The following media release, issued by Sunday Sunrise executive
producer Sabra Lane, appeared in the inbox yesterday afternoon. It’s a
puff piece for Sunday Sunrise – but it looks more like a puff
piece for their main guest, Trade Minster Mark Vaile. Have a read of a
few pars:

“SUNDAY SUNRISE – Media Release March 13, 2005

“China Free Trade Deal worth Billions

“Trade Minister Mark Vaile says China will receive market economy
status from Australia when and if it is agreed to go ahead with free
trade talks.

“Speaking on the Seven Network’s Sunday Sunrise the Deputy Leader of
the National Party said a potential agreement was worth ‘tens of
billions of dollars’.

“Mr Vaile said market economy status had not been conceded yet that it
would ‘come at the point of agreeing to go ahead with a free trade
agreement negotiation’.

“ ‘The market economy status issue is really about the equity between
China and Australia as equal trading partners within the WTO,’ he said.

“Mr Vaile also stepped back from supporting the idea of splitting Telstra before a final sale…”

As Trade Minister and Deputy Leader of the National Party, Mark Vaile has a press secretary to do this sort of thing for him.

What’s a supposedly independent current affairs program doing pushing this pap?