(Part 2 of the wide ranging talk, Current Politics and Deplorable Media Coverage , given by political journalist , author and commentator , Mungo MacCallum , in the Parliamentary Library, Darwin, on June 29 .)
Refined and demure members of the audience may have had a touch of the vapours when Mungo said questioning of politicians in Australia seemed to be part of a jousting contest to establish who had “ the biggest dick” . [ If this sorry state of affairs be true, then the ascension of Ms Gillard has thrown a spanner in the plumbing.]
Instead of trying to find out details of policies for the future of the country, questioning ran to ones like have you stopped beating your wife yet? Sceptical and severe questioning to point out what may be wrong , was okay , but that was different to the kind of question which started thus, " How does it feel to have blood on your hands ? " [Mind you, Little Darwin recalls that highly regarded reporters such as the late Richard Carleton and Australia's best interviewer, the ABC's Kerry O'Brien , in turn asked Bob Hawke and Julia Gillard if they had blood on their mitts after the demise of the leader .] Other subjects which drew erudite comment were as follows .
Editors -They did not seem to have the same contact with their political reporters that they used to in bygone days, due to the time pressure ; in the internet age journalists were not only expected to write stories for papers , they had to blog and participate in stupid Twitter pieces , giving them no time to think and contemplate what they really should be doing. Bylines- Junior reporters today expected bylines , even for stories that were rewritten from a media release , and often included opinion in their copy . The Australian -The editor in chief , Chris Mitchell , had been “ fanatical” in the desire to get Labor out , several staff members , who he named, being picked for that very reason. Television - There was not much investigative television because it took too much time ; television was designed to be sharp, quick and on the spot .
Whistleblowers – True whistleblowers should be protected . Trying to draw up legislation to protect whistleblowers in all circumstances was a difficult task . Of the many leaks he had received over the years , the majority had come from people motivated by a personal grudge. Internet –Not seen as a vehicle for rational debate; fine for polemic and abuse , for opinionated people. GetUp unashamedly a crusading organisation which selected causes and goes for it, which was fine , but did not supplant political debate.
New Matilda current affairs online publication - Went broke in the same way as so many of the little current affairs magazines. The Monthly and the Griffith Review very good magazines , were surviving but not making a great deal of money, maybe breaking even in the case of The Monthly, for which he writes. A heartening development was that articles in these publications and the Quarterly Essay, another publication to which he contributes, are followed up by the mass media.[ The latest example being David Marr’s Quarterly Essay on Kevin Rudd ].
Loss of irreverence in modern journalism reports –Australian journalists used to be good at this , in shows like This Day Tonight and magazines he worked for , but this now passé. People now seemed to think everything is so serious. It was not being political correct , it was being pompous . Current affairs and satire were interwoven , now they were separated, by management direction , except for Clarke and Dawe on the ABC 7.30 Report .
Influence of Christian fundamentalism on parliament.- Not much on Canberra but a strong fundamentalist group in Liberal Party , NSW , which does have a bit of clout. Senator Fielding , of Family First, tended to be seen as more influential than he really is. A number of pollies were or had been practicing Christians , not fundamentalists. Abbott and Rudd not fundamentalists, certainly Christians . They believed in evolution , not that the Earth was created in six days . [ The new PM has clearly stated she did not believe in God ] . Abbott not obsessive about abortion and homosexuality .While Abbott against abortion , had made it clear that as PM would not seek to change the law… “ and I believe him in that , as he has three young daughters who are fairly feisty .” Politicians might go to Hillsong because there were a lot of people there . but some went to cricket matches and people did not regard them as fundamentalists.
The future of the Murdoch empire after the demise of its head - MacCallum said had no idea who might take over as there were so many internal politics in the Murdoch several families . Whoever did would not regard it so seriously as dad , the same way as James Packer had done on receiving his father’s mantle . “I suspect that. like Alexander the Great , when Rupert moves on the empire is going to splinter. ” .
Statehood for NT –He felt the Territory was treated well by Canberra under the present arrangement and mischeviously asked could we really find 10 senators if we became a state.
NT News - Would you believe crocodiles on the front page of the News got a mention? He also noted that the report of PM Gillard’s first cabinet was run on page 14 of the paper.
Mass media - While it provided the bulk of the community with its news, he said it was doing a “pretty bad job of it.”There was no ongoing real public discourse on such issues as the republic, how to achieve reconciliation with the Aboriginal population, desirable changes to the constitution . These were not sexy issues , so could not generate a front page picture. They were put on the back burner , regarded as second or third level issues of importance . The nation should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Issues should not be neglected until some politician gave them a kick or were raised by a “brave” person like Paul Keating. Anything which encouraged public discourse was thoroughly worthwhile. Keating’s former speech writer , Don Watson, had told him the only place where you could have a civilized conversation was at a writers’ festival.
Compulsory voting –A strong supporter, Mungo said that in countries where it was not compulsory , like America, strenuous, well organized minority groups, such as the National Rifle Association, the gun lobby, gained power out of proportion to their numbers . Where not compulsory , a large amount of time, energy and money had to be expended during an election campaign just convincing people to vote. Democracy was a fragile flower and voting was a small price to pay to hold it together. It was the right and duty of every citizen to take part in the governance of a country . Anyone who did not participate had no right to complain about anything that happened.
SUGGESTION BOX . The public address system at talks in the parliamentary library needs improvement as at times, especially if you were positioned on the back bench like Kevin Rudd, you could not hear what Mungo was saying , nor the questions being asked.
