Malcolm Fraser nailed this on Q & A last night. The Murdoch press has sought to remove Labor from office by a devious editorial policy that spins most key federal political issues in favour of the Coalition. Malcolm observed Murdoch media is doing the same to Obama and did a job on Labour in the UK. When a few members of the audience giggled at this observation, Fraser asked them why they thought this was funny. He's right, its a tragedy for our democracy.
The relentless banging of the fear drum on refugees, pink batts, BER, debt & deficit, etc etc has seen the lumpen commentariat of the Murdoch press shape public opinion in an unhealthy way. Commercial TV has been a disgrace for a long time as far as balance in political reporting goes. Why Laurie Oakes is considered a serious journalist has escaped me for years. For whatever reason, and I expect corporate business interests and the appeal to the lowest common denominator to chase ratings are largely to blame, commercial TV media favour the Coalition. Abbott has been glad handled by key media personalities and gallery journalists throughout his tenure as Coalition leader.
That leads us to the ABC. The trend in recent times has been for serious current affairs programs to use Murdoch media style approaches to covering political issues. We get the constant crosses to so-called expert commentators, many of whom are so politically biased as to verge on the farcical. There is also the tendency to use the Murdoch media lumpen stalwarts as guest commentators. Fran Kelly regularly seeks the views of Denis Shanahan (gulp!), one of the most compromised of the lumpen players in the gallery. News 24 constantly relies on right wing commentary to 'fill' the analysis pieces. ABC Insiders often has Murdoch 'info-tainers' masquerading as journalists, sprouting an endless indictment of Labor and glad handling the Coalition. The serious journalists spend most of the program counter-balancing the paid advertising of these 'spruikers'.
The latest glaring example of skewed coverage is the reporting on the 2PP position on vote counting. Of course, the Murdoch press has spun this relentlessly in favour of the Coalition. Sadly, the ABC has fallen in to the same biased cesspit, thereby poorly serving the public. Antony Green has exposed the nonsense at the heart of this mindless chicanery. There must come a stage when it is questionable whether the ABC is meeting its charter to deliver fair, objective coverage of political affairs. I have seen little evidence of it in recent times.Poll Bludger has a good post on this issue today. As one comment on this post put it, "The media still doing their best to undermine democracy. Maybe from now on we should just let them decide for us seeing as they think they know better. Sad state of affairs." It seems our media is in a race to the bottom ...poor fella my country!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Australia Votes - open letter to GetUp
Dear GetUp
As I emailed you earlier, much as I appreciate a lot of your advocacy work, your idealistic glad handling of everything Green was indulgent frippery with potentially dire consequences! As the Greens never have to contemplate Govt it is easy to pitch to all their soft-left friendly policies. In their lovely paradigm all these areas would be addressed as per the Green agenda, but our body politic is beset with serious problems….
The worst side of Australia came to the fore in this election campaign. Media driven hate mongering, sexism, 'dumbing' down of political debate, the endless round of media grabs on petty nothings.
We are ill-served by today's media. It is driving a 'me me' celebrity culture that enables a rank opportunist like Abbott to run for the highest office on a platform of unbridled entitlement politics, encouraging division, selfishness and 'get out of my way' pitches to people who think Government is about nothing more than serving their narrow interests. Labor had to tip toe through an electoral mine field of electors easily in thrall to hate mongering, which has become an acceptable political tool when you have little else to convince the electorate you are fit for government.
The shabby state of our body politic is alarming. It is in these circumstances that extremist politics flourish. I am amazed that we have sunk so low yet again and so quickly. Public intellectuals and serious journalists need to ask themselves how this happened. It is a canker and nothing good will come of it......please get real when you try to influence voters. GetUp preached a soft left line relentlessly, playing into the hands of the far right. The naivety of your strategy is there for all to see. Yes, the soft left vote swung to the Greens, but how does this help the cause of progressive politics when you enable a reactionary fear monger like Abbott to crow about his electoral success?
The hemorrhaging of Labor’s primary vote to the Greens will be a major factor if Abbott is elected. Trust me - you will have to re-set your progress meter to negative in some key areas of human rights and social justice under this scenario. Are memories of Howard so short?
Abbott's macho, pseudo religiosity and manic physical self-flagellation clearly appeals to many of the 'me me journalists' and the crypto-Hansonite set but it makes my skin crawl. What does it say about the psychological health of a country that goes within a whisk of electing a major political party that had as the centerpiece of its electoral pitch the punishment of a few miserable refugees? It beggars belief that in the 21st century our body politic can be so trivialized.
As I indicated earlier in another email (also not replied to) politics is not a zero sum game...and I'm afraid Getup has been played in the extreme right's game plan. When you split the progressive vote in this country the right fills the vacuum and thus you get the Queensland result.....
As I emailed you earlier, much as I appreciate a lot of your advocacy work, your idealistic glad handling of everything Green was indulgent frippery with potentially dire consequences! As the Greens never have to contemplate Govt it is easy to pitch to all their soft-left friendly policies. In their lovely paradigm all these areas would be addressed as per the Green agenda, but our body politic is beset with serious problems….
The worst side of Australia came to the fore in this election campaign. Media driven hate mongering, sexism, 'dumbing' down of political debate, the endless round of media grabs on petty nothings.
We are ill-served by today's media. It is driving a 'me me' celebrity culture that enables a rank opportunist like Abbott to run for the highest office on a platform of unbridled entitlement politics, encouraging division, selfishness and 'get out of my way' pitches to people who think Government is about nothing more than serving their narrow interests. Labor had to tip toe through an electoral mine field of electors easily in thrall to hate mongering, which has become an acceptable political tool when you have little else to convince the electorate you are fit for government.
The shabby state of our body politic is alarming. It is in these circumstances that extremist politics flourish. I am amazed that we have sunk so low yet again and so quickly. Public intellectuals and serious journalists need to ask themselves how this happened. It is a canker and nothing good will come of it......please get real when you try to influence voters. GetUp preached a soft left line relentlessly, playing into the hands of the far right. The naivety of your strategy is there for all to see. Yes, the soft left vote swung to the Greens, but how does this help the cause of progressive politics when you enable a reactionary fear monger like Abbott to crow about his electoral success?
The hemorrhaging of Labor’s primary vote to the Greens will be a major factor if Abbott is elected. Trust me - you will have to re-set your progress meter to negative in some key areas of human rights and social justice under this scenario. Are memories of Howard so short?
Abbott's macho, pseudo religiosity and manic physical self-flagellation clearly appeals to many of the 'me me journalists' and the crypto-Hansonite set but it makes my skin crawl. What does it say about the psychological health of a country that goes within a whisk of electing a major political party that had as the centerpiece of its electoral pitch the punishment of a few miserable refugees? It beggars belief that in the 21st century our body politic can be so trivialized.
As I indicated earlier in another email (also not replied to) politics is not a zero sum game...and I'm afraid Getup has been played in the extreme right's game plan. When you split the progressive vote in this country the right fills the vacuum and thus you get the Queensland result.....
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Australia Votes - MSM, Greens & GetUp enable Abbott to contemplate his new 'pacific ' solution
Ironic as it may seem, the combination of a heavily biased MSM, including the ABC, and the hemorrhaging of Labor's primary vote to the greens and in response to campaigning by groups such as GetUp, has almost delivered Government to the most thuggish, reactionary politician this country has produced in recent decades. He will return to the Pacific solution, he will scrap the NBN, he will revisit unfair work practices, he will implement a harsh regime to make those on welfare suffer.
Queensland has reverted to type, attracted to Abbott's Hansonite agenda. Parts of Western Sydney have been equally in thrall to the hate messages.
The debt and deficit fear drum has also been beaten relentlessly, with the acquiescence of a lemming like media train that has played a huge role in determining the outcome of the election.
GetUp preached a soft left line relentlessly, playing into the hands of the far right. The naivety of their strategy is there for all to see. Yes, the soft left vote swung to the greens, but how does this help the cause of progressive politics when you enable a reactionary fear monger like Abbott to crow about his electoral success?
I was afraid this would happen. The body politic will change as a result of this election. I am fearful that the tendencies in the Australian electorate that saw Howard elected four times on the back of fear politics have been lurking under the surface, awaiting to re-emerge and further traduce the human rights record of this country.
Abbott's macho, pseudo religiosity and manic physical self-flagellation might appeal to some of the 'me me journalists' (Annabell, oh Annabel) but it makes my skin crawl. What does it say about the psychological health of a country that goes within a whisk of electing a major political party that had as the centerpiece of its electoral pitch the punishment of a few miserable refugees? It beggars belief that in the 21st century our body politic can be so trivialized. Can I suggest a few ‘journalists’ might benefit from a stint in the wilderness to re-discover their bearings and don't forget your flagellation tool!
By direct intent or by default, a large number of Australians have opted for a return to fear and division. They say you get the politicians you deserve. What does that tell us about the maturity of our emerging national consciousness? We are on the verge of becoming the soft rump of the reactionary 'tea party' set that is turning politics in the US very ugly. It will not be much prettier here if Abbott takes the reins.
As I've said repeatedly on this blog, be careful what you wish for!!
Queensland has reverted to type, attracted to Abbott's Hansonite agenda. Parts of Western Sydney have been equally in thrall to the hate messages.
The debt and deficit fear drum has also been beaten relentlessly, with the acquiescence of a lemming like media train that has played a huge role in determining the outcome of the election.
GetUp preached a soft left line relentlessly, playing into the hands of the far right. The naivety of their strategy is there for all to see. Yes, the soft left vote swung to the greens, but how does this help the cause of progressive politics when you enable a reactionary fear monger like Abbott to crow about his electoral success?
I was afraid this would happen. The body politic will change as a result of this election. I am fearful that the tendencies in the Australian electorate that saw Howard elected four times on the back of fear politics have been lurking under the surface, awaiting to re-emerge and further traduce the human rights record of this country.
Abbott's macho, pseudo religiosity and manic physical self-flagellation might appeal to some of the 'me me journalists' (Annabell, oh Annabel) but it makes my skin crawl. What does it say about the psychological health of a country that goes within a whisk of electing a major political party that had as the centerpiece of its electoral pitch the punishment of a few miserable refugees? It beggars belief that in the 21st century our body politic can be so trivialized. Can I suggest a few ‘journalists’ might benefit from a stint in the wilderness to re-discover their bearings and don't forget your flagellation tool!
By direct intent or by default, a large number of Australians have opted for a return to fear and division. They say you get the politicians you deserve. What does that tell us about the maturity of our emerging national consciousness? We are on the verge of becoming the soft rump of the reactionary 'tea party' set that is turning politics in the US very ugly. It will not be much prettier here if Abbott takes the reins.
As I've said repeatedly on this blog, be careful what you wish for!!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Australia Votes - political commentary traduces our Democracy - open letter to the ABC
Dear ABC
In your attempt to provide 'balance' in your political reporting you have unleashed a bunch of narrow minded 'me me ' generation 'reporters' on to the political commentary stage, most of whom think they're the news. Apart from some notable exceptions, the commentary from the likes of Trioli, Crabb (who just can't get enough of Abbott unplugged - yuk!), Kelly, Uhlman, etc etc has been tortuous.
The so-called 'expert' commentary has been equally vacuous. After the Labor launch last Monday poor Joe fielded two right wing usual suspects to assess the launch. In the manner of Trioli, they both looked like they had eaten a shit sandwich every time Julia Gillard was mentioned. This is frankly not good enough.
It is bad enough that the Murdoch press have adopted an editorial line that traduces our democracy, but I expect a lot more from the ABC. The other day even the World Today fell into the trap. Eleanor Hall, whom I do admire, had Kennett on as an 'expert' on health policy. Spare me, Kennett can be called many things but an 'expert' on health policy he ain't.
And much as I have admired Red Kes over the years he has of late taken on some of the attributes of the 'me me' crowd - in other words, get out of my way because I'm the story! It is rank and it does our body politic a disservice.
If Abbott is elected on Saturday the ABC will have had a substantial hand in this outcome through mediocre analysis and mind-boggling glad-handling. And please, please don't ever let Tony Eastley go wandering off into the never never again. He may have had a rural epiphany but it was excruciating as political analysis!
In your attempt to provide 'balance' in your political reporting you have unleashed a bunch of narrow minded 'me me ' generation 'reporters' on to the political commentary stage, most of whom think they're the news. Apart from some notable exceptions, the commentary from the likes of Trioli, Crabb (who just can't get enough of Abbott unplugged - yuk!), Kelly, Uhlman, etc etc has been tortuous.
The so-called 'expert' commentary has been equally vacuous. After the Labor launch last Monday poor Joe fielded two right wing usual suspects to assess the launch. In the manner of Trioli, they both looked like they had eaten a shit sandwich every time Julia Gillard was mentioned. This is frankly not good enough.
It is bad enough that the Murdoch press have adopted an editorial line that traduces our democracy, but I expect a lot more from the ABC. The other day even the World Today fell into the trap. Eleanor Hall, whom I do admire, had Kennett on as an 'expert' on health policy. Spare me, Kennett can be called many things but an 'expert' on health policy he ain't.
And much as I have admired Red Kes over the years he has of late taken on some of the attributes of the 'me me' crowd - in other words, get out of my way because I'm the story! It is rank and it does our body politic a disservice.
If Abbott is elected on Saturday the ABC will have had a substantial hand in this outcome through mediocre analysis and mind-boggling glad-handling. And please, please don't ever let Tony Eastley go wandering off into the never never again. He may have had a rural epiphany but it was excruciating as political analysis!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Abbott wants to slide into govt on the back of more bribes to Nauru
Deja vu, we've seen it all before. A policy bankrupt party expecting to win electoral favour by ramping up its rhetoric on asylum seekers. Howard & Reith offered bribes to Pres Rene of Nauru to get the Pacific Solution up & running. Now, Abbott & Morrison are doing the same nasty two step shuffle.
I was ringside as the Howard fiasco played out. Public servants were threatened with career damaging outcomes if the Nauru 'program' went off the rails.
There should have been a full judicial inquiry into the governance and human rights abuses that underlay this strategy to ensure it could not happen again. I lobbied Senator Evans to this effect and got the standard she'll be right mate response from his department. Wrong, wrong, wrong.....Click here to read an account by a Doctor familiar with Nauru to appreciate one aspect of why the Pacific Solution was a disgrace.
Susan Metcalfe has written a book on the Pacific Solution that will be launched in Melbourne on 17 August. I encourage people with an interest in this benighted area of asylum seeker governance to read her book.
I was ringside as the Howard fiasco played out. Public servants were threatened with career damaging outcomes if the Nauru 'program' went off the rails.
There should have been a full judicial inquiry into the governance and human rights abuses that underlay this strategy to ensure it could not happen again. I lobbied Senator Evans to this effect and got the standard she'll be right mate response from his department. Wrong, wrong, wrong.....Click here to read an account by a Doctor familiar with Nauru to appreciate one aspect of why the Pacific Solution was a disgrace.
Susan Metcalfe has written a book on the Pacific Solution that will be launched in Melbourne on 17 August. I encourage people with an interest in this benighted area of asylum seeker governance to read her book.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Human rights set to go to hell in a handbasket in Abbott's Australia
After a lengthy lay off due to travel and major surgery I have re-emerged to find Australia on the brink of electing a man who would re-introduce the 'Pacific Solution' for asylum seekers.
The dog whistle has worked again. Supported by the mainstream media, Abbott's ugly message has filtered through TV sets yet again; into the consciousness of average Australians who lack the critical skills to see through the ugliness of the strategy. Intelligent people, who would consider themselves decent and fair minded, are seriously contemplating electing a man who lost his moral compass a long time ago. He dresses his so-called conviction politics in a false religiosity, but his pitch to credulous people, who think a few people arriving by leaky boats is a threat to this country, is nasty in the extreme.
His extremist views on welfare, migration, women's rights, industrial relations will take this country backwards again. We lost valuable time in our march toward realizing a progressive and moderate body politic under Howard, evincing nothing more than lackey status to a regime now considered one of the most reactionary and incompetent in US history. Abbott is more extremist than Howard in many respects. Howard's asylum seeker policies brought shame to this country. We are now on the verge of revisiting these and worse.
The worst side of Australia has come to the fore in this election campaign. Media driven hate mongering, sexism, 'dumbing' down of political debate, the endless round of media grabs on petty nothings. We are ill-served by today's media. It is driving a 'me me' celebrity culture that enables an inadequate opportunist like Abbott to run for the highest office on a platform of unbridled entitlement politics, encouraging division, selfishness and 'get out of my way' pitches to people who think Government is about nothing more than serving their narrow interests.
The shabby state of our body politic is alarming. It is in these circumstances that extremist politics flourish. I am amazed that we have sunk so low yet again and so quickly. Public intellectuals and serious journalists need to ask themselves how this happened. It is a canker and nothing good will come of it......
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