tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post5998379032451466106..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: The blind spotAndrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-25187636176192672762015-05-12T13:40:53.577+10:002015-05-12T13:40:53.577+10:00Thanks Andrew, Great analysis. Crabb is a featherw...Thanks Andrew, Great analysis. Crabb is a featherweight, and her pieces are always little more than unsubstantiated and ill-thought fluff. But the fact that Crabb is regarded as a senior journalist in the ABC should send alarm bells about the decline of the ABC in terms of its coverage of national affairs. Many of those who now hold senior positions within the ABC journalistic ranks just do not cut the mustard - one thinks of the truly egregious Chris Ulhmann, or the anodyne Barrie Cassidy. With the general exception of The World Today, ABC Radio and TV coverage has deteriorated in quality, and ABC News is now padded with "feel good" news stories and barrow pushing. I am not sure whether this is the result of budget cuts, management pressure or the loss of senior staff, but it does not inspire confidence. The fact that a total nonentity like Crabb occupies such a prominent role should serve as a warning to what is happening within "our" ABC and generate concern as its future as a national broadcaster.vadinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-58425275674504518252015-05-12T09:28:59.544+10:002015-05-12T09:28:59.544+10:00This is a classic example of how being a regional ...This is a classic example of how being a regional party can give you a disproportionate benefit. The Nationals (an ironic name, if there ever was one) essentially represent people from certain areas with a particular mindset. They are 'rewarded' by government ministries, constant press attention, and lavish hagiographies. They have nine members of the Reps and 3 senators. The Greens, with a nationwide reach, have far more votes, but due to the electoral structure, have far less lower house MPs. They are constantly dismissed and trivialised.Aussiesmurfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11072680060029299422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-12953403677234416042015-05-11T13:03:31.721+10:002015-05-11T13:03:31.721+10:00I wonder when (if) the Press Gallery will ever wor...I wonder when (if) the Press Gallery will ever work out that the Greens don't leak to them for two reasons.<br /><br />When they don't ignore the Greens completely (like, say, when the party released a major policy statement), they misrepresent them shamefully.<br /><br />Why would you tell them anything?David Irving (no relation)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05728918405973140125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-79200206320053817812015-05-11T12:57:29.798+10:002015-05-11T12:57:29.798+10:00She's about to become a grandmother for the fi...She's about to become a grandmother for the first time, apparently, and she's been in politics for, what? 25 - 30 years. Of course she wants to retire, or at least do something different.David Irving (no relation)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05728918405973140125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-47660470300750025672015-05-11T02:08:12.273+10:002015-05-11T02:08:12.273+10:00Deputy PM Natale's retirement circa 2025: A w...Deputy PM Natale's retirement circa 2025: A whiff of London?<br />Rais, Perth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-88389774601106128112015-05-10T14:45:02.112+10:002015-05-10T14:45:02.112+10:00Once you've been part of the press gallery it&...Once you've been part of the press gallery it's a bit like the Hotel California: you can check out any time you like ...Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-27918348750016374752015-05-10T14:43:56.730+10:002015-05-10T14:43:56.730+10:00Thanks Don, and agree about the sour grapes.
Cur...Thanks Don, and agree about the sour grapes. <br /><br />Curtin's 1941-43 term was far from perfect - sending the army to Singapore was nobody's idea of sound policy - but Labor succeeded in building on that somehow to win in a landslide. Gillard was constrained by the press gallery and should have found a way around them - nope, me neither, but I am still certain there's a way.Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-84978079777356330192015-05-10T10:54:39.362+10:002015-05-10T10:54:39.362+10:00Thank you John. More of a convention then, aimed a...Thank you John. More of a convention then, aimed at Bill McMahon who was into his 70s when that referendum put and wouldn't take the hint to retireAndrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-58914325147755928092015-05-09T14:35:31.489+10:002015-05-09T14:35:31.489+10:00Many thanks, Andrew for this phosphorescent exposu...Many thanks, Andrew for this phosphorescent exposure of Crabb's worth as a journo and for the delicious vision of Peta Credlin, to wit, "runs around telling members of the Coalition to shut up, apparently threatening with every dire fate short of death - but oh my goodness no nothing Muscovite about that. (from Crabb.)<br /><br />Crabb is a failed foodie so she takes her anger out on journalism. Words in her articles, like her foodie ingredients are used for decoration rather than for flavour or nourishment. She uses a lot of them but the needs of neither flavour nor nourishment, the essence of food for thought or bowel, are accomplished. In essence, that is, she says nothing of essence but lots of vacuous claptrap. News, to her are a nuisance to have to deal with.<br /><br />She's a thesaurus looking for a statement.tomoukohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17435006945834615185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-74968727094137131282015-05-09T10:47:36.541+10:002015-05-09T10:47:36.541+10:00Is Annabel Crabb part of the press gallery?
I jus...Is Annabel Crabb part of the press gallery?<br /><br />I just assumed she was a Fairfax gossip columnistAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-54163775790202145262015-05-08T23:54:23.078+10:002015-05-08T23:54:23.078+10:00Andrew...they look and sound stupid
Listening to ...Andrew...they look and sound stupid<br /><br />Listening to Patricia Karvelas with Raph Epstein today was astounding.<br /><br />She mentioned that her highlight of the weeks news was the Greens leadership and how Hilarious it was that no- one saw it coming.....she sounded incredibly trite by suggesting how much the greens hate the right....very interesting. ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-30475922166538111132015-05-08T14:02:14.502+10:002015-05-08T14:02:14.502+10:00The Press Gallery don't do major parties eithe...The Press Gallery don't do major parties either.....they just trot out garbage piece after garbage piece.<br /><br />It was all so predictable, the day after Milnes announcement/ the vote for Di Natale. Of course there was the ludicrous offering from Annabel Crabbe, as mentioned by you. The smart arsery of her hyperbole is often simply cringeworthy. <br /><br /> The SMH rushed to the gate, offering headlines like "The push that finished off Christine Milne" and "Greens lobbied Milne...". <br /><br />As noted so often, by SO many, they are simply embarrassing at this stage. So predictable, so pathetic, such a failure.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07751752866267313598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-53176093690387827712015-05-08T13:45:20.008+10:002015-05-08T13:45:20.008+10:00It's farcical isn't it, the Greens have a ...It's farcical isn't it, the Greens have a primary vote that is proportionately larger than the nationals, yet are treated like some fringe dwelling oddity by the media. <br />The laziest and most contemptible reporting is that of their policies, the Greens actually bother to list what they would like to do (yes, I know the argument is that they would never be in a position to do it) and cost them, a simple search would illuminate the copy-pasta press gallery.<br />But I guess, if it doesn't fit the "narrative" then why bother.<br />Crabb is the ABC's version of Women's day for the analysis she presents, more concerned with a witty turn of phrase or a Seinfeld-like observation, than anything insightful.Funksoul123https://www.blogger.com/profile/14512374627441568219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-10038984852206561152015-05-08T12:58:00.160+10:002015-05-08T12:58:00.160+10:00Of the quality we always expect from you, Andrew.
...Of the quality we always expect from you, Andrew.<br /><br />You raise an unusual insight into the way the Press Gallery views things. I'd always thought that their failure to notice what the 43rd Parliament achieved was a sort of sour grapes at being caught unawares. To spend 3 years obsessed with Abbott and Rudd's destabilising stunts was to miss the obvious. As Mr Denmore made clear, no financial reporters would have got away with such twaddle for so long.<br /><br />I'd put it down to a variety of motives: Murdoch's directives, sexism, desire for revenge against the ambush so secret, and that ignorance which comes from seeking opinions from each other.<br /><br />You have raised another in this piece: the lack of interest in the minor parties and independents. It would explain why they missed the possibility that Gillard would form government, just as they missed the revolt in caucus. Poor Ms Gillard: left them with red faces twice in a few months. Maybe that contributed to the negative spin they put on everything she tried.<br /><br />They completely missed the importance of Windsor and Oakeshott, as well as the Greens. For it was about much more than carbon pricing, securing the Murray-Darling Basin, the NBN, Gonski and NDIS. Amid all of that was a concerted effort to restore public infrastructure. In education, health and transport it had suffered badly during the Howard years. Particularly for country and regional Australia it was urgent and critical. It owed much to those two and JG's ministry.<br /><br />It reminded people that minority governments could work and be effective, just as Curtin's 1941 one was.<br /><br />History passed them by, but there's more fun in just viewing it as a horse-race or theatre.Gorgeous Dunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10540625260311418333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-33221193906467646062015-05-08T12:02:35.869+10:002015-05-08T12:02:35.869+10:00You gotta love Paula M's lack of real reflecti...You gotta love Paula M's lack of real reflection even when penning, for her, a decent article. Oakes' relayed leaks dealt a 'killer blow' to Gillard in 2010, apparently. Er, no, Paula, I think you'll find that they didn't. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-57131738773235991522015-05-08T11:45:25.577+10:002015-05-08T11:45:25.577+10:00Obviously, none of the brain dead members of the p...Obviously, none of the brain dead members of the press gallery have remotely considered that Milne might have decided she'd like a life and lots more time with her family.<br /><br />No doubt she has grandchildren and would like to have a strong relationship with them.<br /><br />I say good on her; she's punched above her weight and leaves the Greens in a strong position. Not a bad achievement in a short time.<br /><br />The majors would do well to take note.<br />janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16644335830673725842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-74290829594586218602015-05-08T09:41:00.643+10:002015-05-08T09:41:00.643+10:00Glad to see someone finally notice the voting patt...Glad to see someone finally notice the voting pattern on the North Shore. If there's to be a state Greens government you'd put money on Tas or NSW.AuldBrixtoniannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-66267323404186774322015-05-08T01:59:09.203+10:002015-05-08T01:59:09.203+10:00Thanks Andrew. Clarification: constitutional age l...Thanks Andrew. Clarification: constitutional age limit of 70 allies only to judges, not MPs.John Websternoreply@blogger.com