Do we now know why the
conservatives at the ABC attempted to “burn” the contentious biography
on Alan Jones? And why conservatives everywhere have rushed to justify
the decision?

In his column in The Australian today, Phillip Adams denies the suggestion made by Gerard Henderson, in Crikey and on Lateline, that the book is focused on Jones’s s-xuality, which he thought a bit hypocritical coming from the left.

Adams
rushes to the defence of author Chris Masters on that charge – “too
decent a bloke and too good a journalist” – and says that neither he
nor the left are interested in what goes on in the Jones bedroom. He
goes on to say that he actually sent a supportive message to Jones
after a certain London lavatory incident some years back, one which did
not result in charges being pursued.

Adams goes on: “The only
legitimate area for journalists regarding Jones’s embarrassments in
London would involve the powerful network that worked so hard to bring
him safely home – the connections between high-ranking Australian
Liberals and influential conservatives in the UK. Any revelations in
Masters’s book about the rescue efforts would make interesting reading.”

He’s
right – that certainly would be a story worthy of an investigative
journalist, say, somebody like Masters. Of course, Adams could be
speculating, merely wondering aloud to himself – and to the rest of the
country – as to what all the fuss could be about. But, he knows
Masters, is likely to have spoken with him (perhaps they bumped into
one another at the ABC water cooler) and he is surprisingly specific in
suggesting what the book “may” be about.

By the way, he also
tells this ripping yarn: “French security police had smashed down a
hotel door to discover an Australian MP, and supporter of then
Opposition leader John Howard, in bed with a member of the Palestine
Liberation Organisation.”

C’mon Phillip, you can’t leave us hanging on a juicy tidbit like that.