Ruddquake: That’s not a meltdown. THIS is a meltdown.
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I missed The 7.30 Report last night and was all excited to later learn that there had been some sort of prime ministerial meltdown, a Ruddquake of anger at Kerry O’Brien, so I eagerly clicked over to the ABC website to watch. And watch, and watch, and watch, and apart from the crack about “7.30 Report land” from an obviously annoyed Rudd, I didn’t see anything. As late as this morning the ABC was insisting it was a “fiery exchange”. Meltdown? Fiery exchange? What, have you lot gone soft or something? If you want meltdowns, go watch a few old Richard Carleton interviews — back before he had his credibility removed tick by tick at 60 Minutes. Watch his “blood on your hands” interview with Bob Hawke, which kicked off the 1983 election campaign, where it’s impossible to know what’s more bizarre, Hawke’s yellow jacket or his visceral reaction to Carleton. In fact, it was reassuring to see the normally bloodless Rudd, who treats interviews as opportunities to recite his talking points regardless of any actual question he is asked, getting animated about something, suggesting some faint trace of his humanity remains beneath that cold cyborg shell. He needs some sort of circuit breaker given his performance in recent weeks. His exasperation might have been in part prompted by the fact that, having gone on The 7.30 Report the day after the Budget, he wasn’t asked a single question about it. “I’ll get to the Budget shortly,” O’Brien assured him halfway through, but we never quite got there, because O’Brien was more interested in revisiting the CPRS and spruiking Rio Tinto’s hysterical campaign against the RSPT, something the ABC seems to have been quite keen to do. Incidentally, despite the ABC’s claim that an “axe hangs over Rio projects”, you’ll still look in vain for any such advice from Rio to its investors. The most recent ASX announcement from Rio is a week old. The big mining companies might continue to be guilty of lying about the impact of the RSPT and telling the media one thing and investors another, but the media is culpable here as well, failing to undertake the most basic reality check on any claims advanced by patently self-interested parties. The ABC also did some nice work on The 7.30 Report transcript of the Rudd interview. It left in every single “um” and “ah” from the Prime Minister. It renders even a bloke who talks not merely in paragraphs but in pages or Proustian density hopelessly inarticulate. “Well, um, as I said before, Kerry, um, some of the large mining companies and some other companies are going to say all sorts of things as we sort out, um, the detail of this. But, um, again… Ah, Kerry, ah if, um, you’d come down the Queensland coast with me and the New South Wales coast to practically all the major centres, um, in those, ah, regions …” O’Brien’s questions remain blissfully free of any verbal hiccups. Funny that because they’re all normally omitted from the ABC transcript. When Rudd spoke to O’Brien after the COAG health summit, there was nary an “um” or “ah” in sight. When O’Brien interviewed Tony Abbott in April, they were all left out. Abbott’s a very good, authentic-sounding public speaker but terribly prone to half-stutters and ums and ahhs, and if you left all of those in a transcript it’d go for dozens of pages. The ABC wouldn’t have decided to leave them in just to fit the “Rudd meltdown” theme would they? |
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151 Comments
i don’t know why Bernard is reassured by the absence of ASX announcements. The Budget is less than 48 hrs old.
Moreover the Rudd Ridiculous Super Tax on Profits(RRSTP) hasn’t passed in to law and probably won’t either.
Why make an ASX announcement?
That would be infantile. Like Rudd.
A wise CEO would order reviews and prepare for such eventualities even if the MSM continue to lie, cheat and deceive the Australian public that this stinker of a PM is any way, shape or form a reasonable and responsible PM.
Bearnard, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
“In fact, it was reassuring to see the normally bloodless Rudd, who treats interviews as opportunities to recite his talking points regardless of any actual question he is asked, getting animated about something, suggesting some faint trace of his humanity remains beneath that cold cyborg shell.”
I saw the interview live and I felt the same way as Bernard.
As for the “fiery exchange” description … absolute bullshit. The ABC dickhead who wrote that needs to be outed.
Nothing like a meltdown, it is a refreshingly unscripted and passionate performance from Rudd and I’m sure he would be on the way back up the polls quickly if we saw a bit more of this.
For the first time since Rudd has been PM I began to see some passion in his responses to a great pressing by Kerry O’Brien.
The measured political correctness is deadly dull. We just moved a fraction past that last night.
Didn’t see it live, but caught up with it online.
Quite a good interview really - bit of pushing by Kerry, and some fairly straight responses from the PM. Media bored, thrives on negativity and conflict, beating up a story.
Frankly, I don’t know what the “meeja” wants - either Kevin’s a robot or he’s a Latham-like angry pants. Geez, give the guy a break.
As for the minerals industry. Shut up and pay the damn tax, or go mine somewhere else. We”ll be waiting when you’re ready to come back.
Meltdown? Hardly… I thought Kerry was going to have a meltdown, like those when he interviewed Malcolm Turnbull.
Their ABC has become the media arm of the Liberal Party:
Opposition seizes on Rudd outburst
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/13/2898177.htm
And how’s this for from “our” non-partisan, unbiased, impartial, independent, non-political ABC?
Labor’s budget unworthy of votes
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2898155.htm
Or this one, written by Coalition MP, Stuart Robert:
Why does Rudd always think he knows best?
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2898138.htm
And yet again, Bernard and Kevin are the only ones in step.
I suspect it’s less of a dig at Rudd, and more of an attempt to get people to watch the 7:30 report. It’s the type of thing that ACA or TT do all the time (or Sunday Night, 60 mins, Today, Sunrise, and the commercial news bulletins): sensationalise a minor point to either a) exaggerate its own importance or b) get people to watch. (Hey, Kerry’s interviewing the PM tonight - remember the meltdown - they must hate each other!)
Oh what joy it was to at last see O’Brien go for an ALP throat.
He is usually so reluctant to take on Labor that I will admit I was quite surprised & amused.
Rudd was all adrift, like a schoolyard nerd who has just been kicked by a bully in front of the headmaster.
He was atrocious. I think I detected tears of self pity in his eyes.
What an utterly pathetic creep he is.
Thank god he’s going.
Nah, I didn’t see any meltdown … just a beatup. As for the resource tax, I say what you said @Jenny Morris about the miners. Are they really going to take their monster trucks off to dig holes in Africa or wherever? I doubt it … and the iron ore isn’t going anywhere either …
Thanks Bernard, I won’t bother looking at it as, like CUPPA, I’m having problems understanding why we now rely on Laurie Oakes to ask the hard questions and not Kerry anymore when it comes to talking to the Liberal Party.
And to show the contrast of how their ABC treats Abbott…
Grit, stamina sustained ‘Ironman’ Abbott
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/29/2858416.htm
rudds meltdown,if you could call it that is long overdue.not only by him but needed to be done more often,the dog’s of the australian media have been calling him a liar and a coward and there is only one form of attack to counter that,and that is to go on the attack yourselth,you may not win the fight but you will certainly gain some respect.it is about time that rudd reminded the press that he holds the highest office in the land,and it carries a little more weight than the overated excuse for tabloid journalism that has become the norm,in a country that once had a fair and balanced news service.that is until murdock got his hooks into it.so hopefully rudd will learn that these dogs will not give him an even break,and that ripping thier jugular out is the only way to go…
At last some fire in the belly from the PM. His response was perfectly fitting. At least his eyes weren’t bulging from their sockets and ears flapping in the wind ala the the monk who is mad. I agree with others it was a refreshing change of attitude from Mr Rudd, let there be more. As for the miners, go suk on a sav, cool off and get back to work. The lies and bullshit are being seen for what they are, one great big bluff. If they think their childish performance is impressing anyone but the Coalition and their whinging supporters, best they come back to earth.
Just read under “Tips & Rumors” that Rudd is welcoming Jessica home on Saturday.
What’s the bet her boat sinks off Woollongong?
As the saying goes ” Rudd couldn’t organize a homecoming”
There is no agenda at their ABC. Honest!…
Rudd caught out over health rebate claim
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/01/2807229.htm
Doing their bit for the cause …
No new Coalition taxes to fund climate change policy
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s2804838.htm
But when it comes to Labor policy …
‘Education revolution: ill-conceived and incomplete’
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2802860.htm
@Slugger…true words Slugger true words.
This one’s a beauty….
Labor has put our security in jeopardy
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2792543.htm
So’s this one. Might as well have been written by Liberal HQ …
Garrett ‘must go’ over insulation program
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/11/2817106.htm
I think it is having Janet and other liberal stooges still on the board but the ABC has become just another ACA.
Last night’s beat up about the miners was another such yarn from Greg Hoy who has done tonnes of good work exposing the crooks, health problems and other things wrong with the mining industry.
I mean - lead poisoning, radio-active spills, pollution in sub-artesian water supplies, farming land taken for mining, increases in asthma near the mines, deaths due to bad housing supplied by Twiggy boy and old twiggy himself who reamed billions before ever mining a grain of ore.
Uranium used to pollute the world.
Coal to pollute the world.
Leave it in the ground as much as possible I say and let’s start doing something useful again.
Bernard, I agree about the 7.30 Report transcript - I frequently read these & last night’s Rudd interview is a disgrace. Along with the fact that I cannot bear what Abbott says, I simply cannot listen to him due to his prolific “aaaah”s. Pay attention next time he’s asked a question, folks - before he speaks he utters “aaaah…” & then sprinkles aaaahs liberally (pun, sorry) throughout every sentence. It is tedious, relentless & incredibly irritating.
The miners are trying it on - honestly, if I was a mining CEO I’d be bleating, it would be expected. But it’s all bluff & the government should stand firm on the resources rent tax, no backdowns or concessions. Let the miners plunder & PAY.
Rudd had his seething anger under pretty good control last night (heaven help his staff amongst whom he need exercise no control). If Rudd stopped his unconvincing half-hearted nice guy approach to the media & publicly treated them with a healthy degree of disdain & spunk the Oz public would be impressed.
We don’t need nice leaders we need strong, gutsy ones.
It was the first time I’ve since any conviction from Rudd. Soo much better than his matey sauce bottle approach. The electorate would respond well if he pulled that kind of fire out on a more regular basis.
Rudd did exactly what he should have done months ago and showed some fight. He’s walked away from far too many brawls. And if he wants to silence Abbott, he’s going to have to roll up his sleeves and throw a few punches. Enough of the automaton.
As for the ABC News, it is a disgrace. This ‘Latham moment’ line was an Opposition invention, circulated late last night to the press gallery in a media release and lazily picked up by AAP, News Ltd and the ABC without any editiorial discretion.
What happened to the days when editors sent stories back to reporters with the line “That’s not news, son, what do you expect them to say?”
As to the ABC leaving in all of Rudd’s “ums”, that is the most atrocious piece of manipulation. Can anyone tell me what a PUBLIC broadcaster is for if all it does is mirror the editorial opinions and distortions of Rupert Bloody Murdoch??
Come on Kevin. Abbott’s telling you to cut spending. So sell the ABC. Rupert will buy it.
Spot on Bernard…again. There seems to be a deliberate orchestrated campaign to bring Rudd down and ridicule him in the eyes of the public. Sure he has made some mistakes but hell…so did Howard…even one of his own calling him a “lying little rat”. But this was no meltdown! Rudd may have more assertive than usual but that’s a good thing.
I cant believe the ABC are buying into this garbage…I would expect it from 3AW but amazingly Neil Mitchell didnt think it was that bad!
I personally would prefer Julia G as or PM but I dont and wont base that on some trumped up ridiculous media campaign to put Rudd down.
The media are looking childish and stupid and baying to those who read the Herald Scum.
It was a pretty good interview - and about time we saw some fire and personality from the PM.
We need the ALP to stop being timid (which is hurting their popularity) and get out and do what they said they would do in 2007.
Thats what will get them re-elected - being passionate and standing for something - not trying to please all the whinging business leaders and right wing nutbags.
That anger we saw from the PM about climate change should be there every day - as he fights to get this country to do its bit for the planet.
Not a meltdown in my view, fair suck of the saucebottle, get fair dinkum about our little Aussie PM. However I did see the 7.30 Report and did notice that Rudd appeared to be on the verge of losing his cool. He was up against someone who was not about to be wore down by the usual boring diatribe.
Kerry was persistent and was not about to let Rudd carry on with his usual mantra and say whatever suited him rather than answer Kerry’s questions, which were quite pertinent. Kerry included questions about Rudd’s personal popularity, very relevant in the recent polling I think, surely people are not reading through the “we are prepared to make the tough decisions” line?
When Rudd said that he had to let the ETS go partly because of Abbott opposition but also because the result in Copenhagen was not what was hoped, Kerry’s retort that the opposition was always wanting to await the outcome of Copenhagen, I thought Rudd seemed to show his frustration.
Well done Kerry, I say for getting Rudd to stray from his comfortable line in piffle.
Rudd got a bit shirty - probably about as much as “Morry” Newman when he was trying to influence ABC editorial direction re Right-wing creeds like “climate change scepticism/denialism”.
By the way how is that “marriage to Murdoch Family Values” faring?
@JAMESK
The ASX requires companies to make announcements regarding significant news as soon as they are aware - so the fact that the budget is 48 hours old is not material.
In the event that the issue is known to be material to the company’s share price but the extent to which it is unknown then the company is required to ask for a trading halt.
If the budget (or the tax leaked before the budget) caused any problems for RIO or other listed mining companies then they should have been straight onto the compliance section of the ASX on Wednesday morning calling for a trading halt.
But since this tax won’t have any material effect and the complaining in the media is a tactical ploy to reduce their tax bill then as Bernard points out the announcements of all the major listed mining companies are mute on this issue.
How odd all this is. O’Brien showed lots of exasperation during the interview, Rudd showed a little exasperation in return and we have a ludicrous media beat-up as a result.
All of this illustrates the childish nature of much of the political commentary we have.
Also, according to my clock, the interview seemed to go over time. Certainly, O’Brien had to end it very abruptly. This indicates to me that O’Brien was too emotionally involved in the interview and that resulted in him not maintaining appropriate professional standards.
Kevin Rudd 7.30 report subtext:
How dare I be reminded of my own words!! Who do you think you are Kerry? Some kind of memory-computer-person? Why are you pulling up transcripts from little more than a year ago? What kind of monster are you?
There’s been a financial crisis don’t you know?
My God man, get with the program.
I’ve been really busy defending the insulation of houses and spending big on school halls, how can you hold me accountable to something that I was attacking the opposition with? That’s not fair because I don’t mean that anymore because it’s not politically useful.
Anyway, look, forget that, we should be in surplus in three years, assuming everything goes to plan - which I’m making perfectly clear in this interview doesn’t happen - so that’s good.
p.s. Kerry, can we still be friends?
It’s good to see Rudd showing a bit of emotion, especially when it’s directed at some smug twit on the ABC.
Whoever said it’s good to see Kerry O’Brien going for Labor at last hasn’t been paying attention.
O’Brien treated John Howard like his favourite rich uncle, giving him a very easy ride for 12 years. He also seems to have turned the 7.30 Report into The Tony Abbott Half Hour. Yet he’s been at Rudd’s throat since November 2007. Ditto the rest of the ABC. We have two major opinion pieces today from Liberals, we have Barry Cassidy, Fran Bailey and anyone else who can put pen to paper delivering daily anti-Labor diatribes while Labor supporters are ignored The 7.30 Report is firmly in the Abbott camp, The Insiders is rigged in favour of the Coalition with hadrdy a Labor supporter in sight,more interviews with shadow minister than Labor ministers and carefully edited ‘man in the street’ interviews that - surprise, surprise - always show that public opinion is against the government. Lateline is just as bad.
I’m not a Labor voter, if I was I’d be furious with ‘my’ ABC for it’s blatant and increasing bias and lack of factual reporting. Leave the sensationalism to A Current Affair and get back to real life Auntie.
The ABC in their 1pm bulletin devoted the first 5mins to items critical of the PM, from Liberal shadow ministers, mine magnates and their own reporters (I use that word loosly).
I have just finished speaking to one of the editors who advised news items were run in order of topicality. When I enquired about balance and fairness in reporting, I was quickly told that was a always kept in mind but was not strict policy. At that I was thanked for my call and goodbye.
Their ABC is now making no attempt to disguise they are in the business of discrediting the Govt and in particular the PM at every opportunity. It is beyond me what the ABC hopes to get out of a Coalition Govt led by Abbott. But as they are now blatantly joining News Ltd and the Liberal Party in a programme of discrediting the Labor Govt, by any means, it is timely the PM has rolled up his sleeves and shown some fightback.
Incidently the ABC attack is being led by the breakfast mob on ABC News Radio, with head dogs Bartholomew and some strange person who is apparantly their resident political reporter. It is so blatant it is embarrasing.
@Michael…you have reached a new low in your comments about the PM and Jessica. It is uncalled for and whatever your thoughts and hatred of Mr Rudd, to allow your political bent to make such a statement is shameful. It is to be hoped the moderator removes your comment asap.
it was great to see mr. rudd speaking his mind.
About time.
The ABC is beyond help. The rodents of the Coalition have perverted it beyond recognition.
It is time to either give the ABC a massive budget cut … or sell off the monstrosity it has become to Murdoch and use the money to start again with a REAL independent public broadcaster.
At last the biased coverage of the ALP by the ABC is being openly discussed…it’s been driving me nuts. And SBS is little better! We get enough pro coalition rubbish from the press! Crikey is the only news medium I find offering any serious and slightly fair comment at the moment.
Kerry O’Brien’s turned into Kerry O’Bolt.
Go-get-him First Dog !
It’s time to call a spade a bloody shovel wrt the ABC. They’ve become an institutionalised bunch of middle-class dilettantes, who more and more every day seem like they are working hand-in-glove with the Opposition to do in our Prime Minister and his government.
It’s time the malign influence of Maurice Newman and his cabal on the ABC Board was exposed as the duplicitous, seditious bunch of corporatists, undermining the national interest for their own benefit, that they so obviously are.
@David
My apologies on behalf of 51% of Oz voters who share my view that Rudd is an utter dick head. I’ll speak to them and ask them to whisper it, lest you hear it.
@David
Still it’s interesting that yeah from the rabid Left lack so much conviction that you always resort to extremes like censorship when your views are questioned.. [Edited for Manners]
The ABC of course will claim they are being rigorously balanced, based on the lazy he said-she said model that ‘churnalism’ has become in the internet age. If they are not intentionally biased, which is getting harder and harder to dispute, they are lazy at best and incompetent at worst.
I’ll admit I’m a Labor voter, but I’m also a former journalist and am able to make a professional judgement about their news priorities. It seems absolutely clear to me that they have been captured by the Coalition and the News Ltd juggernaut, perhaps institutionally seeking to fob off Murdoch’s campaign in the UK and now here about public broadcasters squeezing him out in the rapidly growing online news space.
I’m torn about it. My gut feel is their editorial standards have been allowed to drop. But I also know without a shadow of a doubt that any criticism of them will be deflected with the ritual claim that because they are now being accused of bias by both the right and left they must be “about right”.
Ultimately, I think the years of being hounded by Howard’s balance nazis, having their board stacked with wingnuts and their CEO parachuted in from Liberal HQ, they have caved in for the quiet life.
I’ll start with the disclaimer: Rudd is my federal MP & I voted for him (via the Greens). I am also an avid follower of ABC radio & TV current affairs.
Frankly, I am bemused by the above allegations that the ABC is biased & fervently anti-Rudd. It’s no chore to knock a PM: any journo, ABC or otherwise, can blithely cobble together a story which criticises the PM of the day. There’s always a long queue of anti-PM complainants willing to grab a headline via an available journo’s media outlet regardless of whether the PM is Rudd, Howard, Keating et al.
Think about it - how often, back through the decades, have we read/heard headlines praising the latest initiative by a government (Coalition or Labor)? Sure, it happens, but the norm is to criticise, dissect & question. Good news stories tend not to be interesting (unless it’s a cat being rescued or something about seeing-eye-dogs) - the listening/viewing audience is always more likely to be engaged by something divisive. The fact that Rudd pretends to be a goody-two-shoes makes him an irresistible target.
Our national broadcaster has no dastardly conspiracy to return a Coalition government - too many in the ABC’s employ would still clearly remember the reign of Liberals such as Senator Richard Alston.
O’Brien, with his ridiculous and hysterical performances with both Government and Opposition interviewees on the GFC, is leading the dumbing down of the abc to the point where it has become a shallower and triter version of Channel 10 but without Channel 10’s integrity or accuracy.
The poor little hacks out the back at the Abe have been reading Oscar Wilde and decided there’s nothing worse than being talked about, except for not being talked about.
Talk about confected conflict! Big Red goes the rooster on Rudd; Rudd gives Red a little bitch slap for being yet another lazy hack, and oh dear, the PM has lost it!
Christ, this is truly pathetic, but from the friggin’ A-B-C.
I despair…well almost, because without a daily dose of sanity from Crikey we’d probably all be hanging around Ultimo with cricket bats.
Hmm, maybe that’s not such a bad idea!
@EngineeringReality
Appropriately named tho’ your reality is intensely personal shall we say.
Significant news like canceling projects as a result of a tax that is not L.A.W. nor, it could be said, likely to be?
Mar’n Ferg’s’n and other Sensible Party members of this overall capricious Rudd Labor government will step in.
Somebody sane has to stop Rudd.
He is a cowboy.
That’s o.k. for you and Bernard Keane.
It’s not okay for the PM.
Okay?
I wonder if the pro-Liberal bias of the ABC will stop the Australian right shouting that the ABC is pro-Labor.
Pfft. As if.
Mr Dunmore’s suggestion that His Beloved Kevvie sell the ABC is the most sensible suggestion ever from him albeit a numbskull rationale.
The Infinite Monkey Theorem does hold true!
The Liberals are always whingeing about leftie bias at the ABC. Surely they’d be happy to see Rudd standing up to ‘Red Kerry.” They can’t have it both ways.
The Left Wing rabble that makes up 99% of this jolly forum really needs to man up.
A little tap on the cheek by “blood nut” a devoted member of the Labor family and you all go to piss.
If this is annoying you, what will you do when the forthcoming catastrophe sweeps you all out on the street?
Doesn’t anyone actually read the continuous disclosure rules for the ASX? There is an exception to rule 3.1 (the continuous disclosure rule). The company doesn’t have to disclose if one or more of the following are true…
1 Against the law to disclose
2 Information concerns an incomplete proposal or negotiation
3 Information concerns matter of supposition or insufficiently definite to warrant disclosure
4 Used for internal management
5 Trade secret
Surely 2 and 3 are valid in regards to the resource tax. It’s incomplete and not sufficiently definite (as it hasn’t become law yet)
BKEANE: Thanks for the memories; THAT was meltdown. Christ, they don’t make them like that anymore.
Or, if they do, they end up being fervid supporters of the conservative side of politics. And quite loopily, ravening mad. Think my least favourite Nasho-Barnaby Joyce and the subtle skill of Wilson (Ironbar-hit ‘em with it) Tuckey. Or Tony (flash it when you can, while you can, if you can) Abbott.
Having watched the Seven Thirty Report last night I can only remember a brief pause while the horse got onto the bit. ‘Fiery Exchange?’ ROTFL.
It takes a lot for me to resort to initials.
Once again, thanks for the memories.
Its alright ZUT ALORS. I’m more concerned about how soft they are on the Liberals, I don’t mind them beating up Labor but I would like to see some biff on the Liberals. I actually sometimes think they don’t because Abbot is such a dill and it would be too easy. Yeh I don’t care whether he is einstien in drag it doesn’t stop him being a verbal twit.
I saw the Richard Carlton “blood on your hands” interview many moons ago, a true classic. As a consequence of that, I can’t recall Hawke slashing the ABC budget to, effectively, put Aunty out of business. Did he bear a grudge against the ABC? Barrie Cassidy could answer that - but probably won’t.
The PM who gave the ABC a major haircut was the Liberal’s Malcolm Fraser in the wake of Whitlam’s largesse. ABC journos didn’t like the Coalition for a very long time afterwards…& I’m not convinced they do today.
It was funny, though. I was half expecting Rudd to start droning ‘exterminate!, exterminate!’.
@ RogerGerbil
Or ‘extermi-mate, extermi-mate!’
Yes, I saw a good interview last night. Rudd performed strongly at last but there was definitely no meltdown. I have felt there has been a shift in attitude at the ABC for some time. Couldn’t be the change in the board by Howard could it? I don’t know where it is but there must be a Gretch lookalike in the system somewhere.
I too saw the PM’s interview on last night’s 7:30 Report - the overriding feeling I had was how rude from the outset KO’B was to the PM, and that permeated all that followed. No wonder the Prime Minister later became noticeably flushed. Forget the substance of the topics covered, disrespect is not a good interviewing technique for anyone.
The days of respect for the office of PM (of whatever political persuasion) in MSM land are now long gone and mores the pity.
If one is to refer to any officeholder by either their first name or surname but never their title dumbs the whole thing down and THAT is what both the ABC and others are increasingly doing in all aspects of their news.
I’d like to say more but…
Rudd prevailed on his real Treasurer to save his fetid hide.
Henry obliged having long ago sold his soul to the devil:
“It is the strong and clearly stated view of Treasury that the resource super profit tax will grow the mining sector and the economy”
The first thing our new PM Tony Abbott must do after the election is summarily dismiss Henry and then await as the Australian Industry Group does the same to Heather Ridout.
VAJRAS2000: Even in this benighted country it would be necessary to ask the Prime Minister how he wishes to be addressed. And a populist PM would invariably
insist ‘call me Kevin’.
I am not knocking the man, I’m knocking the system.
agreed vajras. it reminded me of his obnoxious interviews with howard pre the election. trying to be richard carlton, I guess.
Here’s a thought: flog the abc to rupert, where it belongs amongst the rest of the trash, and double the funding for sbs.
To attack the PM for ‘backing down’ on CC, or not ‘doing enough’ or whatever simplistic label Kezza trotted out, is to look at a glass 7/8 full and whinge you’d been short changed by the bartender.
Who, in Australian politics has spent more time and energy trying to get an ETS up? The unrepresentative swill have been rallied on by the meeja, who’ve been all too happy to let any loony toon with a climate conspiracy theory fill the airwaves, and then when the legislation is utterly stonewalled, call the PM a quitter. It’s about time the meeja started declaring themselves politcal players, because they aren’t objective observers, by anyone’s standard.
FFS, he should have reached over and knocked some sense into the silly old bugger.
Is Kezza’s used by date past, or something?
@ Rowan
“Kevin Rudd 7.30 report subtext:
How dare I be reminded of my own words!! Who do you think you are Kerry? Some kind of memory-computer-person? Why are you pulling up transcripts from little more than a year ago? What kind of monster are you?
There’s been a financial crisis don’t you know?
My God man, get with the program.
I’ve been really busy defending the insulation of houses and spending big on school halls, how can you hold me accountable to something that I was attacking the opposition with? That’s not fair because I don’t mean that anymore because it’s not politically useful.
Anyway, look, forget that, we should be in surplus in three years, assuming everything goes to plan - which I’m making perfectly clear in this interview doesn’t happen - so that’s good.
p.s. Kerry, can we still be friends?”
Ahh, Rwan, remind me to never let you anywhere near my subtexts … you are so way off base your right-wingedness is showing.
What you saw is Rudd finally getting to the point where the rubbish being offered up by the press courtesy of the liberal propaganda machine has gone beyond the ridiculous.
For a long time he has tried to rise above the crap, but when people impugn your character and commitment too often, you have to make a stand. Well, Kerry achieved that last night. He KNOWS the CPRS was crushed not by the ALP but by the opposition and cross-benchers, but no, it is the PM’s backflip. Huh? The big backflip came from the coalition.
I hope Rudd shows more of his indignance … I, personally, have found the MSM’s assault bordering on hysterical over the past few months … maybe, just maybe, a little self-defence from the PM can improve his stocks. Turning the other cheek only goes so far after all.
Regardless of one’s opinion on whether Kerry O’Brien conducted a fair interview or not, PM Rudd failed to answer the pertinent question put to him ie: if he thought the ETS so vital, why did he not choose to take it as policy to an election or a double dissolution? He did not address the question.
Zut, most of the commentary I’ve seen says that a DD now would have made the Senate even more hostile.
Snookered.
Just witnessed Abbotts Address and Reply, with the class chorus in the background, what a rabble. Any new policy? ummm stop hiring Public Servants. Any more? ummm
sell medi bank. Any more? ummm oppose the mining tax. Any more? ummm oppose the broadband. Any more? ummm oppose the mining tax. Any more? Oh yes 12 months paid leave for new mums. How will you pay for it? umm a new tax (Coalition will not introduce or raise taxes, Abbott 2 weeks ago) Any more? ummm oh yes wow reduce spending on Govt advertising. Any more? ummm oppose the mining tax. Any more? ummm oppose the mining tax and finally any more? Of course oppose the mining tax.
I rest my case.
PS Last word Any more? Sloppy Hockey will reveal more devastating policy announcements at the press club, get your tickets early, the food is great.
Yes he did in one respect Zut — he has ALWAYS maintained a govt should serve its full term … I’ve seen him say it many times. Therefore and early DD goes against his beliefs.
What kind of target would he become if he went against that edict? The press would have a field day.
And as Christopher Dunne says, he would likely get a more hostile senate.
Anyone just watch Abbott’s reply?
Didn’t say alot (unless you count govt. bashing). He is contradictory though. He said he ‘made mistakes’ as a minister, but the govt. is obviously not permitted the same luxury.
His paid parental leave scheme is not a great big new tax on business and an extension of middle class welfare, but labor’s rent tax, which he misrepresented in the extreme, is.
@LIZ
Hey Elizabeth, did you listen to your new Prime Minister Abbott? Talking sense, saying it like it is?
I don’t watch the 7.30 Report any more. One dose of Murdoch a day (I live in Adelaide) is more than enough!
What I’d like to see someone undertake (Crikey perhaps?) is an analysis of Abbott’s achievements before he became “authentic man”(and other than mid-life crisis sports events). I have vague memories of him buying a Tasmanian hospital and then getting caught short with it and having to dump it. What about all those umbrellas protecting us all in ad after ad?
And I’d like some news to spread about why the Prime Minister has deferred (and what the word means) Labor’s legislation in the Senate. You know, how Xenophon, Fielding, Joyce, Minchin (who wants us all to die smoking to restore the surplus!), and his Coalition colleagues stymied it. And how every piece of legislation which is presented to the Senate by a government which has a large mandate to do so, is rejected.
But it ain’t on the ABC. Have Albrechtsen and Winshuttle gained complete control? It sure looks like it.
@LIZ
And Liz, the good news for you is that under Abbott you will have a few more pennies to spend on VB draught beer kid. So you can get to sleep.
ABBOTT is an Australian Living Treasure
It was good to see to see Rudd show some passion. I think he does geniunely care about climate change I think he would be angry at himself or at least the situation that he feels he doesn’t want to risk putting it through.
It is curious what “Aunty” has been going through this “change of life”?
In a tabloid dominated world, it wasn’t that long ago she could be relied on to give us kiddies a bit of sanity in balance, after reading about what was going on in the world, particularly politics, as sold in “The World According to Rupert”. At least she could be depended on for a bit of an alternate, independent view that would round out our enlightenment - given that we do have a Limited News editor up here, married to another “Limited News employee” (or “Oompa-Loompa” as a cynic was once heard to unkindly observe) moonlighting at the ABC.
It seems that as “Aunty” approaches her dotage, she’s been reduced to entertaining herself, entering that “Limited News - Colour by Description Competition” (“Labor=Black : Coal-ition=Technicolour”), first prize seems to be a make-over in a style deemed most appropriate by some “Merde Doc” ….. bloody fine print? Is that like a “proctologist”? Or some up-market, interior decorator?
I see Paul Kelly of The Australian and News Ltd has finally sold his journalistic soul to Rupert. When asked by that excuse for an interviewer Speers on Sky, the once ex cellent jurno Kelly said, a very good speech, clear, concise, well delivered and not so much a budget reply (he meant stuff all policy or alternatives) but more an election speech so that Labor knows exactly what to expect. Poor old Paul, reduced to promoting a politician who stands for stuff all and says even less. Mind you he is, like Abbott ,a solid
catholic, obviously the Bishop Pell has a had a word in his shell like. Nothing like a drop of eternal damnation to get him into line. At Kellys age he would be all ears. Dont want to upset the man in a frock.
Can anyone in this forum hold their hand to their heart and seriously say that Kevin Rudd has not let himself, his party and his country down badly?
Are we better off now than when Howard was in charge?
Can Labor really lay claim to a better Government?
Surely not.
Not when you hold your hand firmly over your heart.
If Rudd really had the courage of his convictions, and was fair dinkum about tackling the issue of Senate obstruction, then he would call a DD regardless and put his credibility on the line along with his political head.
If Labor wins another term with a conventional half Senate election, what are the odds that the voters will give them a clear Senate majority? Buckley’s I think.
So, Kevin, if you are reading this, put your integrity where your mouth is and go for it. No guts, no glory. Better to go down swinging, than cringing in the corner.
@ Michael
‘ABBOTT is an Australian Living Treasure’
Definitely — a piece of cold metal with the compassion, imagination and inspiration to match.
If, heaven forbid, he somehow becomes PM, I’m heading for Holland! To have such a maniacal, egotistical, short-sighted right-wing elitist for a PM would destroy this country so fast we wouldn’t be able to catch our breath.
And those of you who revere him should look at his career and statements — closely. Unlike what he’d like us to believe, he wasn’t born the day he took on the leadership and for someone who was brought up to become a priest, he could not change his spots no matter how much he’d want to pretend. He has an evangelical spirit and that is a dangerous thing for a politician (look at Fielding!)
@ Michael
“Can anyone in this forum hold their hand to their heart and seriously say that Kevin Rudd has not let himself, his party and his country down badly?
Are we better off now than when Howard was in charge?
Can Labor really lay claim to a better Government?
Surely not.
Not when you hold your hand firmly over your heart.”
Holding my hand over my heart — a resounding YES heaps better. As a devout egalitarian, I see that pensioners have a better deal (not ideal, but better), as do carers and nurses, and school children and pre school children. I worked in schools and universities for years — those are better than they were. Health is beginning to look better. Climate change might be on hold, but it hasn’t been abandoned. Infrastructure is improving. My bottom line has improved. My son could buy a unit where he couldn’t before. My other child has a full-time job now. My roof is insulated (and I am pleased, thank you very much)
Dare I go on????
Your question shows a short-sighted lack of understanding.
Jen
silly
Go Bernard,
You are certainly on to something there.
I watched the 7.30 report, almost by accident, as it has been great freeing myself from all that TV and ABC radio listening I used to be guilty of.
It was quite revelatory.
But generally speaking, it is clear Mr Rudd’s initial, unforgiveable treachery lay in his unseating of John Howard and relegating the Libs to the opposition benches, treachery for which HE MUST BE MADE TO PAY. And yes, it does appear that the ABC is in there yapping at the Prime Ministerial heels.
But it is so good having all that extra lovely time that accrues from becoming an ex- ABC tragic.
Cuppa , you are so right. Just watching Lateline , Tony was talking over Craig Emerson and sticking up for the poor miners , but craig didn’t fall for the Yes or No question about “Did he think the miners were lying or telling the truth, or something like that. Then the words didn’t match the face movements , until it went back to tony ? Next story about the Greens and Nick wanting a Senate to make & check a Checklist for these Tax free havens that dont make a dollar and benefits the people (Dodgy churches ). When the footage didnt play , it was straight on to a Labor bashing story. Janets in the back room.
(excuse the double posting caused by a timeout. Perhaps the moderator can delete one of them)
Abbott’s performance today was as chief puppeteer of the “Liberal-National Party Bobbing Heads Punch and Judy Show”. The most entertaining part was the few times the nodding in unison backbenchers almost wrenched their necks out of allignment in their zeal to yell “Shame, shame, shame!”.
Was a beautifully choreographed piece of theatre - which like most contemporary dance was ineffectual, pathetic and completely wasted on the mainstream population. Besides I thought Derryn Hinch had a trademark on “Shame Shame Shame”.
No, I much preferred Rudd showing his spine that he’s been hiding away for the last three years.
Labor is far from perfect - but immeasurably preferable to the budgie-smuggling mad monk we saw today doing a poor attempt at stand-up comedy!
@Barbara Boyle: “But generally speaking, it is clear Mr Rudd’s initial, unforgiveable treachery lay in his unseating of John Howard and relegating the Libs to the opposition benches, treachery for which HE MUST BE MADE TO PAY.”
Huh? What treachery?
First, treachery implies betrayal of loyalty. Rudd owes no loyalty to Howard or the Libs regardless of what benches they end up on.
Second, Rudd didn’t unseat Howard, Maxine McKew did, ably assisted by Howard’s overstaying his welcome.
Third, after more than 12 years in government the Libs, like all long-term governments, were on the nose. A new generation of voters saw Howard as Grandpa and were not listening to him.
Instead of worrying about Rudd, seems to me from your comments that you should be worrying about Abbott.
(Hmmm. Seems the timeout took care of the double posting anyway.)
If abbott gets in, it will cause a Housing Price Crash , with everybody selling up and buying into the cheap Spanish / Greek Housing market or Asia ? North Thailand , here i come. Great country roads for bike riders and cheap bikes /food/ housing etc. OR Abbott World , where lazy pensioners/ children are forced to work in the mines to help the country pay of labor’s debt , but get free ciggies. All hospitals Private and bookings required, No more Centre-link , all schools private and ran to make a profit. Where going to church is part of the weekend thing Saturday is PE day , ran by the Army Cannon Fodder Group and Sunday is Church Day - min 8 hours - split 50 % Pray Time and 50 % building new churches , under the “A church in every school program”
Anybody that thinks the bible was a good novel or a non -believer will be burnt at the stake.
@Jenauthor: he should also be buried (politically, of course..)
Please tell me how does a person respond to being called a coward and weak. If Mr. Rudd called a DD election, which he has never threatened to do, the present CPRS leglisation would not get passed. It is likely that the Greens would have more power in the Senate and would demand a much tougher CPRS.
Does not Mr. Abbott’s but, but but, before he answers questions annoy anyone.
@Florence: there are two ways, depending on hte circumstances: you either ignore it with dignity, or you prove it not so… as you rightly put, he couldn’t pass the legislation, so he’s better to ignore it. Mr Howard managed to ignore it mostly, for example…
@Florence Howarth
Given your audience of mostly radical lefties, try something daring Florence.
Say something likely to not meet overwhelming approval.
Or perhaps you need approval?
Most lefties do.
I can accept the ABC being critical of the government - thats their job. But parroting News Ltd newspapers to the letter is the problem. If you printed out the 7pm news headlines and compared that to the Australian headlines you would not be able to tell the difference. If the ABC was unique and original in its critique of the government then that is fine but it reminds me of the scenes in the satirical TV show Frontline where the producers would just open up a newspaper for ideas. Maybe someone should cancel Aunty’s subscription to the Australian and force them to come up with their down ideas.
Is it from stacking the ABC board with Liberal stooges? Maybe. Is it because news and journalism is viewed as a dying industry and vocation? Possibly. Why bother putting in any effort into reporting when your audience is dropping off the perch and the younger generation don’t care?
Agree with you 95%, Bernard, except the bit about Abbott being a very good, authentic public speaker. Were you being ironic perhaps, having a little dig at the ABC’s woeful attempts to bring some “balance” to their perceived leftish bias?
I saw the interview live and was surprised, delighted even, to see the Ruddbot show some emotion, but it was nothing like a meltdown. Big Red must have had a hand in the ABC’s post interview spin - he’s a very good interviewer, but he’s still an egotistical journo who loves inflating his own profile. The ABC spin was more about themselves than any alleged Rudd shortcomings.
While having a bash of the AB-friggin-C: Fran Kelly let Andrew Robb foam at the mouth about this GBNT (Great Big New Tax) on miners and used Abbott’s line about ‘why aren’t other industries lining up for it’ when told that Ken Henry claimed it would expand mining.
What did Kelly say? Essentially, nothing, she let him rant.
What should she have said? Well, how about answering with the facts ie the tax is not on all miners, that it redistributes the tax take so that juniors and start up projects will pay much less tax than they currently do.
The tax system is complex, but letting Robb say another “40%” on top, and not questioning him is just party political advertising.
I hope the Abe is getting a fee for their coalition political advertisements…they’d be raking it in.
@Michael: Ok, here’s some hand over your heart questions for you:
Would Abbott have handled the past couple of years better, or worse, and why do you say that?
Given that elections are typically not won by oppositions, but lost by governments, what is one compelling reason to change this government?
@MESKI
Yes he would have.
Firstly he would not have Garrett in charge of anything more complex than a guitar (Spanish not elect)
Secondly he would not have Julia Gillard in charge of anything other than a kitchen &/or making beds
Thirdly he would not have Swan in charge of anything other than a Taxi
Fourthly he would not have Penny Wong in charge of anything other than a Wok (well away from Julia)
Need I go on?
How on earth can you say this wasn’t a meltdown Bernard. I literally fell of the chair when I saw this.
As I have written here , “I think this was the moment that the nation collectively filled its underpants with the brown stuff”.
In all seriousness though, I first heard about the so called meltdown on twitter, so then watched the interview on the 7.30 Report website. It was exactly what O’Brien deserved, for asking such a stupid question. Rudd couldn’t get the CPRS through. Double dissolution? Go read Possum’s blog to see why that would be unworkable. Deal with Greens? Yeah, and lose the two Libs who crossed the floor. Deal with Fielding? He would never pass an ETS.
@Michael: Yes, I think you do need to go on. He’s got his own ship of fools to deal with. And anyone who seriously put Barnaby Joyce in charge of Finance… Need *I* go on???
MICHAEL - “What’s the bet her boat sinks off Woollongong?” This is how you spell ‘Wollongong’!
As for a “meltdown”?I’ve seen better ‘paddies’ by 2 yr olds at the supermarket checkout! I agree with those who say that Rudd can’t win - he’s either dull and boring, stiff and cold, or needing counselling?
Michael
Posted Friday, 14 May 2010 at 11:28 am | Permalink
I notice that you’ve added being sexist to your many talents, Michael! Now why doesn’t that surprise me? I suppose the women should be living in little houses surrounded by a picket fence - back to the future, Howard style!
@Liz
Lizzie, I arrived in Oz by boat (legally) in 1960 so my spelling is not what it should be. My apologies.
As for “the house with a white picket fence” - I never said that.
A small room behind the laundry is more than enough for any good girl servant.
Mwah!
@MESKI
Actually bro, there you are right - point taken
Barny should be gently walked behind the barn and for humanitarian reasons, shot with a very powerful gun.
Yeah Meski, Michael’s Right :- fifthly he would have had Cous’n Jethro in charge of Finance telling that uppity public servant Hen Kenry what to do;
and thicksly (pardon my lisp) he would have had Uncle Wilson in charge of Abbo and Wetback Affairs;
seventhly he would have had Nick Munchkin running Science and Scepticism,
eightthly Julie Scissorhands will be Minister for Something Important and Copyright Laws,
and Granny May Bishop in charge of Cryogenics and the Aged.
michael - It’s a city in this country - no excuse! You’re always tough on everyone else! Now you’re promoting homicide! Amazing! Not too many can top that!
Seriously, I’m getting really sick of the media blaming Rudd for not going ahead with the CPRS - either way, the media would just blast him. The people who should be abused are the Coalition. Under Howard and Turnbull, they agreed to the same or similar CPRS, and it’s they who are using this as a political tool! But, when pink pigs fly over my house, that’ll be the day the media criticises the coalition!
If Labor got together with the Greens and put forward pro-Green programs, the media would get hysterical as well. With the excuse we have for an unbiased media in this country; Rudd is between a rock and a hard place. I don’t think the msm has supported Labor ever; not in my lifetime - the closest was supporting Labor prior to the 1972 election! I would’ve lost my cool months ago!
Liz you talken to me?
I’m a dyed in the wool Man Made Climate Change Denialist, Laissez Fair Proponent, Union Bashing, Green Chasing, Socialist Kicking, Neo Con.
Talk to the hand please.
@michael….you are also a raving loon, should be certified accordingly.
The only mistake the Prime Minister has made is overestimating the intelligence of the Murdock hacks and people such as Jamesk and Michael
Sorry, couple of corrections of course :- that’s “Fine Ants” for Jethro (he went to Ox Ford, before they built that bridge), and that’s just plain Granny Bishop of course (“Granny May” showed a profit once).
And I almost forgot there’d be Kev “The Reaper” Andrews running agriculture, and “Lucky Phil” Ruddock looking after d’fence, and the back patio and the back garden and the orange tree and feeding the dog and the cat and …….
On todays Tips and Rumours
Rebellion at ABC News? A staff rebellion is happening at ABC News about the way the editorial agenda is being hijacked by News Limited. A couple of people have threatened to go public
The public backlash starting to bite!!!!!
@ Michael
“Jen
silly”
If you think so — you gotta provide evidence — I provided mine.
Intuition or ‘belief’ doesn’t count — nor does political bias. Evidence only.
@Michael
Yes he would have.
Firstly he would not have Garrett in charge of anything more complex than a guitar (Spanish not elect)
Secondly he would not have Julia Gillard in charge of anything other than a kitchen &/or making beds
Thirdly he would not have Swan in charge of anything other than a Taxi
Fourthly he would not have Penny Wong in charge of anything other than a Wok (well away from Julia)
Need I go on?”
Now we know who Michael is! He must be old Tone himself to say such ridiculous misogynistic things in public. You belong back in the 1920s my friend — too bad we can’t have a time machine to be able to send such nonsense back there!
I have just sent a email complaint to the ABC and told them about their political bias and i want my ABC back. Just need a million or two friends to help.
Did anybody notice Kev” the reaper “andrews doing a figure of a cross , like the god cathos do ? very strange ?? on Lateline , i think it was question time, quick flash over and camera moved on , when the PM was speaking and trying to educate the oppose party.
I have a meltdown most nights at around 6 pm. Then I have something to eat, and I’m okay.
Jokes aside, I agree with Bernard that Rudd’s meltdown was a no-show, and I agree with those posters who are concerned about the ABC’s increasingly anti-Labor bias — although I’d have to say that its obsession with neoliberalism has been going on for much longer, and was particularly evident in Leigh Sales’s bizarre interview with Chris ‘governments shouldn’t spend money’ Richardson from Access Economics on budget night.
Rather than everybody focusing on the supposed ‘meltdown’, why wasn’t O’Brien forced to explain why he failed to ask Rudd about his refusal of the carbon tax option? And why didn’t O’Brien challenge Rudd when, as an excuse for his party putting off the ETS, Rudd implied that other countries are doing nothing about carbon and renewables? Europe has been active in these areas for years, and China is doing much in the area of solar technology.
The ABC is indeed guilty of an obsession with personality with regard to both Abbott and Rudd. The focus on the supposed meltdown was particularly bizarre: I heard one reporter on Radio National’s The World Today asking someone (possibly a Liberal) if Rudd had had a ‘Latham moment’. Aside from the fact that he patently didn’t, the question itself is so puerile it sets a new low for ABC journalism.
Personality cults have three advantages for the ABC: it’s much easier to analyse every tiny personality quirk and word rather than carefully considering what’s wrong with this country or actually investigating; ABC news and current affairs aren’t allowed to focus on celebrities, so it enables them to turn pollies into celebrities; and it satisfies the requirements of the spurious ‘balance’ they’re forced to display (‘What did Rudd do/say today? What did Abbott do/say today?’)
This all obscures the fact that Rudd and Abbott are symptoms rather than causes of the crisis in our democracy. Journos (including Bernard) need to focus on these causes rather than the personalities involved. These include the stranglehold the Murdoch press has on this country; the fact that a legalised corruption occurs with respect to companies ‘donating’ to (bribing) the two larger political parties; the fact that our Westminister system relies so much on conventions rather than laws, many of which were scrapped by Howard (Not Happy John by Margo Kingston is very good on the erosion of democracy under Howard); the continuing power of professional lobbyists (who have simply emerged in different forms following legislation to reduce their power) and so on.
Of course, a dumbed-down right-wing ABC is also one of the causes (and symptoms) of the crisis, as other commenters have highlighted — it’s time for us to take the ABC back, and make it the progressive institution it once was. Flooding the ABC with complaints isn’t a bad start - it does have an okay complaints system compared with, say, Fairfax. Alternatively, why don’t we just professionalise community radio stations like 3CR? It’s crying out for a ‘reno’!
CMAGREE - I agree with both you and HAYYBELBARRY and others re the ABC. What I’ve also noticed is the sensationalism in either the headline or the body of too many news items - that’s what I expect from the commercial stations and how they both choose news items and how it’s reported. I don’t expect ‘cutesy’ or glib REPORTING of the news. I watch ABC and/or SBS for news items reported by journalists who take pride in their work. The ABC doesn’t like the use of brand names etc but doesn’t seem to give the same attention to the reporting of news. If they want to editorialise the news, say so at the outset! I’m going to take an ever closer look in future. I’ll take notes even! I’m sick of it! Why didn’t Rudd get rid of the Howard plants and replace them with people who believe in objectivity and integrity?
The so-called political journalist on AM harrasses Labor people, but is not so ‘attacking’ when it’s Abbott & Co. She chops into the first sentence and continues to persistently argue rather than use any interviewing skills - it drives me nuts! I can understand that it’s difficult with pollies who just chant their lines, and refuse to answer the questions, but there must be another way rather than act with so much aggression, bordering on rudeness! What’s wrong with telling them after several attempts to get an answer - ‘well as you don’t intend answering the question, this interview is over’? Even if it’s only gone on for a minute or two - they’d get the message then, wouldn’t they? Either answer the question or you lose your chance to get your message across! What’s hard about that? Of course, it must apply to all - without favour!
I enjoyed yesterday’s exchange between a well known (Melb?)radio presenter and Abbott - at last someone got sick of the bs! He had Abbott ‘by the throat’ so to speak - I liked it! At last!
CMAGREE: Whilst I agree with your comments absolutely, please don’t forget John Howard’s thoughtful master stroke of ‘planning ahead’. Namely his appointing strong Liberal supporters to the board of the national broadcaster, ABC.
It is no accident that the ABC has become right-wing. John Howard planned it. Thus making it a cause of the ‘crisis’ rather than a symptom.
Also, Kerry O’Brien is no longer young and appears to be displaying the symptoms of many people of advancing age. Increasing conservatism.
Surely someone in O’Brien’s position should analyse and interpret the political news rather than indulging in the superficial theatrics of the Herald Sun’s Andrew Bolt?
You may remember the programme Q&A opened with the audience being accused of being left of centre. Not for long. Hissy fits by conservative power brokers soon got the board members to demand ‘a filter’-to ensure a predominantly right-wing audience.
You mention the personality obsession in Channel Two. This is both a symptom and a self-perpetuating cause, and a reflection of the era in which we live.
Go for the easy fix, don’t attempt to analyse, reflect the audience-note that word. ‘Reflect’ the audience, don’t enlighten it, seems to be the motto of our age.
After all, it is the way commercial stations operate. And their owners are all solidly right-wing. Imitation is the word for our media-celebrity generation.
It is a regrettable fact of modern history that the world is in increasing lock-step with conservatism. Look at the huge regeneration in right-wing religious belief across the world. Especially the world of Islam, and North America, and Australia.
Steve Fielding, Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott, and a cast of hundreds didn’t emerge; they evolved.
How to fix the ABC? Force John Howard’s men off the ABC board? Put Kerry O’Brien out to pasture. (on the grounds of boredom, if nothing else)
In an ideal world it would be mandatory for all school children to have debating the political process. And/or ‘how to suss out the truth behind the celebrity circus’.
It will be useless to bring the ABC up to date if it can’t reach an informed audience.
HARRYBELBARRY: Not surprising about Kevin Andrews making the sign of the cross.
He is yet another Jesuit trained catholic which infests our parliamentary system. His particular hatred is his obsession against euthanasia.
I don’t know where you live, or indeed if you care about catholics. But the latest parliamentarian at state level to be rabidly christian is Kristina Keneally.
Venise , Iam in sunny qld and like Cane Toads, there is a plague of them up here (religious twats) . Last time i went to a house of tax dodgers was in Sunday School as a 9 year old , other than funerals / weddings . Kevin would rather burn them at the stake. the Fiberals will get put in their place ,come election day , all their voters are falling of their perches .
Time for the ABC to send Kerry o’bolt to pasture and take Lea dead head too.
HARRYBELBARRY: You brought up Kevin Andrews, I was merely attempting to be informative.
I thought cane toads were poisonous?
At last! Some sanity & non-hysterical comment on the Resources Rent Tax from the ABC’s economics reporter, Stephen Long, on last night’s Lateline.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2900237.htm
Venise: your frequent ranting and seething about Catholics makes me think you are a raving Protestant of the kind that would make Ian Paisley proud.
venise and harry, i suggest that if senator bernardi was serious and genuine, he might also call for a ban on the wearing of crosses and other christian paraphernalia. i can’t think of any other organisation or group that has done more damage to individual australians or families than the anglican and catholic churches. they are wholly evil organisations and ought to be banned outright, along with their fellow cults like the exclusive brethren.
Sorry Venise, was having a melt-down, just that Abbott and crew, working in the back ground undermining Australia for their own gain.
MR SQUID , not a fan of the guy in the sky story, but was branded C of E. Whoops, if abbott get in i am a marked man for retraining (Bible lessons)
Over 13 hours ago I posted a link to a Lateline interview with the ABC’s economics reporter, Stephen Long. He had some cogent commentary on the resources rent tax.
The post, which is perfectly straightforward & contains no suspect language, is STILL awaiting moderation. I’m beginning to understand what life would be like for law abiding citizens under Conroy’s internet filter.
Stephen Long’s points were met by an expression of incredulity by Leigh Sales.
Cogent?!!!!!!
Only to adults who believe in fairytales.
@Zut Alors, perhaps the comment is being moderated because you posted a complete web link? If you removed the start of the link, ie the http part, the post may immediately be posted without moderation
Thank goodness for the ABC being virtually the only source of generally non biased non sensationalist news left in this country of declining intelligence. As far as Melbourne goes, the major newspapers eg Herald Sun & The Age are so full of garbage & gossip they are not worth the paper they are printed on. And all the bickering that goes on in Crikey blogs is essentially a waste of people’s time. The reality is that both Liberal & Labor are stacked with spineless souls who promise far more than they deliver & spend most of their time trying to be politically correct rather than speak out with true conviction. “Political correctness” should be classified as a terminal illness that is choking the life out of Australia and the values we once stood for. The media would rather publish articles about ‘budgie smuggling’, Corey Worthington & what Ben Cousins ate for breakfast than attack real issues in a sustained manner. At a state govt level, the choice of Liberal & Labor is even more alarming. Rudd is an insipid career bureaucrat with a lot of harebrained ideas, symbolic of someone who has never been involved in business. Abbott is a bit of a weird god loving type who has been propelled to the position of opposition leader purely through necessity, not because he is a natural leader.
Jeff Kennett was one of those rare genuine leaders with real conviction & passion. Whilst he upset a lot of people with his decisions, causing his ultimate demise, at least he had balls & showed them. He was a strong leader who was not afraid to say what he thought. Passion & conviction. Sarcozy of France is a good current example too. Their style of leadership is far too rare in Australia at the moment. It’s a worry
MARTINR - Jeff Kennett was an arrogant rude sexist pig - don’t mistake rudeness, and a dogged self-opinionated view of oneself for passion! Look what happened to public transport, and remember his attitude(only rather recent)towards gays and lesbians who also suffer from depression etc? He should’ve been kicked out of Beyond Blue for those remarks! Horrible nasty little(as in small) person!
Fortunately, in 2010, our society is gradually realising, that those so-called positive traits you admire are the very same that have no respect for women, in fact, they’re usually abusers - always need to be in control, dominate others and are even physically abusive to partners etc?
@ MartinR
Thanks for the tip regarding weblinks. Let’s see if this now requires the evil eye of censorship….
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2900237.htm
Laurie Oakes did a good interview with Abbott this morning - far more edge than any seen/heard on the ABC this week. The only time my TV is tuned to the Nine Network is 8.40am each Sunday, Oakes is their premier asset.
@ MartinR
I tried leaving the first letters off the weblink as suggested but the system has now automatically added them & I’m being moderated a second time. I’m now being double-moderated in tandem, can this be some sort of record? I give up.
VENISE - I agree with your comments above. I think Rudd should’ve got rid of Howard’s public servants too, with a few exceptions. I’m not in favour of sacking people, but we’ve seen the damage that can be done by public servants whose loyalty lies with the previous administration - the now infamous email via Gretchen?
Why didn’t one journalist ask Abbott to prove, that the Rudd govt has increased the public service by 20,000? Where are these extra people living? In Canberra or other states? How many have families? Where are they living? How many new homes/units have been built in or near the ACT? He can just say what he likes, regardless of truth, and nobody(to date) challenges him? It drives me nuts as well!
Prior to the ‘07 election, Senator Boswell increased his personal staff to 9 - even though he wasn’t a minister or had extra duties - it was purely to help him get re-elected? (this is in Lindsay Tanner’s speech at the National Press Club prior to Nov ‘07?) It also points to the inflated policy of Howard re the public service. For Abbott to whine now is a joke!
SOCRATEASE: I’m an atheist, actually, and as you seem to have missed the point I’ll re-explain my position.
All fundamentalism is evil (4.44p @ 16 May) when it attempts to undermine the government of the day.
Fundamentalist Protestant, Catholic, Islamic, all the sects and cults which subvert the human spirit, and use the stupidity of ‘the faithful’ to achieve the relevant churches’ devious programming.
You don’t think Steve Fielding is a menace to the electorate? I do. Ditto all the other power struck members who put their religion where their brains should be.
I ask you to ponder on the fact that according to their own lights, the terrorists who blew up the twin towers were probably the most religious people on the planet. Also the American Taliban-perhaps the Australian and English Taliban as well, was replete with so called ‘religious’ fundamentalists climbing into their pulpits and/or spouting on television, that the massacre was the work of God. He was punishing people who tolerated homosexuality and they declaimed about the licentious life style of today’s America.
That’s right the Americans were being punished by God. Hello?!
If God did exist, and if he had the kind of clout to punish peoples’ sins one could be forgiven for wondering why didn’t he just create a moderate sized plague? They think this is the boyo who created the world and one billion solar systems all of which could sustain life.
Don’t forget, this is the same boyo who-via ‘his son???’-cured a few blind people.
I wonder, whilst he was at it, he didn’t cure all the things which cause blindness?
If his power is so awesome as to create life itself, I wonder why he didn’t tinker around with the mechanism?
SOCRATEASE: I thought you were a hell of a lot smarter than this. I was going on your contribution to the art of limericks.
MR SQUID (8.04 pm) I’m in total agreement.
LIZ: I agree completely.
Damn, I can’t find the post, I wasn’t branded either.
VENISE - I agree - again!
SOCRATEASE - Not to mention Bush, Blair and Howard’s so-called christianity and how they went on a murderous mission, and most people let them get away with it because they’re either seduced by their lies and bullshit, or were/still are too damned lazy to seek the truth. The same people, like Kevin Andrews, Rudd and their ilk are still condoning the murder of scores of people each day - what part of their ‘Thou shalt not kill” applies to this? Now we have Obama, Cameron? and Rudd carrying on with the same ruthless disregard for human life, with one goal in mind - to have power over all the middle east and its resources? How do they sleep at night, knowing that the horrific weapons used in invading countries without justification are now resulting in birth defects and an increase(again) in cancers? It just floors me how people can’t see through the crap of so-called religions? I know many atheists and communists who are always against state sponsored murders, and yet they, including myself are the ones being denounced? I will never understand how this is justified - never!
We also have the hysterical and time wasting rubbish of Mary Mackillop and the sainthood nonsense. She’s going to be cannonised because of just 2 people whose lives she supposedly saved? What sort of a god allowed the hundreds of thousands, no millions of others to die from cancer during the same period of time?I do not understand it at all! If Joe or Mary Blogs went through this bs they’d be classed as a cult and dangerous?????And the money spent up to now, and the heaps more spent leading up to the ceremony???
Back home on the ranch, I listened to ABC radio this morning, while women suffering from breast cancer and living in the central west of NSW and other places, can’t take advantage of radiotherapy in Sydney due to distance and cost - they elect not to have this potentially life saving treatment, all the while, all govts are directly or indirectly providing millions to wars, jailing of asylum seekers and locking up juveniles just to show how tough they are on crime? And of course, they’re also stealing aboriginal land in the NT on the pretence of saving kids from a horror that didn’t even exist - no more than in the rest of the community? Not from black men anyway! White men, yes!
‘I just shakes me head in wonderment?’
Venise, I couldn’t help notice how often you tore into Catholics in particular. I’m not a god botherer myself and as long as people don’t try to ram their religious beliefs down my throat I’m happy to live and let live. Yes, there are loons, ratbags and outright criminals in every clique, cult and creed and that includes atheists.
I try not to tar every person with the same brush.
SOCRATEASE: I loathe the Catholics for their meddling in Oz politics-with disastrous results. However, my loathing is entirely based on the sanctimonious usury of the dim-witted sheep who do what their masters tell them to. And the vomitous so called philosophies espoused by their leaders.
I give you my word if ever the Protestants, and all the mumble jumble Scientology and whatnot Brethren, Methodists, Muslims, Church of Light, Shining Path, Quakers, Morons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc become as criminal as the catholic church, I will launch myself into them with the same alacrity as I do the catholics.
I don’t believe in letting people do as they will as long as they don’t ram their beliefs down my throat. It’s akin, and as dangerous as dismissing Hitler, Kim il-Sung, Mao Tze Dong, Stalin, and all the other dictators who have, and will continue to plague this world, as being mad.
They weren’t mad, they started out as ordinary people, they didn’t become mad until they got older.
For evil to happen, it is only necessary for good men to turn a blind eye.
“For evil to happen, it is only necessary for good men to turn a blind eye”
Well said Venise.
Add blindness to one’s own sins (denial) and a partisan moderator who not only allows true evil but additionally prevents it being called out by name ………. and you then have a real witches brew!
Let me join the agreement. The church has done a lot of good and there are a lot of good people in it… I’ve worked with good ones. But as an organisation, it needs reform!
Wasn’t feeling well on Sunday morning, upset tum. Needed to clean out, tuned in to Insiders, saw Bolt performing like the clown he is, threw up. Felt much better, still cant stand the idiot, regardless of his healing powers.
Delicious imagery! Oh the joy!
David being intimate with the Royal Doulton and screaming at Bolt between barfs:
“Oh! You cursed brat. Look what you’ve done. I’m melting! Melting!”
DAVID - I gave up Insiders long ago for this very reason - Bolt, and the insufferable Piers Ackerman - two of a kind! I also stopped watching Lateline after Tony Jones despsicable story re the NT Intervention. He didn’t tell us that the supposed worker in the NT was in fact working in a Howard govt’s office! Still hasn’t owned up about that!
Now we know that the horrific abuse was not happening; no more than in any other part of the country anyway! Every aboriginal man in the NT was made to feel that he’s a pedophile! How gross! We also know, that applications for mining leases etc has more than doubled in the almost 3 yrs of the invasion! Could this be why both the Racial Discrimination Act and the laws pertaining to Native Title have been set aside? No, surely not - more lies?
The Rudd govt to its shame is just continuing what Howard & Co started - removing aboriginal people from their land in order to hand it over to mining companies, for at least 5 yrs! That the Intervention(Invasion) is against every human rights commitment of the Australian govt. How shameful is this? The ABC isn’t coming out and exposing this disgrace either!
Jamesk…you are fukd in the head
Wonderfully articulated David. Your form of expression improves with every post.
At this rate you’ll be talking in the devil’s tongue by end of year.
@DAVID - Couldn’t have said it better myself! I just wonder how people like Jamesk sleep at night. Their moral compass is non-existent - they have no morals at all. In fact, I don’t think that justice or equality or just plain simple ‘goodness’ even rates a mention. I’m probably classed at best, as a ‘do gooder’ or a ‘chardonay leftie’ or some such bs. he’s probably a good church goer, and fools himself by continually uttering, ‘god, I thank thee that I’m not like the rest of men’ (or women, for that matter). He’s more than fukd in the head - he’s a p***k - and his fellow god botherers are too! Incidently, I also wonder how Abbott and Rudd justify their behaviour. How can you be infavour, support, acquiese to murder, racism, torture and stealing from others, and sleep with your conscience? Buggared if I know!
VENISE - I totally support your earlier posts re all the religious denominations! And you’re quite right about the cc. You were lucky to be raised they way you were, without being indoctrinated in the absolute evil bs of any church, but particularly the catholic church.
LIZ: Thanks for the votes of confidence.
I hope, if people call you a ‘Chardonnay leftie’, that you do indeed enjoy a good Chardonnay.
JAMESK: Thanks.
LIZ: Also, why is it that the more religious a person claims to be, the more often that same person will behave in a non-human way?
As I noted in one of my above comments…The men who piloted those planes into the Twin Towers (9/11) by their standards, were the most religious people on the planet.
People who are against abortion (the Catholics especially) ie Killing of foetuses. Are the people who will commit the most heinous crimes-up to and including murder-to punish people THEY deem to be guilty.
These same people gather like ghouls outside abortion clinics and subject women entering and leaving, to verbal abuse.
This is freedom of speech and democracy at work?
VENISE - I do enjoy a good Chardonnay - when I can offord it?
I agree with you totally re the so-called religious and their actions. Sickening isn’t it? There are at least 9 chn killed in Afghanistan each month these days - that doesn’t include the babies born with genetic mutations(depleted uranium) those burnt horribly via phospherous or napalm bombs or the many who die from preventable diseases or starvation, and then there’s those who are just deliberately mowed down in their own homes/dwellings. I only heard more bs from the Australian military today! Makes me angry as hell! Of course, there’s even worse stats in Iraq! I don’t hear either Rudd or Abbott decrying these horrific and murderous actions?
Funny how the kids(aged 8 and over)of sole parents(mostly women) are on their own before and after school while their parent travels to and from the job she may have) aren’t worthy of note re the need to have their parent or designated adult at home to care for them before and after school. Rather than provide this care, the govt prefers to provide obscene amounts to private schools, mostly religious ones! Not one word of outrage by the god botherers here!
LIZ: Re the liking of Chardonnay: Good.
Re: The killing of kids all over the world. I’ve always thought that politicians love kids-in the abstract, but not in the particular.
I have to admit to not liking children. However, contrary to politicians, I admit it.
Re your comment about kids going to religious schools and private schools. I don’t have a problem with private schools. Here I’m talking schools with an ostensibly christian title, but leave the kids’ minds alone. If people have the money, that doesn’t worry me.
You know already what my opinions are on the real religious schools.
One isn’t allowed to discipline children any more-which explains the feral creatures running around these days-but it is perfectly alright to torture them with doubt and horror stories-sex is evil pata ti pata ta. You know the routine.
‘Night
V
@Liz45
You wish you were a chardonnay leftie.
But supporters of the Wicked Witch of the West are considered ‘NOC’ in those parts I hear
@VENISE - Did you watch the 7.30 Report tonight? I thought of you while I watched it. It just keeps on going on and on doesn’t it? That bishop was in my area not long ago. They just can’t help themselves can they? I’m glad that brave young woman is going to the police - that’s what they should’ve been advised by the cc in the first instance. I hold the relevant state govts responsible for not ensuring, that when the cc hears about criminal abuse, they should be forced to report it to the police. This is what they ignore every time! Those poor victims - my heart goes out to them! I hope they’re loved heaps and supported even more!
‘Night to you too!
LIZ: I certainly did watch the 7.30 report. It is disgraceful what the church is getting away with.
If all of those priests, cardinals, popes, princes of the church, etc were war criminals the public would be in such a heated state of agitation they would be baying for blood. Ah but religion is different, dontcha know? They have the numbers to keep the lid on public opinion.
You are quite right about the states taking far more responsibility.