Mood:  not sure

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

* Our Harry Potter/Grech reference on crikey strings takes off in all Big Media. We used Dobby the House Elf, but others prefer the Bank gnomes, or Harry himself.

Turnbull as guest lead in backgrounder on “fake” email/Grech evidence. Suffering raspy throat several times.

Senate privileges inquiry repudiated first time in a century looks bad. MT says would be a witch hunt ‘you know that’. Refers to the “fake” email. But below says “so called fake”.

Tony Burke footage re rain project $10M says favouritism is a smear. 1/5 of the UQ proposal, more than $2M desktop option.

Humour out take Albanese re Latham/Turnbull jibe.

Panel reptiles Hewitt News Corp (national), Steve Lewis News Corp (national).

Time wasting non scandal? Says been attacked viciously with smears himself by the ALP.

Lewis runs reverse attack after running big on Grech email that MT leadership is diminished. MT says Opposition very unified.

On climate change – aiming for August timeline and extra elements.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

Riley Diary – Harry Potter theme. Choice movie grabs. Does the chronology. Hockey as Hagrid resonates. Exploding cigar visual metaphor on Turnbull.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Grech Riley style package with Bourne theme music.

51 club in Brisbane press links PM Rudd with used car and developer business social club.

Footage of Tanner on Ch9, BC calls it Today show.

Panel is KWalsh Fairfax, Atkins News Corp Bris, TBlair News Corp Sydney.

Obvious point about dumping Grocery Watch leveraging press coverage of Michael Jackson death. Deeply cynical.

Tony Abbott guest - ferocious spin is the lesson, BC challenges on coaching of Grech evidence, denied. Some strong points about Swan in hiding and then embarrassing AM interview. Claims “real” ruthless PM Rudd revealed this week.

Circus players vox pop, very good comics too.

Panel general chat nothing new.

Talking pictures – our Harry Potter Dobby reference is picked up clearly as spreading on the web (SAM’s fault probably).

Inside Business with Alan Kohler

Acciona and Pacific Hydro discussed regarding so called sustainable business in renewable energies.

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 1:03 PM NZT

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Mood:  incredulous

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  

* PM Rudd’s voice in parliament last week was loud and full of righteous indignation, too loud and too full one feels, of outrage over the Turnbull “politics of fear” and “politics of smear” over the Grant ute GFC finance affair. As we write Laurie Oakes is grilling Swan and it’s a fierce debate over ministerial favouritism for Mr Grant.  

Then Rudd’s voice on 8.30 pm ABC TV footage last Friday of late that day  press conference shows him quavering, nervous, in shock, long pauses and stumbles. Yet the abc radio news bulletins next morning, and from memory AM show have an edited version of smooth confident rejection of the allegations by PM Rudd.   Yet just as Godwin Gretch tone and manner is striking probative of honesty, so is Rudd’s quaver and stumble indicative of the opposite. Yet the ABC either had different audio from late evening to early morning or they edited Rudd’s audio in a case of political bias??? 

 Certainly whoever survives or dies politically this next few days, the beltway have seen Rudd’s political mortality starkly revealed. Rudd seems to be as much shocked at his natural human limitations to control all things and every detail including in the backyard of his own electorate.  

* PM looks to be relying on procedural rules to prevent his staffer Andrew Charlton from attending and answering estimate committee questions or even general media questions. So even if he did email Godwin Gretch or contact him in another way he will never have to answer questions directly. But Gretch will.  

* Turnbull revealed as very effectively setting the scene with admissions about Kerry Packer death threat and protection of public interest regarding Fairfax from political interfering Packer ownership. And using that to contrast allegations of favouritism to ALP political donor Mr Grant.  

* Annabel Crabb in Saturday column well off the pace with this greatly ironic comment: “ Andrew Charlton, an unnervingly brilliant young pup who is marked for greatness in Labor circles”. Charlton being the alleged emailer from the PMO’s office contrary, it’s claimed, to PM’s statement to parliament of no such contact.  One thing is for sure Charlton will never have to front the big press or an estimates committee as he is a staffer of the PM Rudd and Rudd will enforce that cone of silence.

* Similarly Lenore Taylor this weekend Oz newspaper refers in a soft piece on the scandal to post Costello period as being “Turnbull unplugged” trying to say unrestrained/louder/stronger/clear air which is a different metaphor given unplugged is less not more electrical amplification. Is she also losing perspective about federal ALP politics. Too soft?  

* Deputy Prime Minister Gillard talking Middle East role for Australia in peace negotiations with VP Biden?

  * Albanese as Left faction infrastructure minister supports doubling of aircraft movements over the next 20 years despite home seat Marrickville area copping it badly in terms of noise but also air pollution. Albanese says a 2^nd airport is critical. Richmond RAAF base is now under control of Albanese’s factional ally inner westie Defence Minister John Faulkner. But look at this picture from the Hawkesbury taken this morning. The RAAF base is on higher ground 10 km from Windsor/Hawkesbury River true but still very fog affected??? 

 * Last month as a political blogger I had a computer security problem, which caused me to confront a possible suspect, with copy to well known media analyst Margarent Simons as an honest broker.  What happened was that a very selective 3 months of email correspondence, and one email file archive called "SAMtech" was deleted. SAM is an acronym.  So my point is - emails can be deleted – as per the Godwin Gretch testimony.  

Secondly, a well known programme called TracksEraserPro can be used to delete hard drive copies of anything off a computer. You can download it for free off a trustworthy site called MajorGeeks.  SAM’s editor uses it every day to keep clutter off my hard drive.  Having said all this - emails sent via an Internet Service Provider will probably have a record of the IP no. of the computer source (DNA of the machine) and receiver - speaking as a non geek amateur. Also I suspect the geeks can insert false IP numbers or proxies to avoid detection.  Welcome to the cyber wild west..  

* Senator Brown didn't say he would be bankrupt, he said he was threatened with bankrupty by Forestry Tasmania doing the dirty work of the ALP and Coalition.  So Abetz is being deceptive and cynical. Also another false trail is that Brown already had $600K in legal funds so he was rich. Actually what he said was that he'd already paid that amount in legal costs.  What scares the majors is that Brown has such massive social capital just like Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, only this is real life, not a movie.  

*  Nasty misogyny, and blind prejudice, including sisterhood in ugly condescension and patronizing critique, implicit in attacks on Greens Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Some of it in official commentary from political rivals and censorious older women (‘Deb’ Cameron, Pru Goward) jealous (?) of both her political reach into mainstream press and her superior success at a much younger age? Some other nastiness in redneck letters pages.

Fact is HY had the whole thing under control in the senate chamber, and it was old boy Senate Speaker who claimed he had no discretion to allow “strangers” in the house during a tedious mechanical vote on a division. Since when did experienced mothers not know how to do 2 things at once? This issue has revealed the critics as moral frauds and bullies infused with blind prejudice against The Greens.  

*  Fallout from NSW State budget was unusually mild criticism except on free trade purity which the Left wing govt won’t worry too much about. Interesting that Penberthy managed to sideline literally both Simon Benson and Piers Akerman in their Sydney Daily Telegraph comment pieces, Penbo picking up the cudgels for free trade, many will see as an arid line of debate after the GFC has blown the credibility of orthodox economics out the window. Ironically the AAA rating in NSW was consolidated and seen as smart politics when Standard & Poors helped cause the GFC in the first place with faulty ratings. Talk about flawed paradigm.  

* Peter Costello quoted “you have to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em” is quite clear evidence that the timing of his effective resignation from future leadership role(s) in politics was highly calculated and probably self interested. The polls had turned for Turnbull, the coalition were about to split using Costello as a focus for the redneck conservatives and Nats on climate etc. And there were green shoots in the economy suggesting Rudd’s stimulus strategy may well work.

 Costello is thus revealed as a supreme chancer. We always suspected counsel for Woodside, Lisa Hamilton, was the brains behind his IR Dollar Sweets IR legal victories. A student politician by definition doesn’t have time to do the real hard legal research work.   

* Amazing synchrony of SAM feature headline and or picture this last 2 Sunday talkies and real politik following: A fortnight ago we used a title about ‘props and pollie crunch’ only to see Defence Minister Fitzgibbon walk the plank unexpectedly later that week. Then last week we used a picture of car crash in the local area into the trees to symbolise ETS hitting the wall of the Green Party/Coalition opposition. Nicholson grabbed the same visual metaphor here in the The Australian this weekend (as per image above)

  * Mark Arbib is under constant attack in the Senate these last several days. Most interesting is Arbib’s shrill, teenager style voice protesting his certainty of fact and purpose over massive education fund cash splash. Arbib is starting to realize (?) that the arrogance of NSW Right ALP doesn’t play on the national stage of federal parliament. Comes across as a spiv out of his moral depth.  

* Back to sleaze of NSW ALP politics and their “junkyard dogs”, in the agri politics bible here in NSW: The images are MPs for the Shooters Party gun nuts and right wing religous nut Fred Nile MP propping up the NSW ALP Govt in the upper house here.

1. embarrasses NSW Govt after fairly successful state budget including grudgingly by SMH itself earlier in the week. Content of story shows water supply not at threat at all, but Cox's river tributary certainly is at risk and damaged by heavy metals due to leaching via arsenic. 

2. reinforces the agenda for sell off of the public energy assets, a long running crusade of both major newspapers in Sydney 

3. Story is important but normally would have run at page 3, 4 or 5. The placement indicated the big media real politik malice. 

Golf, no broadcast.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

LO grills Treasuer Wayne Swan on the intricacies of the $500M line to Ford Credit to sustain car dealership industry during the intensity of the GFC. And Mr Grant was to be looked after within that umbrella.

LO: ‘enormous pressure’ to look after Grant. ‘Emails show Swan was being kept up to date at home fax.]

[Calls up the whole ALP Qld political culture of Mike Kaiser cooking the electoral paperwork years ago forced to resign ministerial position, here again cooking the paperwork.]

Auditor General inquiry doesn’t include Wayne Swan in the narrow terms of reference only PMO, implying a fix. ‘Won’t resign.’

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

 Great opening line from compere Cassidy about a lot more than mere “car trouble” with footage of Rudd strenuous denials about the ‘politics of smear’.

Footage of Swan denials.  Gretch package in Riley Diary style.

Estimates committee David Martine cover for Gretch, profound footage of honest evidence. “Put in a position a public servant should never be put in”.

Panel is Schubert of The Age, Meglo The Oz, Toohey AFR/Fairfax.

Cross to New York for Deputy Prime Minister Gillard [talking Middle East role for Australia in peace negotiations with VP Biden?]. Email smokescreen to Godwin Gretch evidence of favouritism to car dealer Mr Grant, defending Govt reputation.

Your shout about Costello retiring.

Panel much discussion about Godwin Gretch with much footage of questioning by ALP senator Doug Cameron including journo Lewis contact with Godwin Gretch and special attention for Mr Grant but not Kay Hulls electorate related car dealership.

Talking Pictures with Peter Costello: ‘I’ve enjoyed the banter with the press over the years’ but that’s not what he said attacking the glasses of Michelle Grattan, or grump over answering questions post election defeat intentions.

Profound footage of Obama swatting fly by his own hand in front of the cameras during an interview.

Toohey sledges Costello 11 years – bloated middle class welfare and structural deficit in a boom. Hard talk indeed.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

Inside Business with Alan Kohler

Chief at Morgan Stanly discusses over leveraging causing GFC.

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 12:30 PM NZT

Updated: Sunday, 21 June 2009 12:48 PM NZT

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Mood:  chatty

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

* Rudd language style change to quasi 50ies labour working class seems to suggest identity confusion in the man, as does the 25kg diet of his wealthy spouse. Reminds of West Wing script of Jed Bartlett insomnia and nostalgia of the child future president and cold hearted even cruel father. These things seems to relate to increased pressure forcing out flaws in the ego/id in a PM – like his climate Bill hitting the wall of Green Party no compromise. But if he is in electoral mode he will want the blue collar vote no doubt.

* Tough commentary in Fairfax back business section last week condemning The Australian News Corp rival over sellout editorial choices about global warming skepticism/denialism. Same writer again this weekend Paddy Manning in Sustainable Investing column at top banner spot on the page too. Related to Peter Manning senior journalist?

* Sixty Minutes lead story last week (7 days back) was shocking and powerful of the fatal damage to those people cruelly killed in the Victorian Central Highland bushfires. God have mercy. The subtext was unsaid but a hammer blow really – the Royal Commission must take no prisoners and go to the brazen truth of the disaster. (And the landlord here reckons a dam rather than a bushfire bunker is safe enough. Noooo, noooo, noooo. I don’t think so.)

* Reportage of Gunns Ltd moving to both annexe assets of Timbercorp and Great Southern agricultural ‘managed’ investment schemes at least as far as timber wood(chip?) products, and of a willing financier from Sweden The Oz June 11 p7, ‘Gunns set for mill deal with Swedes’

* Andrew Clennall at Fairfax may know of NSW Right agitation against faction Left premiership of Nathan Rees but the stories written so far have been flimsy and unconvincing. He knows all the players but he’s not got any probative leaks or change in the power relations: Sartor has always been a pragmatic egomaniacal grasper for more power. But does he have anything more than tyre tracks of ALP head office fundraising machine over his reputation? Damaged goods was the innuendo behind the SMH banner front pager about ‘illegal’ billion dollar land developments requiring retrospective legislation. Sartor is relying on the corporate greed of the ALP machine but would appear even less electable especially with the Coalition under OFarrell promising to rollback the developer friendly Part 3A junking of the 1979 planning regime.

OFarrell was staunch on opposing a fire sale of the public energy assets.

* Stephanie Peatling SMH runs a story about the grasping for power in the NSW Greens Party. From slippery tactics pioneered by Ian Cohen MLC, to effective branch stacking of the Eastern Suburbs Group by Lee Rhiannon MP with her office volunteers and the like (conflict of interest a la Victorian scandal recently?). A big obituary for Lee’s mother Freda Brown in the SMH a few weeks ago (memorial to be held today at the Bondi Pavillion same day as 150^th anniversary of Waverley Council woohoo, Sunday Too Far Away). Freda Brown pictured with Gorby appears to have been an avowed cold war warrior – for the other side until at least 1972 when she resigned from the Australian Communist Party. If only Stalin’s 20 million victims could speak.

Hard hats lead in, employment thrust featuring Arbib, Rudd.

Minister Macklin, Social Security. Unemployment question.

Background story on Alice Springs town camp ‘special report’ by police reporter re “smell” of poverty (Ester Lindstrom).

Panel is Mark Kenny Adelaide News Corp, Macklin “I have a responsibility to act [compulsory acquire town camps with $125M package.] “I have a lot of money to spend [for sick and elderly] and I want to get on with it.” Sounding actually emotional and idealistic with it over the nasal drone.

Panel also Natasha Robinson, News Corp national. Macklin praises Julia Gillard as potential PM successor.

Tom Calma re underlying racism in society and ethnic conflict over Indian students etc.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

Use of language theme, with Mandarin, and strine. Great imagery from Barry McKenzie [time one caught a view of it], implies it’s a potentially contrived political strategy. [But we have another psychobabble explanation leveraging the West Wing episodes on Jed Bartlett’s insomnia and a disapproving dad, as above in backgrounders.]

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend

Various IR serious questions about timetable and content relations with the unions, then on PM, living up to the trust gracious response, loving deputy PM position. Elephant reference of the comperes meaning Peter Costello.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Intro about PM Ruddish language and style.

Panel is KAK Fairfax Canberra, Milnes News Corp, G Henderson Sydney Institute.

Kooyong preselection formerly Petro Georgiou. Hendo says Frydenberg friendly to asylum seekers.

Christine Milne gets the coverage on climate change. BC notes NP and Greens oppose Govt Bill outright for different reasons. Sound problems with BC question but recovered.

On Bob Brown potential bankruptcy debt to avoid removal from the Senate. Milne calls BC a cynical view that mere fundraising. [Ignores $600K previous legal costs perhaps.]

Senator Fielding argues no temperature increase despite increase in carbon emissions. Deliberately disingenuously dodges/ignores fossil fuel funding of Heartland Institute.

[Fielding correct there is a real question but ignores parallel Global Dimming from escalating particulate pollution from China and India over the same period, ramp up of dirty economics. Trouble is air pollution is an unreliable brake on carbon/ghg driven global warming.

The guy is an Assembly of God creationist anti science type beyond mechano sets.]

Panel notes Ruddish strine. Paul Kelly soliloquy states Rudd no real history of Labor culture explains his change of language style [after touring hard hat pic facs across the land]

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 1:13 PM NZT

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Mood:  incredulous

The editor of Sydney Alternative Media has been experiencing the northern suburbs of Sydney commute since mid April 2009. Only in our case in reverse from Marrickville of the Inner West to the Hawkesbury/Hills district. 

As a result of this relocation and clean up work of a rural block leased by a disabled colleague we haven't been as assiduous as usual in reporting readership statistics, or indeed posting much more than our regular Sunday political talkies once a week to keep our eye in.

Our understanding is we dropped  in April 09 to about 23K pageviews, and then in May back up to 32,125. On June 10 we noticed this, in quite a bounce back despite lack of new postings:

We put this bounce back in statistics to a few factors without being absolutely sure: We posted 2 links onto well read crikey.com.au recently with original material for their readership. One was our reportage of censorship attempt at the Sydney Writers Festival in 2008 following the Guy Rundle article of 2009.

The second link recently was about the martyrdom of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-wiwa (senior) which issue we have followed for a good 10 years or so now including interview with a refugee here of eye witness accounts of oil indusry disgrace in the Niger Delta there.

In addition we had a sabotage incident of our computer in May deleting some technical files and 3 months of email. Our investigations might have stirred up some interest in the SAM micro news website. We would also like to think we have some political insights that are of regular interest via Sunday Political Talkies - an acquired taste, not an easy read, given the James Joyce style free flow of (political) consciousness: The main utility is probably the synthesis into one pithy headline.

We have many more stories to post but continue to implement our relocation into the fresh air of the Sydney fringe. Until then stay tuned.

Previous monthly reader pageview figures for 2007, 2008 verified by screen shot (web host provider monthly pageview account details) posted on or about 4th day of the month found in this thread:

•  May 2009 - 32,125 (host metrics, not screenshot)
• April 2009 - 23,421 (host metrics, not screenshot)
• March 2009 - 34,255
• February 2009 - 23,208
• January 2009 - 27,462
• December 08 - 21,858
• November 08 - unavailable, host breakdown
• October 08 - 20,343
• September 08 - 20,746
• August 08 - 25,344
• July 08 - 22,855
• June 08 - 27,440
• May 08 - 25,046
• April 08 - 19,250
• March 08 - 20,803 
• February 08 - 13,109
• January 2008 -  19, 898
• December - 11,627
• November - 10,220
• October - 9, 100 
• Sept -  8,100 roughly, no screenshot
• August - 8,845
• July - 7475
• June - 9675
• May  - 9, 059
• April  - 12,087
• March  - 6,684
• February - 5,372
• January 07 -  2800 3rd Jan - 3rd Feb 07

Posted by editor at 9:03 AM NZT

Updated: Thursday, 11 June 2009 9:32 AM NZT

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Mood:  d'oh

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.  

* 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.

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.

2^nd adbreak carries John Dee on biodegradable retail shopping bags.

2^nd 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

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/

Posted by editor at 12:34 PM NZT

Updated: Thursday, 11 June 2009 8:37 AM NZT

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Mood:  energetic

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

* ABC radio national is the proverbial public square especially iconic Michelle Grattan pre 7.45 am with Fran Kelly given it’s archived on web, contrasting in Sydney with light often shallow probably very popular Adam Spencer. Compare tougher interviews by … anyone really post 7 am we used to get from say Phillip Clark, Andrew Olle, Angela Catterns, maybe even Wendy Harmer no slouch in the comic department and on public issues. Spencer has recently learned the “some people say” device, probably off Richard Glover. His comic inserts to life and death issues like flu pandemic interviewS – what can you say about that? Maybe people like it, more fool them.  This week it’s “Shire Shite” as Adam Spencer bravely notes himself. Is this MD Mark Scott’s way for 702 to avoid its duty as the public square in Sydney 5.30 to 7.45 am every day of the working week by avoiding controversy. Mmm

702 gravitas deficit? Probably this listener’s age and polical development too. [Just as the updates show 3000 in quarantine and 250 cases confirmed for swine flu – that’s exponential growth rate folks. But seen as seasonal flu impact … so far, unless it follows ‘a W profile’ that is coming back nastier mutations eg combo with regular flu with hybrid vigour. It’s not over folks.

* Minister Penny Wong can’t deliver the ETS Senate votes and will embarrass PM Rudd in the lead up to Copenhagen major global conference as USA moves to cement it’s policy position in time for same. Is that behind Magadon Wong losing her famous cool in Senate hearings recently? Is that why Combet her ostensible Parliamentary Secretary is the tail wagging the dog lately? Stalking her ministry perhaps?

* Wong may find she is more alike to Peter Garrett than she realizes, another metaphorical domesticated Gouldian Finch in big brain Combet’s bird enclosure. Bright plumage but a prisoner of fate all the same, put there by the tough real Green Party Senators Milne, Brown etc?

* Wong choreography of “beltway green groups” as Lenore Taylor of News Corp refers to them (Aust Cons Foundation, Climate Institute, ACOSS, ACTU head office) into their 12 month delay back flip on ETS implementation produced the quid pro quo during the week. No sooner had the tame Gouldian Finches (!) greenies provided political cover on junked election timetable for an ETS than they got a $1B solar power station and $303 Murray Darling water rights policy pay off for being good beltway trusties. ACF in particular have always strong on river issues back to the Tim Fisher campaigner days (the other one, not ex deputy PM now ambassador to the Vatican).

As per claims of ½ Sydney water usage purchased from the Twynam agri group is illogical comparison. Urban use of water has always been a minor fraction of agri usage. What fraction of agri usage out of the MD river system is it? Either locally, regionally, statewide or nationally. That’s the real statistic. It reminds of Bob Carr announcing national parks and saying it’s the biggest decision in the whole world. The Wilderness Society compiled a global list proving that was hyperbolic dishonesty.

* Laurie Oakes column yesterday in Saturday News Corp Telegraph has at least 2 howlers (and Bolt notes this as does Riley by implication though not direct) that LO is becoming a partisan player and it’s a theme we picked up way back pre election loss of Howard, at the least hints of same. A survival mode for aging LO perhaps, he might recall Einfeld aging disgracefully and consider his options. He once told this writer he would keep going for 20 years in 2005 (outside Howard’s Sydney office actually) but that’s just wrong LO and you know it. His column yesterday referred to NZ Keyes regime supporting Rudd approach to the GFC but that’s so wrong because they are not doing stimulus only deficit. And Rudd on debt presentation was blatant so to claim Rudd’s omissions were “inadvertent” to paraphrase Turnbull this morning is incredulous. Especially coming from the old boy.

North Korea focus lead in footage, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith as talent. Press roundup eg pleas to PM re Schapelle Corby.

Strong line on impotent western pollies. Smith says sanctions re UN resolutions luxury goods and weapons. Question from viewer re Corby harsh sentence. Lip service re assistance and prisoner transfer. PB – going for 5 years. “Not suggesting or pretending fair way to go on this” but was until PB called him on it.

Humour break #1 – PropsGate in parliament of “not running a sideshow” says Speaker. Mmm. John Dee in adbreak becausewecare.com.au re recyclable/reusable retail shopping bags. Also in second break.

[remember going tohis first big PR foray back in early 90ies. This guy has really blossomed using his PR skills for sustainability, well done John Dee.]

Serious panel, RN’s Fran Kelly, Fairfax Phil Coorey SMH.

First question re Copenhagen conference on climate change.

‘Yiguars’ issue from China at Gitmo – [pathetic dodging by Bishop/Turnbull that these defiant resisters of the Chinese dictatorship should not have refuge here. It will help our US ally deal with the numbers in Gitmo freeing up their options. Fits with our White Paper precautionary approach to China too.]

Smith strong important in law and policy to reject third party interference. [Just like Chen Yonglin.]

So called “curry bashings” concern of Indian students big money earner for Australia. High level talks between governments.

After 2^nd break Heather Ridout, condescending tone sledging ‘unionist’ Combet actually an MP and parliamentary secretary.

Ridout claims 138 years pedigree and non partisan politics – that’s historic revisionism, claims political outcomes is what counts. Again very condescending answer to Fran Kelly with a steely pose and body language complete with leather jacket. [Ironically suggests defensiveness, like Penny Wong, that the whole ‘fix’ is falling apart with The Greens playing hard and for keeps on saving our planet, God bless Senator Milne. Nothing Stockholm about that woman/MP/Senator.]

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

[brilliant] Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

 ‘crazy week’ in parliament. Propsgate ‘show and tell’ Laurie Oakes insertion into the package is quite surprising showing Rudd alleged hyprocrisy about parliamentary standards.

Fantastic Bob Dylan rip off re placards of famous song (Highway 61 Revisited?]. Harry Jensen speaker as not “a sideshow”. [Hockey does good Shrek angry impersonation.]

[raises the bigger issue that Hansard is way too narrow a record in the age of multi media.

Q&A shows Jensen has been partial to the govt angle. [Visual references to LO reveals awareness of weak column yesterday way too pro govt]

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend

Senator Wong as guest, botch estimates committee 100 years stabilization goal. Putting on brave face. Bob Brown quoted as “monumental mistake”. Wong says documentation doesn’t reflect the error and that’s the main thing. [yes but her mistake is revealing of a politician under pressure and potentially cracking].

LO unconvinced on numbers, won’t get it through. LO have to make the scheme greener to get The Greens to agree. Wong says May 4 position still holds re ACF [see above re quid pro quo in backgrounders] Climate Institute, ACOSS etc.

Says Nats support for Turnbull position proves it’s a worthless position [but Wong ignores election aspect to avoid double dissolution too early]. LO follows up

Reference to Wong interview on racism suffered as child, can’t compare to Sol Trujillo. [Wong probably profile raising, sympathy grabbing, another indicator of career high water mark and feeling a hot breath on her neck?????] Smooth line about overall tolerance. Nice touch handshake back to the main desk with Cameron and Perfect Posture woman. [Jealous.]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Good morning welcome loop for the first minute at least, will have to get off the web. Reprise of the Riley Diary angle above too music and “sideshow” aspect. All the gallery notice different treatment by speaker. Propsgate continues with “sideshow” quote of speaker.

Delay of ETS, panel is Bolt (News Corp Melbourne) Atkin (News Corp Brisbane) Middleton SBS (nationally, ethnic broadcasting).

Talent is Opp leader Turnbull – advert re debt under control. “Achilles heel” Lateline last Friday Mark Arbib admitted props to offset debt argument.

Grab of Wong on Sunday 9 show ‘a few minutes ago’. Says Turnbull position is “a con” (she would know??).

First question is about a con. Devastating audio problem with Turnbull can’t be heard. For at least 3 mintues to “most notably the Americans” [Turnbull]…..at about 9.11 am. Quotes Canada [wrong conservative regime not comparable politics despite similar economy].  MT runs his delay wait on USA huge political capital of Obama scheme. Says rules and regs not published is the “dirty little secret”. No reason ‘to rush’ all about PM Rudd vanity and ego for Copenhagen.  Australian workers have to have same benchmark protection as USA. [our workers have never been compared social contract of USA – rubbish comparison.]  MT talking a good game but all about delay, avoidance of grasping the nettle, in denial of election loss. Runs distinction without a difference on MP photos at project launches as if not supporting the stimulus can still support the project, calls it “blackmail”.

Turnbull gets a good go till 9.24 am at least despite earlier audio problem of say 3 minutes.

Runs his line on being on BRW rich list is irrelevant, shows his business experience.

………….

Vox pop on ETS with “dwarfs” at basketball national team, presumably a metaphor dwarfism of Federal Govt ETS policy.

…………………..

Various chat by panel. PropsGate superceded by DeadStimulusGate. Bolt says $40M ‘wasted’, footage of PM Rudd that families of deceased benefit.

‘Prof’ Paul Kelly soliloquy – agrees debt problem for Federal Govt. PropsGate too much stunting by Govt. Opp on ETS is holding, patch up job. Says not credible Rudd go to election pre Copenhagen. Predicts deal there. New form of politics after that, either deal with Opp and Govt or double dissolution. BC quotes untenable to oppose ETS if USA makes a policy. Bolt disagrees Coalition needs to be unified re Nats, Atkins notes some Libs similar deniers.

Double dissolution discussed, footage of

Bolt attacks LO as partisan and unprofessional. [There is a point there but Bolt is off point re Heffernan ambush of so called big media alleged “ambush” of BRW rich list.

Talking pics with Mexican Hat dig at Sol Trujillo, and Chaser lad. Claims precedent on propsgate.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

Inside Business with Alan Kohler

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 12:49 PM NZT

Updated: Sunday, 31 May 2009 12:55 PM NZT

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Mood:  hug me

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.  

* SAM travails on rural block ‘Froghollow’ after 6 weeks – it’s wet, damn wet but sun shines today, time to get the wood heater next to the outdoor bath and under a sheet of iron: Still no regular power but 12 Amp 4 stage battery charger (Powertech MB-3612 with LED indicators of battery level) via Jaycar, and Greenways  (Melbourne but deliver most places $40) 100 Amp hour deep cycle battery (X2, at cheap cheap $220 each promo price) are doing well, with 12 volt lights and radio, and back up on computer tower 5 hours worth (should have laptop lower draw). 300 and 150 inverters to 240 volt from Dick Smith at decent price. The key is to recharge asap from clunky petrol generator originally cheap from Aldi of all places. Now all we need is some decent solar panel deals and voltage regulator. The idea of mains eventually is rather good too. Pile burns in the rain out of fire season going well. Magnificent red dawn before the deluge. Recycled motor mower cutting a swathe. Junkyard is now 75% sorted with heavy metal and sharps - natural and otherwise - domesticated.

* As a result we still lag on newsprint monitoring or crikey forensics but groveling along.

* More corporate collapses for failure to manage debt in the GFC - Great Southern Plantations and Timbercorp, agricutlural tax driven investment schemes.

* Harry Evans clerk of the Senate and champion of democracy as opposed to vested interests is forced to resign after 21 years by legislation introduced under the Howard Govt.

* Annabel Crabb bells the cat as it were with reference to silence of $18 billion in [upper] middle class welfare not mentioned in budget speech. Must be unique, she says. But her colleagues and big media are absolutely silent except perhaps for Deborah Cameron and see below (Insiders). Ironic as the big media play gotcha on $300B public debt at 14% of GDP still AAA rated compared to UK, but say nothing on $18B handouts to their consumers of advertising to pay their own media fat wages. Pathetic really.

* Labor luvvies increase their controlling grasp over the Sydney Writers Festival leveraging tax payer funded facilities, as per Guy Rundle video of the day on crikey late last week, as per our experience in May 2008.

Our comment on Guy’s string here:

Did the UTS Paper get a run at the writers festival or was that controlled out of existence too?

In other words, what will the fangs of the Right come up with now for being excluded from the Festival this year? Shudder.

* VIP invite to SAM editor for Waverley Council’s 150^th anniversary on 14 June 2009. A bittersweet 4 years closing the $40M Waterloo Incinerator, beating off a private rail/high rise consortium, name plaque for the new Waverley library,  tripling the vote for The Greens before bailing out of the lazy bunch for their years of free riding. Fond memories of Chris Darwin, local Greens member in the news recently (big conservation donation), related to the grand old man himself. Succeeded by Cr Dominic Wykanak we campaigned hard for.

Guest is smooth talking fresh faced Peter Dutton, Shadow Health minister (?). Sounds convincing and mild tones.

First out take humour is Tony Jones on Lateline pushing Rudd to come clean on the level of debt at some 300 billion or something huge.

Adbreak nurses union heart strings advert leveraging sick children

Sharon Burrow, President ACTU calling for no freeze on minimum wage rise and affordability. Attacks Mitch Hooke low credibility, runs the renewable energy jobs off a growth trajectory. PB compere asks about what about transition. Hit the time limit, looks a bit grumpy with good story to tell.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

Don’t mention the war leveraging John Cleese skit re massive Australian debt. Shadow Treasurer Hockey “debt, debt, debt, debt ….”. Press gallery getting more feral on this point given the denialism and spin of the Rudd machine.

Hard hat Rudd on nation building tour. Capped (!) off with “macho man” via Village People.

Charity sing by Riles footage “for a very good cause”. Absolutely.

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend

Health minister Nicola Roxon. Crew ship precautionary steps while “not yet widespread” sounds rehearsed line, as in expect widespread swine flu. LO picks the cue “how bad will it get”. Serious. [Genie out of the bottle talk.]

Earnest, competent, mousy, mild, articulate, not quite female version of Beazley but in that direction. She needs to work up her cut through over volume depending on how ambitious she is. Lacks the Gillard edge which may be a good or bad thing suggesting honesty?

30 June deadline re any federal takeover of health. LO calls it another hollow promise implying the GFC has broken that one.

Her parliamentary secretary expenses – stands by her hard working colleague.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

BC compere goes through the stats of rusted on Rudd at 64% personal approval and ALP primary vote at 45%.

Panel is Lenore Taylor News Corp Australian (centrist), David Marr – Fairfax (centre left), Michael Stutchbury News Corp Australian (centre right).

Swine flu grab of Nicola Roxon earlier in the day.

Tony Abbott Shadow Family, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs Minister.

Quotes Noel Pearson re Cape York hostage to green votes in Brisbane, cutting out economic opportunities. But not tub thumping as such, more mild tones. More blather.

Vox pops with Deborah Cameron at Sydney Writers Festival, labour luvvy from central casting in presentation but a bit more objective than that, labour luvvies at fest say pollies not overpaid, as they would, their team!

Share employee issue discussed, entre to Paul Kelly soliloquy again from News Corp calls Rudd childish, counterproductive. Implies unions are representing fat overpaid unioinists above $60K wages. Talks up Ken Henry tutorial of 25 years economic history re discipline, bottom line everything depends on economic reform in recession – whatever that means.

Grab of Henry, Stutch runs ‘structural budget deficit’ started with Howard-Costello [of upper middle class welfare]. True.

Humour over inhouse Gruen style advert on naming the debt, but not of their own big media blind spot over $18B welfare for the rich.

Talking pics re hard hat as per Riley Diary earlier today, parallel thinking.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

Inside Business with Alan Kohler

Sound glitch lead in, 2 weeks running tech problems now.

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 12:22 PM NZT

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Mood:  don't ask

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 [still lacking power supply capacity with lack of monitoring but in the mindset again]        

* John Howard was ‘robbed’ – lost govt, lost his own seat, lost all credibility over succession planning, but still reckons Rudd is bluding on ‘his’ surplus. Mmm. Relevance deprivation syndrome again this last 48 hours from JH. Ignores GFC thread breaker. Howard is so last century now.    

* What’s more impressive – the reaction to 4 Corners across society including Ch9’s Footy Show, or ABC referring to “g*ngb*ngs” and “group s*x” on breakfast radio yesterday morning in yet quite proper Aunty tones with Geraldine Doogue on St James Ethics Centre Board. That’s what they call in the trade a mind f*ck, pun intended.    

* An angle on NRL bad habits not covered – almost certainly brian injury of high level contact sports. One serious knock a year for 10 years adds up to brain injury, social deficits, retreat into alcohol and failure of judgement in always complex gender relations. It’s obvious when you put it like that.    

* Early election talk – NSW can go before Feds constitutionally in early 2011. But the recession lends resonance to going earlier than that.    

* Premier of Tasmania – read Sutherland Shire #2 with population of 500,000 – tries to sleaze out of global responsibilities: When barely 10% of Australia has forested land cover. With barely 1% of Australia’s land cover being old growth forest, said premier argues statistics (45% of Tasmania landmass is already protected). Trouble is Tasmania doesn’t finance itself. Australia massively subsidises Tasmania and we can decide how much old growth protection THIS NATION should protect, AS A NATION.    

* Tim Blair right wing screamer with ruinous illness for initials - just read his defamatory, possibly legally actionable, attack on SAM editor here over 12 months back. ‘More crazy than Antony Lowenstein’ says TB. We’ll take that, got to have the Right (!) enemies. His peanut gallery seem to gag on moi’s academic and sports achievements – where did he go wrong they moan! 

* New Matilda censor my sledge of ex Senator Andrew Bartlett, then I cop an email data sabotage 2 days later when I protest the decision. Are the two connected? "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" We don’t know but editor Rod McGuinness isn’t commenting so far with email question 72 hours ago. As we recall Rod has some geek credentials? We added this to Bartlett’s crikey blog last Friday (cred to him for letting through too at    

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/bartlett/2009/05/14/brian-harradine-says-%E2%80%9Ci-cannot%E2%80%9D-to-the-gst-%E2%80%93-10-years-on/#comments ): 

   Evening Andrew. Interesting that you take up the GST topic. Recently on an Ian Lowe story on New Matilda you commented at length and I took you up on some things including about the GST as "regressive". You said I was "confused". I said gratuitously that perhaps you were with a sly comment about a glass of binge. This was a phrase that Annabel Crabb likes to use here in Sydneybig media commentary over the alcopops tax. But there is a meta aspect to my comment which might actually be real news. Within a day or so I had an email comment from the editor of New Matilda (Rod McGuinness) saying my comment was edited. I wrote back in fairly broken grammar that I disagreed with the edit because of various reasons like you are a public figure etc past on the public record, and besides you 'started it'. I got a condescending response that my correspondence was incomprehensible. So I wrote back to the editor saying they censored me once before (then editor Marnie Cordell - on a far more serious matter in the Middle East/Mordechai Vanunu)  and I reported NM's emerging culture on my Sydney Alternative Media site        

here: http://www.sydneyalternativemedia.com/blog/index.blog/1814242/new-matilda-blocking-our-analysis-on-busy-palestine-israel-string/     

And that his job was not to protect you ex Senator Bartlett. Sooo .... being busy out on a rural block these days I return to my email 2 days later and a whole email folder is missing called "SAM tech" and no less than 3 months of email part Feb, March April, part May 2009.  Including interesting the corro with NM's editor. Only I found a copy in my deleted box which hadn't been dumped yet, and printed it off. I've emailed him asked does he or his New Matilda tech boffins know anything about sabotage of my email inbox.  

No response in the last 24 hours from New Matilda. Such is our state of Australian Democracy, Andrew!

Sadly New Matilda has form in censoring us once before on the Middle East can of worms. One has sympathy for lefty websites wanting to avoid emotional violence and flames on their string to uphold the standard of their website. But methinks Howard had some truth to the comment “fangs of the Left”. That is attack rivals or critics first and think second.

To cred of Bartlett, he publishes and responds to our comment above on his crikey string.

* Annabel Crabb on Glover abc 702 early last week notes Swan at the press club budget speech noted Oct 08 Cabinet thinking was ‘must build a bridge to a recovery’. Which was exactly SAM’s metaphor we published  late 08 re Stimulus #1 of 2 (lending a Back to the Future movie angle of the train over the ravine just as the bridge magically appears in the future). Risky stuff.   

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am

Press round up re News Corp $7M in trips in some weeks [leveraging UK expenses scandal and their own global franchise/reach]

Has Finance minister axe been blunted?’ with Lindsay Tanner as Minister as guest, sounding defensive and fast talking and competent too. $62K spent on trip for 4 over 8 days bad look.

Tough questions from rolly polly Paul Bongiorno. Signals more aggressive press gallery?

Julia Irwin MP western Sydney worried about budget for unemployed. [running at 11% in her electorate].

Costello footage walking into Treasurer Swan’s view in budget speech in parlt. Tanner scathing of Costello bludging on Turnbull’s hard work in opposition.

Humour out take, briefly Senator Fielding but Guy Rundle of crikey wins the prize and he is like David Rowe quite a genius in his field. [Cousel guy – stick to your strengths stay in your field and you will  fly forever.]

Ist adbreak nurses union advert.

Panel - Jennifer Hewitt The Australian. Richardson of Access calls ALP budget as cream puffs. Tanner talks the reality down.

Peter Hartcher SMH – tough question again too. Tanner implies big media “hysterical” commentary. Defensive. Would be worried about holding his seat of inner Melbourne now.

[phone call break]

Compares Oz economy with small business lost its biggest customer. Can’t criticize media reporting the GFC he says [bit late now after calling them hysterical]. Says PR a balancing act.

Supplement guest is NRL gender equity consultant [drifted to 7 sunrise and missed this]

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

[Fantastic] Riley Diary 7, from 8.30am

 Bugdet humour Goosey Rudd footage, Benny Hill music, pirate music, ship of fools (great song true it is), Tuckey footage on Jenny Macklin nasal drone, John Cleese ‘don’t Labor the point’ (ha ha).

More Goosey Rudd, and Peter Costello new website www.PeterCostello.com.au [apparently – haven’t checked link].

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend

Turnbull looking ‘distinguished’ grey. Travel expenses [leveraging UK scandal too, today’s press lead]

Refer to Hartcher’s book. Turnbull insulation to every home Costello challenged as treasurer. Energy efficiency and pays for itself, and pays for itself. No means test. Says Hartcher’s sources unverifiable.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Lead in on budget, speculating about early election [unlikely].

Albanese with Party lines. Might have said something but I didn’t notice it.

Panel is Crabb, Meglo, Toohey. Crabbies cute Recoco curls

Paul Kelly, the ‘professor’ – says ETS pretext for early election will wreck Coalition prospects and Liberals must rethink or Rudd will avoid election on a crashing economy 1 year out. “How stupid is that?” says the prof with feeling.

Compere BC notes PM Rudd redefining broken election promises as ‘policy commitments unfulfilled’.

Talking pics – funny Rudd blow drier visual gag.

Crabb evicerates Rudd on UN obsessions re ‘7 minutes on Bretton Woods”. Shades of brilliance by Crabby as camera dwells. Cheeky bright chubby Guy Rundle offset.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

Inside Business with Alan Kohler

Talking point turns to colour code screen. WTF? Just as he calls for an early election because we can't afford a long pre election contest: This was 10.25 am image:

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/

Posted by editor at 12:11 PM NZT

Updated: Sunday, 17 May 2009 12:29 PM NZT

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