TAX 6.00 - 7.30pm Wednesday, 16 March 2011 Adelaide University, North Terrace (outside Bonython Hall) Please note the following: This is a peaceful and silent rally. There will be a large police and security presence, not to mention another, completely separate rally on the issue of same-sex marriage. Those attending the rally against the carbon tax are expected to refrain from argument with those attending the Gillard function, the other rally, passers-by, etc. Rally attendees are to obey any and all instructions given by security or police. Sensible carbon tax-related posters are welcome. However, we have been advised that any poster affixed to a stick or pole will be confiscated and could see us removed. Sticks, poles and the like are considered potential weapons. Do not bring them. Above all else, remember that our rally is intended to demonstrate to Julia Gillard, the media (who will likely be present) and anyone passing by, that we are grassroots members of the community, peacefully presenting a legitimate grievance by our silent presence. I hope to see you tomorrow night at 6pm. Together, we can defeat the carbon tax. Yours sincerely, Damian Wyld 8363 5044 info@axethecarbontax.org Obviously, most of you will not be able to attend this rally, as it is in the evening and at rather late notice, however, thought we should still pass the message on. Please contact rally organiser Damian if you have any further questions, or visit AxeTheCarbonTax.org. We hope to see you, if not at this rally, then at the main Adelaide anti-carbon-tax rally on the 23rd. Together, we WILL win this battle! While our opponents are flushed with millions of dollars in union funds, and Julia Gillard has already laid plans to use a staggering 30 million dollars in taxpayer funds to produce propaganda, we have truth and the Australian people on our side and WE SHALL PREVAIL!

Graeme

15/03/2011Janice, Leaving aside Julian Assange's political leanings, I believe it was a pretty poor effort from some one who is apparently happy to accept consular assistance from the Australian government while he is fighting his legal battles, then to cast aspersions on that very same government. I too had some sympathy for Assage's plight, but his performance last night has seen that evaporate, as he does seem to be the egomaniac that others have accused him of being.

Lyn

15/03/2011Hi Jason Thankyou Jason for alerting us of the Adelaide rally. There is no doubt about them though, see how they said sickeningly Julia Gillard is addressing Don Dunstan Foundation, nice way to talk isn't it. Notice the instructions no poles of sticks, no Carbon tax people are to argue with those attending Julia Gillards function, also separate rally on the issue of same-sex marriage. It is to be a silent rally, very funny. Ummm, seems to me the orgainisers, won't know who's who, and who's protesting what, or who's arguing with who, or even who brought the sticks and poles. Plenty of Police will be attending, isn't that using up valuable resources for the Liberals nonsense.

janice

15/03/2011On ABC reporting: Go to Poll Bludger and read William Bowe's post No. 2387 on page 48.

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15/03/2011Casablanca It's great that you are adding your weight to the Q&A debate. It will be interesting to see if there is any change in future programs or whether they will just ignore us. But there is a limit to how many they can afford to ignore. Hope springs eternal. jason Thanks for the information about the Adelaide 'rally'. Please keep Lyn and all of us posted about how it turns out. Graeme I agree that Assange did his cause no good with last night's question. janice Isn't it interesting to see William Bowe, who seldom initiates political debates on his blog (apart from comment about polls) making that comment. A conspiracy theorist would question whether there is an organised ABC-wide campaign to demean Julia Gillard and her Government.

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15/03/2011D Mick Weir If that is the best the Menzies House website can manage, we can treat their offerings with disdain.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011What a poncey name that new Editor of the hatefest website Menzies House has...Damian Wyld. Sounds like a Right little bi*ch. I mean, what is it that these rabid little Young Liberals don't get about the hypocrisy of their stance against a Price on Carbon, Fixed and then Floating? It's not just a Tax for no good reason so that the ALP federal government can whoop it up in their offices in Canberra with 'Our' money. It's an econometric mechanism devised by some of our best and brightest minds to drive the sort of change that is absolutely necessary in order to save the planet from the convulsive change that Climate Change is/will continue to wreak. For goodness sake, Coal and Oil are just dead trees under the crust that have been there for so long they have changed into the substances we now dig up by the truckload and burn in combustion engines and furnaces, and the by-product of releasing that energy that they provide for us is CO2. Too much of it IS deadly to us and the atmosphere, Mr Abbott. It is not a harmless chemical that trees love and which is around us everywhere harmlessly. Water is a harmless chemical compound that is around us everywhere all the time, but you can still drown in it, or consume so much of it that it kills you. Not that Abbott, or the little twerps at Menzies Hate House will admit this simple fact. Instead they want to spin their web of deceit to the Australian people & organise their pantywaist little silent protests, while the world goes to hell in a handbasket around them. There are none so blind as those that will only see with their Right eye. I can't wait for the Sydney Pro Carbon Price Rally. I've already got my sign worked out. It's going to say: 'I Love the Earth that Sustains My Life & I'm Willing to Sacrifice For It'. Sounds corny, I know, but it's the simple truth.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011NormanK or 2353, If you are reading this could you please tell me whether the floods of 1974 in Brisbane were worse or better wrt to Brisbane River flood levels than the floods just past? Thank you. :)

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Jason, I'll see your Scare Mongering Anti Carbon Tax Rally, and raise you an insensate and spurious load of barely-contained pus-filled hatemongering viral e-mail: [quote]This email is doing the rounds at the moment, and I understand was sent to every MP last week, by someone in the Rural Independants seat. You and all your Labor members are an absolute disgrace. Your wasteful incoherent spending is destroying our beautiful country. You have left us with no reserves. The Futures Fund was established by a responsible and wise Liberal Government endeavouring to make our Country sustainable in times of disaster. WE NOW HAVE NO MONEY - NO FUTURES FUND AND BILLIONS IN DEBT. If your intention was to destroy Australia and bring her to her knees, then ‘Congratulations’ you are doing a bloody marvellous job. Let’s look at your policy record so far: 1. Reneged on pre-election policies after the election. 2. Home Insulation disaster – Not finalised and Billions wasted. 3. The B.E.R. so called revolution disaster - Billions wasted with some schools worse off. 4. Laptops in every school. HO HUM!!! 5. Money for stimulus to avert the recession that was never going to happen, the majority being spent on goods from overseas – bolstering other countries. 6. Money meant to stimulate the Australian economy of $2,000 per person sent to Australians overseas, Working Visa Students who had paid a small amount of tax and returned to their own countries & best of all, Cadavers. Wonderful - more money wasted. 7. Toyota company – Millions of dollars they did not even want and the program a flop!!! 8. N.B.N. that will cost Australian Taxpayers about $50,000,000,000.00 of wasted dollars for a technology that will be outdated well before completion. The Queensland floods are estimated at 10 -12,000,000,000.00 which gives an idea of what you are proposing. YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE A GOOD SYSTEM AND THIS WILL BE EVEN BETTER WITH NEW STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY. 9. Housing refugees in five star accommodation when you have not had the guts to go back to John Howard’s policy of stopping the illegal boats. Where are our own homeless people? - THEY SLEEP ON THE STREETS AND GO HUNGRY WHILST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY. CHARITY SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME. 10. Determination to open a refugee camp in East Timor (which is not wanted by the Timorese people) when there is a suitable camp in Nauru. More Millions wasted if you go ahead. 11. Policy for Asylum seekers is an absolute shambles and totally irresponsible. How many terrorists have infiltrated our country? 12. Asylum seekers have right of appeal in the courts. What is going on? They should have no rights - they jumped the queue illegally. The whole programme is a debacle like everything else you touch. 13. Australians desperately needing Housing watching homes intended for them being given to illegal refugees. 14. Fuel Watch - a non event 15. Grocery Watch - a Non Event 16. Green Loans - a fiasco 17. Mining Tax - a debacle 18. Climate Change - a debacle 19. Carbon Tax - confusion 20. Solar rebate - reneged on and cut short. 21. Promise to stop Japan from Whaling – a non event. 22. Garrett denying a Dam to be built in Queensland. 23. Giving $500 million dollars to Indonesia for another disastrous B.E.R. AND 24. Finally, adding insult to injury condescendingly offering flood victims a paltry $1 million dollars which was an insult. DON’T YOU REALISE THAT THEY HAVE LOST EVERYTHING!!! ARE YOU SO INANE THAT YOU CANNOT SEE THAT IT IS THE AUSSIE WORKER’S AND BUSINESSES THAT MAKE THE MONEY TO PAY TAXES WHICH YOU ARE INDISCRIMINATELY WASTING. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!!!! FOR THE DUMMIES - IT’S SIMPLE!!!!! NO BUSINESS - NO WORKERS - NO TAXES – NO COUNTRY. YOU ARE BORROWING SHAMELESSLY AS IF THERE IS NO TOMORROW. BUT IT ALL HAS TO BE PAID BACK. MARGARET THATCHER WAS A BRILLIANT POLITICIAN WHOSE PHILOSOPHY WAS “YOU CANNOT TAKE OUT OF THE PURSE THAT WHICH DOES NOT GO IN”. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. SHAME ON YOU ALL. Now Let’s look at what you have achieved: 1. We now have a larger debt than the Unites States Of America, costing taxpayers millions of wasted dollars every day in interest. Another bloody fiasco. How much longer can Australians be expected to pay the ultimate price for your massive waste? The sooner you are out of office the better chance we have of recovery. God Save Australia AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO GET RID OF the Labor/Green Government.[/quote] Honestly, how can you conduct a reasonable argument based upon the facts when you have to contend with spew like that?

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011Honestly, I reiterate, how can you have a reasoned discussion about the issues when you have to contend with...SBS News voiceover script readers who have to append to the real news that Interest Rates will probably be going down next month due to the effect of petrol price rises and the Japan situation, a comment that ends the story by saying that, "Economists say, however, that Interest Rates will probably have to increase next year." Next bleedin' year!?! It's only March this year, ferchrissakes!!! But no, they have to insert the phrase, 'Interest Rate rise' into every story about the darn things just to keep everyone fearful out there. Sheesh!

NormanK

15/03/2011FS Not sure exactly what you are after but in terms of river heights this year was below 1974. 1974 = 5.45 metres 2011 = 4.46 metres There was much talk of it exceeding '74 but it never eventuated. In terms of damage - the cityscape has changed so much that it might be difficult or pointless to make comparisons.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011janice, From PB also: 'They don't call it the Abbott Broadcasting Corporation for nothing.' Now, why didn't I think of that one?

BSA Bob

15/03/2011F.S. at 9.47 Or anybody- for interest's sake, WHAT calculations or assertions have to be produced to show we have a larger debt than the U.S. ?

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011NormanK, Thanks for that. I needed to know because I was doing a little background work on the Climate Scientist that Nick Minchin was quoting in The Drum piece lyn linked to this morning as supporting his contention that 'Climate Change is crap', a guy from the University of Alabama called, John R.Christy. He wrote a paper that used the Queensland flood data for the last 100 or so years to prove the hypothesis that 'Climate Change is crap'. So I thought I'd test one of the data points he used in a graph, where he states that because the number of flood events have been getting less frequent and less catastrophic, that proves that the projections that believers in Global Warming make are unsubstantiated by the facts, and therefore 'Climate Change is crap', like the Sceptics say. Hmmm. I don't really know what to make of it all. I was trying to test the 'Lies, Damned lies, and statistics' theory on his paper. I haven't finished yet, but that was just one question from it that I had. Thanks for your help.

Feral Skeleton

15/03/2011BSA Bob, Yeah, I know. That assertion struck me as passing strange. Wouldn't it be pointless to do a per head calculation of debt for Australia because of the statistically-significant difference of the results due to our vastly dissimilar population numbers? Anyway, I just can't believe that Australia is more indebted than the US. By any stretch of the imagination or calculation anyone could do.

2353

15/03/2011FS, The answer is depends on where you are. In our street, the level was about 2 metres under 1974 flood height, however there are a lot or areas that got more water through them than they did in '74. Somerset Dam has been there since the '30's and Wivenhoe was built in the '80's as primarily a flood mitigation measure. Of course the need for drinking water has increased in South East Queensland in the past 20 years and Wivenhoe's storage capacity has been used for drinking water. There is a storage level and a flood mitigation level - try the SEQwater website (http://www.seqwater.com.au/public/home) for full details. Don't forget Wivenhoe was around 20% of the drinking water capacity two years ago - its currently around 75% of drinking water, 25% of the drinking water was released late last month "just in case". Apparently, there was more rain in the Brisbane River catchment than '74 (sufficient to mean that should Wivenhoe not be there, the flood level may have been some 2 metres higher than '74). Also all the rain that fell in the Lockyer Valley (the tragic events around Withcott and Grantham) and the Bremer River catchments (Ipswich and nearby) flows into the Brisbane River below the Wivenhoe Dam - effectively water from those two sources are not 'controlled'. You also need to know (given the post immediately before this one) that Wivenhoe apparently "swallowed" a flood even sometime in the 1990's - the water being gradually released. Brisbane's "big" floods have been 1890, 1893, 1974, 199? (referred to above) and 2011. I'd say they are getting more common - wouldn't you?

Feral Skeleton

16/03/20112353, Thank you so much for helping me out with the contextualising wrt the floods. I hadn't actually thought about the mitigating effects on the Brisbane River levels that the Wivenhoe and Somerset dams would have on the flood levels in the Brisbane River. So, of course they would be less, and, as you pointed out, Wivenhoe 'swallowed' another flood event that should have been recorded. You see, I'm just trying to deconstruct the spurious logic of the guy that Nick Minchin seems to be relying upon, and the paper he produced recently, in order to debunk Climate Change some more. If you, or you too NK, or anyone else for that matter, are interested in the paper, it is here: http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/Media/file/Hearings/Energy/030811/Christy.pdf So, therefore, to draw the conclusion that lower flood levels in the Brisbane River cf those from earlier flood events in Brisbane's history is proof positive that the theory of Climate Change causing more and worse extreme weather events, is spurious to say the least and misleading at worst. Thanks guys! :) And thank you lyn for bringing the link to my attention yesterday. As always an invaluable service. :)

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011Full context of Kevin Rudd's supposed rekindled ambitions for the PM's job(not): The negative 3AW take on it: KEVIN Rudd today mocked his successor Prime Minister Julia Gillard by saying he is more likely to become Broncos' captain than again becoming Prime Minister. It turned out he said something quite funny: "I am not of the view that lightning strikes twice. My work is foreign minister is right up my alley and I am doing it to the best of my ability," he told Melbourne's 3AW today. And he said: "It's more likely for me to be captain of the Broncos". See? Completely different meaning when you put it in the correct context.

joe2

16/03/2011Ken Parish at Club Troppo has a great little article out this morning to counter the media driven negativity and madness. http://clubtroppo.com.au/2011/03/16/roosters-feather-dusters-and-high-stakes-poker/

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011Thankx joe2. :)

Lyn

16/03/2011 [b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]What do we do with an ex Prime Minister?, Andrew Elder, Politically Homeless[/i] If Niki Savva can't get over her dislike of the man then that just devalues her commentary about foreign policy under this government, http://andrewelder.blogspot.com/ [i]Gillard's Problem- Part 1 , The Piping Shrike[/i] What we were going to have instead was a Citizen’s Assembly. The whole approach of Labor’s campaign was to tone down the climate http://www.pipingshrike.com/ [i]ABC News Panic, Dave, Dave's Archives[/i] I don't know if this is how 24-hour news reporters justify themselves generally http://davec.org/ [i]Pyrrhic "Gotchas", Jeremy Sear, An Onymous Lefty[/i] the questions Bolt still hasn’t answered on his favourite hoax – did he mislead his readers by attacking a strawman lefty he knew wasn’t real http://anonymouslefty.wordpress.com/ [i]Roosters, feather-dusters and high stakes poker, Ken Parish, Club Troppo[/i] the other night was very impressive despite a quite skeptical audience. She was strong, persuasive and well briefed on all issues. To me this was the money passage of the evening: http://clubtroppo.com.au/ [i]Confronted by a man you accussed, Jeremy Sear, Pure Poison[/i]There are many things wrong with Q&A – the panel selection, for starters – and the ABC in general (see Dave’s most recent post), but I’m not convinced http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/03/15/confronted-by-a-man-you-accused/#more-9401 [i]Bolta's of the Month, Petering Time, North Coast Voices[/i] Not good enough Bolta! Even you had seen the 12th March pics by the time you settled your backside http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/2011/03/boltas-of-month.html [i]Round one – a price on carbon ,Sophie Trevitt, Online Opinion[/i] It is this adhoc handful of individuals who are trying to convince the Australian public to hit the streets using cheap fear mongering tactics. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=11747 [i]To tax or not to tax, that is the question, Peter Lewis, Unleashed[/i] As this week’s Essential Report shows, there is a path to repairing the damage the government has suffered and a way of setting up a debate that could, http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45118.html [i]Labor’s problems: lack of guts and personnel, Bernard Keane, Crikey[/i] merest whim of an independent could kill it off. The only thing it really has going for it is Tony Abbott. http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/03/15/lack-of-guts-and-personnel-labors-problems-not-selling/ [i]Politics 2 - Federal , David Havyatt, Anything Goes[/i] It is mighty odd that it is the ALP promoting a budget neutral approach and the coalition proposing massive public expenditure. http://davidhavyatt.blogspot.com/2011/03/politics-2-federal.html [i]Groundhog Day in Australian politics, Mark Kenny, The Punch[/i]so determined was he to convince voters he was in tune with mainstream opinion, that he committed a Coalition government to billions in new expenditure to achieve the very same minimum 5 per cent emissions cuts by 2020 proposed by the ALP. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/groundhog-day-in-australian-politics/ [i]Julia Gillard learns to lead, Lachlan Harris, Eureka Street[/i]But if Gillard sticks to her guns, and withstands the mountain of pressure that will assail her, she will fight her second election with much more strength than her first. http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=25440 [i]The persecution and betrayal of Julian Assange, Admin, Independent Australia[/i] Greg Barns, director of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, says the fears that Assange will “end up being tortured in a high security American prison” are justified. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/the-persecution-and-betrayal-of-julian-assange/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-persecution-and-betrayal-of-julian-assange [i]Malcolm Turnbull's Asian road trip fails to land a punch on the NBN, Tony Brown, IC Intelligence[/i] So, what did the shadow minister for communications manage to dig up from his road trip? Well, early reports are limited but he does not really seem to have picked up anything that I could not have told him myself http://www.intelligencecentre.net/2011/03/15/malcolm-turnbull%E2%80%99s-asian-road-trip-fails-to-land-a-punch-on-the-nbn/ [i]Stress less: NBN Co reassures Tasmania, Renae LeMay, Delimeter [/i] the NBN Co spokesperson said it had already achieved a take-up rate of over 50 percent in fibre areas in Tasmania. http://delimiter.com.au/2011/03/14/stress-less-nbn-co-reassures-tasmania/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Delimiter+%28Delimiter%29 [i]Welcome To The Commentariat, Gina, Sarah Burnside, New Matilda[/i] Australia's richest woman carries plenty of political clout. Why is she now being welcomed into public debate http://newmatilda.com/2011/03/15/welcome-commentariat-gina [i]Cardinal Folly, John Quiggin[/i] the combination of ignorance, bad judgement, hubris and plain dishonesty required to endorse nonsense like Plimer’s is enough to discredit them across the board. http://johnquiggin.com/ Newspapers [i]Opposition Leader admits Howard overdid it on advertising , Ben Packman, The Australian[/i] Look, I know the government that I was a member of did do advertising and frankly I think it overdid it and shouldn't have done it," he told Perth radio. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opposition-leader-admits-howard-overdid-it-on-advertising/story-fn59niix-1226021389472 [i]Abbott 'still in denial' on climate, Daniel Emerson, Thewest Australian[/i] Opposition Leader told a Perth audience there was doubt over "whether carbon dioxide is quite the environmental villain that some people make it out to be http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9009559/abbott-still-in-denial-on-climate/ [i]Abbott fails to heed own wise advice , Mark Kenny, Adelaide Now[/i] "revealing" because that promise looks decidedly shaky, courtesy of his own candour. "I don't think we can say that the science is settled here," he told a Perth community forum regarding the role of C02 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/abbott-fails-to-heed-own-wise-advice/story-fn6bqphm-1226022112262

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011Some perceptive and funny comments from a guy called Danny Lewis on PB about the topic du jour: [quote]I am getting so bloody sick of the constant “gotcha” journalism. If they don’t get what they want, they just chat amongst themselves afterwards and decided it was there after all, or if it was completely invisible, wait until Andrew Bolt or Piers Ackerman make something up and then report that. It is truly pathetic. Meanwhile, Tony Abbott is at least 3/4 of a sandwich short of the full picnic and they seem content to hang onto his every word. I understand that politics is a theatre sport, but the MSM are really embarrassing themselves with their Abbottphilia. Yes, he is amusing, but he is nowhere near competent enough to run this country and even a bloody drover’s dog can see it.[/quote]

joe2

16/03/2011You are welcome Mr Skeleton. Kevin cracks a funny and the geese go off on another run. I was expecting them to go with the Tiegate story from below. But they must have decided, by comparison, it wasn't trivial enough. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/emirates-airline-free-tie-blue-has-kevin-rudd-seeing-red/story-e6frf7l6-1226020849629

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011joe2, I know it's hard to tell from looking at a skeleton, but I am a she. :) Now that article in The Daily Terror, I guess, as others on PB observed, when the government are doing such a good job they have to resort to beatups of tittletattle like that to fill the paper and keep the Terror's demo in an ongoind state of disgust.

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16/03/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011Interesting [b]If the left are right, why are they so worried? - Senator Cory Bernardi[/b] [i]'What is it about conservatives having a voice that gets so many on the left so irate?'[/i] http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2011/03/if-the-left-are-right-why-are-they-so-worried.html I find it hard to disagree with a lot of what Cory has written in this post! The interesting thing is, much of what he accuses the 'left' of seems to apply equally to the 'right'

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16/03/2011joe2 Many thanks for your links. They make interesting but contrasting reading.

joe2

16/03/2011Whoops ...Ms Skeleton....sorry!

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16/03/2011D Mick Weir You are right. Cory Bernardi should reflect on the words of the King James version of the Bible: "[i]And why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye?"[/i]

joe2

16/03/2011What is it about right wingers and projection? Don't tell them, but when they open their mouths they just reveal everything about themselves. And it is a none too pretty picture.

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011joe2 [i]What is it about right wingers ... they just reveal everything about themselves.[/i] Umm dare I say it applies equally to a lot of 'left wing' commenters as well. Ads' comment @ 10:28 AM could be reflected upon by all of us left, right and centre!

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011D Mick Weir, I might add, that if the Right are so sure they are correct, why do they try so hard to shout down the Left, a la Bolt? You would think that the worth of their arguments should be enough to convince people to support them. Trouble is, that's their fatal flaw. :)

NormanK

16/03/2011Feral Skeleton Re yours @ 08:08 AM on Rudd's ambitions. There is yet another ingredient which has been conveniently misremembered about that context of his statement. The football analogy was drawn out of him by Neil Mitchell. Unless one is a dyed-in-the-wool conspiracist, it is hard to imagine Rudd went into that interview intending to make that particular analogy as a gibe at Gillard. [quote]Announcer Neil Mitchell asked: "Is it as rare as Julia Gillard playing full-forward for the Footscray football club?" Mr Rudd clearly saw where the analogy was going. "So, what you'd like me to do - it's more likely for me to be captain of the [Brisbane] Broncos," he said.[/quote] http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/15/3164340.htm?section=justin Of course that doesn't stop the Herald Sun from running with its own angle. [b]I'm more likely to captain the Broncos than be PM again, says Kevin Rudd[/b] by Malcolm Farr [quote]KEVIN Rudd today [b]mocked[/b] his successor Prime Minister Julia Gillard by saying he is more likely to become Broncos' captain than again becoming Prime Minister.[/quote] My emphasis. Farr does put the comment into context at the end of his article but the negative spin has already woven its magic. [quote]Mr Rudd had been led into the football comparison by his interviewer. "So what would you like me to do?'' he said before referring to the Broncos. "It's more likely for me to be captain of the Broncos? "Well, we could use any analogy you like, mate, I don't foresee any such circumstances in the future.''[/quote] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/im-more-likely-to-captain-the-broncos-than-be-pm-again-says-kevin-rudd/story-e6frf7l6-1226021753509 Never let the facts get in the way. In exactly the same way, most television news outlets showed Julia Gillard's mea culpa on Q&A regarding walking away from a promise on no carbon tax but neglected to find time for her explanation of the circumstances prompting her decision to do so. This might not be flagrant bias but it doesn't help sensible public discourse if the media only show half of an exchange. I haven't seen anyone make mention of Julie Bishop's use of another half-statement in parliament the other week where she quoted Gillard as saying : "Every cent of the revenue raised by a price on carbon will go to compensate low and middle income households". Left off was the reference to assisting at-risk businesses and funding worthwhile innovations. Bishop didn't pick this out of the air. One of the commercial TV networks ran with that half-quote in a news story the night before, thereby leaving open the option for criticism when it is later revealed that not [i]all[/i] the money will go on household compensation. There was a time, not so long ago, when this type of manipulation would have been unthinkable. It is only one step away from splicing together disparate pieces of footage to put into the mouth of a public figure sentences which they have never uttered. I wait with great trepidation for the occasion on which I see this done in anything other than a humorous context. Then we will know that there are no longer any ethical constraints on news producers.

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011I am reminded of the first few pages of Waleed Alys' Quarterly essay. [i]'Those terms, ... Left and Right, ... should be abandoned by anyone interested in having a substantial political conversation. ... They merely replaced rational argument with a playground division into two groups who understood nothing except how much they hated each other.'[/i] Aly cites an essay by Andrew Kenny in The Spectator (5 Feb 2009) that I haven't read but maybe I could! Consider this: [i]'Do we say Attila the Hun was rightwing because he was violent and cruel? Lenin outdid him in both respects.'[/i] Aly uses other examples in both directions and it still causes me to think before I lable. The more I see/hear the 'left/right name calling' the more I despair the decline of reasoned and substantial political debate.

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011FS @ 11:35 AM I can't argue with what you have written. [i]'It's times like this I wish I had listened to my mother. Why? What did she say? I don't know I didn't listen![/i] From [b]The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams[/b] However something I do recall her saying when I wanted to do something silly that others were doing was [i]'If (Mr Bolt) jumped off a cliff would you follow?'[/i] Stop wishing Swordsfolk :) Do two negatives make a positive? Although Mr Abbott is being constantly negative does that mean I have to be negative to counter him? There is room for improvement in my thinking and commenting for sure however I will strive to be 'reasoned' and (with some exceptions!) not resort to name calling

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011Astrafix I have viewed that quote from the Bible as probly the most perfect double-double-entendre ( deliberate or not) I have ever seen. Like this: A BEAM may be a great plank e.g of wood OR A BEAM may be a great ray of light A MOTE may be a speck of dust that might get in one's eye OR A MOTE may be a tiny twinkle of brightness in a sunbeam. It has to do with consciousness, vision, (and hypocrisy) in both senses, in opposite ways. Neat. The brightness and darkness, aspects are quite beautifully complementary. To make sure that any deep wisdom the Bible ever might have had has been completely lost, I looked up the Good News Bible once. Sure enough BEAM was mistranslated as "great log of wood" and parallellally, MOTE was mistranslated "speck of sawdust". The consciousness aspect was no more. I checked it in Latin and Greek too. I can't remember any of the words now (40 years plus since I was even interested at all) but I do remember that the duality existed in both languages. So much for "theology", "the 'science' of Gohccchh Ggogh g gg . . . Ggggh " Oh Dog what's the use I can't say it.

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16/03/2011Hi Lyn As I perused your links this morning, which I now do on the iPad, I reflected on what a valuable service you provide and how much time you save us all. I wonder sometimes how you find some of them. One that struck me this morning was the piece by Tony Brown, an Asia Pacific telecoms analyst, titled [i]Malcolm Turnbull's Asian road trip fails to land a punch on the NBN[/i], on the [i]intelligence centre blog[/i]. You seem to be able to ferret out such articles, obscure yet so relevant. Thank you so much. This article gave an account of Turnbull's "whistle-stop tour of the Asia Pacific region meeting up with regulators, operators and vendors, primarily in South Korea and China, to learn about broadband deployments in the region." An avid Twitter user, Turnbull has used it to extol the virtues of competition in telecommunications in South Korea, which has driven down prices at the expense of the four network providers, who find themselves having to bribe potential users with toasters and microwave ovens for their custom. Turnbull seeks to contrast this with the situation in Australia where the network provider, the NBN Co., has a monopoly. The difference is that Korea has four network operators, all vying for retail custom, whereas in Australia there will one wholesale network operator, NBN Co., but any number of retail service providers who can buy access to the network. Thus the competition in Australia will be between many service providers, not the FTTN network operator, of which there will be just one. The effect of the intense competition in Korea has been not just price wars and the expenditure of enormous amounts on marketing, but a consequent unwillingness of the network operators to invest in advanced technology, such as a move to 1Gbps speeds. Brown points out that if more network operators were allowed in this country, they would cherry-pick the lucrative parts of the market and leave regional and rural Australia bereft, as usual. So if you hear Malcolm Turnbull trying to persuade us that Australia will lack the competition that has driven prices down in Korea, because here we will have a single wholesale network operator, remember that here we will have as much competition as the retail service operators care to provide, which itself will drive down prices. Remember that partial information is misleading, and recognise it if Turnbull tries on the 'lack of competition' story to demean Australia's adoption of the NBN model. As Brown points out "[i]In the Australian context Turnbull appears to be arguing that in the absence of the NBN – and it is hard to tell his exact position in the absence of a clearly outlined broadband policy – that local operators should be allowed to follow the South Korean example and rollout networks where and when they please, purely in the name of diversity and competition. The problem with that, of course, is that there are only two Australian telcos with enough financial muscle to deploy significant fixed-line infrastructure – Telstra and Optus – and neither would be willing to build out new networks unless the government could guarantee them that they would not be forced to open up the new networks to third-party players – a guarantee that governments have been unwilling to give."[/i] Brown concludes: "[i]The future is never easy to predict in the telecoms market given the fast-moving pace of change but there are a couple of things I can predict for certain, firstly, as a telecoms analyst Malcolm Turnbull makes an excellent politician, and secondly if we ever see NBN retail service providers handing out free toasters and microwaves to attract subscribers then we are all in real trouble."[/i] We should reflect on these words when Turnbull assails us with his expert analysis, and always remember that his utterances will always be governed by his leader's instruction 'to demolish the NBN'. The link to the article is: http://www.intelligencecentre.net/2011/03/15/malcolm-turnbull’s-asian-road-trip-fails-to-land-a-punch-on-the-nbn/

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16/03/2011Folks The link to the Brown article mentioned above does not seem to be working, but it does in Lyn's links.

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16/03/2011D Mick Weir I agree, the left-right-centre nomenclature means, as Humpty Dumpty would say, whatever you want it to mean. In my view, it's pointless, and I've said so on this blog before. To me, 'conservative' and 'progressive' carry more meaning, but even they are open to individual interpretation.

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011Cheers Ad, [i]... 'conservative' and 'progressive' carry more meaning, but even they are open to individual interpretation.[/i] Indeed there are, I suggest, some on the Labor (progressive?) side who could be considered 'conservative' and some on the Liberal (conservative?) who are 'progressive' in thier thinking. Using a broad brush to lable individuals doesn't help. Another problem is that some like to take the stand that whatever Mr Abbott says is 'wrong' and whatever Ms Gillard says is 'right'. (Or vicky verka!) Again it doesn't help debate. (I must admit here that it is very easy to take most, if not all of what Mr Abbott says with a grain of salt but maybe there is some grain of truth he has spoken sometime recently - needles and haystacks anybody?) As I set off to check the traps I will ponder this further and reflect on ways that I may improve the discourse.

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011From when I did Politics 1A . . . the lecturers tended to use the terms 'tough-minded' and 'tender-minded' to describe political persuasions, so that never mind what they called themselves e.g. Nazis and Stalinists had/have a lot in common. The academics described the left-right continuum as more of a recurving horseshoe configuration than a straight line if you see what I mean.

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011ASTRAFIX said (of himself) ". . . having no pretensions to magic . . . " Cobber in your case it's no pretence. You can't fool us. You are a magic warrior, best of both.

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011Well, all I can say is that the conspiracy to gin up competitive tension between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd is alive and well, well, not exactly well, more like a zombie is 'alive and well', in the Canberra Press Gallery. I just had the misfortune to sit through another one of those abusive and disrespectful Canberra press conferences attended by the piranhas in the federal government Press Gallery. Not only were they trying a 'Gotcha!' over the fact that Julia Gillard was supposed to have built-in caveats into every promise she made to the electorate, taking into account the likely makeup of the Senate and how it would affect her negotiations after the election should she win, therefore 'She still LIED about a Carbon Tax because she should have remembered that the Greens would probably be holding the Balance of Power in the Senate and they wanted a Carbon Tax(which I'm not sure is strictly true, as I remember it the Greens wanted a higher emissions reduction target by 2020 and an ETS to get it but were also happy to start with Garnaut's suggested Carbon Tax if necessary); but the grubs from The Australian have now decided to totally misconstrue Kevin Rudd's tangential allusion to the Brisbane Broncos via Neil Mitchell's putting the words into his mouth, as, 'Kevin Rudd's Brisbane Broncos Declaration'!!! As the PM acerbically answered that line when it was thrown at her by Samantha Maiden, fat cow from The Austrollian, "I didn't know we mnow had press conference by rhetorical flourish". Then she didn't dignify it with any other response and walked out. Why are those lowlifes in the Canberra Press Gallery allowed to behave that way? How can they lie straight in bed at night having behaved that way all day? Why can't we vote them out like we can with politicians. THAT'S the major problem with our polity today. The media representatives that are answerable to no one other than their editors and proprietors with an agenda. It's so wrong and there's not a damn thing we can do about it.

NormanK

16/03/2011FS I share your indignation but I came away from that press conference quite buoyed by the fact that the PM took no prisoners today. Where in the past she may have tried to laugh off these loaded and impertinent questions, today she called them for what they are and dispatched them accordingly. The only bit of politicking that she had to do was to avoid saying "the Greens made me do it" with regard to the carbon tax. Apart from that I reckon she smacked them down rather well. What effect this may have on their future behaviour remains to be seen but I did note that all of the questions started with 'Prime Minister' and that's a good start. Ms Gillard looked confident and determined today and I can only hope that her colleagues will follow her lead in not taking this nonsense from journalists any more.

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16/03/2011TT I see that you would have enjoyed the convolutions through which theologians go to divine meaning in Biblical texts. It gets them into all sorts of difficulties as words can be interpreted in so many ways, and they have no way of knowing what the original and ancient author was meaning to say when he/she used those words. So it comes down to conjecture. Yet so much weight is place on every word, on its relation to other words, on how the author has used the words elsewhere, and so on. The Greek and Roman versions are examined forensically for meaning. Then the words are use to guide or govern behaviour, and so often are given precedence over life's experiences. If most people know in their heart what is right, do we need the words to tell us what we already know? Despite your complimentary 'magic warrior' label, I find ascertaining meaning is fraught. As Hippocrates said "[i]Life is short, and the Art long; the occasion fleeting; experience fallacious, and judgement difficult. The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself, but also to secure the cooperation of the patient, the attendants and of externals."[/i] Substitute 'politician' for 'physician' and 'public' for 'patient' and you have a workable formula for the political class. As commentators we could do no worse that to judge our politicians against these parameters.

Bring Back Maxine

16/03/2011Hi AA Another high quality blog!! I switched off Insiders after enduring 2 very painful minutes of his "crap". Another low for the ABC. The incremental takeover of the ABC is becoming a blatant daily occurrence. Several bloggers have noted this especially since the lead up to the 2010 election. Many have written complaints and have posted the ABC's token response. Nothing has changed. Nothing will change unless we the taxpayers take action. Writing letters of complaint has not worked. What is needed is a full Senate Inquiry. I believe that the best course of action for the Fifth Estate to achieve this is to organize a petition to present to the Parliment calling for such an Inquiry.

Bring Back Maxine

16/03/2011* Andrew Bolt's "crap".

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011And is the worm turning? [b]Abbott's bluff finally being called? Tim Dunlop @ B Sides[/b] http://tjd.posterous.com/abbotts-bluff-finally-being-called [i]'The moment when Tony Abbott's bullshit about climate change collapses under the weight of its own contradictions is getting closer. When a journalist like Malcolm Farr starts calling him out, the oppostion leader is in trouble:'[/i] Interesting comment (and link) by a commenter HS as well!!!!

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011Ouch. I will admit to being silly. I just tried reading some of the comments on the Malcolm Farr piece referred to by Tim Dunlop. Talk about schoolyard red and blue team name calling and bully boy tactics - whew I now recall why I stopped reading the likes of The Punch

Lyn

16/03/2011Hi Ad Thankyou for your comment at 12:45 PM, I am so glad you find interesting reading in "Today's Links". Most of the obscure links come from commenters on other blogs, that I frequent every morning, or the blog owners, actually the blog commenters are a constant source of information, like our commenters here. [quote]piece by Tony Brown, an Asia Pacific telecoms analyst, titled Malcolm Turnbull's Asian road trip fails to land a punch on the NBN, on the intelligence centre blog. You seem to be able to ferret out such articles, obscure yet so relevant. Thank you so much. [/quote] Thankyou Ad, you are inspiration plus, with your lovely generous remarks. In reference to the Asia Pacific Analyst, it reads to me that Malcolm Turnbull cannot put up an argument about optic fibre. Everything he witnessed was in fibre's favour, I assume that is why we have not heard any reports from Mr Turnbull. We have a shadow Communications Minister that does believe in the NBN and optic fibre, and he is supposed not too. We have an opposition Leader that does not believe in Climate Change and he is supposed to. Half the Liberal Party believe in Climate Change, so that is why we get the ridiculous statements from Mr Abbott, like he made yesterday about CO2.

Lyn

16/03/2011Hi Talk Turkey I hope I didn't upset you the other day, when I said you don't scare me, when you really were being serious. I certainly didn't mean to say the wrong thing Talk Turkey, but I reflected, that maybe I sounded flippant, I can assure that is not what I intended at all. If I did upset you, would you accept my sincere apology.

Ad astra reply

16/03/2011Hi Lyn You are so right. I have always maintained that when he has his heart in it, when he really believes what he is saying, Malcolm Turnbull is a superb advocate. Unfortunately for him, if the converse applies, he is a poor advocate. He does believe in the NBN but has been told to 'demolish it'. He can't and he won't, but I suppose he has to keep up the pretence to satisfy his leader. Of course Tony Abbott has no difficulty in taking contradictory positions, something he is doing daily on climate change. To date few journalists have called him on this, but I note Malcolm Farr has today and so has Tim Dunlop. I hope there will soon be a tsunami of such comment that will sweep away his puerile climate change positions and him with them.

Doug Evans

16/03/2011NormanK and Feral Skeleton agree with comments from both of you re: Q & A, gotcha and Gillard and Gillard. Feral Skeleton not sure if it helps but found some stuff on Spencer and Christy online. Try http://climatecrocks.com/2011/02/02/graph-of-the-day-satellite-temperature-records/ http://climatechangepsychology.blogspot.com/2011/02/roy-spencers-great-blunder-part-ii-by.html http://planetsave.com/climate-science-news/ http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2010/01/roy_spencer_hides_the_increase.php

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011Ad astra In the washout I think the meanings in the old testament are turgid, irrational, contradictory (and sometimes shrewd.) The New Testament is not hatefilled but if you can follow the logic of some of the Blessed Are They comments on the Sermon on the Mount,* well I can't. Blessed are they who can think straight would be good, maybe, except they will inherit a world half-filled with Abbortts and Bum-bolts. Not much help. And as far as hatefilled is concerned, some of the "Christians" are amongst the world champions. I find no such problems with JS Mill. BTW though I know a bit of Bible it's not a big thing at all with me. Only the Good Samaritan story. * Dog that reminds me of a line in my pome Johnny Meets the Queen I don't know if perhaps I posted this before? Well it's fun anyway. I was bowled over to find that last strange wicked rhyme, best argument I've seen for the continued existence of the Peerage. Johnnie Meets the Queen John Howard climbs up on a chair, to kiss Queen Lizzie’s cheek: “Your Royal Highness” Johnnie says, “there’s a favour that I seek:- There’s no-one dotes on Royalty as much as Aussies do – I want my land Australia to be a Kingdom too!” The Queen says, “What a nice idea – but there’s just one tiny thing – For your land to be a Kingdom, John, you’d have to be a King!” John Howard climbs down from his chair, he grovels on his knees, Kisses Liz’s hand, and wheedles, “D’ohhh, Your Highness, Please? If we can’t be a Kingdom, please, oh please, Your Majesty, Please, please, decree Australia a Principality!” The Queen’s expression shows that he is getting on her Quince: “John, for a Principality, you’d have to be a Prince!” Her answer is quite clearly a down-turned Royal Thumb, But Johnnie scuttles up, and kisses Liz’s Royal Bum! He begs her, “Let me make a Kingdom on Australian soil – Swipe me with thy Magic Sword, Marm, make me something Royal!” Liz draws from wells of wisdom – (for Liz is Wisdom’s fount) – (Her speech is sweet as Jesus doing Sermon On The Mount):- “John, Blessed Be We Royalty – but – sorry to be blunt – Australia’s just a Country, John, so you are just a Count!”

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011Bring Back Maxine Your gravatar looks lovelier each time! Do you know what Maxine is up to? I'd LOVE to see her back on the Government (front) bench! As for the ABC - Count me in with any such petition. It's OUR ABC, THEY really think it's THEIRS, the Angry Bitch Club. They are a disgrace. I want action, too bloody right. No pun intended.

Doug Evans

16/03/2011Feral Skeleton Again not certain if this is useful but a hardened climate change sceptic sent me these BOM figures on Floods in Brisbane and the Bremer River in attempt to convince me that climate change is either non existent or not impacting on Queensland floods. I suggested to him that the sample although across a long enough time period was too narrow to draw any conclusion - one way or another. Link http://reg.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/fld_history/brisbane_history.shtml

Feral Skeleton

16/03/2011DMW, What, moi? I thought I was FS. :) Then again, it could be that darn split personality of mine. Mrs Jekyl or Dr Hyde?

Patricia WA

16/03/2011I agree with previous comments here. There is something determinedly sinister (sorry, not quite the right word!) happening at the ABC. Their news bulletins drive me mad every time they lead with an 'Opposition' take on any issue. As well I've long loathed 'the Australian's' Christian Kerr's 'take' on politics for Philip Adams and Late Night Live. This week his rant bordered on being a fanatical Coalition party propaganda piece of loathing for Julia Gillard. He was almost frothing over the airwaves. Adams let him go on with only the mildest comment suggesting he had thought Julia was a promising lass! Now we know Adams recently resigned from the ALP supposedly over Rudd's undoing, but I would have thought he still had a bit of red blood in his veins, or even some notion of balance. My sense now is that Adams has sold out, literally, to the Right. And that he did so years back and used the Rudd issue as the occasion for formalising his leaving of Labor. Anyway, I'm letting him know I don't care who his guests are I won't be listening to his program again. Apart from the politics I'm finding him increasingly the pompous and affected old bore others have long assured me he is. I guess being a Pom I've been more indulgent than most about his accent and general articulation.

D Mick Weir

16/03/2011HS err umm FS, [i]Mrs Jekyl or Dr Hyde?[/i] for me it is Arfur or Marfur and I think it depends on which side of the bed I get out on!!! However, no matter which one of you is commenting, there is more often than not something that sets the gerbrils whirring!! PS Luv the Captcha Bingo thing somedays 'MAdCAM' is one of my words. Hmm somedays I can be a bit of a madcam meself.

cybercynic

16/03/2011Bolta is in Wonderland (Bazza’s Lament) ABC’s got the afternoon You got this room for two One thing I've left to do Discover me, dominating you, oh One “Fact” to every inch of Your leathery skin One pair of candy lips and Your bubblegum tongue, uh uh uh And if you want Truth Swim in a deep sea (Of Racists) Take all your big ALP plans (And break 'em) This is bound to be a while Your Bolta is a wonderland Your Bolta is a wonder, I'll use my hands Your Bolta is a wonderland Something 'bout the way The Facts defy your face I love the shape you take When crawlin' towards the gutterplace You tell me where to go and Though I might leave to find it I'll never let your head hit the bed Without my hand behind it You want truth? We'll make it Swim in a deep sea of racists Take all your big plans and break 'em This is bound to be a while Your Bolta is a wonderland Your Bolta is a wonder, I'll use my hands Your Bolta is a wonderland Damn baby, you frustrate me I know you're mine, all mine, all mine But you look so good, it hurts sometimes Your Bolta is a wonderland Your Bolta is a wonder, I'll use my hands Your Bolta is a wonderland, oh no

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011Lyn, Lyn, Lyn! Thhhufffferin' Thuckertathhh! I might sometimes sound like a mean ol' Puddytat, but don't forget my true ID is LiarBird and we LiarBirds can sound like anything we like. I tole you once before, you gotta do a LOT to get me offside because you do so much that's wondrous for us all. And anyway, I really do believe you're brave.

Lyn

16/03/2011Thankyou Talk Turkey, you made me happy again. I meant to tell you, somebody once told me, if I use upper case on the computer, that is yelling in computer lingo. I am off now, to see what damage Mr Abbott has done today, also I have to find out what happened at the Liberal rally in Adelaide at Julia's function. Cheers

Jason

16/03/2011Hello All, I'm off to see talk Turkey at the "anti carbon tax rally" tonight! If there is no post from us tomorrow please call the SA police and post bail as my wife will leave me rot in gaol lol!

Lyn

16/03/2011Hi Jason We'll find you. Now don't talk to anyone, it's a silent rally remember, and they said no sticks or poles. Have fun Jason but be careful Cheers

Ad astra reply

16/03/2011Folks I've just posted [i]The day the Canberra Press Gallery believed it was governing the country[/i], a piece precipitated by Julia Gillard's press conference today. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2011/03/16/The-day-the-Canberra-Press-Gallery-believed-it-was-governing-the-country.aspx

Ad astra reply

16/03/2011TT I loved your verse: Johnny Meets the Queen. Clever stuff. cybercynic I see you are into verse too. Is Bazza's lament on YouTube, so we can sing along?

Jason

16/03/2011Good news, Talk Turkey and I braved the angry 15 plus two children, and survived!

TalkTurkey

16/03/2011Lyn Did I YELL on TPS? (I don't remember.) Anyway I sure don't mean to yell at you. Ad astra I am a bit hesitant about publishing that rhyme but the interesting thing is that it puts it all back on the reader! As for the RALLY in Adelaide . . . There were about 150-200 pro-gay-marriage people there, mostly young, pretty vocal but not nasty, and a pathetic little line of 15 anti-carbon-tax people, mostly old phrrrts, (plus two little kids), who stood aside silently, looking utterly irrelevant and almost entirely unnoticeable. They went home very early. We didn't actually get to see *H*E*R* at all. Jason and I were forced to go for a beer.

cybercynic

17/03/2011Ad Astra Grab your guitar , fill your lungs and sing a long on Sunday mornings (Humblest apologies to John Mayer) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myPQvgS7zu0

Lyn

18/03/2011Hi Talk Turkey No, Talk Turkey, you didn't yell at me. I didn't hear you anyway, just joking. Your my good Brucie the Bilby friend I forgot to tell you: You and Jason are nominated for an award, Walkly is it, winning, for attending the anti carbon tax rally in Adelaide, then reporting the amazing headlines. Scooped by Turkey and Jason no other reporter could match you both. I love your work Talk Turkey, looking forward in anticipation, to many more posts from you for 2011 and beyond. Look at the news scoop you both achieved, no other has been able to achieve as much.

Lyn

18/03/2011Hi Ad Seems the liberals, definately don't like their own numbers, not even their own polling: [quote]Julie Bishop took her climate survey down, didn't like the support for #carbon tax? - #climate Here's a screenshot: [/quote] http://twitpic.com/4a9sbb

LibertyJack

21/03/2011I'm a libertarian and as much as I dislike the left bias on the ABC it's also mine. So if you are left leaning and claim it as your own, you can sure pay me for my share. I'm happy to see it privatised.
T-w-o take away o-n-e equals?