Look over there, mate. Should we really ignore a rape allegation against the first law officer of the nation because Labor also has skeletons in its closet?
There was some truly Orwellian media manipulation this week.
Nine’s Chris Uhlmann appeared to be in cahoots with the Prime Minister, as sleuthed by Twitter-commentator RonniSalt and reported by Paul Karp from The Guardian.
In an article published at 9:19am on Wednesday morning, Rachael Dexter reported an answer to a question that was asked of Prime Minister Scott Morrison in his press conference. The twist? The question wasn’t asked, and the answer not given, until just before 10am.
The Sydney Morning Herald
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Tweet from RonniSalt
Industrial Relations reform
As the government’s IR bill headed to a vote in the Senate on Thursday, the fear was palpable that it would not pass.
While previously the media had focused on defending the IR changes as modest, The Australian Financial Review and The Australian dialled up the rhetoric to 11 through the week, instilling concerns of “major job losses” and perpetrating the myth that casuals who receive entitlements would be double-dipping given their “25% loading” – a loading that has been extensively shown to be a fantasy.
Oh, and they kept flogging the dead horse that the changes were “mild” or “modest”.
The Australian Financial Review:
David Martin-Guzmann
Jennifer Hewett
David Martin-Guzmann again
The Australian:
Christian Porter Round 3
Attorney General Christian Porter, recuperating while on indefinite, taxpayer-funded mental health leave, came out all-guns blazing by launching a defamation case against the ABC.
Who would have thought engaging high-powered lawyers and planning and implementing a case of defamation could be such a healing experience.
As has also been noted, the defamation action may ease pressure on Scott Morrison to hold an independent inquiry to determine whether Porter is a fit and proper person for his position. In other word, no inquiries until the action has been heard.
The media also come out all-guns blazing as the trial-by-media of the alleged victim entered its third week, even as Peter van Onselen at The Australian bemoaned the lack of justice and the horrors of trial by media.
The Australian
Despite being old, old friends with Porter – a friendship he did not disclose – van Onselen continued defending the Attorney-General, and saw fit to publish the words of the alleged victim, even though he didn’t “want to add to their (the family’s) grief”.
And he was only too happy to join reporter Sharri Markson in trying to cast doubt on the nature of the relationship between the alleged victim and her friends who have been supporting her.
And again, of course, it was Porter who was the victim.
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Sharri Markson in The Australian
Elsewhere, Andrew Bolt at The Herald Sun did what Andrew Bolt does, and put to the side all notions of balance in the pursuit of outrage and clicks, blaring that the alleged victim should not be believed.
And he joined Dennis Shanahan at The Australian in blatant what-about-ism.
Should we really ignore a rape allegation against our first law officer because there are also reports of sexual harassment in the Labor caucus?
The Herald Sun
The Australian
Michael Tanner is completing a Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy. His writing explores the intersection of economics, the media and public health. His writing has also been published in The Age. Michael’s Twitter handle is @MichaelTanner_
Comments
10 responses to “Orwellian media manipulation: PM’s answer to ‘Dorothy Dixer’ published before he uttered the words”
Journalists are for hire. Shock!
Luckily, the ultimate victims, women and girls, are letting them and the pollies, get away with it. If they ever united for the long term, instead of pointless demonstrations, what could they accomplish? Under a Proportional Representation voting system, they could always have women and the occasional eunuch, represent them in parliament.
Stop venting gels! Get texting and target the guilty!
Malcolm Turnbull, who may have made comments to P&I under Sue Denham, is more of an Opposition to Morrison than Labor. Possibly a gentleman?
Where are ‘ the Loyal Opposition’?
Are they awake?
Allowing the aggressors to sink into quicksand all alone?
The poor need money. They spend it all, making the middle classes and owners wealthier.
It expands the economy due to the multiplier effect. The velocity of money matters in a real market economy.
But we prefer a mercantilist approach whereby international families virtually own countries via corporations. They can buy politicians. Whopee!
Mr Tanner: ! another interesting post.
If you are right about the AG and undisclosed friends, it looks he and Ms Milligan have something in common – according to Mr Kenny.
You didnt mention the Senators Fierravanti-Wells and Carr featuring in a media release for the ‘final’ report slamming practices that preclude Parliament from reviewing Government law-making – just like the interim report did. And in between those reports being issued the Senate passing legislation that did just that. Perhaps because it didnt get to the news – there being more than enough national embarrassments to go around where ‘investigatives’ and ‘journalists’ don’t need to do any real research.
Regards
Uhlmann – an LNP shill – Onselen – mate of Porter – on-and-on the “mates”!
Thank you Michael for showing us what this really is, a bloody great ‘Soap Opera’ led by none other than that flawless ringmaster Morrison.
I’m sure that someone who is well versed in Gilbert & Sullivan can rewrite some lyrics for the ‘Major General’s song from the Pirates of Penzance!
If an event which hasn’t happened, such as a question and answer at the PMs press conference, is reported to have happened then we have a classic example of fake news. The next step is to ditch the press conference entirely and just report that it happened. What difference does it make? This example of dishonesty shows, once again, that we can’t trust the media.
Pathetic presstitutes posing as journalists protecting Porters pornographic pubescent picadillo’s!
Uhlmann feeding dixers to the prime minister? You don’t say!