January 31 Press Club review: There are many reasons why the Canberra Press Gallery is failing to fulfil its democratic role. A collapse in media revenues, 24 hour filing, no time to stay with a story and investigate it, an atmosphere which sees journos run from one ephemeral topic to another in waves, an exodus […]
Cory and friends (not Abbott) respond to Investigative Journalist Jessica Wright
January 28, 2013
Jessia Wright had a massive scoop on Abbott’s man Cory Bernardi who is now under fire over his extreme right lobbying. Extract: TONY Abbott’s handpicked former parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi has apparently breached strict rules by failing to declare his ties to a right-wing, pro-tobacco group fighting gun controls. The organisation, the American Legislative Exchange […]
Jane Cattermole asks: Why a different rule for Peter Slipper?
January 15, 2013
By Jane Cattermole 15th January 2013 Peter Slipper, for the latter part of his parliamentary career was much maligned and ridiculed by colleagues and members of the media alike. He was called a “turncoat”, a “rat”, ”Slippery” and was portrayed as “King Rat” on the front of a News Ltd tabloid complete with a digitally […]
Why Tony Abbott should never be PM.
January 5, 2013
By Margo Kingston Source: Independent Australia January 3rd , 2013 AFTER THE PUBLICATION of my book Not Happy, John! in 2004, former Liberal Party staffer Christian Kerr, then political correspondent for Crikey, told me the ʻAustralians for Honest Politicsʼ chapter was dynamite, ʻthe most importantʼ in the book. “But it wonʼt get followed up,” I asked him, “will it?” “No,” […]
Margo Kingston: My welcome to Twitter.
January 5, 2013
By Margo Kingston Source: New Matilda December 11, 2012 I blame the ABC for my initiation to Twitter. Or rather, I thank them, because the experience has been refreshing for this disillusioned ex-journo and long-time internet refugee. I happened to be watching ABC News 24 when Tony Abbott again confronted Julia Gillard about her role in the AWU affair on the […]
Tony Abbott’s Slush Fund
December 11, 2012
By Margo Kingston Source: NewMatilda 11 December 2012 This week New Matilda is republishing journalist Margo Kingston’s investigation into Tony Abbott’s own slush fund. Here she explains why the story needs to be pursued as strongly as the AWU case against Julia Gillard I blame the ABC for my initiation to Twitter. Or rather, I thank them, […]
In Politics, Slush Happens
December 4, 2012
By Mike Seccombe Source: The Global Mail November 29, 2012 Extract 1: Abbott insisted the whole thing was done at his own initiative, and that neither John Howard nor anyone else in the government had been involved. Said Abbott in our interview: “There was myself and two other trustees. We raised … it may not have been […]
A question of character?
December 3, 2012
by Margo Kingston Source: Independent Australia.net 30th November, 2012 My mouth fell open when I heard Abbott’s final flourish in Thursday’s speech denouncing Gillard as unfit for office. I remembered, suddenly, vividly, Tony Abbott’s very own slush fund. Could he too have forgotten? It’s ancient history now, Abbott’s slush fund ― but less ancient than the slush […]
Tony Abbott’s unholy dealings with the AEC
December 3, 2012
By Christian Kerr Source: Crikey 30th December 204 Has Tony Abbott been protected by some slip-shod work at the Australian Electoral Commission? Read on. Yours truly is a friend of Margo Kingston’s, but when I reviewed Not Happy John in July I had the following to say: “Margo pinpoints everything that’s wrong with the Howard Government – but, […]
