Comments on: Politics in the 24/7 media cycle: burning through talent

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:41:43 +0000

Brian, I’d say the media could report more on what the government is doing than on the issues of the opposition.

It’s a shock for any party to lose government after an extended period of office.

I agree with what you say about the irrelevance of the print media etc.

By: Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:32:17 +0000

Jillian, What else would the media have to report if it weren’t for the machinations of a stumbling, bumbling party recently in government which still can’t come to terms with being booted out of office. The coalition has no idea how to behave in opposition and thanks to its former leader, who made sure any prospective leaders were not a threat, the party has been left with no viable leadership material. You are certainly correct when you state that it happens to both sides of the political spectrum.

You are also correct in blaming the media, in part. The print media cannot come to terms with being more and more irrelevant as time goes by and resort to “reporting” anything that they can make controversial regardless of the veracity of their reporting. Not wanting to be left behind, television and radio slavishly follow suit.

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:59:24 +0000

I think it’s the media who are repeating the same behaviour over and over again.

The Liberal Party has internal disputes from time to time, as does Labor. It shouldn’t be made into such a drama.

Unity is not necessarily one of the benefits of democracy. Free expression is more important.

By: Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:47:56 +0000

Repeating the same behaviour over and over and each time expecting different results would be a textbook definition of lunacy.

By: Vincent Matthews

Vincent Matthews — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:22:22 +0000

Thanks to his close contacts in the Catholic church Julian can now ride a horse into church. Such an act would be in keeping with his contribution to political life in this nation.
Weird, unreal, surreal. Don’t forget though that the Remuneration Tribunal has granted Julian and all his other parliamentary colleages a pay rise. The Tribunal seems to believe they’re all doing such a great job. Like Wilson Tuckey, Steve Fielding, Bronwyn Bishop.
Who’d really employ these characters if they weren’t in parliament?
Brillian piece by Bernard.

By: jossy

jossy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:02:19 +0000

Having met Julian McGauran socially I can only say that he is proof positive that in life money is often more important than brains.

By: Geoffrey Roberson

Geoffrey Roberson — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:27:44 +0000

Some years ago, my office was in the same Gippsland town as Julian’s, and we would cross paths occasionally at the newsagent. His morning journal of choice? The Sun. Generally understood at the time to be pitched at the reading skill of a twelve-year old.

But you do him a disservice - he once famously led a protest objecting to the screening of a movie with some s*xual content. When asked whether he had actually watched the film, he said, “No, but…”

The intellectual rigour and ethical strength of the man is surely a credit to conservative politics.