For a paper that is quick to moralise about the failings of competitors, critics and ideological opponents, The Australian seems remarkably reluctant to admit to any errors, shortcomings or moral failings of its own.
On 7 February, this was its front page story:
On 18 February, appearing before a Senate inquiry, ASIO boss Duncan Lewis repudiated the report, accused the newspaper of misrepresenting ASIO advice and said the leak was ‘seriously damaging’. This is how it was reported in The Canberra Times:
The next day The Australian buried the account of Lewis’s testimony in the inside pages as follows:
Only towards the end did the report include just one sentence to the effect that Lewis said ‘the advice that ASIO gave was not what was represented on the front page of The Australian newspaper’.
But then again, The Australian has never apologised for being a vociferous cheerleader, along with just about every newspaper in the world in the Murdoch stable, for the illegal, immoral and, for US global reputation and leadership, politically disastrous Iraq War. In fact, it has never admitted even to being wrong.
Clearly, being The Australian means never having to say sorry. But it might explain why the ABC remains much more trusted as the national news organisation, much to the chagrin of those campaigning to bring it down.
Ramesh Thakur is Emeritus Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Ramesh Thakur is emeritus professor at the Australian National University and a former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General. Of Indian origin, he is a citizen of Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Comments
2 responses to “Being The Australian means never having to say sorry”
The NewsCorp stable is the propaganda arm of the extreme right wing, neoliberal Institute for Policial Affairs of which Rupert Murdoch’s father was a founding member. He was also notoriously antisemetic and racist, a firm believer in the White Australian Policy.
The IPA has a strong presence in the membership of the Australian Liberal Party, governments’ ministries included.
Truth in reporting and opinion is not a function of their existence.
Perhaps one of most disgraceful occurrences in my lifetime was that various governments, various parties allowed the Murdoch influence to become so overpowering as it has become today, mostly to gain some form of support at electoral times. He has always wanted to own Australia, media-wise and he has now done it.
With the Fairfax group owned by the crass, commercial Channel 9 operatives and all that means, (Marriage at first site, et al) we are virtually under the total control for newspaper news to this man and his Zionist sponsored networks, worldwide.
Just one more step on the road to becoming a third world country. Almost there now.