The arrest of a producer of YouTube journalist and comedian FriendlyJordies has disturbing implications for free speech and civil liberties. That a counter-terrorism unit would be sent in to arrest a government critic has eerie parallels to repressive regimes around the world, writes Michael Tanner.
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Tamed Estate: Christian Porter ‘zero for three’ but News Corp claimed Porter victory
Legal experts were in no doubt whatsoever that Christian Porter had given up but News Corp madly spun the line that it was a humiliating backdown by the ABC. Michael Tanner dissects the coverage of what had been billed as ‘the defamation trial of the century’.
Tamed Estate: Labor hunted in Hunter byelection
Labor had not held the seat for more than a century but it was still portrayed as a cataclysmic defeat for the party. Michael Tanner casts a critical eye over the media coverage of the Hunter byelection where the drop in Labor’s vote featured despite the long-term halving of the Nationals’ vote.
Tamed Estate: cosy media club getting Coalition’s ‘drops’ expands to include Rupert’s tabloids
And in true Orwellian Doublespeak, Prime Minister Scott Morrison used the war footing to paint himself as the champion of peace. Michael Tanner reports.
Numbers can lie: the science behind opinion polls
Opinion polls are given far too much importance, particularly given their methodology is not transparent; their language can shape answers; and only a small percentage of those who are contacted respond. Yet polls may also independently shape voting choices. Michael Tanner reports.
Tamed Estate: Nine’s ‘Exclusive Survey’ by Liberal lobby associates as credible as Angus Taylor’s ‘clean coal’
And all guns saluted the PM’s climate announcements. But while other countries are targeting green hydrogen production, Energy Minister Angus Taylor spruiks clean hydrogen, which keeps fossil fuels in the game. And the Oz found room for an Op-ed claiming that Australia’s and America’s policies are “not far apart”. Michael Tanner reports.
Own Goal: IPA report a ringing endorsement that Coalition policies have failed
It was to much fanfare that the Institute of Public Affairs announced the hiring of Tony Abbott to “lead a new movement to defend and revive traditional Australian values”. Such a movement was deemed necessary by the release of the IPA’s report titled “The Fair Go – Going, Gone: The Decline of the Australian Way of Life, 2000 to 2020”.
Tamed Estate: media kicks off 2021 copying and pasting government “drops”
Spruiking the Coalition’s 2020 tax cuts; Australians’ ‘$200 billion’ war chest; Google’s experiments; free speech; and even a Liberal Party self-congratulatory piece on the NBN. Michael Tanner checks out the past week in the mainstream media.
Tamed Estate: Gladys leads from behind
On the journey of Covid-19 and “enemies of the state”, hotel quarantine, sycophancy, the vaccine, MPs’report cards, and Reds under the … somewhere. Michael Tanner reports on the week in the media.
Tamed estate: Scott Morrison, the master magician
Prime Minister Scott Morrison swung the spotlight away from the mounting evidence of the misuse of taxpayer funds and on to AusPost’s CEO Christine Holgate. The media was only too happy to oblige. Michael Tanner reports.
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Where there’s a bill there’s a way: Rex Patrick’s dogged fight against Coalition to repeal billionaires’ loophole
It’s been quite the innings for some of Australia’s wealthiest billionaires. Certain large proprietary companies owned by the establishment – Secret Rich-Listers as we call them – have been cloaked in darkness by government legislation for more than a quarter of a century. Luke Stacey reports how South Australian Senator Rex Patrick is fighting to buck the trend and demolish Australia’s Secret Rich List once and for all.
Protesters Believe Government That Can’t Even Organise A Vax Rollout Is ‘Controlling Them’
<!– by The Shovel –> Thousands of protesters in Sydney and Melbourne believe that a government that misplaced $60 billion last year, had to bribe voters to secure the election and can’t even manage to organise a vaccine rollout with 18 month’s notice...
