Why this punter’s cheering for the underdog, despite her Labor colours

Credit @GeorgeBludger http://flic.kr/p/bkfykN

By Noely Neate
February 21, 2013
Source: Yathink.com.au

I am not a big fan of the ‘hating the MSM’ club to be found on Twitter, as I really don’t feel you can lump a whole profession of print, radio and television journalists in the one basket.  I have seen some good reports in the Main Stream Media, albeit not too many in recent months.

I also often wonder how much of what we see is actually the individual journalist’s choice?  Regardless, the anti-MSM crowd are dead right on one thing. It does not matter what Prime Minister Gillard says or does, it will be spun in a negative manner.

This has been patently clear for months and, frankly, has gotten to an embarrassing stage.  I am sure there must be some news anchors out there who see their auto-cues and think to themselves, ‘Seriously, you want me to read this shit out on air, again…?”.

This morning is a perfect example.  By 9am I was yelling,  ‘For God’s sake just shoot me now & put me out of your misery’ at the computer screen & TV. All forms of media blaring ‘OMG! Gillard has folded on Victorian Government Hospital funding demands’ (or something similar).   In fact, if you actually get past the derogatory headline “Gillard buys health peace for $107m”, The Victorian Government has not been given any money. They (and most likely the Qld Government) have played silly buggers and not met the requirements of the agreement, so instead the funds ‘will be immediately paid directly to hospital administrators’.  No mention of that in the news. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story or a PM Bash, I suppose. And before any journalists yell at me, I have been one of the few actually defending you!  Exhibit A: Eleventy-nomics, Brough, Ashbygate Trifecta –  Proof MSM should not always be a dirty word.

Another aspect I hate is the non-questioning crap.  Since when can an opposition leader say whatever the hell he likes and not be asked one bloody question or asked to actually justify – back up with facts – the assertions being made?

The MRRT is an issue in point. The Government has been knocked pillar-to-post for not pulling in much cash for it.  I have to admit that as a punter I would have loved to have seen us, the public, get a bit more of our share.  As a small business owner, hell, I’d love to have even a quarter of the deductions the big mining companies get.  Anyhow there are a lot of factors involved and if you take the party rants out of the equation the fact is, Original mining tax ‘would cost billions’, the opposition once said. Again, no mention of that around the traps in the media, just a buried item by a well respected Economics Correspondent.

Speaking of which, I will not even start on how every single respected economist said that not trying to get a surplus was actually a good idea for the country in the current world economy… Again, never let the truth get in the way of a good story or media beat up.

I could write pages of examples. It looks like the ALP will be gone at the next election, and the media are making damn sure that they are buried.  Ms Gillard could perform the miracle of eradicating world hunger and it would still be spun as “Gillard enforces will on public” or “Who was screwed out of the Hunger deal” or “US unhappy not consulted by Gillard in latest world domination scheme”.

You get my gist here. It is really bloody sad.

Now I am not sure that the ALP are what is best for this country.  I am not a fan of single mothers being kicked in the guts and not a fan of the factional rubbish that goes on internally in the ALP, it is so not democratic.  BUT punters have a right to OPEN & UNBIASED information to make their decision.

The media are not elected officials and have no right to push their own agenda on a distracted public conned by the repetitive LNP slogans of Bad Government, Julia is a Liar, Government in Chaos crap.  Journalists themselves acknowledge those assertions are hyperbole, though they don’t seem to feel the need to shout it out.

I know Ms Gillard will not read this, though I would love it if she did. I would love it if she rolled the dice and took a massive gamble on putting the whole leadership rubbish to bed by actually polling the ALP membership!  Think about it, announce that every single paid up ALP member could vote on whether they wanted Ms Gillard or Mr Rudd to lead?  Thereby ending the #Ruddmentum

The ALP have the capability to do it. It would help show that the ALP is not just unions or sinister men in grey suits pulling strings (as currently portrayed), but also working men & women who care about the Labor cause. It would also help dispel some of the ‘King of Spivs – Obeid Family NSW Labor’ drama too, showing the ALP is evolving past that cronyism?

The flipside is that it would empower the rank and file members, invigorating them by including them in the process, which I think would have far reaching benefits to the party, now and into the future.  And it would be an awesome coup the media would have to report on, could not spin and could not carry on about after the fact. An awesome Checkmate, with no further leadership rubbish!

Something brave has to be done to cut through the crap that is currently streaming live 24/7 into our lounges.  The ALP will most likely still lose, but at least the media might wake up to how ridiculous the reporting is getting and the punters can get to make their own decisions without media interference.

Being partial to Independents, I would not normally write a ‘pro’ ALP rant, but even I have been pushed too far with the crud being served to me. My sense of justice means that I thrust myself into the position of cheering for the ‘Downtrodden Underdog”.

Then again, as I am always told, I am just a punter so what the hell would I know ;-)

Cheers

Noely  @YaThinkN

*Of particular mention is the fact that the media very rarely actually refer to our Prime Minister by her correct title.  The condescending disrespectful ‘Gillard’ seem to now be the norm.  This in itself is terribly poor form. 

This appalling lack of respect for office by our own National Broadcaster, the ABC, displays clearly the depths the media has plunged themselves down to. Exhibit B: Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott DO NOT deserve Equal Billing!, and Mr Abbott sure as shit should not have his name preceding the Prime Ministers on the video title!