Mood: blue
Topic: 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. Rees competent on Stateline NSW last Friday night, despite poor polling in The Oz weekend story ramped on abc tv, and front pager attacks. Finishes on only strong argument namely lowest unemployment on the mainland. As a result of ramrod planning decisions. Carty lead story Sun Herald shows ironically that Rees is now camapaigning against his own ministerial sludge, which is probably not a bad thing. Carty on the other hand is a shallow sensationalist hyperbole addict who has to be read down virtually every time, based on her track record of frippery.
2. Oakes says Rudd honeymoon coming to an end in Saturday News Corp press national column
3. Huge huge huge Montara/West Atlas oil spill/blowout at 2,000 (not 400) barrels a day is 5,880,000 gallons (US) after 70 days. Which so far is ½ the infamous Exxon Valdez at 10.8 M gallons spill. The company spin echoed by Wilkinson SMH yesterday, ABC last Friday prime time, is surely wrong based on Geo Science Australia/Dept of Env evidence to Senate Estimates Economics Committee on 21st October 2009. Company says on one hand no science to prove flow rate, on the other insist it’s the lower 400 barrels a day (what’s wrong with this picture?).
3. PTTEP company and Minister Ferguson say the 2,000 figure is only for full production rates. But what difference is a blowout to full production really? Arguably pumping in to increase pressure for egress of oil in a huge reservoir? A bigger hole? None of this rings true on basic physics of flow. Can’t wait for all govt documents to be revealed by November 16 as per this Greens presser late last week: Senate calls for release of oil spill environmental report
MEDIA RELEASE - Thursday 29 October, 2009
The Australian Senate today (29/10/09) called on the Federal Environment
Minister to table a marine survey on the environmental impacts of the
Montara wellhead spill by Monday, 16 November.
The survey of environmental impacts was announced by the Rudd Government
on 15 October, eight weeks after the spill first began, and following
widespread calls for the Government to take greater action.
"The Senate supported the Greens' motion, which also asks for all
documents used in the preparation of the report, including drafts, to be
tabled," the Greens Spokesperson on Marine Issues, Senator Rachel
Siewert said.
"The public has a right to know as much information as possible about
this spill, but to date both the Rudd Government and PTTEP have been far
from forthcoming.
"The Environment Minister now has until Monday 16 November to provide
these documents to the Senate. This is more than sufficient time to
report back."
4. Classic PR management by ALP of our own Exxon Valdez disaster as per this potted chronology:
30 April – WA state Environmental Agency provisional approval to $50B Gorgon gas deal off Kimberley coast
10 August - WA state Govt approves Gorgon gas project
19 August 4 am – oil spill begins 250km off the far north Kimberley coast in Western Australia and 150km south-east of the Ashmore Reef at West Atlas, operated by Norway's Seadrill for PTTEP Australasia. The gusher is several hundred metres below on the ocean bottom
22 August – 69 workers evacuate West Altas oil rig.
26 August – Federal Minister Garrett waves through Gorgon multi billion decision for Barrow Island off Kimberley Coast with undue
28 August – Senator Siewart Greens flyover and pictures of oil spill West Atlas/Montara oil leak starts off Kimberley Coast
28 August – Federal minister Garrett announces 2 million hectare national park in remote Arnhem Land in Northern Territory with strong involvement of Indigenous traditional owners. The level of threat is low compared to the extreme threat of the West Atlas oil spill. National media coverage results.
4 September - Laurie Oakes slur on Greens for ‘exagerating’ oil spill, runs nationally in all News Corp newspapers based on dishonest industry govt backgrounding
21 October – Senate Estimates evidence from Federal Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism officials said that PTTEP had given them no basis for their 400-barrels-day figure, and their own calculations based on Geoscience Australia data suggested a rate of around 2,000 barrels-a-day, plus condensate.
25 October – Veteran journalist Oakes redeems himself in part with Green Leader Bob Brown on Today 9 Sunday show profile balancer on various issues including West Atlas oil leak.
27 October – Federal Govt release report to national media coverage on climate change sea level rise threat to coastal development – an issue well understood for over a year.
Picture: Minister for Resources Martin Ferguson 28 October 09 waxes lyrical on renewable energy policy, or anything really, rather than the West Atlas oil blow out disaster. A trick of timing suggests Deputy PM Gillard is trying to promote a vomit.
To which we can add the latest release via NT Govt of small (insignificant?) Puffin Oil gas leak – to create confusion over the public focus on West Atlas/Montara: Classic PR sleaze, and naïve Greens/greens to buy into that change of focus. And now a report “a month ago” for Garrett re environmental impacts.
Meanwhile the industry itself has turned on PTTEP (in The Australian) and it's so far $150 Million clean up disaster (as per ABC also late last week).
5. Howes of AWU at only aged 28 on maximalist humanitarian refugee policy is simply message variation for same ALP factory. Will your soap powder have refugee eucalyptus fragrance, or sard stain remover? Either way please buy soap from our ALP factory. Trouble is the factory profits go to a corrupt self interested tribe, as per cynical Alan Ramsey interview reflections on 7.30 last week.
6. Oil blow out in Timor Sea, north west shelf of Australia is almost certainly feeding into tensions with Indonesia. Poisoning 1,000 hectares of seaweed farming grounds, and poisoned fish on the coastlines, sort of does that.
7. Costello to lead Future Fund announcement to head off news of FF tax avoidance in Cayman Islands as per World Today last Friday? Increased ALP tensions bound to result. Costello after all was Mr Waterfront IR 'smash the unions' back in the day.
8. We wonder if PM 'short memory' Rudd appointing all these Coalition figures fully realises that it was Crean not Rudd that saved the ALP reputation 02-03 after the Iraq war went so bad 04-05. That Latham was just a little too early but by 2007 the wheels had fallen off. If Rudd (and Garrett) did the job in late 2007 to get elected does that mean they are also best suited to lead in 2009/10?
9. Oakes feud with Ramsey five years is aired. Oakes was right to publicise then leader of AD Kernot affair with Gareth Evans given minor party rivalry with greens and public right to know to judge whether or not the leader was performing in a compromised fashion. Indeed we had the right to know at the time, not 3 years later. That is the travesty.
10. Crikey.com.au increasingly is becoming more than just a daily ezine. The time is soon approaching when the coalface itch will be satisfied online not via dead tree press, not yet, but it’s on the horizon like a refugee boat in sailing season.
11. Speaking of Crikey the Sri Lankan govt PR company (?) is busy with a profile advert there on the ezine last Friday if memory serves, after scandal of refugees from there sailing to Australia.
12. ABC man Mark Scott, former Lib NSW Minister Terry Metherell staffer, but crucially – and note this – later independent MP who helped save NSW wilderness forests. Scott gets a softly softly profile in Herald glossy November edition of Sydney Magazine. True enough ABC online is hitting its straps and launching public broadcasting into the post News Corp ex hegemony world. Is good. Scott is a Howard appointee that has evolved to play an independent role.
13. Interesting to see Hillsong Mercy Ministry hit the wall, confirming that religion as theatre is false and superficial.
14. Cardinal George Pell may be promoted out of his anti green job in Australia to the Vatican. Pell was malicious on Glover panel discussion with John Kaye MP (Greens) last Monday Arvo. Pell is a dinosaur who belongs in a fossil museum and is in clear conflict with the Roman Catholic Pope over climate policy. The sooner he is gone the better.
15. Great story in The Glenorian on Kokoda walk, with troubles that started at the end of the walk. Copy to follow in due course.
16. Dennis Ferguson promo for 4 Corners this week, a life as a slow motion car crash, fascinating and horrific all in one disturbing package.
17. Therese Rein profile piece on 7.30 pure machine spin for ALP over inhumane refugee policy settings, as per SAM wrap here previously.
18. On the personal front SAM slogger is getting very good results from a product in Woollies for $27 called GastroHealth pro biotic healthy bacteria for digestion. We aren’t gluten intolerant. But we may yet be lactose intolerant. Hopefully the 3 years of suffering is coming to a close. 30 km cycle yesterday feeling good, with a thigh cramp to wind up the day. Another theory - all 2007 we got into grated ginger for taste in our tea tracking the federal election year and maybe we took out all that good digestive fauna in the process?
10 Meet the Press: 8- 8-30 am
Refugee issues preface footage. Press round up. [no mention of NSW premier spying story front page Sydney Sun Herald]
Turbull is talent looking chipper hand on hip, and gestures. Costello decision as head of future fund. Joyce ructions re stay in coalition/LNP membership divisin of federal Liberal party confusion.
Combet Park whispering campaign. Digging dirt? Turnbull Humour out take Gillard penguin rubber boots
Peter Andrews Stop Bickham mine advert, high production values, river to be killed. Voice over by Jack Thompson.
Panel is Fran Kelly abc RN, Paul Maley The Australian. Economics and refugees boilerplate. Fran Bailey/Turnbull alleged disjunction. Humour out take cartoon at Rudd expense.
Bickham advert runs a second time.
2nd guest is Senator Fielding – Telstra/NBN Bill vote this year. Double talk about refugees runs queue argument, our boat “hijacked” by refugees. [Fielding is scum.] Says Alex good English suggests not genuine. [Fielding is scum].
Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.
Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am
Image problems re boat people, body image federal parliament PR stunt – Kevvies Angels. Strong line in hypocrisy based on Charlies Angels. Kevinator lost power of pollie talk, sledge of Garrett pop lyrics, short memory etc. Honey moon is over echo of Oakes News Corp Saturday column.
http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend
9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am
Starts a tad late avoiding Riley package to near end of q and a. Oakes in rampant mood, Costello appointment – attacked after 12 years as hopeless now genius? Hypocrisy line. Talent is Stephen Smith sophistry re national interest job.
Growing resentment in Labor Party. Horses for course. Nelson supported as former defense minister re NATO.
Boilerplate on refugees, liaison with Indonesia foreign minister. Rudd not talking to President of Sri Lanka – why not [great question, the govt there is fascist as per murder of editor over there]
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes
Insiders 2: 9- 10am
Riley style package on refugee issue. General theme is Rudd is a failure on humane policy with song of discontent. Sledge from Senator Hansen Young on PM Rudd ‘not thinking things through’ knee jerk. She gets platform in the chair.
Panel is Atkins re Costello appointment to FF, Crabb, Bolt – discussed gestures of bipartisanship, annoys Labor side as per Howard on NRL board. Purely strategic.
Sledging of Rees Govt [without any view of Stateline interview last Fri – lowest unemployment on mainland, claims premier, rely on Carty who is intrinsically a shallow journo and perhaps the weakest lead political journo we’ve read in years.]
Set piece interview, going longer than expected, very competent, well presented, chunky bright young politician with big head and brain, without the ideological edge of ex Senator Nettle, “practicality” twice. And a subdued compere Cassidy as if even he could vote for that.
Govt more helpless than hopeless says compere. Grab of Howes, PM Rudd quoted response re “windbag” Howes. But it’s all an oxygen grabber for ALP with artificial message differentiation.
Minchin re all amendments on climate change won’t pass it still possibly. Agree serious time waster. Grab of Garrett re ocean rise, journalists on panel completely misunderstand 3 mm verus 1 mm exponential rate of change of ocean rise.
Talking pictures – “Kevin Ruddick” profound comment by Fiona Katsoukas with Zanetti, arguably better tv than accomplished Mike Bowers overseas on assignment.
Noted Therese Rein on 7.30 and Turnbull joint effort on breast cancer. Humorous grab of Rudd shooing cat at presser. Bolt says year long ban appearing on Insiders will continue.
Great footage of SA Parlaiment speaker threatening to resign over bogus alleged glamour blonde scandal with premier. Last refuge of the desperate Opposition promoting smear.
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders
Inside Business with Alan Kohler
Feature on water trading.
Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/