Well disconnected

The one thing a press gallery groupie journalist needs is political connections. Like many Victorians, Jason Koutsoukis spent a while lot of time snuggling up to Peter Costello in the hope that he might prove a useful source.

When it came time for real news, like his decision not to contest the vacated Liberal Party leadership, Costello wasn't much use to Our Jase, and all those tidbits proved a poor diet. Now he's been stitched up again.

This article is a great example of poor journalism: "... is set to be ... is likely to ... One cabinet minister who asked not to be named [even though you already had, Jase]". Hours later, it was clear that Jase had been set up.

Never mind that it's not even April Fool's Day: anything that appears from now on under the byline "Jason Koutsoukis" is not only likely to be poorly written but to be sheer and utter crap. He's been set up gutless, the Aunt Sally of the Canberra press gallery. Fairfax stood by him this time, but how long can they keep doing so?