Crikey readers reacted strongly to news that the government wants oversight on any leaks reported in the press. Not surprisingly, a few quick comparisons came to mind. Elsewhere, readers tackled Australia’s options in fixing the country’s climate chaos.
On whistleblower control
John Richardson writes: If these morons are content to spend their time dreaming-up stupid schemes that simply serve to extend the reach of our burgeoning police state, why doesn’t the media simply publish an avalanche of material and bury the fools in their own deceit. A kind of mass civil disobedience by the media. What many people don’t realise is that power is a very fragile thing and as soon as the government starts to prosecute people, let alone lock them up, Australia might suddenly start to look like Hong Kong.
Mike Smith writes: As a journalist, would you trust the government of the day not to put their interests first? Would you trust them not to leak your exclusive to their tame MSM alternative? 1984 was not intended to be an instruction manual!
Lee Tinson writes: So… the most open and honest thing I’ve heard from any government MP. “We want total control over what you publish.” How long would it take a minister to abuse a rule like this? I’m thinking five seconds top.
John Ryan writes: There used to be places where the government vetted everything a journalist wanted to place on the public record because they thought it was going too far. Russia still does it, China still does it Which of these country’s do the Pezzullos and Duttons in this government want us to emulate?
James O’Neill writes: Look on the bright side. We can now stop pretending that Australia is a democracy. Not hard to identify the potential dictators in the present members of parliament. They do not all belong to the same party.
On climate chaos
Steven Westbrook writes: Nice sentiments, great argument but the federal government and the north Queensland voters are determined to make a “Custer’s Last Stand” on this issue. The eventual whack from external reality will then be much harder than it needed to be.
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Steven Westbrook, you seem to be oblivious to the Labor Party’s Galilee Basin Pledge which was given a good run in the NQ electorate of Herbert (Townsville) in the last two weeks of the election campaign. Having adopted a long term ambiguous position on Adani to corner the greenish vote the Labor candidate (O’Toole) suddenly pivoted to a pro-coal exploitation, big labour position, presumably to corner an already departed blue collar vote – in the face of Hanson renegades, Katter ratbags, Palmer mugs and a Bob Brown caravan descending on Clermont. But lurking behind the political shenanigans was a cunning plan for Labor figures in the northern Galilee coal mining industry to make use of the existing Mount Isa to Townsville railway to bring their coal to Townsville for export from the site of the $1.6 billion state government-funded Townsville Port expansion. Shorten promised $100 million to upgrade the railway. It was always clear that Labor scores more votes or preferences from greenies than disloyal blue collar voters and the results turned out exactly as you’d expect. Greens vote in Herbert up 1%, Labor vote down 5%. Labor loses seat. Blames Bob Brown. Palaszczuk government instantly rolls over for Adani BUT ALSO puts up $500 million (yes, half a billion) for work on the railway. Greenies were wise to dump Labor in Herbert. A vote for Labor would have been a mandate for a coal dump in Cleveland Bay. Labor needs to find a new leaf to turn over. While the CFMMEU and AWU call the shots they haven’t got a hope.