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Will the media rise to the marathon election challenge?

David Forman

by David Forman

01 Feb 05:45am

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Filed under: Election 2013, Julia Gillard, Mass Media, Media, News, Newspapers, Politics, Tony Abbott

43 comments

Julia Gillard said some fascinating things to the National Press Club in Canberra this week.

Weekly travel times to work in capital cities has increased by up to an hour and a half a week in the past decade.

Australia has risen from the 15th largest economy in the world in the late 2000s to be 12th today.

Individually, we are on average wealthier than Britons, Japanese, Italians and Belgians.

Orthodox economics cannot explain why the Australian dollar remains high in the face of falling interest rates and declining terms of trade.

Australian households have moved from saving nothing before the Global Financial Crisis to now saving 10 percent of household income.

She spoke about how the Government was trying to re-engineer the business of economic management in these strange days.

Then she announced the election date.

The speech set the context for what amounted to a plea by the Prime Minister to the media to talk about facts and policy and not gossip and personalities, at least until the election campaign proper.

She was rewarded in the subsequent Q&A sessions by a press gallery whose questions started with a focus on facts but soon veered into trivia such as who she spoke to before making her decision (surprise, pretty much the same circle of people as every other Prime Minister in living memory, as it turned out) and penetrating observations such as a declaration that she had announced a 227-day campaign. Which in fact was the opposite of what she had repeatedly said was her intention.

The groans of exasperation from the non-media audience were palpable.

The reporting in the first 24 hours since the announcement was equally disheartening.

Every Government thinks the Opposition gets away with being policy-light, with the exception of the Keating Government that went into the 1993 election having been gifted a comprehensive policy program centred on the GST by the John Hewson-led Opposition. Tony Abbott, having been an adviser to Hewson, would no doubt have a vivid memory of how that turned out.

Nonetheless, for anyone who bothers to look, there is an enormous amount of information published by the Opposition about their policy agenda. Sure, there are no detailed costings, but, honestly, how many in the media would independently analyse that information even if it was released?

What they have done is provide details about the issues they will deal with as priorities, the principles they will bring to these issues, and even their alternative vision of government. Across most portfolio areas, the Opposition has had plenty to say that can be analysed and questioned.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for the mainstream media to get around to doing it though. Nor for them to report the policy actions of the Government.

The disconnect between the concerns and interests of the Australian community and the press gallery crystallised last year in the reaction to the now famous misogyny speech by the Prime Minister. It was followed by weeks of introspection, self analysis and hand wringing from an embarrassed media.

But what’s changed? Politics is still reported as a horse race or personality contest, and Australians continue to turn to the online world to vent their spleen and frustration.

Maybe the problem is that the media is so diminished that it is actually incapable of doing that job anymore.

So, here’s an early election prediction. The media will not rise to the challenge. It will happily throw the switch to campaign mode, drive us all insane by being reflexively inane, and, worse, moan about it as though it’s someone else’s fault.

Please try to prove me wrong.

Comments on this post close at 8pm AEDT.

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43 comments

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    • CF says:

      05:17am | 01/02/13

      And another early election prediction - the ABC will win the Maxine McKew award for unbiased media reporting

      Reply

    • Seano says:

      07:19am | 01/02/13

      You mean the ABC run by a former Liberal Party staffer?

    • Yes Man says:

      05:25am | 01/02/13

      Rupert and Gina have put their support behind Tony Abbott why I don’t know. I wish journalists were more independent and reported on the facts instead of being a bunch of yes men puppets.

      Reply

    • gof says:

      06:29am | 01/02/13

      Because Rupert and Gina are Australia’s most prominent self interest group! Themselves!
      Don’t be surprised if Mr Abbott gets the top job that you find you will be fined 1% of you gross taxable income for not purchasing News Ltd publications. He did it with private health insurance to prop up an ailing ponzi scheme, it would not be beneath him to stoop so low.

    • dovif says:

      07:41am | 01/02/13

      Because this is the most incompetent government in Australian history, that is why the ALP government is not fit to govern

      Just look at its latest stuff up, Anti discrimination Law. Is the whole ALP caucus so incompetant, that they announce law that are wildly panned by almost every group in society, did anyone in the ALP read it? Did they get a specialist to look at it before announcing it? Did they get more then 2 people to look at it before announcing it? How they can get it so wrong is almost comical

      It is not like this is the first similar stuff up, we had the same thing with the Internet Filter, Malaysian solution,etc you would think a mediocre government would have learn from their mistakes

    • Gregg says:

      05:33am | 01/02/13

      Well, I just predict that life will continue as usual, Julia and others continuing to stuff up, just like in her NPC address and the likes of Krudd and Carr, the travelling man taking his wife along will be as happy as they can be.

      ” She spoke about how the Government was trying to re-engineer the business of economic management in these strange days. “

      Yes, I suppose it could mean we’ll be having more reviews of budget reviews and you would think they could pinpoint some definite savings like telling Mrs Carr she had better stay home for starters.

      ” ..........and penetrating observations such as a declaration that she had announced a 227-day campaign. Which in fact was the opposite of what she had repeatedly said was her intention. “
      No small wonder the agony
      ” The groans of exasperation from the non-media audience were palpable. “

      Maybe Julia got a great pep talk from a life coach who convinced her it is all about confidence and that eight and a half months will give her plenty of time to radiate the beautiful confidence and re-engineering and they got so excited they forgot about stuff ups and other problems needing urgent attention.

      No doubt there’ll be heaps to talk about aside from whether it is campaign material or not.

      Reply

    • Stan says:

      09:27am | 01/02/13

      Well, I just predict that life will continue as usual…...
      WHY?
      because we are irrelevant in every decision under the absolute rule of the mob as Tony just said it: if the green have the control of the senate I will dissolve the parliament for a new election.

      Power to the mob is what it is, is it hard to understand?

    • acotrel says:

      05:48am | 01/02/13

      ‘Tony Abbott, having been an adviser to Hewson, would no doubt have a vivid memory of how that turned out.
      ‘

      With friends like that, who needs enemies ?

      Reply

    • marley says:

      06:30am | 01/02/13

      One could say the same thing about Julia and Craig Thomson.

    • TimB says:

      07:00am | 01/02/13

      Or Julia and Kevin Rudd. Or the ALP and…well the rest of the ALP raspberry

    • Christian Real says:

      07:09am | 01/02/13

      Let’s not forget that Tony Abbott and his Liberal party colleagues were also close friends and colleagues of Peter Slipper over the numerous years that he was a member of their party,a MP and representative of their party before he became an independent .
      Pauline Hanson was also a member of the Liberal party and a colleague of Tony Abbott and others within the Liberal party before she decided to form her own political party after which Tony Abbott organised a $100,000 slush fund to aid One Nation dissident Terry sharples in court action against Pauline Hanson and One Nation.
      With friends like Tony Abbott you certainly don’t need enemies.

    • bananabender says:

      04:11pm | 01/02/13

      @Christain Real,

      Totally wrong.

      Slipper was a National Party MP. He only retained his endorsement because of a grandfather clause when the NLP was formed in Queensland.

      Pauline Hanson was expelled from the Liberal Party for racist comments before tbeing elected.  She was elected as an independent.

    • John says:

      05:55am | 01/02/13

      The alternative, David, is for the media to actually do its job and shine the light on policies, costings and matters of substance.  But the fact is most are too lazy to do that - and the suits making the calls on what ‘angles’ to run are so wrapped up in their biasses one way or the other and attracted to the superficial (hard hats, hi-viz shirts and the PM’s new specs etc ad nauseum) that it is another 7.5 months of the same pap we’ve been dished up to date.  They will not prove you wrong.

      Reply

    • gof says:

      06:40am | 01/02/13

      #John,
      “for the media to actually do its job and shine the light on policies, costings and matters of substance”

      And this is what annoys me, not that media will not shine any light on opposition policy but the fact that the opposition have NO policy and yet the rusted on conservative warmongers among us think they are the only alternative.
      You could shine a spot light on Mr Abbott looking for a policy and all you will get is a rabbit looking into headlights!

    • NigelC says:

      07:33am | 01/02/13

      #gof I know you are just a mindless troll but I’ll play along for the sake of sapient Punch readers. Saying that the Libs have no policies and repeating that mantra over and over again doesn’t make it true. Writing it in uppercase probably didn’t make it true either. Their policies are easily accessible (perhaps get a friend to help you). It’s called “Our Plan – Real Solutions for all Australians” which explains the direction, values and policy priorities of the next Coalition Government and you can download a copy at the link http://www.liberal.org.au/real-solutions

    • dovif says:

      08:01am | 01/02/13

      LOL

      The ALP talking about budget and costing. After giving Australia the 3 biggest budget deficit in Australia history, which helped drive up interest rate. The ALP are talking about costing and budget

      The ALP budget (Costing) had been out by more then 30 billions the last 3 years

    • Al says:

      08:33am | 01/02/13

      gof - now please correct me if I am wrong but wouldn’t the policies they are looking at taking to an election actualy also be refered to as their Federal Platform which is freely available on the Liberal Party website?
      Or perhaps the policies that they have actualy stated in the media as to what they would do such as Abott saying he would look at calling another election if he won in August and the Senate refuse to allow his bill to roll back the carbon tax through?

    • Steve of QBN says:

      08:35am | 01/02/13

      @gof,  “rabbit in the headlights look?”  Sort of like the “Thunderbirds” look Emerson gave the reporter on Sky News?  He rabbited on about how Abbott had provided no costings in his NPC speech and when she pointed out that neither had Gillard, he stopped, stared, then rolled on, “Abbott no costs, Abbott, no mention of where money is coming from…” 

      Reporter “But what about how the ALP is going to fund Gonski and NDIS?”  Stop.  Stare.  “AbbottAbbottAbbott Thunderbirds are GO!!!” 

      Another 220+ days of this?  Lord spare me!

    • Gerard says:

      06:00am | 01/02/13

      A country gets the media it deserves. If people are prepared to pay for superficial, unresearched gossip, speculation and innuendo, then of course that’s what the media will publish. If people shun such third-rate reporting and instead consume real journalism with facts and analysis, then media outlets will find it more profitable to publish that instead. Simply whining and pointing the finger at ‘the media’ ignores the fact that your fellow Australians are the root cause of the problem.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      06:17am | 01/02/13

      Surely it is a chicken and egg situation ? Which comes first - a dumb public or a manipulative media? Much of what is printed and reported is clearly use of the techniques developed by Eddie Bernays and used to such malicious effect by Goebbels.

    • R WHite says:

      06:55am | 01/02/13

      There’s something in what you say, at least for print media and tabloid TV.

      The Punch is of course online and free, so far. It’s certainly got more than it’s fair share of “superficial, unresearched gossip, speculation and innuendo”.

      So, what’s a reasonable person to do? You could choose to ignore The Punch, but that only encourages lacklustre authors (like Ms Stewart, yesterday) to think they can use such space to peddle their nonsense untested.

      Likewise the comments. You could choose to ignore the nilbog drones with their “cray “cray” etc nonsense after their first few snifters - not much loss there.

      But should the very determined daily astroturfers of factoids, dubious quotes, and spurious unchecked stats be left to peddle their nonsense unchecked?

      Half-grasped, inaccurate and essentially misleading astroturfing strikes me as a disservice to the standard of debate on politics and policy in our country.  Surely they should be held to account?

      After all, there’s no shortage of perfectly good, readily understood info in the public domain. It takes only a few minutes to check the fruity posts of the regular astroturfers to find that time after time their posts either misquote something, use out of date or non-comparable stats, “misunderstand” the info, or have the maths wrong.

      Character is not the issue, despite cries of “personal attack!” Bosh. Factually wrong and misleading posts distort debate and help no-one.

      I woulnd’t pay to read such bosh but I’m dashed if I can see why such repeated nonsense should be left untested. Seems to me that in the online age, some of our fellow Australians are indeed part of the problem and in this online world, we should hold them to account. WHo knows, they may learn to do better.

    • Gerard says:

      09:19am | 01/02/13

      @R WHite

      My point isn’t really about what a “reasonable person” would do. There is no need to challenge misinformation which no one reads. A reasonable person ignoring substandard reporting is not a problem- it’s the majority’s failure to ignore it that has directly resulted in the media we have today.

    • Seano says:

      06:19am | 01/02/13

      I thought it was funny but appropriate when a journo at the National Press Club asked Abbott if he would, now the election has been called give a commitment not to run out on press conferences. It’s going to get harder and harder for Abbott to hide from tough questions, lets hope the press gallery start asking him some.

      Reply

    • Mayday says:

      07:37am | 01/02/13

      Why dignify dumb questions with a response?

    • Freeman says:

      09:35am | 01/02/13

      What tough questions would you ask him?

    • Seano says:

      10:37am | 01/02/13

      “Why dignify dumb questions with a response?”

      That’s your version of democracy is it Mayday? Putting our public representatives (well at least the ones you support) on a pedestal where they don’t have to answer questions.

      @Freeman - I know you’re trolling again but any implication that Abbott, Gillard or any other public official doesn’t or shouldn’t have to answer tough questions shows how little of your ilk care about good government.

      Tony Abbott has a history of running out on pressers when he doesn’t want to answer questions the latest example was his presser in response to the election announcement.

      Abbott needs to explain just how he is going to as promised deliver a carbon tax roll back and how can he afford his economically inferior scheme to met the same CO2 targets, how he will provide increased services, tax cuts, nannies for the rich, new roads, defence spending at a % of GDP equal to China’s defence spending and a surplus.

      That would be a start. It’s mathematically impossible for Abbott to do what he’s promised to do so far he either needs to set realistic expectations or he is lying.

    • gof says:

      11:40am | 01/02/13

      #Freeman ,
      “What tough questions would you ask him?”
      I probably would start with :
      “Mr Abbott do you know how to read an Electricity Bill?”
      If he says “Yes”, He is lying.
      If he says “No”, He is an idiot.

    • Freeman says:

      12:55pm | 01/02/13

      Of course, everyone who disagrees with seano is a troll…...

      You’re way too simplistic on this seano and I doubt you’d make Abbott flinch with your line of questioning. Have you made the assumption that all off the promises will be delivered in the first year of goverment? They have not promised a surplus either. As far as the carbon tax and direct action goes; they promised to abolish the tax, not roll it back. They also promised to abolish all the exorbitant green schemes that it funds.

      But hey, I get what you’re sayin after watchin Rudd over promise in 07 with no real scrutiny from the media, deliver on almost nothing when in office….
      Anyway, since you say it’s not possible. how far does Seano’s school of economics have Abbott in defecit in 2013/2014?

    • Seano says:

      02:18pm | 01/02/13

      @Freeman

      “Of course, everyone who disagrees with seano is a troll…...”

      Of course, you would pretend I said everyone when I only described you…

      “Have you made the assumption that all off the promises will be delivered in the first year of goverment?”

      No you’re the one making assumptions, and as always a stupid one.

      Expect that will do as has promised in the next term of government. Not one year, three years. If he wants to make promises for a 2nd term of government then that’s fine he only needs to make that clear.

      Everything I have list Abbott has promised to deliver in his first term, and he can’t do it, not mathematically and not honestly.

      “They have not promised a surplus either.”

      You lie, either you’re too stupid for this conversation to make that claim having not checked it or you know that that claim is not true and you are as I pointed out a troll.

      http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/joe-hockey-pledges-coalition-will-deliver-first-year-budget-surplus/story-fncvk70o-1226563213170

      “But hey, I get what you’re sayin after watchin Rudd over promise in 07 with no real scrutiny from the media, deliver on almost nothing when in office….”

      Rudd got knifed because of the unfavourable scrutiny of his performance. You’re really not very bright are you?

      “Anyway, since you say it’s not possible. how far does Seano’s school of economics have Abbott in defecit in 2013/2014?”

      I’m not the only one saying Abbott’s promises are not possible, so do economists, people with a modicum of common sense and anyone who can do basic maths. No wonder you struggle so much.

      http://www.smh.com.au/business/abbotts-gross-failure-of-economic-credibility-20111107-1n31k.html

      “Hockey’s apologists claim he just has to run with the policies Abbott invents, but that excuse is wearing very thin. Hockeynomics looks like a dangerous cult – a world in which Canberra increases services but cuts taxes, while building up a massive surplus. No, it does not add up.”

      You’re going to have to lift your game champ or be ignored like the other trolls.

    • Freeman says:

      04:34pm | 01/02/13

      “Of course, you would pretend I said everyone when I only described you…”

      Please, should we make a list of everyone you’ve called a troll?? Shouldn’t be hard. I’ll just google “seano"and “troll”. you even state the following at the end of your sooky tirade: “You’re going to have to lift your game champ or be ignored like the other trolls”


      “You lie, either you’re too stupid for this conversation to make that claim having not checked it or you know that that claim is not true and you are as I pointed out a troll.”

      Perhaps you missed this?

      http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/joe-hockey-says-opposition-cant-promise-a-budget-surplus-either/story-e6frf7kx-1226542060571

      “Everything I have list Abbott has promised to deliver in his first term, and he can’t do it, not mathematically and not honestly   .......I’m not the only one saying Abbott’s promises are not possible, so do economists, people with a modicum of common sense and anyone who can do basic maths. No wonder you struggle so much”

      Ummm, the article you linked says no such thing. the strongest wording found was that it “doesn’t add up”.  Far different from “mathematically not possible” and to make such a claim, mathematics with figures would have to be involed. figures you can’t provide. If it is “mathematically not possible”, tell us the numbers. how far is he projected to be in deficit in the first three years of government?

      “Rudd got knifed because of the unfavourable scrutiny of his performance”.

      Rudd got knifed cause he was beatable and Julia saw an opportunity. And don’t call people stupid unless you can demonstate that you arn’t wink

    • Seano says:

      05:15pm | 01/02/13

      @Freetroll

      Your story on Joe Hockey’s budget surplus claims is from last year. My story on Joe Hockey’s budget surplus claims is from four days ago.

      I didn’t bother with the rest of your sad rant. You are too stupid to be a good troll.

      Ignored.

    • TimB says:

      05:32pm | 01/02/13

      One day Seano will grow up and be able to have an adult discussion with people he disagrees with without calling them a troll.

      That day is not this day.

    • Colin says:

      07:33am | 01/02/13

      Well, if ‘Straya wasn’t populated by such a large group of neanderthals who vote for people over political ideology, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in now.

      The Liberal and Labor parties act as if they are two sides of the same coin because they are trying to appeal to the Idiot Voter who will choose the one who will give them a big enough tax break to buy a new jet-ski or a large enough pork-barrelling fund to make sure that they don’t have to pay to send Jayden, Caylee, and Keisha to school…

      Youse get tha gubmint u deeserv peeple.

      Reply

    • NSS says:

      11:51am | 01/02/13

      Agreed,  Colin, nevertheless for the first time ever in my voting life I am very concerned about not helping to elect a particular leader ie TA. My principles are left- leaning, (even though my income may not be in their traditional support-base bracket,) but I would consider not voting Labor if they pass their draft draconian offence laws and if TA is dumped by the Libs. I worry hugely about his ability to push through funding changes which will make safe, legal abortion more difficult to obtain in this country. His personal ideology bothers me far more than what I’ve so far heard from the Liberal party. I am the quintessential undecided voter at this point. Hopefully, the media will do its part in helping me to decide by spotlighting policy. If the polling is says it’s close however, then leadership will unfortunately become a very real factor in my decision.

    • simonfromlakemba says:

      12:12pm | 01/02/13

      NSS

      Just stay away from mainstream media. Plenty out there unfortunately just got to sift through it.

      We are stuffed for choice and leaders and I say this as a Labor supporter.

      We are screwed for at least the next 8 years.

    • NSS says:

      12:36pm | 01/02/13

      I suspect you’re right about the outcome in September, SFL. However, there’s"stuffed” and decimated. I live in a marginal, so my vote will count (as opposed to a safe seat, of course). Better do some more trawling, huh?

    • maria says:

      08:07am | 01/02/13

      Will the media rise to the marathon election challenge?
      THE BEST QUESTION SO FAR…..
      I doubt about that when the media can’t even understand the word democracy.
      HOW ?????

      Reply

    • Stan says:

      12:43pm | 01/02/13

      When democracy is kaputt the mob is on honeymoon so is the media.

    • Dan says:

      08:37am | 01/02/13

      “Orthodox economics cannot explain why the Australian dollar remains high in the face of falling interest rates and declining terms of trade.”

      Yes it can - supply and demand. The US dollar that we are referencing our dollar against has been printing money since 2008, so there is more supply of the greenback. Demand has not risen the same amount and so the greenback is losing value. So our dollar is gaining against the US dollar.

      It is a deliberate strategy by the US that it is using to reduce the real value of its debt, which is largely counted in US dollars. In other words if the US dollar is worth one tenth of its former value, then so it most of the US debt.

      Reply

    • Spanner says:

      04:28pm | 01/02/13

      Tony Abbot is the most recognised opposition leader in Australian history. Why do you think that is? AbbotAbbotAbbotAbbotAbbot!

      Reply

    • monkeying says:

      01:17pm | 02/02/13

      Well, with every single article on the front page about the election.  It looks like punch is a no go for the next 8 months.

      Reply

    • burberry pas cher says:

      03:46pm | 02/02/13

      Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.

      Reply

    • SexY LIngerie says:

      05:25pm | 16/02/13

      Do not pretend incompetence.His head moved, vaguely searching, and he seemed to notice his visitor.This might be the last time so many of the surviving players might ever see each other in one place.Qeng Ho lived their lives under varying accelerations.. .straight up.Advertisements made these undergarments popular and generated the feeling of necessity in men and women, and this gave huge demand for undergarments manufacturing.The destruction of North Paw.Maybe his title meant philosopher-magnate.businesses.
      A bite of blackness.Or maybe they re so advanced they don t use radio.The ones up there are local to the Princeton area, but they nest in the highest places.If the General was already here, maybe she should get some far intelligence.They had reached the entrance to the sickbay.We are so strong that giving in would scarcely be a loss of prestige.The Museum of the Dark Time.Bra manufacturers fought back again by capitalizing for the sexual liberation of your time to introduce increasingly daring different kinds.

      Reply
 
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