Gamblers won’t find the $5000 strange. I doubt that either Hedley Thomas or Pia Akermann are gamblers. Anyone who was would not think it strange that someone who spent all night out on the punt and managed to win a bundle would appease a happily guilty conscience by slinging his partner a bundle. But this pair of journalists for The Australian obviously think it’s mighty odd that Julia Gillard’s lover once put $5000 in cash into her bank account after a fun time at Crown casino. I mean, just look at this morning’s front page headline:
If you’d been reading previous episodes in this long running story it looked like an alert to how the now Prime Minister personally benefited from some ill-gotten gains rorted from a trade union. Yet keep reading on the inside pages and this is what you find the former AWU whistleblower Wayne Hem actually recalled:
As a man who once felt moved to buy his partner a grand piano (for cash) after an unapproved of, but successful, punting binge that all seems quite innocent to me. But not, the PM should fear, to many Australians.
This particular conspiracy theory, centered on a belief that her actions as a lawyer when a corrupt union leader was her lover should disqualify her from high office, refuses to go away. If anything, it is increasing in intensity as it moves out from the blogs into the mainstream media.
This morning’s effort in The Oz is far from lonely.
That’s this morning’s Murdoch tabloid contribution. And from the respectable Fairfax lot yesterday:
Which followed this pair from The Oz and the Australian Financial Review at the weekend — not to mention an op-ed contribution in Monday’s Fin from Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop:
They have been sniping away for weeks as well on the talk radio shows and Sky News is finding it an irresistible discussion point with a lengthy instalment promised for tonight. Only the ABC is maintaining a dignified silence but it will not be long, I guess, before the Coalition starts alleging the national broadcaster’s silence is a sign of pro-Labor bias. Reporting those allegations will further broaden the coverage.
Credit where it’s due. If any journalist has earned the right to make a comment about the coming royal commission into child s-xual abuse it’s surely the Human Headline. Derryn Hinch took the courage of his convictions on the question to the point of spending time in the slammer. So here’s an extract from the crusader’s own website and I recommend you click and read the rest as a “thank you” if for no other reason:
Exploring the tip. Child s-xual abuse is a hard subject on which to find accurate statistics but the unfortunate experiences among my family and friends suggest that there is far more abuse by family and family friends than by persons in institutional authority like priests, teachers and scout masters. Yet in the mass of coverage of the planned royal commission this subject seems to be escaping discussion.
A quotation for the day. Forget about the messenger, just think about the message from today’s Australian.
News and views noted along the way.
- Greece’s far-right party goes on the offensive — Could it rise to power?
- How to preserve the European miracle
- The sick man of Europe is France
- Ancient foot massage technique may ease cancer symptoms
- Western media coverage of female genital surgeries in Africa called ‘hyperbolic’ and ‘one sided’
- Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Italy: S-xual orientation and physical appearance
What happens when “Planet” gets ridiculed?
Luckily for us normal punters, The Blot Report telegraphed this on Sunday – damming evidence this, no need for DNA or nuttin*
*sarcasm
Ignoring the comments are by Janet Albrechtson is not easy as it seems that it is the height of hypocrisy. However leaving that aside there is no deep insight in her words as civility does not need humour which is at the expense of the powerless. There are very funny jokes which are insightful and funny which respect others and then there are the kinds of sniggering humour which are designed to cut others down. Many of the jokes circulating by the right wing on the internet, which focus on the femaleness of the PM, are not civil nor funny except to those like Janet who are oblivious to their inherent nastiness.
Derryn Hinch identifies a maggot.
The Oz (with the dominance of Limited News and their edited view of the news that we get to see) on “Slight ‘er and Gordon” – could have been “investigated” 2 years ago, and before?
But “Abbott’s behind in those polls now” – and he leads their federal “Limited News Party”?
Is there a bigger bully in this country than their stable when it thinks it’s will is not being done?
And the ABC has been able to leverage an inquiry into “industrial strength”/institutionalised child abuse – while the tabloids have concentrated our attention on vilifying “lay” individuals that sold copy and didn’t offend anyone “important” (or establishment) – something had to be done to restore their idea of the “natural order”?