Mood:
accident proneTopic: 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. Perhaps the greatest utility is the headline synthesis above of the 3 or 4 shows followed in this session.
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.
1. ABC 7.45 am run wrong figures on oil spill ‘hundreds of thousands’. Meet the Press run the right level at 4.5 million litres even then low estimate at 400 barrels a day (conceded by company), Fed Dept says ‘up to 2,000’.
1A. Resources Minister Ferguson has done a lot of cynical bully boy tactics to shrink the true scale of the West Altas oil spill.
2. Ex PM Howard keen to talk about figleaf boat people issue, but not his promotion of record immigration levels. Says it all really. Big business donate to prop up competition for rental business (shops, housing) driven by … some 3-400K a year immigration when including student visa, and tourist overstayers etc. Better to take 50K refugees and cut economic immigration to 200K.
3. Howard also not keen to talk about the million deaths direct and indirect in Iraq for no weapons of mas destruction/deception. The man is monster with no credibility on foreign relations, let alone our biggest Muslim neighbour.
4. Our choice of headline relates specifically to the eyebrowed one John Howard with reddish visage in the middle pages of the Sunday Telegraph. A swamp thing.
4A. Big media complaining PM Rudd gave 14 interviews but didn’t say anything. In a hole stop digging. But can’t take his interview and complain about him saying what he wants to say. Something vaguely undemocratic about that. However shaky his message. What might go better is if Rudd refered to ‘strong on people smugglers and fair go for refugees’ not humane so much as fair go which is strong Australian value.
5. John Hatton former cross bench MP in NSW on abc Stateline refers to ICAC as “a dud” for not getting to Maquarie St level of corruption. Says as many years on ICAC oversight committee ‘I know what corruption is. I know what evidence is’. As sponsor of critical Wood Royal Commission mid 90ies into police corruption Hatton has a lot of heft.
6. Regarding Cripps refer our backgrounder about Dixon Sands here on SAM involving it seems their counsel Jerold Cripps meeting Planning Dept fixer Haddad in 2000 for special favour/approval outside the normal planning system in 2000. Cripps became ICAC commissioner appointed by parliament via NSW Govt until this year. Hatton says ICAC has never got to ministerial level on planning scandals including after Wollongong systemic corruption.
7. By coincidence (?) the NSW Govt has advertised both main press this weeken for more Acting and full time Commissioners at the Land & Environment Court. And note our backgrounders here on C’er Brown approving a 20 year sandmine extension based on the wrong EIS submitted to the court, and ignoring evidence of a 40% exceedance from previous (dubious) approval. Bad, bad, bad.
8. Crikey’s blog Poll Bludger had the huge comment string and consequent deep analysis on the potentially ‘rogue’ Newspoll with over 2,000 comments with 500 in less than 12 hours.
9. New media conference at ABC late last week but there is still alot of angst about democratising the high paid old media judging by the gatekeeper sledging of expert bloggers, previously known by journalists as 'sources'.
10 Meet the Press: 8- 8-30 am
Promo preface is rip of Thin Red Line music and Miranda Otto cameo. Nice.
Lead in Swan on economic success to date, Hockey debt line, rate rise historically low. Turnbull rate of increase due to stimulus. Boat people re Newspoll, other polls not following.
Garrett is the guest. Press roundup. Business on tax review (?). Howard Sydney News Corp, Sex ed in Sydney Fairfax. Building green specs.
PG on boat people, argues Opposition lack of policy alternative. Boilerplate on sensationalism, subtlety, values, perspective. Burrow ACTU refugees safe haven.What’s wrong with safe haven at Christmas Island. Argues Indonesia joint approach.
Green specs for buildings. Argues lots of work being done. Humour out take
Adbreak with Pages River threat from Bickam coal mine advert again – Jack Thompson, Peter Andrews, high production values.
‘4.5 million litre oil spill’. Panel is Hall abc World Today, and Milne News Corp. Why no public inquiry? Avoids question, says option, strong terms of reference. Waffle answer. Up to Commissioner re public. [outrageous response.] Any reason at all for this to be private presses. Milne and Hall go hard and his ACF previous settings much greater concern. Garrett motor mouths it with no content. “Govt played it down” “Green Senator has a point.”
Won’t agree to publicity of any oil spill, only notifications to govt like secretive Puffin oil field secret for 7 weeks.
Sea rise debate, Lateline quotes scientists up to 6 metres by end of century. 750,000 structures in the coastal zone and 250 billion of value at risk.
Q on decision on Traveston Dam, release all documents about that? Statement reasons cross referencing but no release in effect. Waffle about understands emotion. Says reason not released by previous. Humour out take is Rudd picks Melb cup winner, and interest rates cartoon ‘is shocking’. Pages River threat from Bickam coal mine advert again – Jack Thompson, Peter Andrews, high production values.
Sri Lanka High Commissioner – denies anything to hide in leadership refusing to answer UN questions, argues economic migrants not refugees in effect. Argues friends and and relatives welcoming them. Alex spokersperson “people smuggler”, deported from Canada, street gang in Toronto. Bats off Hall question, denial by Alex. What would happen to them on return? Brought to justice, if no offence let go. Pained expression from Eleanor Hall looks pained, knowing the slaughter that’s happened in SL.
Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.
Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am
Kevin hero worship theme with Spongebob squarepants cartoon character, and PM Rudd on asylum/refugee issue, with PR old media offensive last week. Direct clash with Oakes interview.http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend
9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am
Cage match clash with Riley Diary. Barnaby Joyce National Party MP from Qld argues “illegal arrivals” treated tougher. Won’t say if pay for their own detention. Won’t say take back to Indonesia. Says take back to Sri Lanka as if “safe” there. [Joyce confirms he’s a killer in a suit given slaughter in SL to make that incredulous proposal]
Argues against ETS, gesture, massive tax. Argues no effect ‘pretty good scare campaign’. John Howard was wrong? Says yes. Tax prior to Copenhagen frothing about debt burden. Loses it with rats and mice urinating on something or other. Q re lack of team spirit from Joyce quoting shadow minister McFarlane. Q about Liberal Party discipline on Joyce? Sounds puzzled or even confused about the question, though member of LNP state division of federal Liberal Party.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes
Insiders 2: 9- 10am
Riley style package of Rudd PR media offensive re Newspoll changeover, with Idol winner guy soundtrack. Shocking horse winner Melb Cup, PM pick.
Akerman on panel re Howard 2 years later interview. Rests on record and Rudd is do nothing govt, same refugee policy. Middleton refers to failure to implement green energy on parliament. Marr re Rudd backed Rees yesterday.
Grab on Copenhagen pollie of some kind. Panel guest is Treasurer Swan live from London re G20 and sober economic reading globally. Boilerplate answers, competently, and funny question about bunny hopping the economy like a teenage driver on the clutch.
Costello too strict as Future Fund board member. Defends Costello’s qualifications on FF despite different philosophy. For instance access to FF on NBN broadband $43 B project. Advises on investment plans. Compere goes hard on Costello ill suited to an ALP Govt.
Asylum seekers debate – quote of Barnaby Joyce. Marr notes psycho political aspect of boat people symbolism. Akerman says soft aka humane. Moderate style
New settlers 182K of which 2K will be boat people [doesn’t include tourist overstayers and student visas and working visas too as high as 300-400K]. Akerman argues Australians want an orderly refugee migration policy. Analyse Rudd interviews not saying anything new. 14 in interviews in 3 days but only once to most Australians. Rail against spin [big media can’t have it both ways making himself available and complaining about what he says?]
Paul Kelly on refugees boat policy is not working. Grab of Rudd at Lowy “very aggressive speech” re “stop putting Australia’s children at risk of climate change threats’ as if not interested in a deal.
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders
Inside Business with Alan Kohler
Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/
