Mood:
d'ohTopic: aust govt
Author’s general introductory note
This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies in Big Politics and Big Media.
For actual transcripts and/or video feeds go to the programme web sites quoted including Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.
Other sources of pollie talkies on Sunday include SkyNews paytv Sunday Agenda, Radio National Monica Attard Sunday Profile show. And of course Sunday night shows SBS Dateline, Sixty Minutes and now Sunday Tonight on 7.
Media backgrounders
* John Faulkner is the new ‘tough guy’says the govt PR package – but they all omit his time as Environment Minister which was his main gig for the Keating Govt, not his time as Defence personnel or even his work in estimates committee. Indeed SAM’s editor took a walk with him in the Blue Mtns as pictured in the SMH at that time with Wombat (James Woodford) tagging along [Russel Crowe is right about lots of journalists.] He was good and respected in that job too but he got done over by then PM Keating savagely. It was the “Deferred Forest Areas” list – best forest in the country – that Keating sent to the woodchipper and then lost the 1996 federal election when even ACF took a walk with Howard in the Dandenongs.
* Bob Debus is the real story of the reshuffle. The NSW Right are stalking his seat of Blue Mtns. He was successful Env Minister, Attorney General, but then he got shafted by Rudd in the first Cabinet and now gets shuffled out of existence. It was all there to see at the first Caucus meeting footage as Rudd barely looked him in the eye. We remember just like a West Wing episode (Josh notices footage of congressman with revealing body language and grabs the crucial vote.) Conclusion: Debus demise is the payoff to NSW Right for allowing Left Faulkner as Defence Minister in ‘their’ ministry.
* Humana as the USA principal for NIB here, in Defence Minister implosion, is covered by Michael Moore in The Awful Truth DVD early episodes and its devastating coverage of the USA health system.
* Green Party in NSW are effectively rebranded again as led by a progeny of the Stalinist local version of then Soviet party, right or wrong. The mechanism was lengthy obituary of Freda Brown mother of Lee Rhiannon MP, albeit political amazon Brown pictured with Gorbachov. Rebel with plenty of causes who resigned from the Communist Party in 1972 apparently. Not just theoretical perception either as Fred Nile MP, anti green religious right, refuses to vote with NSW Coalition on a Greens Bill to protect farmers from coal mines based on “blind prejudice” against the Greens, and specifically says Nile not against the content of the Bill. Question for the Greens is can they really serve the community including those of the Liverpool Plains and still carry that Stalinist smear? Are they Green enough? Notice late May letter of the Week in The Land attacking the Greens (and notice the irony of social agrarians on drought assistance etc condemning centralized govt – no logic whatsoever).
Bialoguski as the spy who brought Petrov over to defection in his 1955 book refers to the peace movement here as a communist front at pages 56-59. Our grandfather Eric McLoughlin – a Menzies confidante helped write that book, ironically not that flattering to Menzies or the Australian intelligence service. One has to keep in mind Bialoguski’s family suffered Stalins fascism particularly in Poland.
Rhiannon is routinely described as more red than green and that’s a pretty fair assessment in our view. We recall Jeff Angel asking this writer mid 90ies – “who is she?” coming from a veteran of the green movement of at that stage 25 years, shows a lack of green groups pedigree and jumping political streams via her partner party official Jeff Ash (who also recruited this writer to local councilor status in the same Eastern Suburbs Greens – other notable members Ben Oquist, Chris Darwin, Ash himself, Rhiannon etc).
* Rudd PM looking very ‘relaxed’ last Monday or Tuesday night on 7.30 Report despite various big problems on his plate. Even a danger to shipping as the proverb goes. Got the impression right or wrong the wifey diet has been paying some dividends in the conjugal area.
* Tim Blair column in Daily Telegraph Saturday edition is nonsensical for 2 weeks running, and almost unreadable list of waffle.
* Post Sydney Writers Festival we await the Fangs of the Right moment. Sure enough seemingly unrelated, but akin to Bill Henson effective savaging, the Chaser bad taste skit becomes cause celebre for the jackals of the Right – Tim Blair, Miranda Devine etc. It’s surely payback for their APEC stunt against the Howard Law and Order tub thump, and another own goal again by the cultural Left.
* Chinalco pushed out by BHP-Rio Tinto joint venture in wake of global coverage of June 4 memorial 20 year anniversary of military coup over democracy in Beijing/Tianamen Square. That’s no accidental timing.
* Blob at The Australian Christopher Pearson runs quotes not denied of Kerry OBrien of 7.30 Report late at night after Budget sledging Costello as “lazy” etc. Implies not objective and if Costello gets the leadership OBrien will have to quit his ABC job (???).
* Professor of Geology book review on Science Show yesterday demolishes Plimer’s book Heaven and Earth on Radio National ABC yesterday. Long time admirer and colleague of Plimer. Ouch.
* SAM editor comment on crikey string early in the week about “pathetic” coalition response to desperate Uigyars stranded at Gitmo going to Australia. As anti Freedom against Chinese dictatorship with June 4 coming up. The word “pathetic” was repeated throughout the week in federal political discourse on various topics. That’s what we do here at SAM.
* “Manic Monkey” as per Barnaby Joyce was firstly a café name in the main street of Cooma in the late 90is early noughies, and Green friendly and New Agey. Sold real good bumper tofu burgers too returning from forest protests. The café might have moved to Melbourne now?10 Meet the Press: 8- 8-30 am
[Missed the first five minutes to just before first adbreak. No political lobby adverts]
Talent is Treasurer Swan. Panel is John Stanely 2UE, Glenn Milne News Corp Sydney Telegraph.
Big traverse of topics ETS – stays firm on timetable prior to Copenhagen regardless sof USA saying it’s crucial for business certainty for at least the framework, govt line on Chinalco, Technical Recession, Cigarettes recruitment of young women. Humour out take on Obama towing away something (capitalism?) with China to save it.
2nd adbreak carries John Dee on biodegradable retail shopping bags.
2nd guest new ‘moderate’ head of the AMA to build bridges again with ALP Govt. Topic around cigarettes and private insurance. Cost structures.
Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.
Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am
‘not out of the woods yet’ by all and sundry all the way to Obama. Alby Shultz assault on MP for Alston in party room, Fitzgibbon handover to Faulkner as Defence Minister. Grab of Barnaby Joyce about Rudd as “psycho chicken” now on YouTube.
Q & A with Riley: Notes Bob Debus to backbencher – heart not really in it. [but see my comment at backgrounders above, Rudd shafted him from the very start sop to NSW Right.] . Vindication on recession? ‘Not out of the woods’
http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend
9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.40 am
Hockey as Shadow Treasurer, very friendly welcome to LO as diplomatic foray at outset given LO too friendly recently to govt – surprised at large shuffle. Payback to faction chiefs. Sledges Chris Warren, Mark Arbib of NSW Right. Combet is “talented” payback to unions.
Trawls ute affair of PM Rudd as “political donation” bring back Godwin Getch Treasury official who was gagged in estimates.
LO quotes Tanner in AFR living beyond our means. Hockey refers to wracking up debt still. Debt burden greater than anything since WW2. AFR article 20% fall in living standards in USA and Britian.
H says not in Australia more attached to Asia. Good legacy of Coalition. Has to be very measured in our tone and words. Surge in exports, fall in imports saved the headline for the govt. Focuses on terms of trade more favourable than during Howard govt time so legacy of export.
$210 billion lost in forward estimates, can’t lose something you never had. LO what would you have done, cut that expenditure? Hockey denies that. LO gets cranky. Not spent on stimulus. Spent an extra $124 billion in last 18 months. Wouldn’t have spent $42B in cash splash. But can’t unscramble the egg even if win the next election. Claims record levels on advertising and consultants.
Costello elephant still in the room. Loyal to Malcolm Turnbull as leader.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes
Insiders 2: 9- 10am
Rips Riley Diary approach in first few minutes. ‘Not out of the woods’ gets the run.
Footage of demolition by Coalition Senator [Johnstone?] of Joel Fitzgibbon as Defence Minister via staff meeting with minister’s brother as local NIB rep for US Humana. See backgrounds above too. Prize is $200M defence contract.
Panel make their comments. Annabel Crabb, Mal Farr/Akerman from News Corp Sydney.
Breaking news Defence minister quits Brown Govt. Local elections bad for UK Labour, Europe as bad.
Mogadon Lindsay Tanner is the talent throwing wet blanket on all controversy. Safe hands but looking increasingly like a brain in a scarecrow. The job is killing him being the real economic brains of the govt, covering for ministerial colleagues?
Tanner nervousness in 2001 and 2007 on the Greens after lower house win in WA. Argues ‘Labor voters will understand shouting from the sideline, rather than doing stuff inside and making compromises.’ BC: Climate change is a big issue and your seat is marginal.
Argues statistics over ETS, climate change policy. BC double dissolution would make policy even more stark. Says doesn’t want election. Tanner pushes the sleazy line about Greens just shouting from the sidelines, not making any difference. Leveraging incumbency and looking like death warmed up as he says it. Tanner leans on Wilcox report – moderate judge – to avoid union pressure.
Your shout segment on reality/science fiction of recession. Star trekkies exhibition.
Various chat [about issues covered in other shows above]. Footage of PM Rudd very angry about claims of sleazy donations for ute. Calls Turnbull “you grub”[which is exactly what Debus said to Coalition in NSW Parliament before running against Howard Govt in federal sphere. How ironic given Debus shafted this week.]
‘Prof’ Paul Kelly soliloquy: Says reshuffle makes Govt stronger. In Faulkner cheer squad. Says govt big news not in technical recession.
Crabb argues for Gillard on gender grounds as lone woman on panel with footage of Gillard confronting violence in the union movement at Melbourne conference.
Great footage of Obama noticing an Egyptian carving in the Pyramids.
Tips – Crabb something about immigration.
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/
Inside Business with Alan Kohler
Chinalco fallout with
Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/
