tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post5027520460844132725..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: Losing it 1: The spearheadAndrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-7761317302370146912015-08-10T15:59:56.333+10:002015-08-10T15:59:56.333+10:00You thought Abbott would make a point of keeping h...You thought Abbott would make a point of keeping his promises? Abbott was always a weasel - even in opposition. As Andrew has pointed out previously - he should have been dead in the water the moment he confirmed that you should not trust a single word he says, only what is written down. But this little cracker was quickly relegated to something only those left wing axe grinders bring up. During the campaign Coalition members who dared to appear in front of non-partisan media faced questions about policy detail, which they effectively palmed off with vague answers about it all being in the plan - a coloured brochure with no detail, just more assurances.<br /><br />Media resorted to reporting on how well the campaign was being managed, with Peta Credlin bustling everyone onto flights with appearances timed, questions vetted, and access harshly cut off for anyone going off script. <br /><br />It was a farce and the population were beaten into submission when faced with the looming specter of another ALP term with no acceptable leadership, or assurances that the Coalition would achieve the impossible (their promises were wildly contradictory) without any detail on how this would be done, despite that clearly being desired and relevant information. <br />And of course, no information on independents/minor parties, because they don't exist. Choose A or B. <br /><br />Abbott had no reason to earn the people's trust and no intention to. He was happy to cry mandate and do exactly what his party had planned but carefully ensured nobody was told they intended to do. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03799673422411126823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-26667560996792495042015-08-10T13:46:40.333+10:002015-08-10T13:46:40.333+10:00The broadcast media promised us he was "Prime...<i>The broadcast media promised us he was "Prime Ministerial", when he was never anything of the sort.</i><br /><br />"Australia needs Tony."<br /><br />LOL.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-90070763835283783752015-08-10T11:21:33.127+10:002015-08-10T11:21:33.127+10:00People like you and I (and Andrew) could see a mil...People like you and I (and Andrew) could see a mile off that Abbott's Liberals intended to push their ideological agenda after the election, but that is not true of the general public. In large part because of the media urging them to trust the "changed" Abbott, in part because of how much Abbott emphasised trust and not breaking promises, people really didn't expect that from Abbott. Certainly not in his very first budget.<br /><br />Look, even I (as a person who does pay attention to politics, has disdain for the press gallery's narratives and who never trusted Abbott) assumed that Abbott would make a point of keeping his promises - to an ostentatious degree, even- for his first term, or at least for the first year.<br /><br />It's wrong to say his overreach was springing "harsh reforms". Only the far right thinks Abbott's policies were reforms. The truth is he overreached by springing far-right policies aimed at wrecking the egalitarian society the majority of Australians still hold dear, without first gaining trust. He thought people trusted him because they voted for him, and that wasn't true. People voted out Rudd, not for Abbott.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-41288229265507883392015-08-09T13:50:31.860+10:002015-08-09T13:50:31.860+10:00It's quite sad the woman in The Bolt case appe...It's quite sad the woman in The Bolt case appeared on S.B.S Insight and told her side of the story<br /><br />She suffered post traumatic stress which lead to depression and her career being effected severly.<br /><br />He stalked and trolled her over an 18 month period aside from demeaning her in the newspaper.<br /><br />The man is a repulsive individual. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-18633764480233997372015-08-09T12:36:15.991+10:002015-08-09T12:36:15.991+10:00I disagree....his youth demographic became interes...I disagree....his youth demographic became interested in politics...<br /><br />He made fun of politicians from all sides and exposed their strengths and weaknesses<br /><br />He made Americans think!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-84906127065360563562015-08-08T17:32:09.204+10:002015-08-08T17:32:09.204+10:00I'm happy with the words I chose, but if you&#...I'm happy with the words I chose, but if you'd like me to be more concise, "bully" will do me, Mick. It doesn't matter what your (general "you", I'm prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're not an individual participant in this, even though you seem keen to justify others doing it) motivations for doing it yourself. I'm sure not every single person doing it has a consciously racist motive: there are people joining in because they think it's hilarious, or because everyone else is doing it. It doesn't change the fact that this behaviour is hurtful not just to Goodes, but to other Aboriginal people, and they perceive it as a racist act. We know this because they have said so. And if someone is coming out saying, "What you are doing is hurting and distressing me. Please stop", why on earth would you want to continue it? You'd have to be some sort of psychopath, wouldn't you? I mean seriously - what are they getting out of this? Does it make them feel empowered? Do these people get their jollies out of knowing they're upsetting someone? I don't get it. I really, really don't. <br /><br />This saga has brought up a lot of things for me because I was bullied at school mercilessly until about year 11. No doubt the kids responsible justified it on the basis that I was a "tool" and "brought it upon" myself because of my "actions". And I still didn't cop it as badly as the non-white kids, or the presumed non-heterosexual kids. I'm still dealing with the effects of it. A girl I went to primary school with contacted me about 15 years later because she was having a hard time dealing with the psychological effects of bullying and wanted to know how I was handling it. A couple of months later she took her own life because it all became too much. No doubt Andrew Bolt would tell her to harden up if she were still here.<br /><br />Well said, Rais: if Mick is right and Goodes wants to pursue a political career upon retirement, more power to him. I'm happy to see footballers speaking articulately and sensitively on important social issues instead of spouting cliches, schmoozing at corporate events and smiling for endless selfies at things like the Grand Prix. They have a vote, they have to live in the world the same as the rest of us.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02165270264183567995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-38042449693033081772015-08-08T08:47:34.999+10:002015-08-08T08:47:34.999+10:00Hartcher's latest excoriation of Abbott made m...Hartcher's latest excoriation of Abbott made my eyes roll. And spiral wildly when I read that Abbott had over-reached in Budget Mark 1 by springing harsh reforms on an 'unsuspecting public'.<br /><br />Count me out there boy-o. I could see Abbott coming a mile off and so did many, many others. <br /><br />I am afraid his prime ministership represents a monumental failure by the mainstream media who allowed him to mouth his platitudes, evasions and straight out lies without any challenge.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-81050638836707004682015-08-07T22:12:02.845+10:002015-08-07T22:12:02.845+10:00Jon Stewart was good fun and sometimes more than t...Jon Stewart was good fun and sometimes more than that. But just think for a moment: in all the time he was on the Daily Show was there ever an occasion when his commentary, sharp and valid as it was, ever changed anything? Shows like the Daily Show allow people to work out some of their frustration without actually challenging the status quo.<br />Rais, WA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-28084969506759730132015-08-07T22:02:40.750+10:002015-08-07T22:02:40.750+10:00With you Rachel and Ordinary Baracker. Everyone kn...With you Rachel and Ordinary Baracker. Everyone knows the booing of Adam Goodes had nothing to do with his football, which would have been the only justification for booing a footballer on the field, and everything to do with his being a black man who doesn't "know his place." Mick admits as much when without a shred of evidence he ascribes political ambitions to Goodes and even claims to know which party he'd join. If after retirement from football Goodes ever does decide to join the political class he'd be an improvement on most of those currently in it but I hope he does something more important with his time and energy.<br />Rais, WA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-9389825465910682622015-08-07T15:31:39.497+10:002015-08-07T15:31:39.497+10:00Of course booing Adam Goodes isn't racist, it&...Of course booing Adam Goodes isn't racist, it's just that he's an uppity coon who's forgotten his place. That's not racist at all. /sarcasmDavid Irving (no relation)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05728918405973140125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-51491497210740803402015-08-07T14:47:20.747+10:002015-08-07T14:47:20.747+10:00'... mouth-breathing knuckledraggers ... boori...'... mouth-breathing knuckledraggers ... boorish, asinine, and obnoxious ...'<br /><br />Rache, it'll save time if you just call us apes.<br /><br />MickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-77996751458776447872015-08-07T13:40:16.129+10:002015-08-07T13:40:16.129+10:00Bull. Goodes like any star player has got his sha...Bull. Goodes like any star player has got his share of fully explicable, non-racist boos relating to things he does on the field. This systematic howling down of the man has everything to do with a bunch of racists starting it, and a bunch of idiots being too willing to go along with it. The words of guys like Jones and Bolt in encouraging the boos, saying that GOODES is causing a racial divide and should apologise to that girl who called him an ape, kind of give away that the point of the boos is to go after the Aboriginal man who dared to speak up about racism. Anyone who's not a racist should not be joining in with the racist boos just for the sake of it. Seriously, guys who are done for hitting women (or worse) don't get howled at this systematically.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-73632850265154494222015-08-07T12:47:41.183+10:002015-08-07T12:47:41.183+10:00@Paul Henry
Perhaps Latika Bourke should change h...@Paul Henry<br /><br />Perhaps Latika Bourke should change her programming and do what she is supposed to do. Namely use her sources to find out why this is the case! <br /><br />If Latika was an animal on the African plain she would be nothing more than a scavenger. Namely she feeds of the scraps others have left behind, and is grateful that her employers have allowed her to develop such a role in the press gallery for herself. <br /><br />It is hard to believe that Tingle at Latika's age was already a heavy hitter, back in the 90's. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-21368520583851045452015-08-07T08:06:47.034+10:002015-08-07T08:06:47.034+10:00Melbourne is a highly educated and progressive cit...Melbourne is a highly educated and progressive city.<br /><br />We're really sick of right-wing populism<br /><br />It's ugly, shallow and nasty.<br /><br />Bolt et al are misfits. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-20444063777292579132015-08-06T22:31:37.673+10:002015-08-06T22:31:37.673+10:00Speaking of media and politics
I'm going to m...Speaking of media and politics<br /><br />I'm going to miss John Stewart from The Daily Show<br /><br />He's leaving at an interesting time<br /><br />I'm having withdrawal symptoms already.....<br /><br />I'm not sure what I'll do now Andrew.<br /><br />Any advice?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-65935221960688552652015-08-06T21:43:32.887+10:002015-08-06T21:43:32.887+10:00Yeah nah. As another "ordinary barracker"...Yeah nah. As another "ordinary barracker", the sight of mouth-breathing knuckledraggers engaging in mass bullying of a man who's done nothing but speak out about racism (and ruffle the composure of hyper-sensitive white people who'd rather pretend racism is purely a matter of overt acts of hatred) makes me rather ill. The sole motive may not be racist, but there's absolutely no doubt that it is a significant factor motivating those who do this. I am proud to see that the leaders of my club are among those unequivocally condemning this boorish, asinine and obnoxious behaviour.<br /><br />Andrew is spot on about the total inadequacy of the MSM to grapple with many of the systemic issues that have given rise to this ugly saga. As for Abbott, his claim to be the "PM for Indigenous Affairs" or whatever it was is a pathetic joke - he might swan around the odd remote community every now and then mugging for the camera and using Indigenous people as props, but I really don't think he gives two shits about combating racism - he certainly supports thoroughly racist policies, definitely doesn't have the intellectual wherewithal to grapple with the issues, yet time and again, the press gallery acts surprised. Thanks again for addressing this.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02165270264183567995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-85808836277453568912015-08-06T19:42:46.746+10:002015-08-06T19:42:46.746+10:00Ordinary Baracker, good to hear from you. How can ...Ordinary Baracker, good to hear from you. How can we be so sure that its racists doing the booing ? I think Goodes is not a bad bloke, very sensitive though, and yes, like you say, thoughtful and well spoken. These are not much valued on the footy field. Neither are dancing skills. Why bring all this stuff into a simple game of footy. I think he did it because he was seeking nomination for a safe seat in Parliament. No prizes for guessing which team he'd be on. I don't want that stuff contaminating my Saturday afternoon enjoyment. Boooooo !<br /><br />Mick Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-81899003659410054372015-08-06T15:17:07.999+10:002015-08-06T15:17:07.999+10:00Ordinary Baracker checking in. I survived Goodes&#...Ordinary Baracker checking in. I survived Goodes' little dance, though in hindsight on not sure how. We'll see if I develop PTSD down the track.<br /><br />Mick, stop being a racist mung, ya mug. Have a crack, harden up and shake your sauce bottle. Stop perpetuating a dog-act.<br /><br />Booing someone might or might not be racist, but booing someone for racial reasons is racist.<br /><br />I find it suspicious that these people want to boo probably the most thoughtful and well spoken player on the field. Especially compared to Akermanis. I'm happy to say as a Footscray "Ordinary Baracker" we were happy to see the back of that bloke.Ordinary Barackernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-37089271557290002342015-08-05T20:52:34.053+10:002015-08-05T20:52:34.053+10:00Yup all that and more is A Bolt too a teeYup all that and more is A Bolt too a teeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-60469434955286414482015-08-05T20:25:00.921+10:002015-08-05T20:25:00.921+10:00Latika Bourke Tweeted a day or so ago that she'...Latika Bourke Tweeted a day or so ago that she'd noticed a decline in transcript flows from the PMO. She no doubt saw this as an insightful observation, no doubt extrapolating deep insights spinning off from it.<br /><br />All it served to show was why MSM 'journalism' is in such dire straits.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02223918415478756719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-65032538333119638422015-08-05T20:16:39.660+10:002015-08-05T20:16:39.660+10:00There's nothing to winkle - like everything Ab...There's nothing to winkle - like everything Abbott does, it's about getting him out of a hole. The voters of SA know this. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-79631490827968923102015-08-05T17:13:00.500+10:002015-08-05T17:13:00.500+10:00Booing Goodes is not racist.
Like so many of the ...Booing Goodes is not racist.<br /><br />Like so many of the political class, and the AFL commission, you are out of touch with the ordinary baracker.<br /><br />MickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-950620847300193552015-08-05T08:43:49.709+10:002015-08-05T08:43:49.709+10:00Further to my comments about the ship building pro...Further to my comments about the ship building project in SA, it astonishes me that some commentary blithely accepts that billions will be pumped into SA after the election.<br /><br />I would not feel so confident. Surely it is the role of the journalist to get out the winkle stick and ask a few sharp, pointed questions about the matter.<br /><br />Why do they continue to take Abbott at his word? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-90656713042227921182015-08-05T08:17:05.913+10:002015-08-05T08:17:05.913+10:00It bewilders me that so many press gallery journal...It bewilders me that so many press gallery journalists seem to be devoid of curiosity: a nose for news.<br /><br />That wily old Joh person from Kingaroy was decades before his time when he talked about 'feeding the chooks'.<br /><br />Sure there is plenty of commentary, some of it statements of the bleeding obvious, some of it incisive, but obvious questions remain unanswered a lot of the time.<br /><br />Why, for instance, did no reporter ask Abbott if he had a view on the likely replacement for B Bishop as Speaker?<br /><br />I am not aware of any journalist asking Abbott directly why the govt is claiming to have billions to spend on warships in South Australia when only last year the relevant minister said that those same yards could not build a canoe.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-27008212820376280312015-08-05T08:11:39.813+10:002015-08-05T08:11:39.813+10:00One word: BRAVO.One word: BRAVO.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07751752866267313598noreply@blogger.com