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With the federal election set for September 7, newspapers in the News Corporation stable are expected to take the lead in attacking Kevin Rudd and the ALP.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph has led the way with today’s front page exhortation to readers to “Kick This Mob Out”. The newspaper also runs an editorial on page one urging voters to “Consign Rudd to the bin of history”. [Read more…]
The Minister for Trade, Craig Emerson, has written an opinion piece criticising coverage by the Australian media of recent political controversies.
Emerson focuses on the Gillard-AWU issue and the issues surrounding the sexual harassment case brought by James Ashby against Peter Slipper.
He is especially critical of coverage by the News Limited papers, The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.
Emerson also directs his fire at Tony Abbott, Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne.
Of the media overall, Emerson says: “I am not asserting there is a general bias in the media. Some editors and a few journalists are blatantly biased. That has always been the case. But the real problem is the abandonment of professional standards to give effect to that bias. All subtlety is lost.”
Text of an opinion piece by the Minister for Trade, Craig Emerson.
Subtlety lost
At Sydney University in the early 1970s a course simply called “Government” was offered to economics, arts and law students. It was a time of social upheaval and the election of the Whitlam Government had ended 23 years of conservative rule. The Murdoch press had backed a change of government.
My tutor in Government, Lex Watson, a gay rights activist, had set us a task: to identify bias in the media. But as left-wing as Lex was, the six-week project wasn’t about left versus right, it was about the techniques used by the print media to slant a story to suit an editorial position. [Read more…]
The Prime Minister should require the Speaker to stand aside, according to the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott.
Abbott today issued a statement following publication of lurid allegations concerning Speaker Peter Slipper.
James Ashby, one of Slipper’s staff-members, has alleged, in documents filed in the Federal Court, that Slipper sexually harassed him.
Describing the situation as a “tawdry state of affairs”, Abbott said that Julia Gillard should require Slipper “to stand aside until these matters are concluded before the courts”.
Abbott said Slipper was entitled to the presumption of innocence but “these allegations unquestionably have the potential to damage the reputation of the office of Speaker and the standing of the Parliament”.
Text of a statement from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
STATEMENT ON PETER SLIPPER MP
The Speaker is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and is responsible for the orderly conduct of the House and the maintenance of standards of behaviour and integrity.
It is a very senior position within our Parliament and an office that should command respect.
It is important for our Parliament that the Speaker have the respect of colleagues and the trust of the community. [Read more…]
This is the election editorial from Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph.
The Daily Telegraph is a News Limited publication.
Editorial from The Daily Telegraph.
Rudd Right Man For New Times
This is an unusual editorial in that it praises the leadership and legacy of our current prime minister – and calls for him to be thrown out of office.
The Daily Telegraph believes Kevin Rudd should be the next Prime Minister of Australia.
We believe Australia has been lucky to have been led by John Howard for the past 11 years. [Read more…]