An Open Letter to Laurie Oakes

November 9, 2013
Written by: Dr Victoria Fielding
212 Replies

Dear Laurie Oakes

I am writing seeking clarification. I can’t help but notice that you seem to be a little confused about your appraisal of the performance of Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

I’m wondering if you perhaps want to rethink your description of Abbott, the Prime Minister, in the book you have been trying to flog – Remarkable Times – Australian Politics 2010-13: What really happened. I won’t pretend to have read this book. In fact, I found it near impossible to read even an extract, so predictable and so utterly boring and so obviously not about ‘what really happened’. You see, Laurie, between 2010-13, what really happened bore so little resemblance to what you and your fellow political journalist hacks reported as happening, you are the last person I would go to for insights about Australian politics in Australia across any period, let alone the previous three years.

But, without having read it, I think I’m safe to assume your book has a similar theme to all your political reporting between 2010-13. Describing Abbott’s first 11 days as Prime Minister, you say his behaviour over these 11 days is evidence of his new approach to government as being “careful and methodical”, where Abbott would “behave in a way that was ‘clear, consistent and coherent’”.

In contrast, you explain the difference between Abbott’s government and the previous Labor government using these words:

“But as far as the public and the media were concerned, it was 11 days of unaccustomed quiet after the Labor years of crisis, chaos and constant politicking. No-one complained. The nation was over politics and welcomes a respite”.

When you say ‘clear, consistent and coherent’, what I hear, as an informed voter, is a political hack using Peta Credlin’s press release to explain, without scrutiny, what Peta Credlin wants Australians to think an Abbott government is going to be like. When you say ‘crisis, chaos and constant politicking’, what I hear, as an informed voter, is a political hack using Peta Credlin’s press release to describe, without fact, the approach of the Labor government. When you say ‘no-one complained’, you’re not talking for me, you’re saying Peta Credlin was without complaint. When you say ‘the nation was over politics and welcomes a respite’, you are again speaking for Peta Credlin and saying what Peta Credlin hoped the nation felt, when in actual fact the only politics the intelligent part of this nation was ‘over’ was your false brand of horserace, completely lacking in policy detail, substance and fact. And this is what I mean when I say you are predictable, you are unreliable, you are presumptuous in speaking for people you know nothing about, and most importantly, you are wrong.

But here’s where I think you’ve suddenly come unstuck. The real performance of the Abbott government, only weeks into the job, has proven how wrong you have been. Because reality doesn’t lie.

Perhaps you thought all your Christmases had come at once, when you got the Abbott government you had wished for, and campaigned for all those years. But like a child who is promised a brighter future, and instead ends up with a sack of coal, the Abbott government has actually turned out to be just as incompetent, just as immature, just as dangerous and just as down-right unintelligent as people like me warned people like you it was going to be between 2010-13 and before. So you have found out the hard way ‘what really happened’. But your book is out now, and it’s too late to correct your inaccurate record.

Apparently you seem to be coming to terms with this grave error, with the news this week that you’re unhappy with the Abbott government’s secretive modus operandi. Whereas in your book you say, in an appreciative tone:

“Here was a Prime Minister-elect obviously serious about not feeding the hungry media beast”,

and by beast, I assume you mean people like you who love words like ‘chaos’, ‘crisis’, ‘scandal’ and of course ‘JuLiar’. Yet, only a few weeks later, you somewhat ironically backflip on this appreciation, having been quoted as saying:

“You (Abbott) can’t thumb your nose at the voters’ right to know and you can’t arrogantly say ‘we’ll let the voters be misinformed and we won’t help journalists get it right’. That’s just a disgusting attitude.”

I happen to agree with you, Laurie, that keeping voters uninformed is a pretty disgusting and arrogant attitude. And to this, I will say two things – pot kettle black, and, what the f*ck did you expect?

You have kept voters uninformed by completely failing to scrutinise what Abbott was going to do as Prime Minister. You perpetuated the utterly ridiculous notion that Abbott could move from nasty, messy, attack-dog to mature, competent Prime Minister. I’m sorry Laurie, but this concept is idiotic. An incompetent, lazy, rude, mean, un-charismatic, unreliable, unintelligent, misogynistic, unscrupulous, inarticulate thug is always going to be all of these things, whether he lives in the Lodge with his apparently attractive daughters or not. He wasn’t just all of these things when he was Opposition Leader because it suited his agenda at the time. It’s not a coat he can just take off. This is it. This is Tony Abbott. With Peta Credlin barking instructions into his earpiece. This is Tony Abbott.

Have you ever considered why Abbott’s office has disappeared into the cone of silence? Have you considered it’s because they’re completely over their heads and don’t actually have any idea what to say about their revolting plans for this country? This is not some grand master plan. This is a grand retreat into nothingness. This is incompetence personified.

You and some of your colleagues don’t like that Abbott’s not telling you stuff. No doubt this has nothing to do with concern for the Australian community and how informed they are, and rather more to do with your difficulty in finding something to talk about, having relied on press releases from Peta Credlin, complete with Abbott’s talking points, and leaks from Rudd for all those years. But guess what Laurie, this is the least of the problems we, the informed public, have with Tony Abbott. I’m less concerned with what he’s not saying, and more concerned, if concerned is a strong enough a word, with what he is doing. Handing responsibility for massively important decisions about government spending to a business lobbyist. Cutting funding to scientific research. Embarrassing Australia on the global stage. Slashing and burning public sector jobs. Ripping up future-proofing infrastructure by destroying the NBN. Raising the debt ceiling to all time highs with no explanation as to why just weeks after claiming a ‘budget emergency’. Cancelling the Carbon Price for an expensive joke of a Direct Action Policy which is beyond humiliating for the country, right at the same time when the public are finally starting to realise that electricity bills are not more important than the safety of the planet. Lying about deals he’s made with Indonesia to turn back boats and pretending the very act of him becoming Prime Minister has stopped the boats. Not to mention the real ‘chaos’ and ‘crisis’ which Abbott refuses to address – his and his minister’s fraudulent use of taxpayer funds for expensive travel and accommodation for their own egos and personal entertainment. And you thought Julia Gillard’s dodgy ex-boyfriend from 20 years ago constituted a ‘scandal’ because some nut-job internet troll said so? You still said she had ‘questions to answer’ even after she answered every snide and absurd question you are your malicious colleagues in the National Press Club could conjure up? Seriously Laurie, you have no right to tell anyone ‘what really happened’. You’ve been negligent to the extreme in informing the public what to expect from an Abbott government. Now you’re worried that Abbott’s secretive non-consultative strategy is keeping voters misinformed? I really hope you don’t live in a glass house with a ready collection of stones.

Moving on to ‘what the fck did you expect’. You seem quite surprised now that Abbott isn’t turning out the way you anticipated. So I say again, what the fck did you expect? Did you fall for the ‘they are just the same’ tactic, used to refute people like me who said, for years, that Abbott was going to be a disaster again and again and again no matter whether people wanted to hear it or not? Whenever I think of Abbott, and what a setback he is for Australia, I can’t help but hear the words of Paul Keating from this interview in 2010 where he said:

“If Tony Abbott ends up as Prime Minister of Australia, you’ve got to say, God help us, God help us. A truly intellectual nobody. And no policy ambition. You know, I mean, is that all there is?”

As I knew, and as you are quickly learning, Abbott is all there is. And thanks to the lack of scrutiny of him by people like you before the election, Australia is stuck with him. For one term at least. And now you’re saying you’re not happy with Abbott’s performance? Spare a thought for people like me, who saw it coming and are now justified to say over and over again – ‘I told you so’.

Yours Sincerely
Victoria Rollison

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212 comments

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hilderomboutNovember 9, 2013 at 8:32 am

Exactly my sentiments Victoria. Thank you for expressing so clearly how i feel.

John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 8:42 am

“Murdoch and Abbott lied to Australians.”

Words that Oakes will never write ….. let alone publish.

VickiNovember 9, 2013 at 8:52 am

I often wish that I could put what I feel into words. Victoria Rollins, you speak for me. For a very long time now I have been trying to tell people that Abbott would turn this country into an economic and social basket case but have been scoffed at as ‘rusted on Labor’ who ‘would say that’. I expected a shambolic government that was only focused on gaining power (for themselves and their ilk) and had no actual policies in place. I still believe that to be the case and that policies are yet to be dreamed up but what I did not expect was government by secrecy and that is what causes me very real concern. How many Australians are aware that Credlin is actually running this government and what is really known about her. Anybody out there who can enlighten me?

JohnBNovember 9, 2013 at 8:54 am

Great article Victoria, but my outrage extends beyond Laurie Oakes.
There are many more self important ‘knowledgeable’ senior journalists who also failed in their duty to the public by joining the posse to hunt down the Labor government, shrugging off objectivity, honesty and integrity.
They eagerly joined in the media ‘group think’, chasing career advancement, striving to be seen as a newsmaker- seeking to boosting their personal public profile and unquestioningly accept an ideology to ingratiate themselves to the megalomaniac Murdoch media machine; rather than fulfilling their proper role of carrying out investigative informative journalism.
No wonder the print media is dying- many non LNP supporters no longer bother to read it their lies and misrepresentations, let alone pay for it.

Les VictorNovember 9, 2013 at 8:58 am

Very well said. Agree TOTALLYL

ananda1955November 9, 2013 at 8:59 am

And i hold all journalist who were to gutless to speak and write the truth, about what abbott was really like, totally responsible for the dumb masses believing all the lies. And voting in not only a total moron, but a dangerous moron ! In my opinion it was an act of treason, to destroy a country just so billionaires could become multi multi multi billionaires!

andyrob65November 9, 2013 at 9:00 am

Spot on Victoria. They had every opportunity (almost every day) to hold them to account, in opposition, but believed every word they said and chased the Government rather than seek the facts. Now they get in and turn silent and the media don’t like it. WTF. Not looking forward to the next 3 years at all, just wait for Abbott to bring in those draconian police state laws the QLDers have now.

tim theous (@timtheous)November 9, 2013 at 9:02 am

Thank you Victoria

vermeeraNovember 9, 2013 at 9:15 am

Brilliantly sums up my feelings about Oakes. I am quite disgusted with his zeal for piggy backing onto the Gillard/ALP hatefest and then trying to pretend that he is a senior, objective observer. he is senior enough and experenced enough to do much much better and uphold the standards of quality journalism

ROBYNNovember 9, 2013 at 9:37 am

WELL DONE CHEERS TO YOU GREAT LETTER LOVE IT SO BLOODY TRUE

CMMCNovember 9, 2013 at 9:42 am

He reminds me of an inept assistant manager at my first job, a McDonalds franchise.

Much given to tomfoolery and feeble jocularity to disguise his mediocrity.

He was the son-in-law of the franchisee.

GreenradagastNovember 9, 2013 at 9:42 am

There is an old saying that I think journalists should be reminded of: “Be very careful what you wish for, because you might just get it” . So now their life blood (scandal and leaks) has been effectively turned off, they are now finding out hat they have nothing to do, and that they have forgotten how to be journalists.

Geoff Of EppingNovember 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Cry me a river Laurie.
You’ve been conned. Not nice is it? A supposedly intelligent journalist like you with years of experience was fooled, conned, sucked in …..enjoy your rewards tosser. You’re a self serving fat prick with no morals Laurie Oakes

bilkoNovember 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Victoria, Well said your letter should be penned to every journo who went along with the noalition ride without comment. I wake up each day to this nightmare world and then I hear abbott speaking with noticeable time gaps between words reminds me of a robot. Is he being coached all the time with a direct radio feed via his earpiece??. Parliament sits for two weeks and all the smug bas***ds will be sitting on the treasury benches. I cannot wait to hear the media response now that the clowns are running the circus. Please wake me up in three years as I now go to take my medication.

fugit60November 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Once again Victoria has ‘hit the nail on the head’ ..
Oakes’ one of the link pins of Aussie media, bet on the wrong horse.. Is he now coming out to defend himself or the whole media circus he represents ..
What I find the most embarrassing is, SM have been screaming the house down with the statements Oaks has finally come to accept .. ‘Abbott is a dud’ and like conservative Gov’s globally, care nothing for the planets future just the here and now..

cassilva48November 9, 2013 at 9:56 am

I haven’t trusted what comes out of Oakes’ mouth for years now. He is a sheep in wolves clothing and must face the fact that he may carry the weight but he ain’t no Machiavellian Murdoch who plays both ends to meet his personal aims, and although our Laurie may think he is the king of Australian journalism he is just another useless bottom -feeder fish in a shark infested government that sucked him in, hook, line and sinker.

AnneNovember 9, 2013 at 10:04 am

Fantastic article which expresses my thoughts exactly!

patsyNovember 9, 2013 at 9:10 am

good article…used to like laurie oakes but he too did not like the fact like many others that Julia Gillard was prime minister…I thought he as a vintage man would have respect for women but not …….disappointed …..to think he has gone as far as to team up with the likes of abbott and Murdoch when there was a time he said of abbott that he has been trying so long to become prime minister….but why did it take so long laurie it shows he was never competent otherwise he would have been a leader….long…long ago…as germaine greer said he is a Rhodes scholar…..does that what it takes to be so stupid…….

Graeme RustNovember 9, 2013 at 9:19 am

oakes the arse licker, how does roops arse taste laurie ???? so your bought and paid for , just like the rest of the sheeple, not a lot of real journo’s left in this country is there, We are lucky to have the likes of Victoria to keep things on the level we would like all journo’s to be on . cannot wait to get rid of roops rags and his trolls, the fruits are in control of the locked ward, or have you not noticed mr oakes ??

Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:24 am

Tony Abbott told us it was all about jobs, jobs, jobs. Since coming to office he has sacked three high-ranking public servants, sacked the Climate Commission and the Climate Change Authority, sacked 150 people from the Environment Department and a quarter of the scientists from the CSIRO, sacked the Advisory Panel on Positive Ageing along with 11 other statuatory bodies, sacked everyone working for AusAid, with thousands more public servants on the chopping block, and funding cuts for the ABC and SBS.

As for the carbon tax, even though we all know it will go in July next year (if not before), Electrolux have announced they will be closing in 2016, Qantas is closing its maintenance plant in Geelong sacking another 300, and Holden will probably fold too taking Toyota and the parts industry with them.

And having taken all these “cost-saving” measures, we still have the debt ceiling raised by 200 billion. It is very hard to accept this belt-tightening when, at the same time, we see tax concessions put in place for the wealthy and taken away from the poor regarding superannuation. We see concessions for big business with a proposed cut in company tax while scrapping the instant asset write-off for small business. We are told that we cannot tax the superprofits from the mining industry because it hurts investment when in fact, investment is at record levels.

“Looking at the level of committed investment in the mining sector since 1995, we can see that it increased from $65 billion in 1995 to $92 billion in 1998, before declining to a low point of around $20 billion in 2003. It has increased 12-fold since 2003 to $268 million.”

Laurie, if you think Tony being secretive is the worst thing that is happenning then you apparently haven’t been following what has been going on. You may actually have to do some investigative journalism rather than relying on a drip-feed of drivel from our leader Peta.

Karen Angry Goddess (@Bishop64)November 9, 2013 at 10:28 am

Excellent letter, sadly Laurie has passed his use by date and his book is the underscore of how far off the pulse he has gone.

GillyNovember 9, 2013 at 10:41 am

Tony Abbott cannot thumb his nose at the press, yet the press are allowed to thumb their noses at the electorate. So the press are the story, not the Government or the electorate.

Pingback: Oz govt secrecy starts to stink – TruthInNewsMedia

Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:48 am

And just further on the jobs, jobs, jobs……

“The Public Service Commission has issued orders to departmental bosses not to renew any temporary contracts or casual positions and to begin sacking “non-ongoing” workers. There are 14,273 temporary staff in the service across Australia, according to the latest figures from the commission, with 60 per cent of them women, 75per cent of them earning $42,000 a year or less and 25per cent under 25 years old.

Non-ongoing workers are more likely to be providing front-line services in agencies like Centrelink, Medicare and Immigration in regional Australia.

The move comes after the failure to shed significant numbers of public servants though “natural attrition” as part of the policy the Prime Minister brought to the election to slash the bureaucracy by 12,000.”

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-service-contract-jobs-to-go-under-new-recruitment-rules-20131108-2x5sv.html#ixzz2k5vioISi

nickthiwerspoonNovember 9, 2013 at 10:49 am

Reblogged this on Nick Thiwerspoon's Rumbles.

HeatherNovember 9, 2013 at 11:08 am

Poor Elizabeth would have been turning over in her grave many times.
Murdoch even served the materialism card in giving her eulogy. The last serve to his mother,
not doubt. He’s not a nice human. All those who admire or like him are dubious characters
in my book.

I could see there were endless tries to take the bullies down during last term, and before the election.
However there were not many king hits to them. That was the problem. Perhaps Gillard could have stayed
on as deputy PM again, giving Rudd the chance to go win. She would have demolished Abbott in those debates.

Simply put. The bullies have got their way. The bad guys have won. The good guys could not stave off the ruin. Do we deserve this as a nation? Perhaps! Most of us just stood there mesmerised and stupified by it all. In a way we were brutalised.

Fast backwards…we had Julia Gillard giving Kevin Rudd the Foreign Minister’s position, which suited him perfectly, I would have thought. Was most of the hype of him wanting back in the media trying to create a good story? He could not get back in with taking over the minority govt from Gillard, because the independents and greens would not have it that way. May be some of the back bench Labor guys thought so, and were egging Kevin on. Was he that meanspirited, he would disturb the govt continually for his own personal ego wank? Was he that stupid? I hardly think so. They knew that busting up the Labor Minority govt would give it to the LNC to form their own Minority govt. Seems like there was a lot of hot air.

Rudd came back in to try win the election right at the end. It was the only time he could have reclaimed the leadership.

It was such a great pity that Gillard was sacrificed in the process. As some have said “her with Rudd” were a strong working team. Why in the hell could they not do it together for the last election. It did not look good that Gillard totally opted out, and declared she would not contest her seat. Nobody called her back to stay. And all those other MPs opted out too. Were they all totally shredded by Abbott’s wrecking ball, that they could not bear to go on, looking at him, day in and day? I am guessing that was a very good reason to get out. Or did they also hold personal angst towards Kevin Rudd? Rudd’s strange flaw is that he wont recognize he makes mistakes and that having regrets is a part of the healing. Rudd was not a trasher and wrecker for his own advantage though. But he was rather a perfectionist of sorts.

Abbott is definitely the bad egg in all this. He has only won by the havoc exacted on our parliament, the grab for attention, and conning the minds of the people. Hell! rorting the public coffers to go campaigning endlessly for 3 years! And getting away with it. Give us a break. I have no time for those who think Abbott and Murdoch are okay operators.

Sorry about the rant…I just needed to get gritty about all this.

Tony WTFNovember 9, 2013 at 11:18 am

BOOM!

David BarkerNovember 9, 2013 at 11:23 am

Oh Dear, in line with “Hell hath no greater Fury than a Woman Scorned” let us stand together to scorn Vickie.
I hope I can call you that Dearie, as you don’t seem mature enough for Victoria – that’s such a grown up name isn’t it?
From the feminist, leftist, self-indulgent and immature world view that you espouse, your words do not surprise anyone with a bit more intelligence than pond slime. However your hatred of that dynamic duo, “Tony & Peta” speaks more of a rejected job application, or affection never returned, than any vestage of intellectual rigor. In years to come, overcome your embarrassment, and read your letter again – weep, and move on – we all make errors and display our immaturity in our early years. You are not alone Little Vicky, I suggest you try some higher education and an application to the studies of grace and charm, as you seem to be a little deficient.
Affectionately
David Barker

HeatherNovember 9, 2013 at 11:27 am

You’re best yet Victoria. You truly summed up exactly how I am feeling and how angry I feel towards this complicit MSM. Brilliant.

melaineNovember 9, 2013 at 11:35 am

As always the ever reliable Victoria delivers yet another excellent high quality article… something the msm and laurie oakes et al seem incapable of achieving.

Thank you Victoria and AIMN.

ianNovember 9, 2013 at 11:35 am

If it weren’t for your ethics and morals Laurie………..you coulda been a contender, you coulda been the champ.

John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 11:42 am

@David Barker

Such a gay little rant …. dressed up as comment.

Quit the dressing up Dave … be a man.

EvaNovember 9, 2013 at 11:54 am

Excellent article, absolutely true. Laurie Oakes will soon be remaindered, along with his book. He’s past his use by date anyway, along with the rest of the MSM.

SallyNovember 9, 2013 at 12:02 pm

Fantastic Victoria.

diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Laurie Oakes, yet another Liberal voter who acts all aghast when he got what he voted for. What is staggering in his case, is he cannot even claim ignorance (as many other Lib voters have since done).

diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 12:07 pm

OK, I must admit the Abbott regime is worse than I expected – but then I wasn’t expecting very much and, therefore, did not vote for the nuff-nuffs.

Laurie Oakes has no excuse.

PamNovember 9, 2013 at 12:08 pm

I will let Victoria speak for me.She says it all.She says it factual. And Laurie Oakes for years has thought himself as “KING PIN”.. He did have a “use by date”..it was pre last election.. He did help Abbott get elected. Now he does not like the MONSTER he helped create.Too bad. Too sad… ..Now go away Oakes like a good little boy! Thanks Victoria for your strong letter.You said it best.

Ben BrownNovember 9, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Victoria, this us the best summation of the main stream media I have seen. I congratulate you on this piece of writing that actually does reflect what many of us think.

ryanNovember 9, 2013 at 12:11 pm

SIgned +1. Excellent piece, hti the nail right on the head. Bring on the double dissolution!

BadAbitNovember 9, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Oakes was in no small part responsible for the outcome of the 2010 election which gave JG a hung parliament. He was the one who leaked information from Rudd that JG was against a pension rise for, I think, single mothers. He remains convinced he did the right thing and now is squealing because he, maggot that he is, can’t get what he wants from politicians. Well Oakes its time you left the stage and you will be remembered for your vicious and unrelenting and unfair attacks on a great PM, Julia Gillard.

NatalieNovember 9, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Could not have said it better myself….Bravo Victoria!

GrabrandNovember 9, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Game, Set and Match. Thank you ballboys. EXCELLENT

JohnINovember 9, 2013 at 12:21 pm

In the early 1990s I was doing a low-ranking Public Service job which involved, among other things, couriering documents from my agency to Parliament House and back. In those days the press’s offices were on the top floor, overlooking the Reps chamber.

One day I was walking along a corridor on the ground floor near the Ministers’ offices when I spotted Oakes. Someone I didn’t recognise bailed him up, saying “Laurie! I didn’t expect to see you down here!”.

Oakes replied “Well, you know us journalists – we’re bottom-feeders”. (Or words to that effect.)

True then, still true now.

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 12:23 pm

Great letter, but as David Parker identified for us there are some who still prefer to ridicule and scoff, rather than analyse the information readily available to all who seek it. You put the words to what many of us who do research and analyse the information we are fed/ provided with, feel. Keep us the good works

Simon JamesNovember 9, 2013 at 12:25 pm

Thank you Victoria. Brilliant sentiment and extremely we’ll put together. It is my hope that all Australians have the sense to ask the same questions you are asking Laurie Oakes and start to ask the government why they are treating Australians with such contempt.

Happy Aussie.November 9, 2013 at 12:26 pm

Great article Victoria, No time for news ltd journalists, don’t read them, don’t watch them on Skye’s agenda programs etc.
These journalists who are now complaining only have themselves to blame.!

Christine DentNovember 9, 2013 at 12:31 pm

Victoria you’ve done very well – thank you. What many of us predicted and what many of us felt was, surprise, surprise, correct while those media buffoons went about their disgusting business of spreading their lies.!! Many years ago, I thought Laurie Oakes was OK – am I remembering incorrectly or has he swung hugely from being a reasonably fair reporter to being a one eyed also ran?

aussiedrewNovember 9, 2013 at 11:39 am

A most brilliant, thought prevoking article. I agree with you whole heartedly – 110%. Congratulations !

Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 12:41 pm

How dare Laurie Oakes do something that we’ve been calling on MSM journalists to do for so long now! The audacity of the man!

Lee J.November 9, 2013 at 12:42 pm

All I can say is, thankyou for saying so eloquently what I have not been able to say without resorting to endless expletives since this so-called government was elected. Thankyou.

Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 11:46 am

Coalition supporters are a very interesting study. I have yet to see a one of them able to point to anything positive that the new government have done. I have asked countless times how the Coalition will be better for this country and never get an answer – other than to be called names. I guess that is why they feel such an affinity with Attack-dog Abbott and Death Stare Bishop – good at belittling but nothing to offer.

RosieNovember 9, 2013 at 12:48 pm

Bloody excellent journalism. Thank you very much.

SuziekueNovember 9, 2013 at 12:54 pm

Thank you Victoria, a truly analytical piece which calls out Laurie Oakes for what he is and what he and his ilk have foisted on this country. He should hang his head in shame. Keep up the great work Victoria.

DCNovember 9, 2013 at 12:57 pm

A brilliant but rare moment in mainstream media. I never knew much about Andrew O’Keefe I think he is the nephew of former Aussie rock legend Johny O’Keefe and the host of a game show. What I didn’t known untill recently that this man is an excellent interviewer and political journalist who puts so called expert journalists to shame. Watch this clip of him asking Tony Abbott the tough questions about his Direct Action funding. Tony Abbott pathetically changes the subject back to the compensation to avoid talking about the obvious cost to income tax payers;

sisNovember 9, 2013 at 1:07 pm

Hear Hear.

KleeNovember 9, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Fantastic letter Victoria- I agree with all the comments, bar one. You can also speak for me.

Bill C.November 9, 2013 at 1:09 pm

I must say Credlin’s loyalty and devotion to Abbott’s cause seem to me to be greater than that of the run-of-the-mill, loyal employe, which might go some way to explain Abbott’s commensurate loyalty during her recent traffic troubles.

Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 1:10 pm

DC,

O’Keefe is a lawyer and comes from a family of Lawyers (his father was a Supreme Court Judge). He has plenty of smarts.

JerryNovember 9, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Great! Give it to him!

Trisha BNovember 9, 2013 at 1:17 pm

Victoria, you have, actually, clearly and concisely cut to the heart of concerns about today’s politics.
My summation would have been ….”Caesar fiddled….”……
You have every right to feel frustrated and passionate, as do I. Watching our beautiful nation burn.
And thank god for independent media, via the internet, to get information these days.
No wonder it (the internet) is 15 years behind in development in this country. Something I will never forgive the Howard Govt for not addressing during Australia’s extraordinary economic boom. No, not due to the HG, in spite of.

slapsyNovember 9, 2013 at 1:20 pm

What a great piece of writing.Those of us who read this site and others like it probably didn’t vote for Abbott’s mob anyway.Why not see about a print edition,once a month,for the masses who don’t bother to read these blog sites.Let them see just what really is going on.

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Listen to Laurie on ABC saying that tha vast majority of people in the community who want serious intelligent information and news still go to the papers not the internet. Laugh out loud moment!!! Arrogant ignorant man

Roo ReadNovember 9, 2013 at 1:47 pm

@david barker. I love your prose David, how anyone can be intelligent enough to write so well, and still remain such a dickhead, I guess I’ll never know. What a waste.

KateNovember 9, 2013 at 12:49 pm

I want to marry you Victoria! Love love love it! How much does it cost to public a full page add in fairfax press?

Michelle BaxterNovember 9, 2013 at 1:50 pm

So well said. Thank you for putting it out there!

Rachana ShivamNovember 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm

Thank you Victoris. That’s as I see it too.

DCNovember 9, 2013 at 1:54 pm

Thanks Dan, I did not know that although I could tell he has an intelligence about him. In his interview with Geert Wilders was very impressive. As a non-muslim and non religious Australian it helped me put things into perspective and made me more tolerant of moderate muslims
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFHucuL29no

cuppaNovember 9, 2013 at 2:00 pm

To the MSM/ABC who allowed this scum mob to slither into office with your boosting and without scrutiny – Thanks for nothing!! We won’t forget.

jemmett65November 9, 2013 at 2:02 pm

The media decide the Prime Minister, have done for years, (Through what THEY choose to print or broadcast to the so-called unintelligent public) and now they (Laurie Oakes and the like) are screaming foul because they can’t get what they want – inside information to sell THEIR newspapers/ programs and make THEM look good! Backfired didn’t it!!!!!!

JulieNovember 9, 2013 at 2:10 pm

Victoria certainly sums it up perfectly for me. Excellent piece. I will tweet and retweet and retweet … 🙂

P.S. Are you on Twitter, DC? Good find there – re’ Andrew O’Keefe interview. 🙂

MarilynNovember 9, 2013 at 2:13 pm

Oh for the days of real greats like Paul Lyneham and Andrew Olle, the current mob are not fit to clean their boots.

Lazy, lying and moronic sums up the MSM of Australia today.

ejdur662November 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm

@David Barker. You resort to the old court trick. If you can’t argue with the facts from the witness, then attack the character of the witness. Grow up!

Well said Victoria. Couldn’t have put it better!

Lyn. SmithNovember 9, 2013 at 2:24 pm

Victoria rollison. three words. amen . amen amen

and. two more . thank. you.

Maree CommensNovember 9, 2013 at 2:29 pm

The best ever letter and so very true. What a pity we don’t have more journalists like Victoria and if we did we would not have the look at the lying, thieving, deceitful and positively revolting politicians we now have to.

Tim storerNovember 9, 2013 at 2:30 pm

I am Stunned Victoria!!!-One of the best letters i have EVER read..let alone Insightful contemporary just plain right..thank u !!!

gina RyanNovember 9, 2013 at 1:37 pm

Abbott is a phony. Credlin is a nasty credlin and is used by the lieberal old Howard cronies still in office to mouth piece for Abbott because he can’t do it himself. He was used for his constant clever negatitivty to get them into office. The Howard cronies are there to finished the smash and grab job. Abbott like Keating said is an intellectual nobody. The business council together with the old Howard cronies are running this country and into the abyss.

Tony GurnettNovember 9, 2013 at 2:41 pm

Kinks song “Victoria” you are our Queen Victoria~

Gloria KellyNovember 9, 2013 at 1:51 pm

I wonder what the late, great, Peter Harvey would have said.

tonyNovember 9, 2013 at 2:56 pm

Hang on a minute,
I also consider myself an informed voter, and there was no way I could reward the ALP with the carry on and the BS that goes with that party. All thy needed to do was pull it together and my vote was theirs. But as usual the ALP disintegrated in to self indulgence about he individual. The public did not have to vote for the LNP, there was other choices on the card that could triumph.
Sour grapes is all i am hearing

Mike WilkinsonNovember 9, 2013 at 2:07 pm

Victoria Rollison, I literally have tears my eyes reading this, and no they aren’t tears of laughter. Thank you for articulating so eloquently all my fears about “This Mob!”

marthaNovember 9, 2013 at 3:08 pm

Victoria you should win the journalists top award for this open letter thank you,

when will the old journalists wake up and realise yes the net is the future, abbott has tried to take it off us re no nbn, but you cannot stop progress,
my fervent hope by some miracle the person called abbott is not pm for much longer how that would come about I have no idea, placing my trust in miracles to help.
thank you for writing this from the bottom of my heart.

marthaNovember 9, 2013 at 3:10 pm

there are no sour grapes in the article non at all. Again a lib who cannot see the past slogans, and does not understand whats happening to our once great country.

Phillip KaufmannNovember 9, 2013 at 3:10 pm

Sorry for the typos

ilagoNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Tony,
Where did you get the information about the ALP “carry on and BS that goes with that party” I wonder? [citation needed]

Brian CarrNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Brilliant Victoria, exactly what I was thinking too, but put so concisely and without actually saying that Laurie’s a dickhead too.

Pat leeNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

The German parliament thought they could control hitler when they made him chancellor, but u saw how that turned out, thank god we have a social media, or we’d all be like mushrooms.

Deborah HarrisNovember 9, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Laurie Oakes is another BORING OLD FART like John Howard that needs to be put away in an old peoples home. Go Victoria give to him.

annetisellNovember 9, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Excellent,thank you!

RatchitNovember 9, 2013 at 3:19 pm

I always thought Laurie was a labour man to the core.
Even he had to admit how appalling the previous government truly were.
I bet your all looking forward to the new movie coming out about Julia’s stint in the lodge, a chance to rewrite history according to your delusional account..
It was all that prick Abbotts fault that she was the worst prime minister in Australian history.
Oh and Murdoch of coarse.
It’s hilarious reading the moaning coming out of you lefties.Tony must be doing a good job.lol

minnie1946November 9, 2013 at 2:27 pm

Very, very well said. Having worked with Laurie Oakes for some years at Channel 7, I, too have been thinking “Laurie, what ARE you thinking?”

NanziNovember 9, 2013 at 3:32 pm

Victoria, exactly what I wanted to say to this…this… stooge! Thank you

Polically Incorrect!November 9, 2013 at 2:44 pm

OMG……..Love this article, I agree wholeheartedly. Go figure Channel Nine would have a Political Correspondent who is One-Eyed! What happened to neutral reporting? State it as it is for whoever or whatever Good or Bad. I’ve always felt this is payed by the Liberals anyway. Jabba the Hutt anyone? Don’t care if you think that’s mean, he makes me sick.

Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 3:52 pm

Two things that need to be said here: 1) People who write opinion pieces for on-line political blogs, including me, are not journalists; 2) Taken in isolation, what Laurie Oakes said about the Government was perfectly reasonable. No one, and I mean no-one, gets to deny me my right to criticise any element of a Labor Government just because I voted for them. Similarly, we do not have the right to criticise any Liberal voter, let alone a journalist, for criticizing some element of the Coalition Government. It’s extraordinary that when a perceived “enemy” journo does what we’ve called on them to do for years now, we bag them for doing it and question their motive. If that’s going to be our response, why would they bother?

GailNovember 9, 2013 at 4:03 pm

They say history repeats itself .. so right now i pray to the Governor General God every night to end this madness..with a repeat of 1974 …. before this clown, his people, policies and performance damage this country beyond repair especially on the international stage.

ChrisNovember 9, 2013 at 4:04 pm

Abbott doesn’t seem to realise the election’s over. Now they have to DO something other than criticise Labor.

tonyNovember 9, 2013 at 4:08 pm

Ha, not a lib at all.
I had a choice and to be honest cant stand K Rudd or Swan and once they are out of the picture, my vote will be up for grabs at the next election to whoever I choose. Like you, but in an opposite direction thought K Rudd was not a good option for the future of this country. I can only.vote for the choices I have in front of me.

Beth AkisterNovember 9, 2013 at 3:08 pm

If they could double dissolution Whitlam surely the national interest requires the removal of Abbott. There are so many things the senate should refuse to pass legislation on

diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 4:08 pm

Timing is everything Dan.

Oakes has only begun to criticise the LNP now?

Phillip KaufmannNovember 9, 2013 at 3:09 pm

Yes my thoughts exactly, I could see the whole thing unfold, Labor had no support from the Media whatsoever, and people were believing the lies, now we have a Prime Minister who likes lie and put innocent people in gaol, yes forgot about that one they, now we have to put up with a dick head who should have got those ears pulled harder while he was being bullied in school, and an complete embarrassment for us to put with the rest of the world, I used to have respect for Laurie years ago, but he just became a mere puppet for Rupert Murdoch and the rest of his cronies, I couldnt even bare to watch his so called incisive opinions, he and the rest of the Media can go to hell with our Country.

Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 4:14 pm

Would we rather he didn’t do it at all? That’s the alternative. I’ll take what I can get and be happy that it’s there at all.

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:33 pm

FOrget for a moment the two parties. The issue is it is dam hard to find a journalist who researches, analysis and reports facts…..and now you can remember the parties again. Please! Lets not pretend the constant crucifying of Ms Gillard by the lazy, arrogant and ignorant journalists didn’t happen and didnt have any impact on some peoples voting decisions

beigewashNovember 9, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Victoria – Thank you so much for summarising how I feel so eloquently & comprehensively. Can’t agree more with the whole piece.

Hope it gets widely distributed. It should be compulsory reading for all Aust. media..

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:43 pm

I worry that we get a skewed perception of the numbers that support our views when we are on these sites. I too made the rallying call for DD, then I spent a week listening to my neighbours and site jumping around Abbott supporters sites. After a cleansing bath and a counselling session I have had to conclude that the vote actually hasnt shifted. Those that voted for them don’t care if they aren’t telling them anything, tough on “illegal” ( not my word) boat people, Great!, tough on the budget and cuts to PC, “they have to to fix the mess they were left” Blah blah. We got to find more ways to change the minds of swinging voters peoples

Colin hallNovember 9, 2013 at 4:48 pm

I told you so, bring on the thong throwing party so we can all pelt the rabbit in disgust

Billy moirNovember 9, 2013 at 4:49 pm

Lots of great laughs from the boys who skim read your piece. A quick look at Dan Rowden’s simple thoughts and I mean simple not necessarily thoughts. ‘Taken in isolation…’ Does he suggest Laurie selected out of context elements to satisfy his boss’ trust in him to follow the company line? Does journalism allow no positive elements to mitigate an error and all negative elements to camoflage a success. Does anyone agree that in comparative term, for over three years, journalists, including laurie, used the tactic to satisfy news corp eg Question: dear mr Abbott ‘would you like me to listen whilst you talk? Question: Gillard have you stopped looking over your shoulder long enough to get swan to borrow more money? On rare occasions the rabbott fronted the media and was caught dropping such gems as I lie, shit happens, suppository and no I haven’t read it there was no screaming headlines(and little labor follow up. Why is still a mystery?)

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:50 pm

Dan I think the point is Victoria put into words what the very vast majority of people on this site are thinking and feeling. We aren’t fools, we aren’t just going along for the ride. I have watched him and his ilk for decades. Arrogant lazy and opinionated. No analysis, no honesty…just favours. This country once had brilliant, brave, tenacious and honest investigative journalists. I cant name one now and that my friend is extremely bad news for this once wonderful country

debrochelle152November 9, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Ratchit, Just want to correct you on a few things. It is Labor not Labour, you’re not your and it is course not coarse. Its hilarious reading your use of English.

Tim storerNovember 9, 2013 at 5:05 pm

To Tony
to say its sour grapes and bang on about Labor lost and Abbott won – is just ridiculous- bad policy is bad policy despite where it comes from- NO matter WHO wins – we are ALL losers with this govt unless you are a very wealthy coal miner..but then again u may be…

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 5:07 pm

Or a very wealthy newspaper owner or just a wealthy person full stop

Anon E MouseNovember 9, 2013 at 5:26 pm

One thing – do you really believe the likes of Laurie and the press gallery?
If the answer is no, then why do you believe all the stuff they wrote about Rudd? The amount of bs that was written about Rudd was that was pure make-believe shows me that the media likes to make the news rather than report it.
Even now Rudd’s image is on TV more than Abbotts – they seem to have it in for him. However all that Rudd said Abbott would do is now being proven to be correct.
I think it would be poetic justice for the journo’s who slavishly followed Abbott and ignored any attempt at scrutiny of his policies or character to now be frozen out – except that we will all suffer with the demagogue Abbott as PM.

DicemanNovember 9, 2013 at 5:32 pm

I request the Governor General dismiss this joke of a Government

NetNovember 9, 2013 at 5:38 pm

What was Australia thinking?! The liberal parties mantra was, ‘just don’t say anything and the poor blighters will see no reason not to vote us in.’ Well , shame Australia , it worked! Now we have nothing but ‘The Aussie Embarrassment Party’ leading us faultingly onto the world stage. Stumbling with even the slightest statement requiring more than the word No. It’ll go down in history as one of the most stupid governments and Aussie votes we hv seen so far.

cuppaNovember 9, 2013 at 5:57 pm

Even now Rudd’s image is on TV more than Abbotts – they seem to have it in for him

_____________________

Payback for unseating the rodent in 2007. The unforgivable sin.

Pam RawlingsNovember 9, 2013 at 5:16 pm

Great stuff Victoria, well said. Oakes should hang his head in shame right along with Murdoch journos and Abbott and his brainless cronies. God it is going to be the most horrendous 3 years, it just seems to get worse every day.

Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 6:32 pm

I think we should all spread and use the “”The Embarrassment Party”. If they can succeed with one liners maybe we can too.

pikiranku4November 9, 2013 at 6:32 pm

You’ve nailed it, as usual, Victoria. Laurie Oakes should be hanging his head in shame for the role he played in creating the situation we’re now in. Instead he has the gall to bleat about it!

Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 5:36 pm

This is an interview that Laurie Oakes did with Tony Abbott in August before the 2010 election. He seemed at the time to have Tony’s measure.

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7938106

We then had this in 2011 from Laurie

“IT was an extraordinary complaint from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. “It’s very difficult to have a sensible debate when you are confronted with a feral government,” he said.

Politicians don’t come any more ferocious and brutal than Abbott. He reverted to the wild the moment he got his paws on the Liberal leadership.

His style is pure attack dog, as feral as you’d get.

Everything, irrespective of merit, has to be opposed and torn to pieces. The mining tax is a case in point. It is now glaringly obvious that the benefits of the mining boom should be shared around so that the overall economy benefits rather than just a small and privileged section.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/the-scary-world-of-attack-dog-abbott/story-e6frezz0-1226186141127

I can only deduce that Credlin’s turd polishing and chook feeding duped even those who, at one time, had some guts. Where this came from I do not understand.

“By the time he went for the leadership again Mr Abbott was a much more serious and disciplined politician, and he has continued to develop – to the point that, throughout this campaign, he has looked considerably more prime ministerial than his opponent.

Colleagues who once dismissed him as a lightweight and thought he would never have what it takes to be prime minister have changed their minds.”

I do find it interesting that Credlin then organises a soiree at Kirribilli House as reward for the absolute worst of the MSM. Honestly, if you had one ounce of integrity, the invitation would have been humiliation enough.

Michael SherwoodNovember 9, 2013 at 6:39 pm

BRAVO Victoria Rollison, THANK YOU on behalf of the millions whose rage has been vicariously channelled through your keyboard.Could further cartharsis be on its way via an encore of this calibre to Abbott himself ?

Robert ToddNovember 9, 2013 at 6:47 pm

one Term Tony

pierceNovember 9, 2013 at 6:48 pm

The fact that Oakes said “we won’t help journalists get it right” says everything that I needed to hear. Any journalist willing to rely on information direct from politicians rather than sourcing the truth themselves is a fool and is part of the main problem with political journalism in this country – that being that the press gallery see themselves as being part of the power structure rather than observers of it.

Now perhaps his implication was that he as a journalist tries to investigate in addition to factoring in content from the horses mouth (as I’m sure he tells himself that he does) but years of atrocious and unquestioning following of the LNP talking points suggests otherwise.

Oakes and his colleagues need to take a lot of responsibility for bringing down a government that achieved a lot in terms of policy that benefits this nation even if they were politically haphazard.

SteveNovember 9, 2013 at 7:37 pm

A well written piece, and right on the button. The lack of press objectivity over the last few years has been unacceptable in a country that claims to be democratic, and the fact that they have not crucified them over the expenses debacle just goes to show how complicit they are. If this had been in the UK, political heads would have rolled.

And then we hear this from Abbott http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/19755942/abbott-promises-respectful-parliament/ Respectful parliament?

Maree CommensNovember 9, 2013 at 7:43 pm

Tony, I believe that much of what we saw and heard about the ALP was fabricated and what the media and the LNP wanted us to hear and believe. I am not saying they didn’t have some issues but they maintained a AAA Credit Rating, kept unemployment low, passed more Legislation than any other government in history and all in all that is not a bad effort. This government will struggle to pass much legislation given they have no policies anyway and they are in hiding and don’t hold any Press conferences or answer any questions. They are treating all of us with contempt and should be thrown out in my opinion.

http://johnbkelly.wordpress.comNovember 9, 2013 at 7:54 pm

Memo to L. Oakes: you get what you work for. You helped create this monster, now we have to live with it.

doctorrob54November 9, 2013 at 7:35 pm

VICTORIA,that was BRILLIANT,everything that I think,everything that I knew would happen,all that I want and wanted to say and express in print you have done,how I wish i could be half as talented as yourself when putting thought onto paper.I usually start off OK but then go off on to another tangent and it seems as though I have lost the main theme.
All I can say is thank you very,very much and please keep on keeping on.
Yours sincerely
Roberto.
PS.brilliant.

janeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:07 pm

Another excellent post Victoria.

It’s a bit rich for Oakes to start snivelling about Liesalot now, when for the last 3+ years he and most of his ilk, no doubt marching to Rupert’s drum, gave Liesalot and the rest of the Liars a free run.

Not once did the msm ask him anything but the most innocuous questions, if they stirred their stumps enough to do so. Never once did they put Liesalot and the Liars under any sort of scrutiny despite the fact that they knew that he constantly lied about the government, Julia Gillard, climate change, the carbon price, asylum seekers….the list goes on and on.

He is still a lightweight and has amply demonstrated that he doesn’t have what it takes to be PM. Rubbishing the Indonesians here and his craven cringing to SBY who thinks he’s a fool, I’m sure. And trashing the Gillard/Rudd governments while in the US, shows he has neither manners nor class.

nettythe1stNovember 9, 2013 at 9:30 pm

I wish I said that.

Really?November 9, 2013 at 9:50 pm

You would think an ‘informed voter’ making an informed open letter would actually read the book of which they are speaking.

JezNovember 9, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Well, all i got from this article is that Victoria is an ALP supporter who dislikes Laurie Oakes.

I consider myself a centrist, but wont deny ALP conduct and policy over the last 3 years was ridiculous. Libs secrecy agenda is concerning as is raising the debt ceiling so high but, polls suggest, a couple of months after the election, that the Abbott government is more popular than ever.

My point is, you mightn’t like it, i mightn’t like it, but a majority of Australians do support the Libs methods at the moment and that’s democracy for you.
respect personal allegiances to parties, even though i will decide who to vote for each election on policy and not party, but ALP supporters shouldn’t pretend the instability of the last 3 years and unpopular, poorly implemented policy like the carbon tax didn’t happen, just as Lib supporters shouldn’t pretend secrecy is a good policy to embrace

John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 10:18 pm

@Jez

I'm astounded that you got anything from this article.

To date you have shown that you haven't gotten anything at all.

"Murdoch and Abbott lied to Australians".

And Murdoch continues to keep Abbott's pledge to "take politics of the front page".

Stiff cheese about the 63 refugees landing on Christmas Island courtesy of Abbott's government.

Chris ThompsonNovember 9, 2013 at 10:19 pm

Too good! Thank you

zemaramaNovember 9, 2013 at 10:47 pm

Bullseye. Thank you Victoria.

RonniibeeteeNovember 9, 2013 at 10:48 pm

Well said, Victoria, You have articulated the way I wish I could have leading up to the election with Liberal voters in the family, who obviously listen to the likes of Alan Jones, and the like. Misinformed, misguided fools who have voted for this intellectual nobody, becoming our Prime Minister, and thus throwing Australia headlong into ridicule from the rest of the world.
They must be wondering what we are on here, this guy, no hope, no ideas, just a thug with the backing of the major media corporations, to oust a government who had visions for Australia to be great, now we are going to slide backwards in time, being dragged back to the 50’s kicking and screaming all the way.
We need a leader who can at least sound intelligent, This guy is going to leave no doubt that he is not intelligent at all, just an egotist who is carried away with the power he has gained. I am also worried about the media “blackout” and the fact that he actually runs away when a journo tries to ask him a question. Children run away, not leaders, Hey, that’s right I, never said he was a leader …….did I?????

lawrencewinderNovember 9, 2013 at 11:32 pm

“….An incompetent, lazy, rude, mean, un-charismatic, unreliable, unintelligent, misogynistic, unscrupulous, inarticulate thug is always going to be all of these things, whether he lives in the Lodge with his apparently attractive daughters or not.”
Gee, I like that.
Perhaps the Aspirational Bogans who voted for this field of turds are beginning to repent of their error…but I doubt they have the imagination.

weejoyNovember 9, 2013 at 11:49 pm

I would ask the author to write this piece again and stick to the facts. It is important to convey these facts. Take out the whining, insults and metaphors.. Halve the word count. Make it good writing. By the time the author got to the metaphor about the disappointed child I really didn’t care what she had to say anymore. It was all too “rather” and “quite” and “really really”. Why employ insult? It’s childish. Use an adult voice.

The left needs to communicate better than this if we are going to change anything. We need communicators who lead by example. We debate facts and principals, not trade insults. I most certainly would not pass this on to be read by others. We need adult voices not wafflers. Write better next time.

gaycarboysNovember 9, 2013 at 11:50 pm

Most succinct. Sadly saying “I told you so” has not been as sweet as I had anticipated. The only thing Oaks said with which I agreed was that we welcomed the silence. The silence came as a result of the MSM not repeating hundreds of times a day that which old Credders had supplied in the morning. ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves have performed exactly as we thought. They lied on Indonesia which we on twitter pointed out but the MSM completely failed to note. Indonesia has now called Abbott’s bluff and Morrison and crew have been shown as incompetent liars on a world scale. Closer to home the MSM have failed to hound ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves as they milked the taxpayer dry. Despite fraud on a scale of monumental proportions there has been nothing but modest bleating. Had this been Labor the cries woud have been shrill from dawn to dusk. Far from being shamed into honesty, Abbott has remained silent, almost invisible, breaking cover only for brief photo ops which the public has begun to totally discount. The MP rorts, sporting events, weddings, and private holidays have been glossed over. Refugee boats have been ignored and world blunders brushed aside. Laurie Oaks you and you coven should be hanging your heads. Get off your and do the job you’re being paid to do. You’re meant to be investigative journalists and get up and get on with the job. If we can find out how many boats are arriving surely you can. Your silence makes you complicit and when the government sits in the dock accused of fraud, you all should be sitting beside them. You are a disgrace!

Chog ChogNovember 10, 2013 at 1:04 am

…I hate only one thing more than Tony Abbott…and that is any idiot that voted for him..!!!!!

LillithNovember 10, 2013 at 1:12 am

Thankyou – I’m sure the media behaviour leading up to election was embarrassing even for the Liberal voters. Such blatant dishonesty and bias coming from journalists undermined the credibility of the Liberal party and made a complete mockery of democracy.
This is taken from “The Journalist’s Ethics Code” – Hang your heads in shame Laurie Oakes and the Murdoch’ery:
“Like any other citizen, the journalist has a right to political and other convictions. However, in his/her professional activity he/she should remain neutral and objective.”

gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 1:24 am

Take your own advice and turn away. The last thing any of us would be doing is taking advice from the likes of you. You’ve done quite enough damage for one decade.

gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 1:59 am

rightwing commentators are thick on the ground but abbott was always going to fail once reported by non-murdoch/fairfax media. It will be driving the right quite mad thus their shrill comments here. Their comments have been telling. They are unable to dispute facts so in tried and true rightwing style, they attack the messenger.

Abbott and almost every LNP MP has been claiming expenses for non gov purposes and now it has come out. Fairfax is claiming credit but in fact it was IA being reported by Fairfax.
Watch for the followup comments for proof that the right is both unsettled and scattered. They are rightly frightened

weejoyNovember 10, 2013 at 1:16 am

Below is a classic example of an Australian who confuses insult with debate. S/he clearly doesn’t possess the emotional regulation to discuss facts like an adult. Little foot stamping insults have to be inserted in every line. An objective reader will turn away. I find it unreadable. This style of writing persuades nobody. It’s preaching to a dwindling choir. The right will stay in power as long as the “left” is populated by unconvincing communicators such as these.

All of you who write for the left on the internet need to lift your game or the Right will be in forever.
Write better. Argue more effectively. Lift your game and stop relying on insults that only you think are clever.

“Most succinct. Sadly saying “I told you so” has not been as sweet as I had anticipated. The only thing Oaks said with which I agreed was that we welcomed the silence. The silence came as a result of the MSM not repeating hundreds of times a day that which old Credders had supplied in the morning. ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves have performed exactly as we thought. They lied on Indonesia which we on twitter pointed out but the MSM completely failed to note. Indonesia has now called Abbott’s bluff and Morrison and crew have been shown as incompetent liars on a world scale. Closer to home the MSM have failed to hound ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves as they milked the taxpayer dry. Despite fraud on a scale of monumental proportions there has been nothing but modest bleating. Had this been Labor the cries woud have been shrill from dawn to dusk. Far from being shamed into honesty, Abbott has remained silent, almost invisible, breaking cover only for brief photo ops which the public has begun to totally discount. The MP rorts, sporting events, weddings, and private holidays have been glossed over. Refugee boats have been ignored and world blunders brushed aside. Laurie Oaks you and you coven should be hanging your heads. Get off your and do the job you’re being paid to do. You’re meant to be investigative journalists and get on with the job. If we can find out how many boats are arriving surely you can. Your silence makes you complicit and when the government sits in the dock accused of fraud, you all should be sitting beside them. You are a disgrace!”

SimmoNovember 10, 2013 at 2:32 am

oh dear where to even start? Okay well i’ll admit I stopped reading somewhere around the first time you mentioned you’d never picked up the book. But, by your logic, that qualifies me entirely to comment on your article, of which I skim read a couple of ridiculous paragraphs and then read the waves of support from the rest of the left wing oxygen thief’s that inhabit this place.

A couple of points to keep you interested though. Even the labour party have admitted they were entirely dysfunctional, lost the connection with their people and need to regroup – any suggestion that the inner workings of the party were biased by the media is just plain ignorant.

If you were sitting in Indonesia right now, trying to sell seats on a boat to Australia, I can think of no better form of advertising that a newspaper loaded with stories about all the illegals (yes they have broken our law like it or not) entering Australia on boats. Here’s an idea – STOP giving them advertising to send more children on unseaworthy vessels. Guess what – it works, seats on boats are at an all time low, and the appropriate departments are getting reports in due course.

On the subject of departments, why do we need four separate ‘independent’ climate science departments? Didn’t the labour party believe their own people? Oh, because we wanted to give Tim Flannery something to do? FFS talk about favours – the dude was more biased than all of the Murdoch press combined, but he fed you exactly the right amount vegan flavoured treats to keep your minds full and your tin foil hats quivering.

Face it, your lefty Govt sucked, and that was bad for all of us – as we genuinely need a viable alternative Govt instead of being stuck with the most embarrassing senate on the planet. I personally hope that we do go to double dissolution so we can fix up the mess that ill informed disillusioned green and labour voters left us with and return to the glory days of Howard. How’s that change you all wanted in ’07 worked out eh?

gina RyanNovember 10, 2013 at 1:45 am

I liked this article and it does point to failure in point out the fail gs of Abbottabad and his forty thieves. Telling the voters they are being robbed is a good start. Yes we have to show up the right and their journos

gina RyanNovember 10, 2013 at 2:56 am

Simmo. Get this right it’s Labor not labour.
So was it okay while in opposition Abbott and MSM bleated refugees every second of the day and night. Whole rightwing programmes were dedicated to the asylum issue. It dominated question time. Weren’t you responsible for feeding that frenzy for political gain at the expense of drownings and expense to tax payer. Abbot was more than culpable as he you right wing homophobics. The boats could have ceased but abbot said no no no to the Malaysian solution. The only reason we have a lull in boat arrivals at the moment (they hAve. It stopped) is because of the monsoon season. This time last year there was also 11 days without a maritime arrival.
The Gillard government was successful. The ferocity of Murdoch and Abbott relentlessly hounding her (3 years in fact) convinced the stupid voters and the Rudd cronies to hoot. Murdoch and Abbott wanted Gillard out because they knew what a formidable force she could have been. God bless our first and best female prime minister. RESPECT Julia Xx

Peter JohnsonNovember 10, 2013 at 5:01 am

I don’t believe the polls after all they are run by MSM and the like.The carbon tax is a good thing but business made the public pay for their mess I know we use their product but they should try to make the planet a cleaner place.The Abbott government is now going to reward the polluters and I will make any bet that power prices will not drop (can anyone please tell me if power companies have ever put prices down)Then we have Hockey can anyone tell me how to pay off a debt by borrowing more works.This government must be sacked so the rot can stop and get Australia moving forward.

ianNovember 10, 2013 at 6:25 am

The only way you can stop the rot is if you got rid of EVERY sitting member of parliament, both senators and house of Reps, and their staffers… Make any new candidates for the next election read (and then be tested on) Standing Orders and the Constitution before they can stand for election…

The system is broke, not because its a bad system, but because over the years, many very smart people have been finding the loopholes & the dumb and corrupt have been aiding and abetting…

Teddy SeaNovember 10, 2013 at 6:53 am

Thank you. You write the facts so well. So downright readable and to the point.

pappinbarafoxNovember 10, 2013 at 7:33 am

Excellent

cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 7:34 am

weejoy,

It sounds like you’re confident you could do it better. Well if you’re a lefty why not submit a piece of your own to the AIMN?

CroweyNovember 10, 2013 at 7:37 am

Regarding the travel rorts. I am totally disappointed with the ALP, Shorten and his team have been very choosy with their wordings when it comes to the fraudulent fiasco, and now I can see why, they like Abbott(poor excuse for a human being) and the Liberal/National Party are up to their necks in these rorts, and they do not want under any circumstances a full JUDICIAL INQUIRY to commence.

cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 8:19 am

Crowey,

I can almost guarantee the number of Labor/Greens people involved in rorting their expenses is small. Think about it, wouldn’t the Liberals’ dirt unit/media (same thing basically) have unearthed them all by now, and be roaring to the heavens about them? As a distraction to take heat away from their own embarrassment?

The fact that this has not happened is almost conclusive evidence in my eyes that there’s nothing much to see on the left side of the fence. This is a mostly right-wing phenomenon.

I agree with your sentiment that this is worthy of a Judicial Inquiry. I’d urge Labor to call a JI into politicians’ rorting as soon as they are elected back into office. We need to get to the bottom of this dishonest, unscrupulous abuse of public money.

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 8:46 am

Yes you are right

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 8:54 am

Very disappointing comment to wee joy. This person made very valid comments and advice. Saddens me that so often those on” my side” alienate others and provide a view that we are all so sure that everything we do is right and we have nothing to learn. I heard your comments weejoy and I agree, we can do better and we should all learn to sell out points without the BS….we are passed the venting stage.

CroweyNovember 10, 2013 at 9:13 am

cuppa

Why wait until the next elections, if Labor have nothing to hide, then why don’t they go through the parliamentary procedures and demand a full Judicial Inquiry.

cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 9:15 am

Crowey, If they can do so from Opposition, yes, why wait.

Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 10:54 am

With respect to the Government’s adopted policy of controlling their information flow to the media and Tony Abbott’s long standing disinclination to answer questions he doesn’t like, I have to ask what it is we expect the media to do? Seriously, I see a lot of bellyaching but not one iota of practical suggestions on what they’re supposed to do in response to this. We can discount the Murdoch press as we know they don’t care, but for everyone else, this approach by Abbott and the Government has been widely reported and criticised.

How many of us have written to the nearest Federal Coalition Member and voiced our concern about this? I bet virtually none, because that’s harder and less fun than a good ol’ bit of on-line venting.

rogerthestraightNovember 10, 2013 at 9:58 am

this is my first foray into the online world of political discourse; well said Victoria, you emote in the same way I vent at mainstream media. reading the comments over the last few hours shows that there are folks who are sensible, logical and considered in their comments and folks who simply scream personal abuse at anyone who holds a different opinion. and this is in australia, the lucky country. really not much of a long term future for the homo sapien is there.

SteveNovember 10, 2013 at 11:04 am

You are right Dan. Whilst the internet gives us the power to vent like we never have had the opportunity before, it is just hot air unless we can do something positive that MIGHT have some impact, although I can’t see how writing to our nearest Coalition toady will have any impact whatsoever. But we need to do something.

gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 11:10 am

I have. And tony abbotts sister as well, though I doubt she’ll pass on my comments.

Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 11:18 am

Steve,

Grassroots efforts can be meaningful if enough people get on board. Politicians respond to polls. In much the same way a flood of emails, letters etc on the same subject is something that is likely to illicit a response. Perhaps I should draft an appropriate letter and post it as an article.

Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 11:42 am

I wrote to Bill Shorten..and Albanese-telling them we need some proper opposition and lots of it..lets hope we get it-Very easy to sit back and say things will amount to nothing but people like Ghandi,martin luther King and so many others stood up in protest and the world took notice…

MaureenNovember 10, 2013 at 11:44 am

Thank you Victoria. My sentiments exactly!

Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 11:56 am

Simmo -it was the Howard Govt that started the fear campaign and media blitz about Asylum seekers-that according to you GAVE the smugglers the publicity-maybe get your facts straight-and 4 climate change bodies?-big deal if you werent blinded by the media you would see that climate change is important as recognised by the rest of the world and its scientists(97% last count)-sounds like you work for Murdoch or the liberal party…..

cassilva48November 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm

Reposted from Cafe Whispers
cassilva48
NOVEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:51 AM
I agree with you Jack, sadly, the media is the public’s only source of questioning what the government is doing at any given time on any given policy, and if these reporters are biased then the questions asked are biased. All I can think is that these reporters must be intellectually challenged or making sure they keep their jobs, as they are quite happy to be told by Julie Bishop to only ask questions on the 97% things we have in common with the Indonesians and not the 3% we are debating over and not one rejection from these reporters.

The libs policy is to keep the public out of the loophole and they are using the press to do so. The newly established weekly press briefing is a joke, not to mention a rip off from the American system. It is OK to bullshit at the briefing providing one corrects the lies in a press release a couple of days after. And this is acceptable???? I thought Bill Shorten must have dropped off the planet as he has become the ‘invisible opposition leader’, so it suggests that he and other labor politicians are unable to get press coverage or he is waiting until parliament opens.

Murdoch suggested that Tony is an example of a true statesman. Really Rupert, rather, he has switched his toga for lycra and sunscreen and if he was told to get on his bike no doubt he would take that literally as Rome burned behind him!

I say, Hail Caeser, and beware the ides of march are upon you and your May budget!
Cass

Jim FitzgeraldNovember 10, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Thank you for this terrific article Victoria Rollison (and I use ‘terrific’ to mean both ‘excellent’ and in its archaic form, meaning ‘causing terror’). Our prime minister is dangerous and an embarrassment. I hope Australia and the good people in it survive this evil man’s ‘reign’.

RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 12:34 pm

Tim, both Martin Luther King and Ghandi got shot. 🙁

Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 12:41 pm

Kaye Lee,

Thanks for that. Duly sent.

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 12:50 pm

Yes please. I would be very interested in a letter. I have been saying the same for awhile now. The net has provided opportunity for venting and raging which has been valuable. Unless it turns into action then nothing will change and we will all be known as whiners and armchair critics.

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:05 pm

and Mandela spent years in jail. Are you saying we should only act if safe to do so

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:14 pm

Yep. And if you read over the posts on most sites, people will raise ideas, but few pick it up and add to it, preferring instead to just post either a negative response to someone who may have a different opinion or just disregarding the idea altogether and posting another whinge. How about a continuous stream of thought where we contribute and add to ideas and aim for some real solutions

Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 12:16 pm

Dan Rowden (and others)

The Hon. Andrew Robb
Minister for Trade and Investment
Parliament House
Canberra

Dear Mr Robb,

I am concerned about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPPA), involving 12 nations across the Pacific, which is in its final stages of negotiation.

The TPPA is not only about trade. The United States, on behalf of its major industries, wants to change Australian law in many areas of domestic policy. These policies should be decided through public and parliamentary processes, not through trade negotiations conducted behind closed doors. I ask you to reject proposals which could:

– Extend patents on medicines leading to higher medicine prices
– Reduce the ability to keep medicines affordable through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
– Extend copyright at the expense of schools, libraries and consumers
– Remove our protections for Australian cultural industries
– Undermine government regulation of food labelling
– Reduce our ability to regulate in the interests of public health and the environment

I am especially concerned about proposals which would enable foreign investors to sue governments for millions of dollars of damages in international tribunals if government regulation is seen to “harm” their investment. These proposals are known as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)……….

http://aftinet.org.au/cms/node/627

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Hands up whos going to the GETUP day of action next Sunday. A real opportunity to stand up and be counted. A real opportunity to say we don’t want a Government who works off instinct, for the purpose fo supporting the rich and powerful. And hopefully Roswell no one will get shot

Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 1:46 pm

Wiki says “Investor-state dispute settlement” – so that must be correct. 🙂

RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Kim . . . 🙂

Mike Dutton (@Dex300Mike)November 10, 2013 at 1:58 pm

Well said Victoria. The media beat up every issue under Labor and were incessant in hounding Rudd & Gillard & all ministers for comments and then turned these comments around. Can you imagine the furore which would have followed if Rudd or Gillard had treated the media as Abbott & Morrison are now doing. AJ, Hadley, Devine, Bolt etc would have been outraged!!!

Unfortunately we get the Govt we deserve & Julia was always too good for us.

Debroah HarrisNovember 10, 2013 at 1:09 pm

I’ve emailed both Coalition & Labor politicians. Firstly, the only response I got from T Abbott was that he was too busy and his staff said that I should go to Liberal Party website to get my answer. Did so and couldn’t find it. Emailed Labor a couple of times and got a computerised response. The only time anyone has responded to me was before the election. I had originally emailed PM Julia Gillard and got a reply to my questions, after the leadership battle with Rudd. Realised it must have been passed on to relevant department for answering while she was PM. I was glad of that response, but that is the only person who has actually answered any questions of mine. So its is fine to say email them about issues but most of the time you are ignored. Only hoping that what one says in emails is taken on board.

I agree that most people sit around and complain on the internet without actually doing anything about it. Government worldwide is probably happy for us to do just that – Twittering, Facebooking, Blogging what ever. It keeps us too busy to take any action that might change things.

getoveritNovember 10, 2013 at 2:12 pm

Australia is going to hell in a hand basket, really? Compared to what country, exactly? Debt ceiling increased to cover expected increases in healthcare, pensions etc in the next few months. Centrelink doesn’t tell people, oh sorry we ran out of new start allowance so you will have to wait until someone gets a job to start your payments. All the dumb people vote LNP. Murdoch is using mind control. LNP stooges are the only ones who support Tony Abbott in the media.
Because left wingers blog all day long their opinions are more valid than conservative opinions.
You want us to vote again and again and again until we get it right.
Not going to happen.

Mike WilkinsonNovember 10, 2013 at 1:25 pm

ISDR’s Kaye. Just a small typo I think. 🙂

Mike WilkinsonNovember 10, 2013 at 1:28 pm

I plan to attend Kim 😉

Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Sometimes Roswell the cause is important enough to actually face possible consequences..i for one am glad they made a stand and admire their conviction..but i think u missed the point..no matter debate is healthy ..

RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 2:35 pm

Tim, I didn’t miss the point. I was just being cheeky. 🙂

Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:36 pm

I am going too Kim along with several other family members.

And Mike I have seen both used IDSR and ISDS – Investor State Dispute Settlement/Resolution. Not sure which is technically correct or if they are both acceptable.

Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:36 pm

oops ISDR*

Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Wiki says that there have always been free trade agreements and that climate change is not responsible for ISDS/R’s.

Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 3:24 pm

So out of all of the respondents on this page 3 are taking action and going to the GetUp event. NOt another word on the ineffectual actions of this govt re climate, re scientists or re wikipedia please

RatchitNovember 10, 2013 at 3:35 pm

Well said Simmo, but honestly mate your wasting your breath , there is no reasoning with the half wits , you’ve just got to laugh at the stupidity.LOL

AndaliNovember 10, 2013 at 3:47 pm

You lose your credibility when you start dropping F bombs. A quiet Government, yeah cos everyone loved 8 years of blah blah blah from Labor. You can’t get the job done when you are holding press conferences every day. They haven’t even been in 6 months. You might find yourself eating your illinformed words. Hope you’re hungry

fugit60November 10, 2013 at 5:12 pm

Geebus Andali…
You right wingers see the world in different light to lefties, all I’ve heard since Abbott was promoted by Murdoch to lead the sheep, is Axe Stop Crisis blah blah blah ..
If ‘as Victoria is saying’ had happened, and Abbott was actually forced to answer the questions asked of him instead of ‘blah blah carbon blah boats, worst gumint in history blah blah we wouldn’t be reading and talking about this …
You have a dig at the ALP for at least fronting cameras and answering questions . Isn’t that what adult Govs do?

MothNovember 10, 2013 at 7:35 pm

Great assessment. I wish I could be so gutsy in my own work. Thanks for saying publicly what so many are saying quietly.

Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 8:19 pm

Did I see read someone longing for the glory days of John Howard???? Those were the days alright. Actually there are a lot of similarities – travel rorts, maintaining two residences at a cost of many million, using private jets to get around, using Kirribilli House for private parties funded by the taxpayer, lying to the people for political expediency, favours for rich donors…..

http://www.senatorjohnfaulkner.com.au/file.php?file=/news/HQRYPBHXRQ/index.html

cornlegendNovember 10, 2013 at 8:26 pm

`Victoria,
a great article,
You sure have a way of enticing the nutters out of their holes to comment.
At least Ratshit had the decency to correctly name “its self”.
It is fun to read their comments.
you do get a giggle out of them

Kim WrightNovember 11, 2013 at 9:22 am

Well if Amanda says it it must be right! I have to turn off her little ABC radio program everyday

gaycarboysNovember 11, 2013 at 10:12 am

You are spot on Gina. Bill should be highly visible and very loud. As for Mandy Vanstone, you aids it:)

Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 9:14 am

According to Amanda Vanstone (our “independent” Audit Commissioner), things are going swimmingly. In this piece she pushes for the removal of the carbon tax, welcomes the change in the media, and defends the lack of information as a sign that this government is doing their job well.

“Surely others have noticed the lack of personal acid permeating the political airwaves since the election. The media landscape almost devoid of personal tittle tattle, finger-pointing and acrimony is much more enjoyable. Perhaps we will see a greater focus on policy than personality. We can hope.

One post-election change I welcome is the new government’s apparent desire to get on with governing as opposed to providing day to day infotainment and grist to the media mills. There are critics who suggest that, for example, Scott Morrison having weekly media briefings about immigration issues rather than day-by-day media commentary is somehow denying us our right to know. Balderdash.”

gina RyanNovember 11, 2013 at 10:10 am

Basically I say we need to take a leaf out of Abbott in opposition as the master opposer and so Labor are not! Waiting for question time, yeah ok that’s one way if venting. But instead of his negative Wyhala wiped off and $100 for loaf of bread labor should be fronting up to successful businesses that have energy grants reduced their emissions etc. And if media don’t air it then post it on YouTube. Abbott has already posted his spin so come on Bill bloody do something positive.
PS ms Vanstone you are full of balderdash and more

Hazza*November 11, 2013 at 11:54 am

Can you please look into the TPP?
This is the biggest issue we face but no one would know because of the incredible secrecy involved with this so called ‘trade agreement’ which will lead us down the path of corporate power over sovereign countries.

Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 11:41 am

SATISFACTION with Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has crashed as Labor opens up an election-winning lead over the government. The number of voters satisfied with Dr Napthine’s performance fell 11 percentage points in the latest Newspoll to 42 per cent and his dissatisfaction rating rose five points to 36 per cent.

– See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/victorian-alps-poll-winning-edge-crushing-premier-denis-napthine/story-e6frgczx-1226756911281#sthash.dqQ5vFCS.dpuf

Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 4:41 pm

Hazza read this article re the TPP

The Real News News (@oz_house)November 12, 2013 at 2:02 pm

OMFG, I thought I was the only one that thought Oakes was a total suck to power that acts like the Iraqi information minister. So many ALP voters love that guy… they actually think he is anti-Abbott and when you point Oakes out playing both sides and sucking up to power, they handle it like a child that can’t handle the truth…

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Leigh (not Sales)November 12, 2013 at 9:54 pm

I think enough twaddle has been written in response to this article by Victoria Rollison. Can you please get over the fact that Labor (not Labour) did not win the election. They lost. You seem to be in a permanent state of disbelief that this could be so They lost! It is a democracy. Why not plan for the revolution comrades if you are so disenchanted!
One minor point before I retire to wash my hair or polish the floor…..perhaps if Labor had managed to push through the proposed media reforms then Ms Rollison might not have been able to publish her article….or would she…….as a true believer?

Dan RowdenNovember 12, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Leigh,

Please explain how the proposed media reforms of Labor might have effected anyone’s free speech. Please do it now. I have $100 for you if you can make the case.

gaycarboysNovember 12, 2013 at 10:15 pm

it would have affected ruperts freedom of speech which would have been better for all of us

Michael TaylorNovember 12, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Dan, I think your $100 is fairly safe. 😉

gaycarboysNovember 13, 2013 at 1:14 am

Ruperts business is slowly winding down. The #NBN will be the death f the rest of it. Then his media dominance will be no more. and good riddance

Michael TaylorNovember 13, 2013 at 1:02 am

Come on, Rob, tell us what you really think. 😉

doctorrob54November 13, 2013 at 9:35 am

Really don’t mean to bring this forum into disrepute Michael but have two excuses.
a) I don’t have the quality or vocative knowledge that Victoria,Yourself and John Lord posses,Which I so gratefully appreciate.
b)After watching P Reith on The Drum,then Danny Price of Frontier Eco.and the previous day Helen Coonan and the Santos Rep re.CSG I was and still am bit irate.
I remember now why I stopped watching that rubbish,But gee mate I am really enjoying watching the first day back in Parliament. 🙂 back

diannaartNovember 13, 2013 at 1:33 pm

Rob

After such an assault on your senses, no wonder you are a tad upset. Stop doing this to yourself.

Suggest viewing of the “Three Amigos” accompanied by a brew or 2.

Cheers

(The Singing Bush)

doctorrob54November 13, 2013 at 6:03 pm

Thanks very much for your thoughts,think I might do just that later.I am feeling in better spirits though,I realize not much was accomplished but was somewhat impressed with performance of Labor in Parliament today.Thanks again my friend,cheers.

doctorrob54November 17, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Another retard,bit complicated for you is it.

kathysutherland2013November 19, 2013 at 6:11 pm

Give Laurie a break, guys. Maybe he’s finally seen the light. We should be celebrating his Damascus moment! After all, we do want the people of Australia to wake up to Tony, don’t we?

cassilva48November 20, 2013 at 10:47 am

Kathy, it’s a pity his damascus moment didn’t occur prior to his supporting Abbott into power.

gerryDecember 30, 2013 at 2:12 am

The fourth estate is dead in this country.
Go and read Andrew Elders Politically Homeless for a forensic analysis of the liberal party

Disturbing and sad.

It just confirms to me that elements of the media are racist, shallow and dumb.

Idiocracy prevails.

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hilderomboutNovember 9, 2013 at 8:32 am

Exactly my sentiments Victoria. Thank you for expressing so clearly how i feel.
John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 8:42 am

“Murdoch and Abbott lied to Australians.”

Words that Oakes will never write ….. let alone publish.
VickiNovember 9, 2013 at 8:52 am

I often wish that I could put what I feel into words. Victoria Rollins, you speak for me. For a very long time now I have been trying to tell people that Abbott would turn this country into an economic and social basket case but have been scoffed at as ‘rusted on Labor’ who ‘would say that’. I expected a shambolic government that was only focused on gaining power (for themselves and their ilk) and had no actual policies in place. I still believe that to be the case and that policies are yet to be dreamed up but what I did not expect was government by secrecy and that is what causes me very real concern. How many Australians are aware that Credlin is actually running this government and what is really known about her. Anybody out there who can enlighten me?
JohnBNovember 9, 2013 at 8:54 am

Great article Victoria, but my outrage extends beyond Laurie Oakes.
There are many more self important ‘knowledgeable’ senior journalists who also failed in their duty to the public by joining the posse to hunt down the Labor government, shrugging off objectivity, honesty and integrity.
They eagerly joined in the media ‘group think’, chasing career advancement, striving to be seen as a newsmaker- seeking to boosting their personal public profile and unquestioningly accept an ideology to ingratiate themselves to the megalomaniac Murdoch media machine; rather than fulfilling their proper role of carrying out investigative informative journalism.
No wonder the print media is dying- many non LNP supporters no longer bother to read it their lies and misrepresentations, let alone pay for it.
Les VictorNovember 9, 2013 at 8:58 am

Very well said. Agree TOTALLYL
ananda1955November 9, 2013 at 8:59 am

And i hold all journalist who were to gutless to speak and write the truth, about what abbott was really like, totally responsible for the dumb masses believing all the lies. And voting in not only a total moron, but a dangerous moron ! In my opinion it was an act of treason, to destroy a country just so billionaires could become multi multi multi billionaires!
andyrob65November 9, 2013 at 9:00 am

Spot on Victoria. They had every opportunity (almost every day) to hold them to account, in opposition, but believed every word they said and chased the Government rather than seek the facts. Now they get in and turn silent and the media don’t like it. WTF. Not looking forward to the next 3 years at all, just wait for Abbott to bring in those draconian police state laws the QLDers have now.
tim theous (@timtheous)November 9, 2013 at 9:02 am

Thank you Victoria
vermeeraNovember 9, 2013 at 9:15 am

Brilliantly sums up my feelings about Oakes. I am quite disgusted with his zeal for piggy backing onto the Gillard/ALP hatefest and then trying to pretend that he is a senior, objective observer. he is senior enough and experenced enough to do much much better and uphold the standards of quality journalism
ROBYNNovember 9, 2013 at 9:37 am

WELL DONE CHEERS TO YOU GREAT LETTER LOVE IT SO BLOODY TRUE
CMMCNovember 9, 2013 at 9:42 am

He reminds me of an inept assistant manager at my first job, a McDonalds franchise.

Much given to tomfoolery and feeble jocularity to disguise his mediocrity.

He was the son-in-law of the franchisee.
GreenradagastNovember 9, 2013 at 9:42 am

There is an old saying that I think journalists should be reminded of: “Be very careful what you wish for, because you might just get it” . So now their life blood (scandal and leaks) has been effectively turned off, they are now finding out hat they have nothing to do, and that they have forgotten how to be journalists.
Geoff Of EppingNovember 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Cry me a river Laurie.
You’ve been conned. Not nice is it? A supposedly intelligent journalist like you with years of experience was fooled, conned, sucked in …..enjoy your rewards tosser. You’re a self serving fat prick with no morals Laurie Oakes
bilkoNovember 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Victoria, Well said your letter should be penned to every journo who went along with the noalition ride without comment. I wake up each day to this nightmare world and then I hear abbott speaking with noticeable time gaps between words reminds me of a robot. Is he being coached all the time with a direct radio feed via his earpiece??. Parliament sits for two weeks and all the smug bas***ds will be sitting on the treasury benches. I cannot wait to hear the media response now that the clowns are running the circus. Please wake me up in three years as I now go to take my medication.
fugit60November 9, 2013 at 9:51 am

Once again Victoria has ‘hit the nail on the head’ ..
Oakes’ one of the link pins of Aussie media, bet on the wrong horse.. Is he now coming out to defend himself or the whole media circus he represents ..
What I find the most embarrassing is, SM have been screaming the house down with the statements Oaks has finally come to accept .. ‘Abbott is a dud’ and like conservative Gov’s globally, care nothing for the planets future just the here and now..
cassilva48November 9, 2013 at 9:56 am

I haven’t trusted what comes out of Oakes’ mouth for years now. He is a sheep in wolves clothing and must face the fact that he may carry the weight but he ain’t no Machiavellian Murdoch who plays both ends to meet his personal aims, and although our Laurie may think he is the king of Australian journalism he is just another useless bottom -feeder fish in a shark infested government that sucked him in, hook, line and sinker.
AnneNovember 9, 2013 at 10:04 am

Fantastic article which expresses my thoughts exactly!
patsyNovember 9, 2013 at 9:10 am

good article…used to like laurie oakes but he too did not like the fact like many others that Julia Gillard was prime minister…I thought he as a vintage man would have respect for women but not …….disappointed …..to think he has gone as far as to team up with the likes of abbott and Murdoch when there was a time he said of abbott that he has been trying so long to become prime minister….but why did it take so long laurie it shows he was never competent otherwise he would have been a leader….long…long ago…as germaine greer said he is a Rhodes scholar…..does that what it takes to be so stupid…….
Graeme RustNovember 9, 2013 at 9:19 am

oakes the arse licker, how does roops arse taste laurie ???? so your bought and paid for , just like the rest of the sheeple, not a lot of real journo’s left in this country is there, We are lucky to have the likes of Victoria to keep things on the level we would like all journo’s to be on . cannot wait to get rid of roops rags and his trolls, the fruits are in control of the locked ward, or have you not noticed mr oakes ??
Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:24 am

Tony Abbott told us it was all about jobs, jobs, jobs. Since coming to office he has sacked three high-ranking public servants, sacked the Climate Commission and the Climate Change Authority, sacked 150 people from the Environment Department and a quarter of the scientists from the CSIRO, sacked the Advisory Panel on Positive Ageing along with 11 other statuatory bodies, sacked everyone working for AusAid, with thousands more public servants on the chopping block, and funding cuts for the ABC and SBS.

As for the carbon tax, even though we all know it will go in July next year (if not before), Electrolux have announced they will be closing in 2016, Qantas is closing its maintenance plant in Geelong sacking another 300, and Holden will probably fold too taking Toyota and the parts industry with them.

And having taken all these “cost-saving” measures, we still have the debt ceiling raised by 200 billion. It is very hard to accept this belt-tightening when, at the same time, we see tax concessions put in place for the wealthy and taken away from the poor regarding superannuation. We see concessions for big business with a proposed cut in company tax while scrapping the instant asset write-off for small business. We are told that we cannot tax the superprofits from the mining industry because it hurts investment when in fact, investment is at record levels.

“Looking at the level of committed investment in the mining sector since 1995, we can see that it increased from $65 billion in 1995 to $92 billion in 1998, before declining to a low point of around $20 billion in 2003. It has increased 12-fold since 2003 to $268 million.”

Laurie, if you think Tony being secretive is the worst thing that is happenning then you apparently haven’t been following what has been going on. You may actually have to do some investigative journalism rather than relying on a drip-feed of drivel from our leader Peta.
Karen Angry Goddess (@Bishop64)November 9, 2013 at 10:28 am

Excellent letter, sadly Laurie has passed his use by date and his book is the underscore of how far off the pulse he has gone.
GillyNovember 9, 2013 at 10:41 am

Tony Abbott cannot thumb his nose at the press, yet the press are allowed to thumb their noses at the electorate. So the press are the story, not the Government or the electorate.
Pingback: Oz govt secrecy starts to stink – TruthInNewsMedia
Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:48 am

And just further on the jobs, jobs, jobs……

“The Public Service Commission has issued orders to departmental bosses not to renew any temporary contracts or casual positions and to begin sacking “non-ongoing” workers. There are 14,273 temporary staff in the service across Australia, according to the latest figures from the commission, with 60 per cent of them women, 75per cent of them earning $42,000 a year or less and 25per cent under 25 years old.

Non-ongoing workers are more likely to be providing front-line services in agencies like Centrelink, Medicare and Immigration in regional Australia.

The move comes after the failure to shed significant numbers of public servants though “natural attrition” as part of the policy the Prime Minister brought to the election to slash the bureaucracy by 12,000.”

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-service-contract-jobs-to-go-under-new-recruitment-rules-20131108-2x5sv.html#ixzz2k5vioISi
nickthiwerspoonNovember 9, 2013 at 10:49 am

Reblogged this on Nick Thiwerspoon's Rumbles.
HeatherNovember 9, 2013 at 11:08 am

Poor Elizabeth would have been turning over in her grave many times.
Murdoch even served the materialism card in giving her eulogy. The last serve to his mother,
not doubt. He’s not a nice human. All those who admire or like him are dubious characters
in my book.

I could see there were endless tries to take the bullies down during last term, and before the election.
However there were not many king hits to them. That was the problem. Perhaps Gillard could have stayed
on as deputy PM again, giving Rudd the chance to go win. She would have demolished Abbott in those debates.

Simply put. The bullies have got their way. The bad guys have won. The good guys could not stave off the ruin. Do we deserve this as a nation? Perhaps! Most of us just stood there mesmerised and stupified by it all. In a way we were brutalised.

Fast backwards…we had Julia Gillard giving Kevin Rudd the Foreign Minister’s position, which suited him perfectly, I would have thought. Was most of the hype of him wanting back in the media trying to create a good story? He could not get back in with taking over the minority govt from Gillard, because the independents and greens would not have it that way. May be some of the back bench Labor guys thought so, and were egging Kevin on. Was he that meanspirited, he would disturb the govt continually for his own personal ego wank? Was he that stupid? I hardly think so. They knew that busting up the Labor Minority govt would give it to the LNC to form their own Minority govt. Seems like there was a lot of hot air.

Rudd came back in to try win the election right at the end. It was the only time he could have reclaimed the leadership.

It was such a great pity that Gillard was sacrificed in the process. As some have said “her with Rudd” were a strong working team. Why in the hell could they not do it together for the last election. It did not look good that Gillard totally opted out, and declared she would not contest her seat. Nobody called her back to stay. And all those other MPs opted out too. Were they all totally shredded by Abbott’s wrecking ball, that they could not bear to go on, looking at him, day in and day? I am guessing that was a very good reason to get out. Or did they also hold personal angst towards Kevin Rudd? Rudd’s strange flaw is that he wont recognize he makes mistakes and that having regrets is a part of the healing. Rudd was not a trasher and wrecker for his own advantage though. But he was rather a perfectionist of sorts.

Abbott is definitely the bad egg in all this. He has only won by the havoc exacted on our parliament, the grab for attention, and conning the minds of the people. Hell! rorting the public coffers to go campaigning endlessly for 3 years! And getting away with it. Give us a break. I have no time for those who think Abbott and Murdoch are okay operators.

Sorry about the rant…I just needed to get gritty about all this.
Tony WTFNovember 9, 2013 at 11:18 am

BOOM!
David BarkerNovember 9, 2013 at 11:23 am

Oh Dear, in line with “Hell hath no greater Fury than a Woman Scorned” let us stand together to scorn Vickie.
I hope I can call you that Dearie, as you don’t seem mature enough for Victoria – that’s such a grown up name isn’t it?
From the feminist, leftist, self-indulgent and immature world view that you espouse, your words do not surprise anyone with a bit more intelligence than pond slime. However your hatred of that dynamic duo, “Tony & Peta” speaks more of a rejected job application, or affection never returned, than any vestage of intellectual rigor. In years to come, overcome your embarrassment, and read your letter again – weep, and move on – we all make errors and display our immaturity in our early years. You are not alone Little Vicky, I suggest you try some higher education and an application to the studies of grace and charm, as you seem to be a little deficient.
Affectionately
David Barker
HeatherNovember 9, 2013 at 11:27 am

You’re best yet Victoria. You truly summed up exactly how I am feeling and how angry I feel towards this complicit MSM. Brilliant.
melaineNovember 9, 2013 at 11:35 am

As always the ever reliable Victoria delivers yet another excellent high quality article… something the msm and laurie oakes et al seem incapable of achieving.

Thank you Victoria and AIMN.
ianNovember 9, 2013 at 11:35 am

If it weren’t for your ethics and morals Laurie………..you coulda been a contender, you coulda been the champ.
John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 11:42 am

@David Barker

Such a gay little rant …. dressed up as comment.

Quit the dressing up Dave … be a man.
EvaNovember 9, 2013 at 11:54 am

Excellent article, absolutely true. Laurie Oakes will soon be remaindered, along with his book. He’s past his use by date anyway, along with the rest of the MSM.
SallyNovember 9, 2013 at 12:02 pm

Fantastic Victoria.
diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Laurie Oakes, yet another Liberal voter who acts all aghast when he got what he voted for. What is staggering in his case, is he cannot even claim ignorance (as many other Lib voters have since done).
diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 12:07 pm

OK, I must admit the Abbott regime is worse than I expected – but then I wasn’t expecting very much and, therefore, did not vote for the nuff-nuffs.

Laurie Oakes has no excuse.
PamNovember 9, 2013 at 12:08 pm

I will let Victoria speak for me.She says it all.She says it factual. And Laurie Oakes for years has thought himself as “KING PIN”.. He did have a “use by date”..it was pre last election.. He did help Abbott get elected. Now he does not like the MONSTER he helped create.Too bad. Too sad… ..Now go away Oakes like a good little boy! Thanks Victoria for your strong letter.You said it best.
Ben BrownNovember 9, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Victoria, this us the best summation of the main stream media I have seen. I congratulate you on this piece of writing that actually does reflect what many of us think.
ryanNovember 9, 2013 at 12:11 pm

SIgned +1. Excellent piece, hti the nail right on the head. Bring on the double dissolution!
BadAbitNovember 9, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Oakes was in no small part responsible for the outcome of the 2010 election which gave JG a hung parliament. He was the one who leaked information from Rudd that JG was against a pension rise for, I think, single mothers. He remains convinced he did the right thing and now is squealing because he, maggot that he is, can’t get what he wants from politicians. Well Oakes its time you left the stage and you will be remembered for your vicious and unrelenting and unfair attacks on a great PM, Julia Gillard.
NatalieNovember 9, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Could not have said it better myself….Bravo Victoria!
GrabrandNovember 9, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Game, Set and Match. Thank you ballboys. EXCELLENT
JohnINovember 9, 2013 at 12:21 pm

In the early 1990s I was doing a low-ranking Public Service job which involved, among other things, couriering documents from my agency to Parliament House and back. In those days the press’s offices were on the top floor, overlooking the Reps chamber.

One day I was walking along a corridor on the ground floor near the Ministers’ offices when I spotted Oakes. Someone I didn’t recognise bailed him up, saying “Laurie! I didn’t expect to see you down here!”.

Oakes replied “Well, you know us journalists – we’re bottom-feeders”. (Or words to that effect.)

True then, still true now.
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 12:23 pm

Great letter, but as David Parker identified for us there are some who still prefer to ridicule and scoff, rather than analyse the information readily available to all who seek it. You put the words to what many of us who do research and analyse the information we are fed/ provided with, feel. Keep us the good works
Simon JamesNovember 9, 2013 at 12:25 pm

Thank you Victoria. Brilliant sentiment and extremely we’ll put together. It is my hope that all Australians have the sense to ask the same questions you are asking Laurie Oakes and start to ask the government why they are treating Australians with such contempt.
Happy Aussie.November 9, 2013 at 12:26 pm

Great article Victoria, No time for news ltd journalists, don’t read them, don’t watch them on Skye’s agenda programs etc.
These journalists who are now complaining only have themselves to blame.!
Christine DentNovember 9, 2013 at 12:31 pm

Victoria you’ve done very well – thank you. What many of us predicted and what many of us felt was, surprise, surprise, correct while those media buffoons went about their disgusting business of spreading their lies.!! Many years ago, I thought Laurie Oakes was OK – am I remembering incorrectly or has he swung hugely from being a reasonably fair reporter to being a one eyed also ran?
aussiedrewNovember 9, 2013 at 11:39 am

A most brilliant, thought prevoking article. I agree with you whole heartedly – 110%. Congratulations !
Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 12:41 pm

How dare Laurie Oakes do something that we’ve been calling on MSM journalists to do for so long now! The audacity of the man!
Lee J.November 9, 2013 at 12:42 pm

All I can say is, thankyou for saying so eloquently what I have not been able to say without resorting to endless expletives since this so-called government was elected. Thankyou.
Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 11:46 am

Coalition supporters are a very interesting study. I have yet to see a one of them able to point to anything positive that the new government have done. I have asked countless times how the Coalition will be better for this country and never get an answer – other than to be called names. I guess that is why they feel such an affinity with Attack-dog Abbott and Death Stare Bishop – good at belittling but nothing to offer.
RosieNovember 9, 2013 at 12:48 pm

Bloody excellent journalism. Thank you very much.
SuziekueNovember 9, 2013 at 12:54 pm

Thank you Victoria, a truly analytical piece which calls out Laurie Oakes for what he is and what he and his ilk have foisted on this country. He should hang his head in shame. Keep up the great work Victoria.
DCNovember 9, 2013 at 12:57 pm

A brilliant but rare moment in mainstream media. I never knew much about Andrew O’Keefe I think he is the nephew of former Aussie rock legend Johny O’Keefe and the host of a game show. What I didn’t known untill recently that this man is an excellent interviewer and political journalist who puts so called expert journalists to shame. Watch this clip of him asking Tony Abbott the tough questions about his Direct Action funding. Tony Abbott pathetically changes the subject back to the compensation to avoid talking about the obvious cost to income tax payers;
sisNovember 9, 2013 at 1:07 pm

Hear Hear.
KleeNovember 9, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Fantastic letter Victoria- I agree with all the comments, bar one. You can also speak for me.
Bill C.November 9, 2013 at 1:09 pm

I must say Credlin’s loyalty and devotion to Abbott’s cause seem to me to be greater than that of the run-of-the-mill, loyal employe, which might go some way to explain Abbott’s commensurate loyalty during her recent traffic troubles.
Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 1:10 pm

DC,

O’Keefe is a lawyer and comes from a family of Lawyers (his father was a Supreme Court Judge). He has plenty of smarts.
JerryNovember 9, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Great! Give it to him!
Trisha BNovember 9, 2013 at 1:17 pm

Victoria, you have, actually, clearly and concisely cut to the heart of concerns about today’s politics.
My summation would have been ….”Caesar fiddled….”……
You have every right to feel frustrated and passionate, as do I. Watching our beautiful nation burn.
And thank god for independent media, via the internet, to get information these days.
No wonder it (the internet) is 15 years behind in development in this country. Something I will never forgive the Howard Govt for not addressing during Australia’s extraordinary economic boom. No, not due to the HG, in spite of.
slapsyNovember 9, 2013 at 1:20 pm

What a great piece of writing.Those of us who read this site and others like it probably didn’t vote for Abbott’s mob anyway.Why not see about a print edition,once a month,for the masses who don’t bother to read these blog sites.Let them see just what really is going on.
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Listen to Laurie on ABC saying that tha vast majority of people in the community who want serious intelligent information and news still go to the papers not the internet. Laugh out loud moment!!! Arrogant ignorant man
Roo ReadNovember 9, 2013 at 1:47 pm

@david barker. I love your prose David, how anyone can be intelligent enough to write so well, and still remain such a dickhead, I guess I’ll never know. What a waste.
KateNovember 9, 2013 at 12:49 pm

I want to marry you Victoria! Love love love it! How much does it cost to public a full page add in fairfax press?
Michelle BaxterNovember 9, 2013 at 1:50 pm

So well said. Thank you for putting it out there!
Rachana ShivamNovember 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm

Thank you Victoris. That’s as I see it too.
DCNovember 9, 2013 at 1:54 pm

Thanks Dan, I did not know that although I could tell he has an intelligence about him. In his interview with Geert Wilders was very impressive. As a non-muslim and non religious Australian it helped me put things into perspective and made me more tolerant of moderate muslims
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFHucuL29no
cuppaNovember 9, 2013 at 2:00 pm

To the MSM/ABC who allowed this scum mob to slither into office with your boosting and without scrutiny – Thanks for nothing!! We won’t forget.
jemmett65November 9, 2013 at 2:02 pm

The media decide the Prime Minister, have done for years, (Through what THEY choose to print or broadcast to the so-called unintelligent public) and now they (Laurie Oakes and the like) are screaming foul because they can’t get what they want – inside information to sell THEIR newspapers/ programs and make THEM look good! Backfired didn’t it!!!!!!
JulieNovember 9, 2013 at 2:10 pm

Victoria certainly sums it up perfectly for me. Excellent piece. I will tweet and retweet and retweet … 🙂

P.S. Are you on Twitter, DC? Good find there – re’ Andrew O’Keefe interview. 🙂
MarilynNovember 9, 2013 at 2:13 pm

Oh for the days of real greats like Paul Lyneham and Andrew Olle, the current mob are not fit to clean their boots.

Lazy, lying and moronic sums up the MSM of Australia today.
ejdur662November 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm

@David Barker. You resort to the old court trick. If you can’t argue with the facts from the witness, then attack the character of the witness. Grow up!

Well said Victoria. Couldn’t have put it better!
Lyn. SmithNovember 9, 2013 at 2:24 pm

Victoria rollison. three words. amen . amen amen

and. two more . thank. you.
Maree CommensNovember 9, 2013 at 2:29 pm

The best ever letter and so very true. What a pity we don’t have more journalists like Victoria and if we did we would not have the look at the lying, thieving, deceitful and positively revolting politicians we now have to.
Tim storerNovember 9, 2013 at 2:30 pm

I am Stunned Victoria!!!-One of the best letters i have EVER read..let alone Insightful contemporary just plain right..thank u !!!
gina RyanNovember 9, 2013 at 1:37 pm

Abbott is a phony. Credlin is a nasty credlin and is used by the lieberal old Howard cronies still in office to mouth piece for Abbott because he can’t do it himself. He was used for his constant clever negatitivty to get them into office. The Howard cronies are there to finished the smash and grab job. Abbott like Keating said is an intellectual nobody. The business council together with the old Howard cronies are running this country and into the abyss.
Tony GurnettNovember 9, 2013 at 2:41 pm

Kinks song “Victoria” you are our Queen Victoria~
Gloria KellyNovember 9, 2013 at 1:51 pm

I wonder what the late, great, Peter Harvey would have said.
tonyNovember 9, 2013 at 2:56 pm

Hang on a minute,
I also consider myself an informed voter, and there was no way I could reward the ALP with the carry on and the BS that goes with that party. All thy needed to do was pull it together and my vote was theirs. But as usual the ALP disintegrated in to self indulgence about he individual. The public did not have to vote for the LNP, there was other choices on the card that could triumph.
Sour grapes is all i am hearing
Mike WilkinsonNovember 9, 2013 at 2:07 pm

Victoria Rollison, I literally have tears my eyes reading this, and no they aren’t tears of laughter. Thank you for articulating so eloquently all my fears about “This Mob!”
marthaNovember 9, 2013 at 3:08 pm

Victoria you should win the journalists top award for this open letter thank you,

when will the old journalists wake up and realise yes the net is the future, abbott has tried to take it off us re no nbn, but you cannot stop progress,
my fervent hope by some miracle the person called abbott is not pm for much longer how that would come about I have no idea, placing my trust in miracles to help.
thank you for writing this from the bottom of my heart.
marthaNovember 9, 2013 at 3:10 pm

there are no sour grapes in the article non at all. Again a lib who cannot see the past slogans, and does not understand whats happening to our once great country.
Phillip KaufmannNovember 9, 2013 at 3:10 pm

Sorry for the typos
ilagoNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Tony,
Where did you get the information about the ALP “carry on and BS that goes with that party” I wonder? [citation needed]
Brian CarrNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Brilliant Victoria, exactly what I was thinking too, but put so concisely and without actually saying that Laurie’s a dickhead too.
Pat leeNovember 9, 2013 at 3:12 pm

The German parliament thought they could control hitler when they made him chancellor, but u saw how that turned out, thank god we have a social media, or we’d all be like mushrooms.
Deborah HarrisNovember 9, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Laurie Oakes is another BORING OLD FART like John Howard that needs to be put away in an old peoples home. Go Victoria give to him.
annetisellNovember 9, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Excellent,thank you!
RatchitNovember 9, 2013 at 3:19 pm

I always thought Laurie was a labour man to the core.
Even he had to admit how appalling the previous government truly were.
I bet your all looking forward to the new movie coming out about Julia’s stint in the lodge, a chance to rewrite history according to your delusional account..
It was all that prick Abbotts fault that she was the worst prime minister in Australian history.
Oh and Murdoch of coarse.
It’s hilarious reading the moaning coming out of you lefties.Tony must be doing a good job.lol
minnie1946November 9, 2013 at 2:27 pm

Very, very well said. Having worked with Laurie Oakes for some years at Channel 7, I, too have been thinking “Laurie, what ARE you thinking?”
NanziNovember 9, 2013 at 3:32 pm

Victoria, exactly what I wanted to say to this…this… stooge! Thank you
Polically Incorrect!November 9, 2013 at 2:44 pm

OMG……..Love this article, I agree wholeheartedly. Go figure Channel Nine would have a Political Correspondent who is One-Eyed! What happened to neutral reporting? State it as it is for whoever or whatever Good or Bad. I’ve always felt this is payed by the Liberals anyway. Jabba the Hutt anyone? Don’t care if you think that’s mean, he makes me sick.
Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 3:52 pm

Two things that need to be said here: 1) People who write opinion pieces for on-line political blogs, including me, are not journalists; 2) Taken in isolation, what Laurie Oakes said about the Government was perfectly reasonable. No one, and I mean no-one, gets to deny me my right to criticise any element of a Labor Government just because I voted for them. Similarly, we do not have the right to criticise any Liberal voter, let alone a journalist, for criticizing some element of the Coalition Government. It’s extraordinary that when a perceived “enemy” journo does what we’ve called on them to do for years now, we bag them for doing it and question their motive. If that’s going to be our response, why would they bother?
GailNovember 9, 2013 at 4:03 pm

They say history repeats itself .. so right now i pray to the Governor General God every night to end this madness..with a repeat of 1974 …. before this clown, his people, policies and performance damage this country beyond repair especially on the international stage.
ChrisNovember 9, 2013 at 4:04 pm

Abbott doesn’t seem to realise the election’s over. Now they have to DO something other than criticise Labor.
tonyNovember 9, 2013 at 4:08 pm

Ha, not a lib at all.
I had a choice and to be honest cant stand K Rudd or Swan and once they are out of the picture, my vote will be up for grabs at the next election to whoever I choose. Like you, but in an opposite direction thought K Rudd was not a good option for the future of this country. I can only.vote for the choices I have in front of me.
Beth AkisterNovember 9, 2013 at 3:08 pm

If they could double dissolution Whitlam surely the national interest requires the removal of Abbott. There are so many things the senate should refuse to pass legislation on
diannaartNovember 9, 2013 at 4:08 pm

Timing is everything Dan.

Oakes has only begun to criticise the LNP now?
Phillip KaufmannNovember 9, 2013 at 3:09 pm

Yes my thoughts exactly, I could see the whole thing unfold, Labor had no support from the Media whatsoever, and people were believing the lies, now we have a Prime Minister who likes lie and put innocent people in gaol, yes forgot about that one they, now we have to put up with a dick head who should have got those ears pulled harder while he was being bullied in school, and an complete embarrassment for us to put with the rest of the world, I used to have respect for Laurie years ago, but he just became a mere puppet for Rupert Murdoch and the rest of his cronies, I couldnt even bare to watch his so called incisive opinions, he and the rest of the Media can go to hell with our Country.
Dan RowdenNovember 9, 2013 at 4:14 pm

Would we rather he didn’t do it at all? That’s the alternative. I’ll take what I can get and be happy that it’s there at all.
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:33 pm

FOrget for a moment the two parties. The issue is it is dam hard to find a journalist who researches, analysis and reports facts…..and now you can remember the parties again. Please! Lets not pretend the constant crucifying of Ms Gillard by the lazy, arrogant and ignorant journalists didn’t happen and didnt have any impact on some peoples voting decisions
beigewashNovember 9, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Victoria – Thank you so much for summarising how I feel so eloquently & comprehensively. Can’t agree more with the whole piece.

Hope it gets widely distributed. It should be compulsory reading for all Aust. media..
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:43 pm

I worry that we get a skewed perception of the numbers that support our views when we are on these sites. I too made the rallying call for DD, then I spent a week listening to my neighbours and site jumping around Abbott supporters sites. After a cleansing bath and a counselling session I have had to conclude that the vote actually hasnt shifted. Those that voted for them don’t care if they aren’t telling them anything, tough on “illegal” ( not my word) boat people, Great!, tough on the budget and cuts to PC, “they have to to fix the mess they were left” Blah blah. We got to find more ways to change the minds of swinging voters peoples
Colin hallNovember 9, 2013 at 4:48 pm

I told you so, bring on the thong throwing party so we can all pelt the rabbit in disgust
Billy moirNovember 9, 2013 at 4:49 pm

Lots of great laughs from the boys who skim read your piece. A quick look at Dan Rowden’s simple thoughts and I mean simple not necessarily thoughts. ‘Taken in isolation…’ Does he suggest Laurie selected out of context elements to satisfy his boss’ trust in him to follow the company line? Does journalism allow no positive elements to mitigate an error and all negative elements to camoflage a success. Does anyone agree that in comparative term, for over three years, journalists, including laurie, used the tactic to satisfy news corp eg Question: dear mr Abbott ‘would you like me to listen whilst you talk? Question: Gillard have you stopped looking over your shoulder long enough to get swan to borrow more money? On rare occasions the rabbott fronted the media and was caught dropping such gems as I lie, shit happens, suppository and no I haven’t read it there was no screaming headlines(and little labor follow up. Why is still a mystery?)
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 4:50 pm

Dan I think the point is Victoria put into words what the very vast majority of people on this site are thinking and feeling. We aren’t fools, we aren’t just going along for the ride. I have watched him and his ilk for decades. Arrogant lazy and opinionated. No analysis, no honesty…just favours. This country once had brilliant, brave, tenacious and honest investigative journalists. I cant name one now and that my friend is extremely bad news for this once wonderful country
debrochelle152November 9, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Ratchit, Just want to correct you on a few things. It is Labor not Labour, you’re not your and it is course not coarse. Its hilarious reading your use of English.
Tim storerNovember 9, 2013 at 5:05 pm

To Tony
to say its sour grapes and bang on about Labor lost and Abbott won – is just ridiculous- bad policy is bad policy despite where it comes from- NO matter WHO wins – we are ALL losers with this govt unless you are a very wealthy coal miner..but then again u may be…
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 5:07 pm

Or a very wealthy newspaper owner or just a wealthy person full stop
Anon E MouseNovember 9, 2013 at 5:26 pm

One thing – do you really believe the likes of Laurie and the press gallery?
If the answer is no, then why do you believe all the stuff they wrote about Rudd? The amount of bs that was written about Rudd was that was pure make-believe shows me that the media likes to make the news rather than report it.
Even now Rudd’s image is on TV more than Abbotts – they seem to have it in for him. However all that Rudd said Abbott would do is now being proven to be correct.
I think it would be poetic justice for the journo’s who slavishly followed Abbott and ignored any attempt at scrutiny of his policies or character to now be frozen out – except that we will all suffer with the demagogue Abbott as PM.
DicemanNovember 9, 2013 at 5:32 pm

I request the Governor General dismiss this joke of a Government
NetNovember 9, 2013 at 5:38 pm

What was Australia thinking?! The liberal parties mantra was, ‘just don’t say anything and the poor blighters will see no reason not to vote us in.’ Well , shame Australia , it worked! Now we have nothing but ‘The Aussie Embarrassment Party’ leading us faultingly onto the world stage. Stumbling with even the slightest statement requiring more than the word No. It’ll go down in history as one of the most stupid governments and Aussie votes we hv seen so far.
cuppaNovember 9, 2013 at 5:57 pm

Even now Rudd’s image is on TV more than Abbotts – they seem to have it in for him

_____________________

Payback for unseating the rodent in 2007. The unforgivable sin.
Pam RawlingsNovember 9, 2013 at 5:16 pm

Great stuff Victoria, well said. Oakes should hang his head in shame right along with Murdoch journos and Abbott and his brainless cronies. God it is going to be the most horrendous 3 years, it just seems to get worse every day.
Kim WrightNovember 9, 2013 at 6:32 pm

I think we should all spread and use the “”The Embarrassment Party”. If they can succeed with one liners maybe we can too.
pikiranku4November 9, 2013 at 6:32 pm

You’ve nailed it, as usual, Victoria. Laurie Oakes should be hanging his head in shame for the role he played in creating the situation we’re now in. Instead he has the gall to bleat about it!
Kaye LeeNovember 9, 2013 at 5:36 pm

This is an interview that Laurie Oakes did with Tony Abbott in August before the 2010 election. He seemed at the time to have Tony’s measure.

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7938106

We then had this in 2011 from Laurie

“IT was an extraordinary complaint from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. “It’s very difficult to have a sensible debate when you are confronted with a feral government,” he said.

Politicians don’t come any more ferocious and brutal than Abbott. He reverted to the wild the moment he got his paws on the Liberal leadership.

His style is pure attack dog, as feral as you’d get.

Everything, irrespective of merit, has to be opposed and torn to pieces. The mining tax is a case in point. It is now glaringly obvious that the benefits of the mining boom should be shared around so that the overall economy benefits rather than just a small and privileged section.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/the-scary-world-of-attack-dog-abbott/story-e6frezz0-1226186141127

I can only deduce that Credlin’s turd polishing and chook feeding duped even those who, at one time, had some guts. Where this came from I do not understand.

“By the time he went for the leadership again Mr Abbott was a much more serious and disciplined politician, and he has continued to develop – to the point that, throughout this campaign, he has looked considerably more prime ministerial than his opponent.

Colleagues who once dismissed him as a lightweight and thought he would never have what it takes to be prime minister have changed their minds.”

I do find it interesting that Credlin then organises a soiree at Kirribilli House as reward for the absolute worst of the MSM. Honestly, if you had one ounce of integrity, the invitation would have been humiliation enough.
Michael SherwoodNovember 9, 2013 at 6:39 pm

BRAVO Victoria Rollison, THANK YOU on behalf of the millions whose rage has been vicariously channelled through your keyboard.Could further cartharsis be on its way via an encore of this calibre to Abbott himself ?
Robert ToddNovember 9, 2013 at 6:47 pm

one Term Tony
pierceNovember 9, 2013 at 6:48 pm

The fact that Oakes said “we won’t help journalists get it right” says everything that I needed to hear. Any journalist willing to rely on information direct from politicians rather than sourcing the truth themselves is a fool and is part of the main problem with political journalism in this country – that being that the press gallery see themselves as being part of the power structure rather than observers of it.

Now perhaps his implication was that he as a journalist tries to investigate in addition to factoring in content from the horses mouth (as I’m sure he tells himself that he does) but years of atrocious and unquestioning following of the LNP talking points suggests otherwise.

Oakes and his colleagues need to take a lot of responsibility for bringing down a government that achieved a lot in terms of policy that benefits this nation even if they were politically haphazard.
SteveNovember 9, 2013 at 7:37 pm

A well written piece, and right on the button. The lack of press objectivity over the last few years has been unacceptable in a country that claims to be democratic, and the fact that they have not crucified them over the expenses debacle just goes to show how complicit they are. If this had been in the UK, political heads would have rolled.

And then we hear this from Abbott http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/19755942/abbott-promises-respectful-parliament/ Respectful parliament?
Maree CommensNovember 9, 2013 at 7:43 pm

Tony, I believe that much of what we saw and heard about the ALP was fabricated and what the media and the LNP wanted us to hear and believe. I am not saying they didn’t have some issues but they maintained a AAA Credit Rating, kept unemployment low, passed more Legislation than any other government in history and all in all that is not a bad effort. This government will struggle to pass much legislation given they have no policies anyway and they are in hiding and don’t hold any Press conferences or answer any questions. They are treating all of us with contempt and should be thrown out in my opinion.
http://johnbkelly.wordpress.comNovember 9, 2013 at 7:54 pm

Memo to L. Oakes: you get what you work for. You helped create this monster, now we have to live with it.
doctorrob54November 9, 2013 at 7:35 pm

VICTORIA,that was BRILLIANT,everything that I think,everything that I knew would happen,all that I want and wanted to say and express in print you have done,how I wish i could be half as talented as yourself when putting thought onto paper.I usually start off OK but then go off on to another tangent and it seems as though I have lost the main theme.
All I can say is thank you very,very much and please keep on keeping on.
Yours sincerely
Roberto.
PS.brilliant.
janeNovember 9, 2013 at 9:07 pm

Another excellent post Victoria.

It’s a bit rich for Oakes to start snivelling about Liesalot now, when for the last 3+ years he and most of his ilk, no doubt marching to Rupert’s drum, gave Liesalot and the rest of the Liars a free run.

Not once did the msm ask him anything but the most innocuous questions, if they stirred their stumps enough to do so. Never once did they put Liesalot and the Liars under any sort of scrutiny despite the fact that they knew that he constantly lied about the government, Julia Gillard, climate change, the carbon price, asylum seekers….the list goes on and on.

He is still a lightweight and has amply demonstrated that he doesn’t have what it takes to be PM. Rubbishing the Indonesians here and his craven cringing to SBY who thinks he’s a fool, I’m sure. And trashing the Gillard/Rudd governments while in the US, shows he has neither manners nor class.
nettythe1stNovember 9, 2013 at 9:30 pm

I wish I said that.
Really?November 9, 2013 at 9:50 pm

You would think an ‘informed voter’ making an informed open letter would actually read the book of which they are speaking.
JezNovember 9, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Well, all i got from this article is that Victoria is an ALP supporter who dislikes Laurie Oakes.

I consider myself a centrist, but wont deny ALP conduct and policy over the last 3 years was ridiculous. Libs secrecy agenda is concerning as is raising the debt ceiling so high but, polls suggest, a couple of months after the election, that the Abbott government is more popular than ever.

My point is, you mightn’t like it, i mightn’t like it, but a majority of Australians do support the Libs methods at the moment and that’s democracy for you.
respect personal allegiances to parties, even though i will decide who to vote for each election on policy and not party, but ALP supporters shouldn’t pretend the instability of the last 3 years and unpopular, poorly implemented policy like the carbon tax didn’t happen, just as Lib supporters shouldn’t pretend secrecy is a good policy to embrace
John FraserNovember 9, 2013 at 10:18 pm

<

@Jez

I'm astounded that you got anything from this article.

To date you have shown that you haven't gotten anything at all.

"Murdoch and Abbott lied to Australians".

And Murdoch continues to keep Abbott's pledge to "take politics of the front page".

Stiff cheese about the 63 refugees landing on Christmas Island courtesy of Abbott's government.
Chris ThompsonNovember 9, 2013 at 10:19 pm

Too good! Thank you
zemaramaNovember 9, 2013 at 10:47 pm

Bullseye. Thank you Victoria.
RonniibeeteeNovember 9, 2013 at 10:48 pm

Well said, Victoria, You have articulated the way I wish I could have leading up to the election with Liberal voters in the family, who obviously listen to the likes of Alan Jones, and the like. Misinformed, misguided fools who have voted for this intellectual nobody, becoming our Prime Minister, and thus throwing Australia headlong into ridicule from the rest of the world.
They must be wondering what we are on here, this guy, no hope, no ideas, just a thug with the backing of the major media corporations, to oust a government who had visions for Australia to be great, now we are going to slide backwards in time, being dragged back to the 50’s kicking and screaming all the way.
We need a leader who can at least sound intelligent, This guy is going to leave no doubt that he is not intelligent at all, just an egotist who is carried away with the power he has gained. I am also worried about the media “blackout” and the fact that he actually runs away when a journo tries to ask him a question. Children run away, not leaders, Hey, that’s right I, never said he was a leader …….did I?????
lawrencewinderNovember 9, 2013 at 11:32 pm

“….An incompetent, lazy, rude, mean, un-charismatic, unreliable, unintelligent, misogynistic, unscrupulous, inarticulate thug is always going to be all of these things, whether he lives in the Lodge with his apparently attractive daughters or not.”
Gee, I like that.
Perhaps the Aspirational Bogans who voted for this field of turds are beginning to repent of their error…but I doubt they have the imagination.
weejoyNovember 9, 2013 at 11:49 pm

I would ask the author to write this piece again and stick to the facts. It is important to convey these facts. Take out the whining, insults and metaphors.. Halve the word count. Make it good writing. By the time the author got to the metaphor about the disappointed child I really didn’t care what she had to say anymore. It was all too “rather” and “quite” and “really really”. Why employ insult? It’s childish. Use an adult voice.

The left needs to communicate better than this if we are going to change anything. We need communicators who lead by example. We debate facts and principals, not trade insults. I most certainly would not pass this on to be read by others. We need adult voices not wafflers. Write better next time.
gaycarboysNovember 9, 2013 at 11:50 pm

Most succinct. Sadly saying “I told you so” has not been as sweet as I had anticipated. The only thing Oaks said with which I agreed was that we welcomed the silence. The silence came as a result of the MSM not repeating hundreds of times a day that which old Credders had supplied in the morning. ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves have performed exactly as we thought. They lied on Indonesia which we on twitter pointed out but the MSM completely failed to note. Indonesia has now called Abbott’s bluff and Morrison and crew have been shown as incompetent liars on a world scale. Closer to home the MSM have failed to hound ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves as they milked the taxpayer dry. Despite fraud on a scale of monumental proportions there has been nothing but modest bleating. Had this been Labor the cries woud have been shrill from dawn to dusk. Far from being shamed into honesty, Abbott has remained silent, almost invisible, breaking cover only for brief photo ops which the public has begun to totally discount. The MP rorts, sporting events, weddings, and private holidays have been glossed over. Refugee boats have been ignored and world blunders brushed aside. Laurie Oaks you and you coven should be hanging your heads. Get off your and do the job you’re being paid to do. You’re meant to be investigative journalists and get up and get on with the job. If we can find out how many boats are arriving surely you can. Your silence makes you complicit and when the government sits in the dock accused of fraud, you all should be sitting beside them. You are a disgrace!
Chog ChogNovember 10, 2013 at 1:04 am

…I hate only one thing more than Tony Abbott…and that is any idiot that voted for him..!!!!!
LillithNovember 10, 2013 at 1:12 am

Thankyou – I’m sure the media behaviour leading up to election was embarrassing even for the Liberal voters. Such blatant dishonesty and bias coming from journalists undermined the credibility of the Liberal party and made a complete mockery of democracy.
This is taken from “The Journalist’s Ethics Code” – Hang your heads in shame Laurie Oakes and the Murdoch’ery:
“Like any other citizen, the journalist has a right to political and other convictions. However, in his/her professional activity he/she should remain neutral and objective.”
gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 1:24 am

Take your own advice and turn away. The last thing any of us would be doing is taking advice from the likes of you. You’ve done quite enough damage for one decade.
gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 1:59 am

rightwing commentators are thick on the ground but abbott was always going to fail once reported by non-murdoch/fairfax media. It will be driving the right quite mad thus their shrill comments here. Their comments have been telling. They are unable to dispute facts so in tried and true rightwing style, they attack the messenger.

Abbott and almost every LNP MP has been claiming expenses for non gov purposes and now it has come out. Fairfax is claiming credit but in fact it was IA being reported by Fairfax.
Watch for the followup comments for proof that the right is both unsettled and scattered. They are rightly frightened
weejoyNovember 10, 2013 at 1:16 am

Below is a classic example of an Australian who confuses insult with debate. S/he clearly doesn’t possess the emotional regulation to discuss facts like an adult. Little foot stamping insults have to be inserted in every line. An objective reader will turn away. I find it unreadable. This style of writing persuades nobody. It’s preaching to a dwindling choir. The right will stay in power as long as the “left” is populated by unconvincing communicators such as these.

All of you who write for the left on the internet need to lift your game or the Right will be in forever.
Write better. Argue more effectively. Lift your game and stop relying on insults that only you think are clever.

“Most succinct. Sadly saying “I told you so” has not been as sweet as I had anticipated. The only thing Oaks said with which I agreed was that we welcomed the silence. The silence came as a result of the MSM not repeating hundreds of times a day that which old Credders had supplied in the morning. ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves have performed exactly as we thought. They lied on Indonesia which we on twitter pointed out but the MSM completely failed to note. Indonesia has now called Abbott’s bluff and Morrison and crew have been shown as incompetent liars on a world scale. Closer to home the MSM have failed to hound ABBOTTbaba and his 40 thieves as they milked the taxpayer dry. Despite fraud on a scale of monumental proportions there has been nothing but modest bleating. Had this been Labor the cries woud have been shrill from dawn to dusk. Far from being shamed into honesty, Abbott has remained silent, almost invisible, breaking cover only for brief photo ops which the public has begun to totally discount. The MP rorts, sporting events, weddings, and private holidays have been glossed over. Refugee boats have been ignored and world blunders brushed aside. Laurie Oaks you and you coven should be hanging your heads. Get off your and do the job you’re being paid to do. You’re meant to be investigative journalists and get on with the job. If we can find out how many boats are arriving surely you can. Your silence makes you complicit and when the government sits in the dock accused of fraud, you all should be sitting beside them. You are a disgrace!”
SimmoNovember 10, 2013 at 2:32 am

oh dear where to even start? Okay well i’ll admit I stopped reading somewhere around the first time you mentioned you’d never picked up the book. But, by your logic, that qualifies me entirely to comment on your article, of which I skim read a couple of ridiculous paragraphs and then read the waves of support from the rest of the left wing oxygen thief’s that inhabit this place.

A couple of points to keep you interested though. Even the labour party have admitted they were entirely dysfunctional, lost the connection with their people and need to regroup – any suggestion that the inner workings of the party were biased by the media is just plain ignorant.

If you were sitting in Indonesia right now, trying to sell seats on a boat to Australia, I can think of no better form of advertising that a newspaper loaded with stories about all the illegals (yes they have broken our law like it or not) entering Australia on boats. Here’s an idea – STOP giving them advertising to send more children on unseaworthy vessels. Guess what – it works, seats on boats are at an all time low, and the appropriate departments are getting reports in due course.

On the subject of departments, why do we need four separate ‘independent’ climate science departments? Didn’t the labour party believe their own people? Oh, because we wanted to give Tim Flannery something to do? FFS talk about favours – the dude was more biased than all of the Murdoch press combined, but he fed you exactly the right amount vegan flavoured treats to keep your minds full and your tin foil hats quivering.

Face it, your lefty Govt sucked, and that was bad for all of us – as we genuinely need a viable alternative Govt instead of being stuck with the most embarrassing senate on the planet. I personally hope that we do go to double dissolution so we can fix up the mess that ill informed disillusioned green and labour voters left us with and return to the glory days of Howard. How’s that change you all wanted in ’07 worked out eh?
gina RyanNovember 10, 2013 at 1:45 am

I liked this article and it does point to failure in point out the fail gs of Abbottabad and his forty thieves. Telling the voters they are being robbed is a good start. Yes we have to show up the right and their journos
gina RyanNovember 10, 2013 at 2:56 am

Simmo. Get this right it’s Labor not labour.
So was it okay while in opposition Abbott and MSM bleated refugees every second of the day and night. Whole rightwing programmes were dedicated to the asylum issue. It dominated question time. Weren’t you responsible for feeding that frenzy for political gain at the expense of drownings and expense to tax payer. Abbot was more than culpable as he you right wing homophobics. The boats could have ceased but abbot said no no no to the Malaysian solution. The only reason we have a lull in boat arrivals at the moment (they hAve. It stopped) is because of the monsoon season. This time last year there was also 11 days without a maritime arrival.
The Gillard government was successful. The ferocity of Murdoch and Abbott relentlessly hounding her (3 years in fact) convinced the stupid voters and the Rudd cronies to hoot. Murdoch and Abbott wanted Gillard out because they knew what a formidable force she could have been. God bless our first and best female prime minister. RESPECT Julia Xx
Peter JohnsonNovember 10, 2013 at 5:01 am

I don’t believe the polls after all they are run by MSM and the like.The carbon tax is a good thing but business made the public pay for their mess I know we use their product but they should try to make the planet a cleaner place.The Abbott government is now going to reward the polluters and I will make any bet that power prices will not drop (can anyone please tell me if power companies have ever put prices down)Then we have Hockey can anyone tell me how to pay off a debt by borrowing more works.This government must be sacked so the rot can stop and get Australia moving forward.
ianNovember 10, 2013 at 6:25 am

The only way you can stop the rot is if you got rid of EVERY sitting member of parliament, both senators and house of Reps, and their staffers… Make any new candidates for the next election read (and then be tested on) Standing Orders and the Constitution before they can stand for election…

The system is broke, not because its a bad system, but because over the years, many very smart people have been finding the loopholes & the dumb and corrupt have been aiding and abetting…
Teddy SeaNovember 10, 2013 at 6:53 am

Thank you. You write the facts so well. So downright readable and to the point.
pappinbarafoxNovember 10, 2013 at 7:33 am

Excellent
cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 7:34 am

weejoy,

It sounds like you’re confident you could do it better. Well if you’re a lefty why not submit a piece of your own to the AIMN?
CroweyNovember 10, 2013 at 7:37 am

Regarding the travel rorts. I am totally disappointed with the ALP, Shorten and his team have been very choosy with their wordings when it comes to the fraudulent fiasco, and now I can see why, they like Abbott(poor excuse for a human being) and the Liberal/National Party are up to their necks in these rorts, and they do not want under any circumstances a full JUDICIAL INQUIRY to commence.
cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 8:19 am

Crowey,

I can almost guarantee the number of Labor/Greens people involved in rorting their expenses is small. Think about it, wouldn’t the Liberals’ dirt unit/media (same thing basically) have unearthed them all by now, and be roaring to the heavens about them? As a distraction to take heat away from their own embarrassment?

The fact that this has not happened is almost conclusive evidence in my eyes that there’s nothing much to see on the left side of the fence. This is a mostly right-wing phenomenon.

I agree with your sentiment that this is worthy of a Judicial Inquiry. I’d urge Labor to call a JI into politicians’ rorting as soon as they are elected back into office. We need to get to the bottom of this dishonest, unscrupulous abuse of public money.
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 8:46 am

Yes you are right
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 8:54 am

Very disappointing comment to wee joy. This person made very valid comments and advice. Saddens me that so often those on” my side” alienate others and provide a view that we are all so sure that everything we do is right and we have nothing to learn. I heard your comments weejoy and I agree, we can do better and we should all learn to sell out points without the BS….we are passed the venting stage.
CroweyNovember 10, 2013 at 9:13 am

cuppa

Why wait until the next elections, if Labor have nothing to hide, then why don’t they go through the parliamentary procedures and demand a full Judicial Inquiry.
cuppaNovember 10, 2013 at 9:15 am

Crowey, If they can do so from Opposition, yes, why wait.
Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 10:54 am

With respect to the Government’s adopted policy of controlling their information flow to the media and Tony Abbott’s long standing disinclination to answer questions he doesn’t like, I have to ask what it is we expect the media to do? Seriously, I see a lot of bellyaching but not one iota of practical suggestions on what they’re supposed to do in response to this. We can discount the Murdoch press as we know they don’t care, but for everyone else, this approach by Abbott and the Government has been widely reported and criticised.

How many of us have written to the nearest Federal Coalition Member and voiced our concern about this? I bet virtually none, because that’s harder and less fun than a good ol’ bit of on-line venting.
rogerthestraightNovember 10, 2013 at 9:58 am

this is my first foray into the online world of political discourse; well said Victoria, you emote in the same way I vent at mainstream media. reading the comments over the last few hours shows that there are folks who are sensible, logical and considered in their comments and folks who simply scream personal abuse at anyone who holds a different opinion. and this is in australia, the lucky country. really not much of a long term future for the homo sapien is there.
SteveNovember 10, 2013 at 11:04 am

You are right Dan. Whilst the internet gives us the power to vent like we never have had the opportunity before, it is just hot air unless we can do something positive that MIGHT have some impact, although I can’t see how writing to our nearest Coalition toady will have any impact whatsoever. But we need to do something.
gaycarboysNovember 10, 2013 at 11:10 am

I have. And tony abbotts sister as well, though I doubt she’ll pass on my comments.
Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 11:18 am

Steve,

Grassroots efforts can be meaningful if enough people get on board. Politicians respond to polls. In much the same way a flood of emails, letters etc on the same subject is something that is likely to illicit a response. Perhaps I should draft an appropriate letter and post it as an article.
Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 11:42 am

I wrote to Bill Shorten..and Albanese-telling them we need some proper opposition and lots of it..lets hope we get it-Very easy to sit back and say things will amount to nothing but people like Ghandi,martin luther King and so many others stood up in protest and the world took notice…
MaureenNovember 10, 2013 at 11:44 am

Thank you Victoria. My sentiments exactly!
Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 11:56 am

Simmo -it was the Howard Govt that started the fear campaign and media blitz about Asylum seekers-that according to you GAVE the smugglers the publicity-maybe get your facts straight-and 4 climate change bodies?-big deal if you werent blinded by the media you would see that climate change is important as recognised by the rest of the world and its scientists(97% last count)-sounds like you work for Murdoch or the liberal party…..
cassilva48November 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm

Reposted from Cafe Whispers
cassilva48
NOVEMBER 10, 2013 @ 11:51 AM
I agree with you Jack, sadly, the media is the public’s only source of questioning what the government is doing at any given time on any given policy, and if these reporters are biased then the questions asked are biased. All I can think is that these reporters must be intellectually challenged or making sure they keep their jobs, as they are quite happy to be told by Julie Bishop to only ask questions on the 97% things we have in common with the Indonesians and not the 3% we are debating over and not one rejection from these reporters.

The libs policy is to keep the public out of the loophole and they are using the press to do so. The newly established weekly press briefing is a joke, not to mention a rip off from the American system. It is OK to bullshit at the briefing providing one corrects the lies in a press release a couple of days after. And this is acceptable???? I thought Bill Shorten must have dropped off the planet as he has become the ‘invisible opposition leader’, so it suggests that he and other labor politicians are unable to get press coverage or he is waiting until parliament opens.

Murdoch suggested that Tony is an example of a true statesman. Really Rupert, rather, he has switched his toga for lycra and sunscreen and if he was told to get on his bike no doubt he would take that literally as Rome burned behind him!

I say, Hail Caeser, and beware the ides of march are upon you and your May budget!
Cass
Jim FitzgeraldNovember 10, 2013 at 12:18 pm

Thank you for this terrific article Victoria Rollison (and I use ‘terrific’ to mean both ‘excellent’ and in its archaic form, meaning ‘causing terror’). Our prime minister is dangerous and an embarrassment. I hope Australia and the good people in it survive this evil man’s ‘reign’.
RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 12:34 pm

Tim, both Martin Luther King and Ghandi got shot. 🙁
Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 12:41 pm

Kaye Lee,

Thanks for that. Duly sent.
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 12:50 pm

Yes please. I would be very interested in a letter. I have been saying the same for awhile now. The net has provided opportunity for venting and raging which has been valuable. Unless it turns into action then nothing will change and we will all be known as whiners and armchair critics.
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:05 pm

and Mandela spent years in jail. Are you saying we should only act if safe to do so
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:14 pm

Yep. And if you read over the posts on most sites, people will raise ideas, but few pick it up and add to it, preferring instead to just post either a negative response to someone who may have a different opinion or just disregarding the idea altogether and posting another whinge. How about a continuous stream of thought where we contribute and add to ideas and aim for some real solutions
Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 12:16 pm

Dan Rowden (and others)

The Hon. Andrew Robb
Minister for Trade and Investment
Parliament House
Canberra

Dear Mr Robb,

I am concerned about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPPA), involving 12 nations across the Pacific, which is in its final stages of negotiation.

The TPPA is not only about trade. The United States, on behalf of its major industries, wants to change Australian law in many areas of domestic policy. These policies should be decided through public and parliamentary processes, not through trade negotiations conducted behind closed doors. I ask you to reject proposals which could:

– Extend patents on medicines leading to higher medicine prices
– Reduce the ability to keep medicines affordable through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
– Extend copyright at the expense of schools, libraries and consumers
– Remove our protections for Australian cultural industries
– Undermine government regulation of food labelling
– Reduce our ability to regulate in the interests of public health and the environment

I am especially concerned about proposals which would enable foreign investors to sue governments for millions of dollars of damages in international tribunals if government regulation is seen to “harm” their investment. These proposals are known as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)……….

http://aftinet.org.au/cms/node/627
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Hands up whos going to the GETUP day of action next Sunday. A real opportunity to stand up and be counted. A real opportunity to say we don’t want a Government who works off instinct, for the purpose fo supporting the rich and powerful. And hopefully Roswell no one will get shot
Dan RowdenNovember 10, 2013 at 1:46 pm

Wiki says “Investor-state dispute settlement” – so that must be correct. 🙂
RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Kim . . . 🙂
Mike Dutton (@Dex300Mike)November 10, 2013 at 1:58 pm

Well said Victoria. The media beat up every issue under Labor and were incessant in hounding Rudd & Gillard & all ministers for comments and then turned these comments around. Can you imagine the furore which would have followed if Rudd or Gillard had treated the media as Abbott & Morrison are now doing. AJ, Hadley, Devine, Bolt etc would have been outraged!!!

Unfortunately we get the Govt we deserve & Julia was always too good for us.
Debroah HarrisNovember 10, 2013 at 1:09 pm

I’ve emailed both Coalition & Labor politicians. Firstly, the only response I got from T Abbott was that he was too busy and his staff said that I should go to Liberal Party website to get my answer. Did so and couldn’t find it. Emailed Labor a couple of times and got a computerised response. The only time anyone has responded to me was before the election. I had originally emailed PM Julia Gillard and got a reply to my questions, after the leadership battle with Rudd. Realised it must have been passed on to relevant department for answering while she was PM. I was glad of that response, but that is the only person who has actually answered any questions of mine. So its is fine to say email them about issues but most of the time you are ignored. Only hoping that what one says in emails is taken on board.

I agree that most people sit around and complain on the internet without actually doing anything about it. Government worldwide is probably happy for us to do just that – Twittering, Facebooking, Blogging what ever. It keeps us too busy to take any action that might change things.
getoveritNovember 10, 2013 at 2:12 pm

Australia is going to hell in a hand basket, really? Compared to what country, exactly? Debt ceiling increased to cover expected increases in healthcare, pensions etc in the next few months. Centrelink doesn’t tell people, oh sorry we ran out of new start allowance so you will have to wait until someone gets a job to start your payments. All the dumb people vote LNP. Murdoch is using mind control. LNP stooges are the only ones who support Tony Abbott in the media.
Because left wingers blog all day long their opinions are more valid than conservative opinions.
You want us to vote again and again and again until we get it right.
Not going to happen.
Mike WilkinsonNovember 10, 2013 at 1:25 pm

ISDR’s Kaye. Just a small typo I think. 🙂
Mike WilkinsonNovember 10, 2013 at 1:28 pm

I plan to attend Kim 😉
Tim storerNovember 10, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Sometimes Roswell the cause is important enough to actually face possible consequences..i for one am glad they made a stand and admire their conviction..but i think u missed the point..no matter debate is healthy ..
RoswellNovember 10, 2013 at 2:35 pm

Tim, I didn’t miss the point. I was just being cheeky. 🙂
Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:36 pm

I am going too Kim along with several other family members.

And Mike I have seen both used IDSR and ISDS – Investor State Dispute Settlement/Resolution. Not sure which is technically correct or if they are both acceptable.
Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:36 pm

oops ISDR*
Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Wiki says that there have always been free trade agreements and that climate change is not responsible for ISDS/R’s.
Kim WrightNovember 10, 2013 at 3:24 pm

So out of all of the respondents on this page 3 are taking action and going to the GetUp event. NOt another word on the ineffectual actions of this govt re climate, re scientists or re wikipedia please
RatchitNovember 10, 2013 at 3:35 pm

Well said Simmo, but honestly mate your wasting your breath , there is no reasoning with the half wits , you’ve just got to laugh at the stupidity.LOL
AndaliNovember 10, 2013 at 3:47 pm

You lose your credibility when you start dropping F bombs. A quiet Government, yeah cos everyone loved 8 years of blah blah blah from Labor. You can’t get the job done when you are holding press conferences every day. They haven’t even been in 6 months. You might find yourself eating your illinformed words. Hope you’re hungry
fugit60November 10, 2013 at 5:12 pm

Geebus Andali…
You right wingers see the world in different light to lefties, all I’ve heard since Abbott was promoted by Murdoch to lead the sheep, is Axe Stop Crisis blah blah blah ..
If ‘as Victoria is saying’ had happened, and Abbott was actually forced to answer the questions asked of him instead of ‘blah blah carbon blah boats, worst gumint in history blah blah we wouldn’t be reading and talking about this …
You have a dig at the ALP for at least fronting cameras and answering questions . Isn’t that what adult Govs do?
MothNovember 10, 2013 at 7:35 pm

Great assessment. I wish I could be so gutsy in my own work. Thanks for saying publicly what so many are saying quietly.
Kaye LeeNovember 10, 2013 at 8:19 pm

Did I see read someone longing for the glory days of John Howard???? Those were the days alright. Actually there are a lot of similarities – travel rorts, maintaining two residences at a cost of many million, using private jets to get around, using Kirribilli House for private parties funded by the taxpayer, lying to the people for political expediency, favours for rich donors…..

http://www.senatorjohnfaulkner.com.au/file.php?file=/news/HQRYPBHXRQ/index.html
cornlegendNovember 10, 2013 at 8:26 pm

`Victoria,
a great article,
You sure have a way of enticing the nutters out of their holes to comment.
At least Ratshit had the decency to correctly name “its self”.
It is fun to read their comments.
you do get a giggle out of them
Kim WrightNovember 11, 2013 at 9:22 am

Well if Amanda says it it must be right! I have to turn off her little ABC radio program everyday
gaycarboysNovember 11, 2013 at 10:12 am

You are spot on Gina. Bill should be highly visible and very loud. As for Mandy Vanstone, you aids it:)
Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 9:14 am

According to Amanda Vanstone (our “independent” Audit Commissioner), things are going swimmingly. In this piece she pushes for the removal of the carbon tax, welcomes the change in the media, and defends the lack of information as a sign that this government is doing their job well.

“Surely others have noticed the lack of personal acid permeating the political airwaves since the election. The media landscape almost devoid of personal tittle tattle, finger-pointing and acrimony is much more enjoyable. Perhaps we will see a greater focus on policy than personality. We can hope.

One post-election change I welcome is the new government’s apparent desire to get on with governing as opposed to providing day to day infotainment and grist to the media mills. There are critics who suggest that, for example, Scott Morrison having weekly media briefings about immigration issues rather than day-by-day media commentary is somehow denying us our right to know. Balderdash.”

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/tony-abbotts-government-needs-to-make-sure-its-doing-the-things-it-was-elected-to-do-20131110-2x9v5.html#ixzz2kHcZSOgp
gina RyanNovember 11, 2013 at 10:10 am

Basically I say we need to take a leaf out of Abbott in opposition as the master opposer and so Labor are not! Waiting for question time, yeah ok that’s one way if venting. But instead of his negative Wyhala wiped off and $100 for loaf of bread labor should be fronting up to successful businesses that have energy grants reduced their emissions etc. And if media don’t air it then post it on YouTube. Abbott has already posted his spin so come on Bill bloody do something positive.
PS ms Vanstone you are full of balderdash and more
Hazza*November 11, 2013 at 11:54 am

Can you please look into the TPP?
This is the biggest issue we face but no one would know because of the incredible secrecy involved with this so called ‘trade agreement’ which will lead us down the path of corporate power over sovereign countries.
Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 11:41 am

SATISFACTION with Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has crashed as Labor opens up an election-winning lead over the government. The number of voters satisfied with Dr Napthine’s performance fell 11 percentage points in the latest Newspoll to 42 per cent and his dissatisfaction rating rose five points to 36 per cent.

– See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/victorian-alps-poll-winning-edge-crushing-premier-denis-napthine/story-e6frgczx-1226756911281#sthash.dqQ5vFCS.dpuf
Kaye LeeNovember 11, 2013 at 4:41 pm

Hazza read this article re the TPP
The Real News News (@oz_house)November 12, 2013 at 2:02 pm

OMFG, I thought I was the only one that thought Oakes was a total suck to power that acts like the Iraqi information minister. So many ALP voters love that guy… they actually think he is anti-Abbott and when you point Oakes out playing both sides and sucking up to power, they handle it like a child that can’t handle the truth…
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Leigh (not Sales)November 12, 2013 at 9:54 pm

I think enough twaddle has been written in response to this article by Victoria Rollison. Can you please get over the fact that Labor (not Labour) did not win the election. They lost. You seem to be in a permanent state of disbelief that this could be so They lost! It is a democracy. Why not plan for the revolution comrades if you are so disenchanted!
One minor point before I retire to wash my hair or polish the floor…..perhaps if Labor had managed to push through the proposed media reforms then Ms Rollison might not have been able to publish her article….or would she…….as a true believer?
Dan RowdenNovember 12, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Leigh,

Please explain how the proposed media reforms of Labor might have effected anyone’s free speech. Please do it now. I have $100 for you if you can make the case.
gaycarboysNovember 12, 2013 at 10:15 pm

it would have affected ruperts freedom of speech which would have been better for all of us
Michael TaylorNovember 12, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Dan, I think your $100 is fairly safe. 😉
gaycarboysNovember 13, 2013 at 1:14 am

Ruperts business is slowly winding down. The #NBN will be the death f the rest of it. Then his media dominance will be no more. and good riddance
Michael TaylorNovember 13, 2013 at 1:02 am

Come on, Rob, tell us what you really think. 😉
doctorrob54November 13, 2013 at 9:35 am

Really don’t mean to bring this forum into disrepute Michael but have two excuses.
a) I don’t have the quality or vocative knowledge that Victoria,Yourself and John Lord posses,Which I so gratefully appreciate.
b)After watching P Reith on The Drum,then Danny Price of Frontier Eco.and the previous day Helen Coonan and the Santos Rep re.CSG I was and still am bit irate.
I remember now why I stopped watching that rubbish,But gee mate I am really enjoying watching the first day back in Parliament. 🙂 back
diannaartNovember 13, 2013 at 1:33 pm

Rob

After such an assault on your senses, no wonder you are a tad upset. Stop doing this to yourself.

Suggest viewing of the “Three Amigos” accompanied by a brew or 2.

Cheers

(The Singing Bush)
doctorrob54November 13, 2013 at 6:03 pm

Thanks very much for your thoughts,think I might do just that later.I am feeling in better spirits though,I realize not much was accomplished but was somewhat impressed with performance of Labor in Parliament today.Thanks again my friend,cheers.
doctorrob54November 17, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Another retard,bit complicated for you is it.
kathysutherland2013November 19, 2013 at 6:11 pm

Give Laurie a break, guys. Maybe he’s finally seen the light. We should be celebrating his Damascus moment! After all, we do want the people of Australia to wake up to Tony, don’t we?
cassilva48November 20, 2013 at 10:47 am

Kathy, it’s a pity his damascus moment didn’t occur prior to his supporting Abbott into power.
gerryDecember 30, 2013 at 2:12 am

The fourth estate is dead in this country.
Go and read Andrew Elders Politically Homeless for a forensic analysis of the liberal party

Disturbing and sad.

It just confirms to me that elements of the media are racist, shallow and dumb.

Idiocracy prevails.

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