Press Gallery’s ‘Cult of Malcolm’ makes Apple fanbois look like amateurs: @YaThinkN calls BS

  If I have to see one more Press Gallery piece along the lines of ‘poor PM Turnbull besmirched by grubby Labor just because he is rich’ I swear I will scream. The phrases “Politics of envy” and “Class Warfare” have been so over-used in recent days and for the life of me I can’t […]

Off the rails with @margokingston1 at #BentleyBlockade: @mickdaley1 interview

Dean Sewell and Margo Kingston at #BentleyBlockade (At the time of the interview on April 30 the #BentleyBlockade was the subject of shouting matches in NSW Parliament as the Labor Opposition Party belatedly tackled new Premier Mike Baird over his plans to unleash riot police on thousands of peaceful farmers and townies. Senior police had […]

A pollie lied and actually got pinged for it! Barry O’Farrell gives punters Easter cheer: @YaThinkN comments

[clear]   Okay we all know that Sydney is the centre of the Universe; just ask every major paper and the TV stations. This week has been particularly bad for those that are not fortunate enough to live in the most important city in the country – yes, note use of sarcasm font there – […]

It’s time, Finance and AFP: Randall’s Cairns claim must be investigated

[clear] By Margo Kingston 20 October, 2013 OK, we’re starting to get to the pointy end of the political travel rorts scandal. My understanding of the Don Randall matter is this. In November 2012 the Perth MP and a family member flew to Cairns for an overnight stay. . He claimed the $5259 trip was “electorate […]

How will Media, Finance and AFP handle the evidence that the PM is a cheat?

By Margo Kingston, 8 October, 2013 It looks like the Prime Minister is a serial cheat. It’s hard to imagine a bigger test of the integrity and fairness of our democratic institutions than that. Will the press gallery get forensic and press for answers from the PM and action from the authorities? Will the AFP investigate? […]

Time for policy meat from the incoming Abbott government, but how can we get it?

by Margo Kingston 19 August 2013 It’s over for Labor. I knew it intellectually when I saw Rudd steal from the Coalition the Northern Australia policy Labor had already destroyed, then hold up a bottle of vegemite to scare voters about a GST Abbott had convincingly ruled out in his first term. I felt it when […]

Ethical lapses by journalists contributed to Gillard’s demise

By Denis Muller, University of Melbourne Originally published at The Conversation June 28 2013 An integral power of the media is that of portrayal: the act of determining how people, events, ideas and organisations are described to the public, and therefore how they are perceived by the public. In this way, the media constructs for us […]

Federal Press Gallery list revealed

  MARGO: Everyone know journos can’t keep a secret, but they’ve somehow managed to keep the list of Federal Press Gallery members secret from the general public. Until now. We’ve published two pieces on the PG triggered by its refusal to allow @callumdav to join as a reporter for @independentaus; Your guide to the Press […]

The Press Gallery contemplates reform: Join the conversation

By Margo Kingston May 2nd, 2013 The Canberra Press Gallery is in a reforming state of mind, and to my surprise I’m making a contribution, thanks to Twitter. And thanks to the Press Gallery Committee President @David_Speers, Tweeps can have an input too. The PGC decides who joins the club. In the old days we […]

Your guide to the Press Gallery and its gatekeeper

Margo Kingston note: I was a member of the press gallery for many years. When I left Fairfax to take Webdiary independent my Parliament House ID lapsed. I applied to the then Press Gallery Committee president Karen Middleton for a new PG ID and she signed off without a hassle. Yet I couldn’t answer some questions […]