Keep your heads down, folks. Prepare yourself for the ghastly din of the ABC engaging in impassioned discourse with itself. It could go on for months.
Let’s not be too harsh. Remember, one man’s narcissism is another man’s yearning for self-concept. And it does make a nice change from the federal government talking endlessly about itself. The Morrison government is quite pleased to have the topic of the national conversation moved along.
At the same time, Morrison and the gang will be keen not to dig too deeply into the ABC morass as there is the considerable chance of a political back splash.
The allegations are serious and involve the former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, allegedly throwing his weight around in calls to the ABC Chairman, Justin Milne and again, allegedly, calling for the summary dismissal of two ABC journalists.
Malcolm Turnbull has denied he issued instructions for any journalist to be sacked. Milne, in turn, has said he was never asked to hire or fire.
All I’ll say is the English language is a wondrous thing and people who are known to use it well, like lawyers for example, are quite capable of saying one thing while meaning another.
The only way to get to the bottom of this is a judicial inquiry where evidence is given under oath. Just between you and me and the gate post, that will not be happening as there is considerable downside for the Morrison government with the possibility of it becoming involved in a scandal it cannot control.
Aware of the political risks, the Morrison government thinks it better to summon up the memory of a dozen Yes, Minister episodes and launch a departmental inquiry where the findings are almost certainly known in advance and a press statement of the “It is a deep and abiding mystery. Let us never speak of this again” kind is released around 5.30pm on a Friday.
But wait, Labor and the Greens have called for a Senate inquiry. We shouldn’t get our hopes up there either. The Senate, collectively, could not find their own arses with a sextant and a well-thumbed copy of Gray’s Anatomy.
Ultimately, we will never know the extent of the Turnbull government’s interference into the running of the ABC. Perhaps those who do not think kindly of the ABC will say this does not matter but it does. The ABC is a public broadcaster, not a state one. It is owned by you and by me, not the government of the day.
I seek to add some further evidence. It is circumstantial, certainly, but it speaks of an often irate prime minister who has made his displeasure known to a number of institutions, private and public, over the telephone and immediately after those calls, people have been given their marching orders.
On Anzac Day, 2015 an SBS sports reporter, Scott McIntrye, tweeted up some truly awful remarks regarding Australia’s involvement in World War One. Some of the worst of it if was directed at Australian servicemen from that appalling conflict, all now deceased.
The controversy quickly spiralled into a debate around free-speech and the limits around using employer-linked twitter accounts to express personal views.
Back when he was a mere minister for communications, Malcolm Turnbull publicly condemned Mr McIntyre’s comments describing them as “despicable remarks which deserved to be condemned.”
It’s impossible to disagree with Turnbull’s comments but his intervention went further. Turnbull then discussed McIntyre’s tweets directly with the broadcaster’s managing director Michael Ebeid in a late-night phone call on the very same day.
McIntyre was sacked the following morning. Both SBS and Mr Turnbull denied the Minister had directed SBS to take any action in relation to McIntyre’s employment.
Then there was a telephone call Turnbull as Prime Minister made to Cricket Australia Chairman, David Peever, in the immediate aftermath of the ball tampering brouhaha. The contents of what was later described as a “frank discussion” were not disclosed but Test captain, Steve Smith and his vice-captain, David Warner, both ‘agreed’ to stand down from their leadership positions that very same day, right in the middle of the match, pending further action from Cricket Australia. Australia was captained by Tim Paine in days four and five of the Third Test in Johannesburg.
“We all woke up this morning shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa,” Turnbull said.
“It seemed completely beyond the belief, that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating. After all, our cricketers are role models. And cricket is synonymous with fair play. How can our team be involved in cheating like this? It beggars belief.”
“(David Peever) has said to me that Cricket Australia will be responding decisively, as they should.”
I’d like to think Cricket Australia’s response to a call of this kind would have been, “Malcolm, if we need you to pop the pads on and bat at four for Australia, we’ll let you know. Don’t call us et cetera etc.”
As a rule of thumb, Cricket Australia should not be copping lectures on ethics from politicians for rather obvious reasons.
Remember the FIFA World Cup when the Optus streaming service collapsed? Turnbull jumped in then, too.
“I had a call with Allen Lew, with Optus, to seek his assurance that the failures in the streaming service have been rectified,” Turnbull said.
Did he think he could solve a complex technical problem by sheer weight of a telephone call? Apparently, Turnbull thought so but Optus put the white flag up a day later and handed its exclusive coverage of the tournament over to SBS.
No one was sacked on this occasion or at least not publicly but at the time it stood as an odd form of intervention by the then prime minister. One has to wonder whether this was a sound use of his time. Perhaps Turnbull, uncertain of his authority within his own parliamentary party, felt he had to impose it elsewhere.
Sadly, we will never get to the bottom of this. The political stakes are too high. I am sure Malcolm Turnbull would welcome the opportunity to set the record straight under oath because as it stands there is abundant evidence of a tendency to engage in matters where he did not belong.
This column was published in The Australian 28 September, 2018
“The federal Liberals have long been the big spenders and big taxers of Australian politics. The Abbott government proved the worst of all — inheriting a tax:GDP ratio from Labor of just over 21%, Abbott increased tax to 21.8%; inheriting a payments:GDP ratio of less than 24%, he pumped that up to over 26% before his own party dumped him. Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison lived up to the big-taxing traditions, with tax this year set to surge to over 23% of GDP. They have forecast to get payments back down to 24.6% at the end of 2017-18 currently at 25.5%. That’s still higher than Labor, but much better than Tony Abbott.” No surprises.
The seven highest TAXING years in the history of our country have ALL been under Liberal governments. The ten highest SPENDING years in the history of our country have ALSO been under Liberal governments. There have been only seven occasions where the tax to GDP ratio has been in excess of 23.5 per cent of GDP and all seven were under the Howard government.
BASSMAN and Dismayed. Excellent reporting chaps.
Keep up the good work.
“Good work” ?? So easily besotted JB, eh? All it apparently takes is a regular dose of regurgitated and mostly outdated calculations that are of questionable meaning and value to the hoi polloi. Vin Scully got it right with his quip – “Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support, not illumination.”
Ooooooooh! Petulant. Look bunnikins I’ll send some kudos your way when you finally put some facts of your own. I promise.
There’s a few on here who continue to preen themselves and generally attempt to exhibit an aura of self importance and superiority by constantly quoting various “official” figures, but such “revelations” have virtually no impact or influence on the working class me old mate.
Numbers straight from the coalitions own budget and the governments own ABS. cotc. You are a sad case You will only accept that which reinforces your blind bias. You continue to fail this nation. No surprises. Move along.
Dnt waste UR time-one of my best mates is hard right-I send him the governments OWN FIGURES on emissions, debt, job figures-says they are ‘fake’.
Gryzly -as Wiss and Lou reminded me, thanks heaps for running the comp.
As an aside my missus told me that on returning after the 3/4 a commentator said “it’s a tied game, in fact the scores are even”, or words to that effect.
I actually heard this one years ago.
“He is leading the field by thirty yards and if he stays there till the end I reckon he could win this.”
Strewth, Mr. Insider ex-ousted PM Malcolm Turnbull going “ballistic” from his luxury New York apartment as he says that Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott as “miserable ghosts”.
Of course, he himself is one too and lets all not forget it was he who ousted a sitting PM in Abbott only to prove himself as weak and floppy as a Suet pudding.
Come on Malcolm, 38 Negative Consecutive Newspolls weren’t wrong big boy!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-01/malcolm-turnbull-says-tony-abott-kevin-rudd-miserable-ghosts/10324178
Good effort by the Aussie girls in the bball.
What is it with the Easterns Suburbs cocks booing Billy Slater all night. What a disgrace, he is one of the greats. Very poor effort by the Eastern suburbs supporters. No surprises.
I agree mate, just terrible for his last game.
All class. Not. 🤐
Whilst I agree with the thrust of your comment could you enlighten me as to the ‘No surprises’ angle?
Eastern suburbs. Bloody awful people thus no surprises. Whats the matter with you?
Bella:
Exhibition on kunanyi/Mt Wellington coming up – with Jon Kudelka speaking at the opening. It will be packed.
Folk here still concerned that our mountain is to be desecrated with a cablecar. Hodgman still going at his dream of Tasmania being the eco tourism capital of the planet like a bull in a china shop. He’s trashing it.
The message now is that we want wealthy high end tourists. (Read “China”).
Anyway protest on the mountain this coming weekend. “Hands across the Organ Pipes” I’ll be there.
What they plan to build in front of Dove Lake, Cradle Mtn, is unspeakable. Truly.
Oh precious.
It’s very precious JB. I take it that’s what you’re saying? There’s no going back once its been destroyed. I’m afraid I’ve lost any sense of humour over this.
Thanks for your updates Boa, you’re a gem.
I did reply to your last post on Cradle Mountain’s ‘development plans but my connection was iffy. Suffice to say about both projects:
“The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.” Unknown
Appalling decisions by your government but I expect there’s so much more in the pipeline. Destruction of natural places is the Fibs MO.
Poor Tassie is all I can say right now. 😟
“Hands Across the Organ Pipes.” Seriously? I’ll be there!
Oh, JB!
Wealthy high-end tourists and China does not go together. Whoever is doing their market research really needs to think about who are the real target market…..and if ecotourism really is the main draw card then they need to look right here in Australia and NZ before wasting their time on overseas marketing strategies. Cable cars cannot be equated with the concept of ecotourism.
Agree, Penny. The cablecar battle rages on here. It will devastate beautiful kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Very aggressive private developer – Adrian Bold and his MWCC – who thinks he is going to steamroll his way through objections. I shall be protesting up there this weekend. Hope it’s not too cold!!!
What is hard to understand is why this government feels we have to “upgrade” our gorgeous natural environment to suit tourists who don’t want to get their feet wet ( as Bob Brown puts it). It’s distressing to observe. It certainly is not “eco tourism”
NZ does it well. The natural beauty sells itself.
They are selling Tassie off to the highest bidder.
Chinese tourists are everywhere here. Their chairman loves us – hence the stampede.
A talk at uTas yesterday on the influence of China in Tasmania was packed. Apparently we are a “soft target” for them. I think they are setting up an Antarctic base here too.
We are probably just another subtle target of China’s expansion into Australasia.
Thinking on the Kavanaugh affair as a result of which his personal life has no doubt been turned upside down.
The alleged sexual romp occurred over 30 years ago. Those were the days of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Woodstock and all that. “Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair”
I’m questioning if this accusation against him was in reality an attack on theTrump regime – via Kavanaugh.
People change in 30 years. I guarantee that everyone here is most likely not the person they were as a teenager. Kavanaugh went on to become a judge. If the woman involved was so outraged at what happened why did she not report it at the time, or even when she observed Kavanaugh’s career moving along?
Times have changed. We now have a PC world which is becoming like a minefield for those trying to walk through it. It irritates me when those of the #metoo brigade, who were not yet born in those times, feel that they can pass judgement on events that happened in those times.
Woodstock was in 1969. the accused was running amok in the 1980’s and after that. Is it really so hard for you to understand that people including men in powerful position have used that power to dominate and silence people. Is it PC to expect that woman should be able to go out not be attacked or subject to unwanted physical abuse? You are the classic Histrionic Personality Disorder type. The people raising the alleged attacks are doing so because they don’t want someone who has a history attacking woman and making statements about/against woman being in a lifelong position to undermine the much needed civil liberty gains woman and minorities have made. He has stated previously he does not agree with the Roe V Wade decision. trump has undone 100 years of diplomacy and trade liberalisation in less than 2 years for his disgraceful racist, bigoted nationalistic ways. The accused is known to have only employed woman who look like models and were trained to act in certain ways. Your ignorance is No surprise. Yvonne you are the one who is out of step with society today.
If anyone is the ”classic Histrionic Personality Disorder type” it’s you, sonny. Piss off Gary. (and that’s the polite version)
Geez Boady that was a bit histrionic weren’t it?
No, not really, JB. How many times has this person been told not to throw personal insults around here?
It’s interesting, because in his rant above he’s going on about the abuse of women.
Some people just wont do as they are told. It’s the geography.
Yvonne it must be your Histrionic Personality Disorder that makes you the feel like a victim every time someone highlights the many flaws in your comments. lets not mention the W abusive word you throw around when people highlight your constant errors. HAHAHAHA next.
The whole “Me-Too” movement was an attack on Trump. The casualties of Weinstein and Franken were just collateral damage. Now they’ve lined up Kavanagh and hyped it up in the guise of Roe v. Wade. That decision has rent the US asunder for 45 years.
Are you actually trying to defend a predator sexual abuser and claiming woman having the right to decide for themselves is the problem in the US? You have made some ridiculous comments, this one is a disgrace and again shows it is you who is out of touch with reality not the rest of society who now realise it is not ok to subject people to abuse. I cannot believe you would actually tyy and defend sexual abuser then again you continue to blindly support trump. Oh, interesting to note male counterparts of the accused are now stating his statements to the Senate were less than factual. Lets see if that guy is attacked and slut shamed.
“That decision has rent the US asunder for 45 years.” Hyperbole and bollocks.
What the decision has done is highlighted the need of a great many Americans to throw off the yoke of religious oppression/superstition and start living in the modern era and minding their own bloody business.
Good onya, Jean another supporter of child murder. Hey let’s be grown up and man enough to call it for what it is. Abortion or euthanasia are, if legalised, are government sanctioned murder, or suicide. Of course abortion also discriminates too, mainly for those rich enough to afford one, be they black or white. But it can also discriminate against the younger and more vulnerable types of females who has a brutish, or manipulative, or rich (or with wealthy parents), or all the above, partner or impregnator, who coerces the lady through any of the above means into killing a child she may want to have. And if they do have the child they may end up as a single mother, and more often than not with a life of poverty. And if you’re a pro-abortion feminist, which I’m sure you are Jean. and no doubt your little mate dismayed is too, then abortion discriminates in many parts of the world where dowry’s are paid and baby boys are favoured over the girls, hence females are more likely to be ”culled” by abortion. Put that on a t-shirt and you’ll make some moolah.
On the plus side, killing the little snots will stop them from daring to refuse to stand for the national anthem. That’ll learn them!!
You come across as someone with unwanted feelings projecting them onto others.
read:https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/22/abortion-lets-call-the-pro-lifers-what-they-are-pro-death
Huh? Please explain….🙃
Ya lost me at “Good onya”
You are obviously the “go-to-man” your moral highness, perhaps you could let me know what happens to the “souls” of those murdered “children.”
One presumes they are admitted to everlasting paradise. And in what form?
Which may be a good result for them, tiny unaware eternal foetus or not, because I don’t think one in one thousand fully formed pontificating moralising “look the other way” frauds hiding out as “Christians” will ever traipse through the holy gates if indeed there is a god.
50 30 wotevs
Your last sentence! After being so judgemental yourself.
The woman may well have been traumatised and too afraid to protest at the time. Isn’t it possible that she has been inspired by the “me too” movement to realise how important it is to bring these things to the public notice?
Woodstock was a bit more than thirty years ago BTW.
You re talking about today’s world, JB.
What I am saying is that a person may have changed in the last 30 years and not be the person they were then.
How often does one see marriages sink when they have not stood the test of time and each has evolved into someone with different views and values. How often have I sat in airport lounges or cafes observing couples who clearly have nothing to say to each other and looking like they didn’t want to be there.
Had Kavanaugh committed what he is alleged to have done in the last couple of years it would be different.
I see your protege Gary reckons he only employs good-looking women. What does that have to do with the price of eggs? Didn’t realise our globe-trotting Gary had worked in Kavanaugh’s office to be able to pass that observation.
Oh fantastic. Your honour, my client may have been an axe murderer thirty years ago but he has changed. He hasn’t so much as topped a single soul for decades. In fact today he arranges flowers. No case to answer your honour.
Yes it is a minefield for young men now , young rich college men have to be so careful who they assault these days.
Boa, I wasn’t born in those times either but I’m guessing Woodstock would not have been every woman’s choice at the time nor would every woman of that era been as wild & free with their sexuality as those beautiful hippies chose to be at a music festival. I’m quite sure most of the female population held onto quite different moral standards even in the sixties so it’s not really fair to judge if a young woman was molested by this man, based on it being a time of free love for some.
I can tell you as a teenager there were too many times I was a victim of unwelcome touching by boys and men, even in the workplace, and I had no idea then how to handle what is now called ‘assault’.
Perhaps now, like her, if I knew my previous employer was in a position of real power where he could rub himself up against yet other unsuspecting young staff members, I reckon I’d have my day of reckoning too.
The world is not a minefield for men who respect women.
Well put Bella. I don’t have much sympathy with the view that ‘things were different then’. I have certainly hit middle age and I have never been in a workplace where it would have been acceptable to harass a woman. I can still remember at an early age being told by my father that I should treat women with respect, and not in some patronising way either. To suggest that it was acceptable then is a cop out.
As for Kavanaugh, let’s not politicise the claims against him. Those who think Trump is the saviour of humanity do not know that Kavanaugh is innocent, any more than those who think Trump is a sleazy petulant narcissist know Kavanaugh is guilty.
Also. From memory, correct me if I am wrong, the woman submitted to a lie detector test, no doubt Kavanaugh will do the same?
He lost me completely when he used his children at an obviously choreographed setting in a play of the sympathy card.
Total sleaze bag.
Lie detector tests don’t work….particularly against certain personality types.
oh how convenient. Is that scientific based response from the book of shadowy conspiracies?
There’s loads of scientific research on the subject Eddie. Sociopaths pass easily whilst lying their arses off. That would mean if you were tested on most of the crap you write you would still pass.
And anyone with the temerity to make claims against conservative elites would be “a certain personality type” by definition. But, the result could have gone the other way with the same result. Bit like drowning “witches” isn’t it.
Not at all JB. Not talking about left or right elites just telling you that lie detectors are notoriously unreliable.
Sounds like you are telling me the woman is a sociopath.
Boa, Woodstock and flowers in your hair was in the 60s when Kavanaugh would have been a very young boy. This happened in the late 70s when the prep schools in the US seemed to be hotbeds of booze, sex, drugs and wild behaviour, nothing wrong with that Australian Universities were the same. However sexual assault is sexual assault and I don’t care if it happened 40, 30 or 5 years ago women should be encouraged to call this behaviour out. As for it being an attack on the Trump regime, if you recall Trump himself is in all kinds of hot water due to similar accusations. For the life of me I can’t see what you have against the #metoo movement. Your posts often reflect the fact that you don’t have much regard for successful women or women who speak out against sexual intimidation, harassment etc. You thought Barnaby’s affair was just one of those things and there was nothing really wrong with it. I have said before I don’t believe that the sisterhood needs to stand together on everything, but please respect the women who are now coming forward and speaking out. I have experienced sexual intimidation as have most of my friends, times may have changed as you say, but I for one, think it’s fantastic that they have changed so that women can now speak about past incidents. I’m only sorry I never had the courage to report it 30 years ago. You are fortunate that it does not seem to have happened to you, otherwise I think you might have different views.
Boa, I am old enough now to have noticed quite a few old mates from law school and our early years in the profession being appointed to courts, even Supreme Courts, and I agree with you.
perhaps for accuracy I should add that I mean mates in a non-gender specific sense.
What a jet
https://www.facebook.com/OperationSovereignParliamentTurnBackAbbott/videos/988682304668730/
Meanwhile Peter Fox sleeps like a baby
https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/dozens-of-nsw-police-facing-serious-criminal-charges/
That’s a couple of years old, Smoke.
I don’t have a problem with PMs or MInisters getting on the phone to the ABC board or chair and giving them the benefit of a free assessment of their work and character, and that of ABC employees.
The proper response to such a call is to thank the caller and tell the caller it is always a treat to hear from them.
I don’t think the Board or management should be sacking people for their political views, they might review their roles if staff are doing a lousy job but that’s a different issue.
I do believe that all successful institutions develop some sort of internal culture and the ABC has as well. What it has failed to do is to nurture some diversity of opinion, and that makes it much more dull than it should be.
And Dull describes a fair bit of it’s current affairs and political and social coverage.