TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN AND SKY TELEVISION MISS MAJOR LOCAL, NATIONAL ELECTION STORY

 

The  above  smiling   foursome  in   which  one  is  holding a pineapple  appeared  at the head of a Townsville Bulletin  May 10  report  about  a " debate" involving only  two of  the  eight  candidates for  the  seat  of  Herbert .   It  shows  , from  the  left, Bulletin  editor  Jenna   Cairney , Katter's  Australia Party Nanette  Radeck , Liberal National  Party  Phil Thompson  and Sky News  presenter  Peter  Gleeson  clutching   the  pineapple .

It opened with  the  statement  that " two political hopefuls and a pineapple" vying  for   the   ultra marginal  seat  took  part   head-to-head  in a  fiery debate  tackling  the  issues of water security, Adani  and the  cost of living . 

 

 The incumbent  MHR for Herbert, Cathy O'Toole, readers were   told , was  unable to attend because  she was   with  Opposition Veterans  spokeswoman , Amanda Rishworth , launching "  Labor's  national  veterans  policy " at  the  time of  the  debate .  This,  one would think ,  was  certainly  a more  important  event  for O'Toole   to attend in the  garrison city ,she long closely  associated  with    local   military   support  groups , than   the  dubious  debate . 

In her absence , the  dynamic  duo  of  Cairney /Gleeson,  joint hosts,  placed  the  pineapple on  a  seat  to represent her . The report   included  this  guff  :


Host Peter  Gleeson asked  the Ms ( sic)  O'Toole pineapple stand-in if it supported Adani . "We'll  take that as a  no ," he said after  the  fruit  failed  to respond .

 
 On  May  4 , the following  text  message  to the editor of the  Townsville Bulletin  raised a  vital  issue,  not  taken  up  by  the  paper  or  nationally  by other  Murdoch  outlets .
 

 By the time of  the fruity Townsville  mini  debate , May 9,  with  only two candidates and a    pineapple  participating ,  a current hot national  election  news  topic was  the   number of   people-five  then - forced to stand  down   or  be  disendorsed  due  to  offensive  statements in social  media.In  the case of  Queensland One Nation   Senator  Geoff  Dickson    , he resigned after  footage emerged of  him   in  an  American  stripclub .

 

 A  Coalition candidate in Tasmania  was   forced to go  after  making statements    about   Muslims on line .    PM  Morrison  at first   insinuated  her messages may have been   tampered  with ,  the  AFP    were  asked  to investigate in an obvious attempt to delay  real action . But  then  the  candidate  was  dropped  when  further information came to light . 

The Townsville Bulletin text message  to the editor had  raised  a valid question  which required  an answer ,  How come the LNP candidate for  Herbert ,Phillip Thompson , a former soldier,  who admitted having in 2012  made anti-Muslim statements on Facebook  which including  saying  give  him  a  M4 (carbine ) , send  him  to Sydney and he would do" the dishes" is  still   standing .

 BULLETIN  EARLY TREATMENT . 

On January 5 , 2019, the Townsville Bulletin ran  a P2 story  in which it   said  the  Herbert LNP candidate , Phillip  Thompson, admitted  an anti - Muslim  tirade  in 2012 , because   I  WAS  IN A  DARK PLACE , see  part below .  

The report  inappropriately contained  a  smiling   stock photograph  of reporter  Rachel  Riley. It  was no  smiling matter ,  but  poor subbing,  yet again , the  frequent use of stock smiling  staff  photos in  serious and tragic stories    has   been  going  on  for  years , pointed out by  this  blog , not  stopped  by editors  who  have  gone  and  come.   

That  report said  Thompson had "outed  himself " as the author of  controversial comments on  his  private Facebook account  .  They had been made , said  the   article , in response  to violent protests in Sydney triggered by  a US film , Innocent of the Muslims, which portrayed  the  prophet Mohammed as a womaniser  and  paedophile .

It continued ...His comments  were subsequently  leaked   to the media but he was not named  at  the time . It went  on to explain that  Thompson had  reacted to a sign  which  called for  the beheading   of all  those who insulted the prophet .

One of his Army mates  had been killed in Afghanistan  a few days before   and the sight of extremists protesting  had  led him into a dark place . It was pointed out  he had  been medically discharged  from the Australian Army after being injured by an IED in Afghanistan in  2009.  He was not making excuses  for the offensive remarks . In   his statement to  the  Bulletin he said he  dedicated his life   to  helping   others  find  their way out of  the darkness  and live  life to the full .

The newspaper  said : It's understood  Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office is also aware of Mr Thompson's  comments  and his  desire  to publicly own up  to them . In 2018  he  had been named Queensland   Young   Australian of the  Year .

THE    PINEAPPLE " DEBATE "

So by the   time of  the  above  faux debate  ,  the  inappropriate statements and actions  by  a growing number  of  candidates in various parties  was a  hot issue . In addition ,the  monstrous  massacre by an Australian  in  Christchurch mosques  had   taken   place   and   further   drew  attention    to  Thompson's  unique  case .


Why then  did   these  two experienced   reporters not  ask Thompson for his thoughts about  the fact that  he   is still  running   in   Herbert    and   others  have been   dropped .  If they had apologised and withdrawn the  comments, like he had  , should they have been allowed to remain?  If there were extenuating    circumstances  in his case , what  were they   ? Could  it not be argued  that while  he may have been in a dark place at  the time he made his statements on  Facebook , others in  dark , murderous places, may  also  have  read  them  leading  to   possible   undesirable  acts ?

Finally, Cairney and  Gleeson   could  have asked  Thompson- not  the pineapple - is it a fact  that  Cathy O'Toole  gave   Thompson  a  job  in her office to  help  him  emerge  from  the  dark   place? 

This is not the first time that  the Murdoch  machine has belittled Cathy O'Toole .  When  Paul Murray  of Sky  lobbed  in  Townsville   to  hold  a pub talk with "real people " ,  he   said  there was an empty chair  present  because   Cathy O'Toole  did not come along as she knew  One Nation's  Pauline Hanson  would  be   present .


 Fact check  :   O'Toole  was in Singapore  gathering  info  about  how  Townsville   could  expand   economic, tourism   and   cultural  links , especially as Singapore is  expanding its   military   operations  with   North Queensland .Murray seems  to be  a Hanson fan , as he showed footage of  himself   struggling with a tent  at  the Birdsville   races, saying he  had  been  there  with  the  ragged   Hanson  troupe . 


Who, dear reader , do you think   should receive the rough end of the   Golden Circle  pineapple  award  for  flim  flam   election   reporting ? Mind you there is strong  competition , the  Murdoch  Brisbane Courier Mail , in the battleground state of  Queensland  , on  Tuesday,  with  only  days to go before the election ,  had  a  large  poster   promoting   Nigella's   secrets  for cooking  chicken. A  parson's  nose , possibly done in the KFC style,  will  be  added  to  the   Golden Circle   recycled   sliced  ring   award.