Six of the best
We are at that moment in the election cycle (and given that we have a Labor Government, much to the consternation of a compliant right-wing mainstream media) that we can expect the said media to ramp up its attack on how hellish the Government is while promoting Tony Abbott and his team as political deities. Nothing is more certain. Their efforts to date – as toxic as they are – will pale in comparison to the venom we can expect over the coming months.
Those of the Fifth Estate (social and independent media) are also ramping up an attack, collectively, but with the opposing message: the Labor Government has performed extraordinarily well and the possibility of an Abbott led government will deliver dire social and economic consequences, the likes of which this country haven’t seen for many decades. And may themselves take many decades to recover from.
Those people wise enough to follow the writings of the Fifth Estate at the exclusion of the Fourth Estate (the mainstream media) could not have helped but notice the flood of articles holding the current opposition and their media mates to account. Only the Fifth Estate are providing a true picture of what an Abbott Government would mean to most Australian families, while themselves being gobsmacked at the media’s reluctance to actually ask a simple question of Abbott for fear of the (half-hearted) answer deterring the nurtured voters.
Over the last few days some brilliant articles about the reality of the incompetent media and the prospect of an Abbott Government have been published. I have picked six of the best from sites other than those on The Australian Independent Media Network site that deserve, nay, demand wide coverage. They are all a MUST read. They are all a MUST share.
Here they are, in no particular order with some selected, and hopefully, enticing quotes:
The Political Sword: Political hatred: its genesis and its toll by Ad astra who writes:
Abbott has always maintained that he should have been PM, that the Gillard Government is illegitimate, and that he would do everything in his power to bring it down, something he envisaged would be easy and swift, and The Lodge his by Christmas. That was two Christmases ago, and with each passing day his anger heightened and his campaign of vilification intensified.
Before any of you tell me that politics is a rough and tumble business, that conflict is at its very centre, that such hatred is the norm, reflect on when you have previously seen such intense hatred. We all remember the unpleasant things that were said about some of John Howard’s policies, about some of his statements, about some of his ideological positions, about some of his reversals – ‘core and non core promises’ – even about his eyebrows, but can you recall such a level of hatred, such vitriolic hatred, being expressed? Older readers will remember some of Paul Keating’s colourful language, but can you recall him emitting hatred such as has been directed to Julia Gillard?
I have not witnessed such hatred as we now hear in the language that Opposition members and some commentators use, and see in the angrily contorted faces of Tony Abbott, Christopher Pyne, Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop and other Opposition members in parliament and in interviews.
The Failed Estate: Damned Lies and Journalism by Mr Denmore:
The sheer volume of this muck prompts one to ask where journalists stand. For instance, we constantly see deceitful scare stories about public debt, devoid of context. In the case of this boogeyman, the News Ltd scribblers conveniently leave out that to ensure a liquid bond market, gross debt will rise if government issuance is kept at a set ratio to the economy (as requested by APRA, the RBA and other key institutions). They ignore that our net debt is among the lowest in the OECD, and they will ritually overlook that, in the eyes of bodies like the IMF, our debt is of no concern at all. These are facts. They are not ‘left-wing’ facts. They are facts.
Independent Australia: The polishing of Tony Abbott by Clint Howitt:
The intrusion of religion into politics runs counter to the traditional separation of Church and State in modern democracies, but Abbott’s statements and actions have already made it clear that his strong sectarian convictions do encroach on his political role.
Given the controversial positions he has taken on the sensitive matters of the status of women, abortion and gay relationships, it must be of great concern to people affected by these issues that the hard-won gains are likely either to freeze, or worst still, wind them back, under an Abbott government.
Again on Independent Australia: Tony Abbott’s 12 biggest budget reply porkie pies, a gem by Alan Austin:
Observers aware of Australia’s extraordinary economy were stunned to hear Opposition leader Tony Abbott’s budget reply speech on Thursday.
Never so many implied falsehoods, bare-faced hypocrisies and blatant lies in the one presentation since … well . . . since Abbott’s speech at the IPA dinner in April.
Would this be the end of Phoney Tony? Could any leader survive the media onslaught after a hubristic homily with such huge hypocrisies?
Well, not only was media reaction completely devoid of fulmination against the fibs, but it seemed none had even been detected. Somewhat bizarre.
Politically Homeless: Manufacturing Base by Andrew Elder:
This is the point where companies are starting to make investment decisions about the next financial year, and to make long-term decisions for the rest of the decade. We’re at the point where the Coalition should start looking like a confident alternative government, rather than like a bunch of chancers riding their luck. Late last year, The Australian‘s Paul Kelly declared that the Coalition had fifty fully-costed policies ready to go: it’s increasingly clear this isn’t the case, and could well be for Kelly what assertions about Iraqi WMDs were to Colin Powell.
On Turn Left 2013: Tony Abbott announces the Oprah Winfrey of budget replies: You can have free money and You and You, the author writes:
What we witnessed from Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott was the Oprah Winfrey of campaign launches. You can have free money, and you, and you, and you…
Unfortunately Tony was pointing to the Gallery, where his family were watching from, and Gina Rinehart, who was also watching.
Tony’s speech was designed to satisfy only 3 people: Gina Rinehart, Rupert Murdoch, Tony Abbott.
[Correction: Thursday night was a budget reply, not a campaign launch]
The feedback to the Budget Reply was a little like an episode of Orpah – a buffet of everything.
Tony’s plans to scrap the carbon “tax” to save families up to $300 a year in exchange low-income Australians will lose the low-income super contribution as well as the supplementary bonus paid to people on benefits. Makes sense? Perhaps to a Coalition voter. Although, as NSW Senator Doug Cameron points out, the Liberals are far from economic geniuses.
Six great articles among dozens to choose from, and my apologies to those great social media authors and their articles not included – this time. Your turn will come. To all, keep up the great work. You’re all brilliant. You really do give the mainstream media – dare I say it – a caning.
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19 comments
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Return to home pageNice round up, Min, particularly the piece on Political Hatred by Ad Astra. Never have I seen such an orchatrated campaign of vilification and hatred. Sadly, they’ve sucked so many into their cause. So many who will suffer when the Coalition of the Treacherous rule this country.
Well, orchestrated, even.
I can recall such a frenzied media attack against Labor, after the 1975 dismissal Fraser passed the budget and, as ordered by GG Kerr, dissolved both houses and called a general election in one calendar month hence.
Then the Furies of the Press were unleashed, every day that month there was shrill denunciation of Whitlam and his government, as if they were criminals.
This long election campaign is, however, making the machinations of the media transparent to all.
I want to add this one from Canberra’s little loved City News by Robert Macklin
As I can no longer tolerate the lies and misinformation being dished up as news by all sections of the MSM including the Toxic ABC I rely now entirely on the 5th Estate and Social Media for all my knowledge and information.
I am saddened that only a handfull of Cabinet Ministers are making use of the same by dispensing a steady stream of handouts and policy updates.
It was gratifying to at last see the introduction of Guardian Australia, they are most welcome.
Thanks for your untiring efforts on this site
Thanks David. We shall not grow weary.
Now where have I heard that before? 😉
The Australian edition of The Guardian came online today and so far so good with the “Comments”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia
On the very first day i have picked up my own personal Troll to go with my own personal “moderator/Editor” over at Fairfax Media.
Due to all versions of “J.Fraser” being taken (those Scots have a lot to answer for) I am “Commenting” under the “SlickAbbott” pseudonym, a nom de plume I have had, on occasion, to use in relation to Australia’s very own “Slick’ Abbott.
How slick is all that.
Labor has done a great job, as have the independents including Windsor and Oakeshott and achieved great things like the NBN that takes the Country into the future for many years to come, and that is very unusual for governments that tend to think in terms of short election cycles.
If Abbott wins it will be a disaster for this Country.
Thank you Min. A nice synopsis of some of the secrets being kept form the general public. there also appears to be strong conservative push towards the politisisation of Law enforcement, a police state if you like. Well and truely aimed at the Prime Minister, Peter Slipper and Craig Thompson, while holstering any weapons previously aimed at the AWB scandal and and ONA document leaks directed at Andrew Wilke
As the %th Estate is becoming so broad and so deep I am taking the time to bring my latest post from The PUB to your attention. Maybe you will find it good enough to include in your next round-up of the must reads. Cheers, Victoria.
Michael’s idea (or one of them) when he set up this blog was to showcase authors whose work would not stood a chance of ever seeing the light of day via the MSM…after all they do critiques. Scandal minus fact is the steady diet of garbage being fed to today’s public.
C@tmomma, I kid you not but your post was included until I realised I’d linked to seven posts. “Seven of the best” didn’t have a good ring to it. Your piece has poll position for the next round.
Of course, not having a sub-editor like the MSM, I sometimes make mistakes. 😳
Of course I meant 5th Estate.
Thanks, Min! Of course I will not quibble with pole position, how could I? 🙂
As long as it gets out there. That’s all I care about.
Better still, would you like me to publish your post here, linking back to your site of course and crediting you as the author?
I’m flying interstate for a few days and it’ll be some time before I get around to the next ‘Six of the Best’.
The reason that there has been no comparative in history is based on a number of matters.
1. Never in the history of our great country have we had a sitting PM who has been grossly corrupt to the point that should she choose to re-enter her former profession it would most likely be barred by the professional body due to Professional misconduct issues.
2. Never in our history has a PM so belligerently represented hers as the only option to save the country. Yet every major policy initiative has failed the policy cycle test. Great ideas are either poorly implemented or poor ideas are put out.
3. A PM who willingly lies to parliament about major issues such as personal involvement in fraud,(don’t talk about the issue as if it doesn’t exist. She admits to merely doing as her client instructed. This is professional misconduct check the law on the issue). The stories have had no consistency and have changed almost weekly to allow for my of the issue.
4. Screaming and screeching “Misogynist” because a member of parliament wishes to have clarification of what exactly happened in regards to the issue of the true state of affairs with the fraud is not a valid argument and only serves to polarise the electorate. This is none of the Oppositions doing. It is all that of the ALP and its union fed and led corruption issues. HSU, AWU and so much more.
5. Lies about the debt. Figures show we do not have a revenue issue, we have a spending issue. Why should the electorate not be entitlement to the truth and if the PM and her party refuse to tell the truth then the opposition is obligated to show this failing.
6. The ruling party sets the standard and the opposition can only follow. The ALP has failed Australia on every possible standard you can apply.
So yep the details you have show your bias in a manner that Murdoch would be embarrassed by.
Wow Geoff!
1 and 3: Still only accusations with no basis. No charges ever laid. PM prepared to answer any question the media can come up with.
2. All leaders believe in the rightness of their policies. Otherwise they wouldn’t be leaders. I can’t think of one policy that has failed the ‘policy cycle test’ Whatever that is. Are you thinking of carbon pricing (15% reduction already in emissions) or Gonski which almost all states have signed up to? I could go on.
4. I have yet to meet an intelligent person who was not gratified and inspired by Ms Gillard calling out Tony Abbott on his bullying tactics. ‘Died of shame’ indeed!
5.Sorry, no lies about the country’s debt. It’s all there for everyone to see. It’s a tiny debt in the scheme of things, and Australia still has AAA credit ratings from 3 international bodies.
6. Yes, the standard they have set is very high. Some example for you to think about: Tony Abbott running from the Parliament so as to avoid a vote. Julie Bishop doing catcalls. LNP not bothering to turn up for the NDIS bill’s introduction.
PS: Are you aware that Murdoch was found guilty of the most terrible invasions of privacy and manipulation of the truth; in fact he was found to be unfit to run a newspaper.
CMMC, I also remember the sour taste it left in politics for many years. So much so, that Fraser attempt to change the rules, so it would not happen again. I believe he promised, on behalf of his party, never to block supply again.
Abbott is promising similar political instability, saying if he cannot get rid of Labor;s achievements, he will not respect the will of the voter, and rush back to another election. Back to the 1960 and 70s.
It will be political instability, that is not warranted. Is not needed.
Both Morrison and Turnbull have outdone themselves today. Turnbull is generally not so transparent in his lies. It was the norm for Morrison, truth and he barely ever meet.
Why the desperation?