We’re coming up to our first anniversary and, on reflection, have had very little abuse given all that has happened.

Inspite of all that has happened, it really is quite remarkable that we’ve only copped two defamation writs and very little genuine abuse or threats in the first year.

The worst of any face to face agitation came when Kerry Packer asked at the PBL AGM whether I “deliberately set out to be offensive or does it just come naturally”. This was hardly the stuff of knocking knees.

The episode when Rash Ash Long published our subscriber list and then tried to sue us for defamation was perhaps the low point. We called his bluff and he went away and we have since almost tripled our subscriber numbers to about 700.

Given the number of bridges that we’ve blown up it and fights that we’ve picked, it is remarkable that these two following emails are the worst we’ve had on the abuse front.

He’s a Liberal voter who calls himself Mick Abram and emailed using the address mickabram@hotmail.com

Andrew Bolt is right when he says that lefties tend to be more abusive than Libs. Anyway, read this and no-one can say we are Murdochian in the way we cover ourselves.

Dear Stephen,

I have been a regular visitor to your websites since the 1999 Victorian State election and it is becoming increasingly apparent that you have been struck down with a bout of RDS ( relevancy depravation syndrome ) that is in desperate need of professional help. Over recent months you have been at pains to inform your readers of a supposed main stream media “black ban” placed on both you and your website. Exactly how do you reach this rather far fetched conclusion ? Have you considered the possibility that your former colleagues in the media view you as someone with about as much credibility as that other well known nutter, Raymond Hoser ? I bet Raymond believes there is a media black ban on him too !

Unfortunately for you Stephen, any credibility you may have once had has totally disappeared following your completely unprofessional behavior during the State election and the Burwood By-election. The common view around town is that you are completely untrustworthy and therefore unemployable as a credible journo in any way shape or form. Your antics have shown that any organisation contemplating employing you really should have a long hard look at itself. The rather obvious tactic you use when describing yourself as a “well respected former staffer” when employed by the Kennett Government is a blatant attempt to boost your reputation and it quite clearly won’t work. The written references provided and comments made upon your departure no longer hold water and your dependence on them is sad to say the least. The more you use them, the bigger the loser you look. The damage to your reputation is irreversible and the sooner you accept that the better off you will be.

You are now attempting to curry favour with the likes of Jeff McMullen and Paul Barry in another cynical attempt to redeem yourself. No doubt you believe if you do enough crawling to these two former “high flyers” you will be able to bask in some sort of reflected glory. The only thing you have in common with McMullen and Barry is that they also saw fit to bag former employers upon the termination of their cushy jobs. With all due respect to the few “good journos” still in existence, the antics of McMullen and Barry just confirm my suspicions of journalists as generally being untrustworthy lowlife scum of the earth. Stephen, you don’t even make this incredibly low standard which is a fair indication of your standing in the community.

The removal of the Joe Tripodi story showed exactly what you are made of and your lack of spine was plain for all to see. Whilst constantly goading the mainstream media for not having the courage to name names, you took the plunge and named Tripodi but then removed it following a threat of legal action. What ever happened to having the courage of your convictions? This is yet another example of your complete lack of credibility. Say one thing, do another. Are you familiar with the expression “soft cock”? Never has it been more appropriate!

Constantly getting your facts wrong may be O.K in the world of third rate journalism but in the eyes of the real world this adds to the perception that you cannot be believed under any circumstances. In your recent story on NSW Inc., you make mention of the Jeff Kennett/Ron Walker relationship with the inference that Walker was a Kennett Government appointee. Walker was appointed by Joan “Fatty” Kirner in the early 1990’s and this is an undisputable fact. Did you not know this to be the case? If not, why not? If you did know, why the blatant attempt to deliberately mislead your readers? I think it probably comes down to the fact that you just can’t help yourself. “Never let the facts get in the way of a good story” appears to be your golden rule.

Finally, what the hell is wrong with Paula Piccini? She surely must go down in history as the worst judge of character since federation. Why would any sane person sign up for a life with a bullshit artist like you? Obviously Paula is over endowed with gullibility as any person of average intelligence wouldn’t swallow any of the bullshit you espouse, let alone marry you.

Kind regards

Mick Abram.

P.S. Feel free to publish this letter on you website although I bet you don’t have the balls. Also, there is a story doing the rounds suggesting that you have in the past been committed for psychiatric treatment. Is it true? How many times?

We replied briefly as follows

Nice one Mick, although the Joan “Fatty” Kirner gives you away as a Liberal and a Jeff apologist.

The little jibe at the end might just work too in getting you a run.

Keep up the good work.

Best, SM

PS My crazy wife is Piccinini not Piccini.

Politeness didn’t pacify old Mick

Stephen,

Why am I not surprised that you have chosen not to respond in any detail to my original correspondence, let alone publish on your website? Typical soft cock, jellyback, weak kneed response I have come to expect from one who has made his reputation firing arrows with no substance and then failing to stand by them.

How about a response to a few of my many insightful questions posed previously? Questions such as the persistent rumour regarding your mental health and your previous dealings with Psychiatric Institutions and why did you attempt to deliberately mislead your readers into believing Ron Walker was appointed by Jeff Kennett when this was clearly not the case?

Why have you not used this week’s Crikey to blow your own trumpet over your “performance” on the 7.30 Report? Would it be because even YOU were embarrassed by what went to air? I thought it was funnier than anything Dawe/Clarke have produced on the 7.30 Report in recent memory and if making yourself look like a complete dickhead was your intention, you passed with flying colors. The overall theme of the interview and Kerry O’Briens reaction at the completion suggest it was one giant “piss take” on behalf of the ABC and they certainly succeeded in projecting you as the moronic imbecile you are.

Finally, please accept my apologies for misspelling Piccinini in my previous e-mail but don’t you think it is a bit rich correcting me when every week your website is littered with spelling and grammatical errors for which you make no apology? I suppose this actually means that you were rather lost for words when responding and had to resort to this petty retort because you are unable to dispute any of my accusations. No wonder your reputation is in the toilet.

See you later loser,

Mick Abram

Crikey responds

* Leaving the abuse aside, Ron Walker was appointed to the Melbourne Major Events committee by Joan Kirner but it was Kennett who subsequently appointed him chairman and then awarded his casino all sorts of regulatory favours and also put him in charge of the Grand Prix Corporation.

* The only black ban which remains in place is from 3AW in Melbourne and 2UE in Sydney. The Fin Review, Herald Sun and Daily Telegraph have slightly underplayed the shareholder activism side of things but this does not constitute a “black ban” in any language. Now there is “black ban” on mad Raymond, although it seems the ABA listened to what he had to say about Steve Price.

* My folks liked The 7.30 Report story and that’s the only benchmark I go by.

As Jeffrey would say Mick: “Have a great day.”