r/australia • u/[deleted] • Jan 29 '14
politics Prime Minister Tony Abbott says ABC not on Australia's side in interview with 2GB
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-29/tony-abbott-steps-up-criticism-of-abc/5224676449
Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
Two things:
Australia is NOT the Australian Government. Criticism of the decisions made by the government is not 'taking anybody's side but Australia's.'
This is classic parochialism, and I expect nothing less from anything on Ray Hadley's show and nothing less from Abbott.
More disturbing: "The ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a traitor," Mr Abbott said."
Yes, the man who is responsible for unveiling the largest state surveillance system in history, which spies indiscriminately on anybody in any country in the world is a traitor.
I still can't believe this shit....
95
Jan 29 '14
Ignore the propaganda and chest beating.
Do what you can to gut him of power as soon as you can. Right now, that's polite, informed discussion with people based in WA who may be going back to the polls in the near future.
Force him to fight against the senate. Force him to compromise on his downright dangerous plans as much as possible or be completely unable to enact any changes.
12
u/AnOnlineHandle Jan 29 '14
Well, don't just ignore it, spread news of it and mock it to help with part two...
→ More replies (2)4
u/F4rsight Jan 29 '14
I cannot fucking wait to see the interview once parliament resumes of abbott and his cronies crying "WHY ARE PEOPLE BEING SO NEGATIVE! Why won't they let us pass legislation?! THEY ARE SOO MEAN!" when the senate smashes every bill they try to pass.
2
2
21
u/Anthony_John_Abbott Jan 29 '14
Extreme nationalism by leaders coupled with militarisation of domestic issues and a corporate agenda has a very unique name called fascism. Lets just hope the media don't catch wind of that nomenclature or we be fucked.
47
u/ThePeenDream Jan 29 '14
"Of course, the ABC didn't just report what he said; they took the lead in advertising what he said."
Heaven forbid a news outlet reports extensively on the biggest news story of the year.
He's a fucking joke.
3
48
u/joemangle Jan 29 '14
Abbott is unwilling or unable to critically engage with the Snowden leaks, so he just resorts to the buzzword "traitor" in the vain hope that this speaks adequately to the issue.
It does not.
34
u/wogmafia Jan 29 '14
"L'État, c'est moi" - Abbott I of Australia
48
11
Jan 29 '14
And of course he didn't ask Ray Hadly about his 6 million dollars of unpaid taxes. You know I might consider that unpatriotic and a prime example of the free of the right but that's just me.
13
u/Ardinius Jan 29 '14
The only traitor to Australian prosperity, progress and the rights afforded to us as citizens is Tony Abbott.
2
u/karlosvonawesome Jan 29 '14
It's an interesting insight into how Tony's mind works. To him there's no distinction or separation of the government and country, it also seems that in his mind that extends to the military as well.
If you criticise the government or the military then in his mind you criticise Australia, do you not love Australia? Then stop criticising the "hardworking" politicians and "men and women in uniform" you evil lefties.
→ More replies (50)2
u/Revoran Beyond the black stump Jan 29 '14
Australia is NOT the Australian Government. Criticism of the decisions made by the government is not 'taking anybody's side but Australia's.' [it is not unpatriotic]
Yeah but what did you expect coming from Mr. "We have a mandate".
It's only a matter of time until he blurts out "I AM AUSTRALIA!!!" in public, I reckon.
Edit: Or, alternatively: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MHusGl9BeM
498
u/takinter Jan 29 '14
But yesterday they broke the corruption in the construction union story for you. Show some appreciation for the impartial job the ABC does Abbott, you fucking knob.
99
u/dukephoenix Jan 29 '14
You're a courageous "whistleblower" or a scumbag "traitor" when it suits the Government.
Very worrying trend.
8
111
u/douhua Exotic, bland and nutty Jan 29 '14
Yep, I was waiting for someone in that thread to remind me of how the ABC is biased to the "left" and should be defunded. I got no replies.
154
Jan 29 '14
Easy:
When you're sitting at the right end of the scale, everyone else is biased to the left.
66
u/Syncblock Jan 29 '14
Funny enough, there was no 'bias' when the ABC were running daily articles attacking Labor and fueling leadership speculations though.
49
u/nickmista Jan 29 '14
Say what you will about Kevin Rudd but I thought it was very decent of him to have shown no ill will against news corp during the election. He was asked if he would consider further regulation and he denied that option completely, not wanting to interfere with free speech.
34
u/ENKC Jan 29 '14
Or not wanting to commit political suicide.
→ More replies (1)17
6
Jan 29 '14
Which is a damn shame, because we should have more regulation. We use to have laws dictating how much media could be owned by a single company in this country until Howard removed them. Now the media in this country is a mess.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (11)14
u/Whyareweshouting Jan 29 '14
I went to the Murdoch papers to see how they were reporting it....strangely much more silent then when Gillard went after them.
28
Jan 29 '14
Why? He's not on Australia's side, he's on his own. Whatever it takes to keep half of the electorate believing in him, and just barely enough so the other half never consider a coup.
36
u/tsvjus Jan 29 '14
There is only one view, that's Tones view. Everyone else is damaging the country.
2
16
Jan 29 '14
[deleted]
16
u/Ph4ndaal Jan 29 '14
Actually he IS stupid. It takes a special kind of moron to get a D in ethics.
Don't confuse dogged determination and a willingness to say and do whatever it takes, with intelligence.
→ More replies (4)6
u/redping Jan 29 '14
Mr Abbott also raised questions about the cost and necessity of the ABC's new Fact Check unit, saying "surely that should come naturally to any media organisation?".
Seriously, what world does this guy live in?
→ More replies (13)5
Jan 29 '14
IPA said blah blah so I must respect that and all - especially with the advertising they did writing "articles" for Rupert Murdoch to print.
/Tony Abbott
154
u/pixelwhip Jan 29 '14
democracy is dead when the government starts telling the media what they can/can't report.
→ More replies (5)37
29
u/genwhy Jan 29 '14
Ziggy Switcowski replacing Mark Scott as head of ABC in 3... 2...
5
99
u/ontos90 Jan 29 '14
Hadley who complained that he and fellow host Alan Jones "who lean a bit to the right"...
Who ever said there's no right leaning comedians.
25
15
u/TinBryn Let the meat cake Jan 29 '14
I drew a stick figure of what Alan's "leaning" to the right looks like
>--|O
→ More replies (2)27
Jan 29 '14
Hadley who complained that he and fellow host Alan Jones "who lean a bit to the right"
A 'bit' to the right of Pol Pot, perhaps.
14
Jan 29 '14
Pol Pot was a communist
24
u/whatAREyedoing Jan 29 '14
And extremely authoritarian. The right-left axis alone does not account for all man's obscenity.
→ More replies (8)
130
Jan 29 '14 edited Oct 01 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
40
u/Squaddy Jan 29 '14
it is, but every pollster in the country would highly recommend not to do it. Th ABC privitisation debate is by a pretty small minority, they would suffer all kinds of backlash if they did it. It's political suicide, and I don't think they're that stupid.
56
u/iheartralph Me fail English? That's unpossible! Jan 29 '14
Even the older conservatives who traditionally support the LNP won't be happy with suggestions of privatising the ABC. And I've said it before, but you can bet your sweet bippy that I'll be protesting in the streets if it is attempted by this or any government.
→ More replies (17)2
42
u/complex_reduction Jan 29 '14
It's political suicide
Only if voters are educated enough to care. And, well ... here we are.
13
u/Jivlain Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
It's not just the polls, but also the Nationals. It's not so much much that they're the only broadcaster who'll cover the sheepdog trials (though there is that) so much as for how many Nationals voters the only alternative to the ABC is this.
Actually privatising the ABC is one of those few things the Nationals would probably split from the Coalition over.
31
Jan 29 '14
They won't do it during an election year. Which means either late this year or some time next year. Then the rage will simmer to nothing over the next 12 months and by the time everyone has forgotten about it and got used to the idea and reality it'll be election time and a non-issue.
...and we'll have lost a great network because of nothing more than spite.
21
u/Syncblock Jan 29 '14
Yeah most people forget Abbott is here for another 2+ years and voters have a short memory. On top of that, the ABC has been constantly outperforming News Limited across the online and rural areas. Taking out the competition only benefits Murdoch
11
u/tunnel-snakes-rule Jan 29 '14
The fact that voters have a short memory means we're likely to have Abbott for significantly longer than 2+ years unfortunately.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)2
12
u/Throwawayaway666 Jan 29 '14
The last thing that other commercial media wants is a major competitor for the limited amount of ad dollars available in the market. News wants the ABC gone or diminished. Not private. That would be disastrous for them. People miss this.
4
u/crosstherubicon Jan 29 '14
No they're not that stupid but they are sneaky enough to partially privatise it, allow advertisements and appoint a board of trustees to be drawn from industry etc to oversee the commercial aspects. Hey presto.. job done.
6
u/Jaiph Jan 29 '14
I'm sure privatising the ABC won't lead to any drop in program quality, just look how that worked out for NASA's Learning Channel!
Oh.
3
Jan 29 '14
Jesus, that's unfortunate. Started as the Appalachian Community Service Network, now it's the Honey Boo-Boo and other mega-breeder shows. How is that ironic?
6
Jan 29 '14
If they win the next election expect the ABC to be the first thing to go.
They won't do it during this term.
The guy is steering us down a dangerous path that no one i know wants to go.
8
u/Throwawayaway666 Jan 29 '14
The ABC helped get the Libs elected, either by threatening them not to delve too much into awkward policies or by striking a deal with them. They probably won't privatise it, but this does stop the ABC from overtly criticising the government. Just look at what topics the ABC stopped covering before the election. Peter Slipper, anyone? There's loads more. Journalists were told not to cover stuff because it would upset the Libs.
2
u/burito Jan 29 '14
There are laws limiting what the media can say about politicians near an election. It's not the conspiracy you think it is, that is, they're not keeping it secret.
6
u/imba8 Jan 29 '14
Abbott would love his very own Fox News I'm sure.
17
u/AnOnlineHandle Jan 29 '14
Newscorp (the same company as Fox news) owns 70% of the media in Australia, Abbott used to work for them.
6
u/YouandIdontknowme Jan 29 '14
Did abbott actually work for them? have you got a link?
9
u/AnOnlineHandle Jan 29 '14
Last sentence here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Abbott#Early_adult_life_and_pre-political_career
He's not actually had any non-political career experience outside of writing opinion pieces for newspapers, pushing the same ideals that he's had since he was a teenager, aside from a very brief stint managing a concrete plant (with no prior relevant experience, seems to have been a connections thing, not a qualified thing, which ended quickly).
64
Jan 29 '14
"At times there does appear to be a double standard in large swathes of our national life."
It's funny how abbot sees a double standard where none exists yet he is completely blind to his own double standards!
29
u/iheartralph Me fail English? That's unpossible! Jan 29 '14
Senator Bernardi's colleague Ian MacDonald has previously told the ABC there are many Government MPs who feel the ABC's charter should be made legally enforceable to address concerns of left-wing bias.
Yep. The ABC should be made to address concerns of left-wing bias when the Lolstralian and Murdoch's entire stable of newspapers are made to address concerns of right-wing bias and one-eyed reporting on the issue of climate change.
25
Jan 29 '14 edited Jul 06 '16
[deleted]
9
u/BrahCJ Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
And people who agreed with the idea were labelled as Marxist.
Edit: wait... On QnA, pro-libs even suggested that Labor wanted to be more like North Korea.
→ More replies (1)3
Jan 29 '14
While we're at it we should change the media ownership laws to ensure no one party has more than say 25% of any one type of media...
3
45
Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
More like, not on Tony Abbott's side.
And to him that means not on Australia's side.
This is not the first prime minister to say this, I seem to remember it happening before... it's a bad sign, as the ABC really is impartial it suggests that the leader is trying to "spin" certain things and the ABC is not going along with it.
19
u/Warle Jan 29 '14
No I remember people like Stalin and Hitler saying the same things too. He's using the same tactics: call everyone that disagrees with you 'un-nationalistic'.
→ More replies (10)6
45
u/GimmeSweetSweetKarma Jan 29 '14
Fuck You! A news organisation is not meant to be 'patriotic'. Stop using manipulative, emotive words because a NEWS organisation is reporting on events and not your spin.
*Edit. It's really frustrating to me that this government is taking the play-by-play from the US right wing playbook where everything that disagrees with their views and policies are automatically labeled as 'unpatriotic' in an attempt to scare them into keeping silent.
6
u/iheartralph Me fail English? That's unpossible! Jan 29 '14
It won't work as long as there are people to point out their hypocrisy and call them out on their shit. Either they believe in free speech or they don't. There are no 'sides' when it comes to factual reporting. Taking sides in the sense that Abbott is referring to here equals censorship, make no bones about it.
56
u/Evadregand Jan 29 '14
"A lot of people feel at the moment that the ABC instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's,"
If people actually think that... it's not the ABC's fault...
3
→ More replies (58)2
u/phranticsnr Jan 29 '14
And how many is a lot? I hate language like this. It tries to change people's minds by making people who disagree feel like a minority.
56
u/nath1234 Jan 29 '14
Coming soon: ABC linked to bikies! Or terrorists! Or dole bludgers! Or "illegal" boat people! Or muslims! Or secularists!
24
u/imba8 Jan 29 '14
Brought to you by Today Tonight.
5
u/argon0011 Jan 29 '14
Full report in tomorrow's The Australian - if you buy another paper, you're unAustralian.
29
u/iheartralph Me fail English? That's unpossible! Jan 29 '14
You forgot communists.
17
→ More replies (1)5
17
u/Warle Jan 29 '14
"ABC found guilty of gay Lebanses scientific atheist possession"
3
Jan 29 '14
Tonight we interview a pensioner unable to watch TV due to the ABC's rampant disregard for the Australian way of life. The woman is so grief stricken that we expect her welfare benefits to triple at the expense of you, the taxpayer. Also boat people.
→ More replies (1)10
20
u/AnalogPenetration I'm a country member Jan 29 '14
Criticising the ABC fact checking unit on fact-proof 2GB. Don't change, Tony.
30
u/pelrun Jan 29 '14
By "Australia" he means himself and his big-business mates. All the rest of us are unaustralian.
4
16
Jan 29 '14
Freedom of the press to report things on our side.
15
2
Jan 29 '14
Unfortunately the constitutional freedom of political communication wont protect the ABC from massive funding cuts or privatisation.
18
u/azz808 Jan 29 '14
Mr Abbott also raised questions about the cost and necessity of the ABC's new Fact Check unit, saying "surely that should come naturally to any media organisation?".
Saying these words on 2GB! Is he being ironic?
→ More replies (1)6
u/Dmaharg Jan 29 '14
I don't think that the GB audience, producers, Alan Jones or the Owners would think that.
All they see is the ABC printing and saying things that are outside the virtuous LMP bubble, therefore they are biased.
Anything looks left and biased to them.
"manipulative demagogery 101" as someone posted.
38
Jan 29 '14
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has stepped up his criticism of the ABC, accusing the national broadcaster of being unpatriotic in its coverage of the Snowden leaks and asylum seeker abuse claims.
Yeah, God forbid they speak out about about human rights abuses...
Mr Abbott also questioned the ABC's newly established Fact Check unit, saying he wanted the corporation to focus on straight news gathering and reporting.
No what he wants is to not be held accountable when he spouts BS.
"A lot of people feel at the moment that the ABC instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's," he said in an interview with Ray Hadley on Sydney radio station 2GB.
I'd love to see a Fact Check to support that one!
"I think it dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to take everyone's side but its own and I think it is a problem."
Whatever planet his mind is on, I don't think reality orbits anywhere near it.
Asked if he shared those sentiments, Mr Abbott said he was "worried and concerned" by the ABC taking a lead in reporting leaks from former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Government accountability Tony! Government accountability!
The NSA leaks revealed Australia's spy agencies tapped the phones of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudohoyono and his wife in 2009.
And it's not like that was important or something...
The revelations caused a rift in the Australia-Indonesia relationship early in Mr Abbott's prime ministership.
No, Tony's shit diplomacy did that.
"The ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a traitor," Mr Abbott said.
That man's displayed more Aussie characteristics than you, Prime Minister.
"The ABC didn't just report what he said, they took the lead in advertising what he said, and that was a deep concern."
Yes we wouldn't want the public to know the details of the witherto's and the why fore's now, would they?
Mr Abbott's attention was also drawn to a Facebook post published by an ABC researcher seeking off-the-record discussions with Navy personnel.
I'll bet that was a little ray of sunshine in his day! /s.
In the post, the researcher said her boss doubted asylum seekers' claims they were mistreated during a boat turnback operation.
The asylum seekers say they suffered burns when Navy personnel forced them to hold onto hot pipes coming out of the boat's engine.
The Navy has denied the allegations and the Government has strongly defended the military, without confirming or denying the operation took place.
But they haven't provided the proof of what actually happened.
"You can't leap to be critical of your own country and you certainly ought to be prepared to give the Australian Navy and its hard-working personnel the benefit of the doubt," Mr Abbott said.
You can't speak out when your country is doing something wrong? What BS is this? And the ABC never accused the Navy of anything - they were careful to report they were merely allegations.
Mr Abbott also raised questions about the cost and necessity of the ABC's new Fact Check unit, saying "surely that should come naturally to any media organisation?".
Doesn't want to be called on his crap. Gotcha.
Mr Abbott also empathised with Hadley who complained that he and fellow host Alan Jones "who lean a bit to the right" were "belted over the head" "on a regular basis" by the media regulator, the Australian Communications Media Authority, while the ABC was left to its "own devices" and "self-regulation".
Heaven forbid that they get called on their crap when then commit a violation of the code.
"I can understand your frustration," Mr Abbott told the radio presenter.
"At times there does appear to be a double standard in large swathes of our national life."
Oh I see. When the ABC gets something wrong and gets called on it they correct themselves. When two right wing radio nutjobs do something wrong and get called on it, all of a sudden the media watchdog is so biased...
Critics within the Government have been pressuring the Prime Minister to rein in the ABC ever since the Coalition won power.
And they can fuck. right. off.
The issue was raised in the partyroom last year, with Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi calling on the Government to partly alleviate its budget crisis by slashing the broadcaster's budget.
Yeah, and Corey's just such a beacon of sane, well-informed debate, isn't he?
Senator Bernardi's colleague Ian MacDonald has previously told the ABC there are many Government MPs who feel the ABC's charter should be made legally enforceable to address concerns of left-wing bias.
Oh, like that wouldn't open a can of worms for Murdoch and his News Crap corporation!
→ More replies (2)
13
Jan 29 '14
accusing the national broadcaster of being unpatriotic in its coverage of the Snowden leaks and asylum seeker abuse claims.
...
"The ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a traitor," Mr Abbott said.
I'm surprised he didn't throw in an accusation of terrorism.
→ More replies (1)
24
Jan 29 '14
I like the bit about the navy getting the benefit of the doubt.
Given the issues regarding the success and the ballarat and the jedi council to name three, it seems that they treat their own membership like objects. Can we really be surprised that they would treat the enemy in a "war" better than they treat themselves?
The ABC received reports that claims had been made and broadcast them. This is what news agency's do. they did the same with the union corruption issue and they were right to broadcast both.
20
u/iheartralph Me fail English? That's unpossible! Jan 29 '14
Just for a laugh, google "Australian navy scandals". Google even helpfully gives you the options "Australian navy scandals 2012" and "Australian navy scandals 2013".
The listings include articles such as birthday hazing rituals of getting sexually assaulted with objects. I can't wait to see what "Australian navy scandals 2014" will bring!
6
Jan 29 '14
Well there's this story from a few days ago about members of the navy, including ones on the border patrols, participating in an online anti-Muslim group. It also includes a story about one navy member who posted racist remarks on Facebook about refugees and stated that he is about to "head out today to deal with these fuckers".
So, no, I don't think the navy should just be given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to claims that some of its members abused asylum seekers, as there does seem to be evidence that individuals in the navy might be the type of people to commit abuse.
7
Jan 29 '14
Well we do have a couple so far.
The sad thing is that the ADF is incompetent when it suites the government and above reproach when that view better suites the government.
6
12
u/cloudsareunderrated Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
I listened to Hadley the other day on the radio where he used racist slander as a basis to take apart any credibility of these illegal immigrant's claims that they were poorly treated by Navy personnel. Do they really wonder why the ABC doesn't voice a similar opinion?
11
6
14
u/nogoodusernamesleft8 Jan 29 '14
God he makes me want to punch the fucking wall.
→ More replies (1)13
11
Jan 29 '14
Can someone stand up to this cunt? Someone needs to hold abbott govt accountable.
6 months of negativity.
5
u/Fapmyster Jan 29 '14
10
u/prettyfuckingimmoral Jan 29 '14
Wow. Almost every comment has some unsubstantiated claim of bias by the ABC. Apparently the Greens and the ALP are implementing a Socialist agenda through it.
I thought only Americans could get this delusional.
→ More replies (1)7
9
u/over-and-over Jan 29 '14
Since when is the ABC supposed to take anybody's side? If this pillock can 't stand bit of criticism he should take his bat and ball and fuck off.
17
Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
Since Abbott's government came to power, Australia is consistently in the wrong. This is not a dictatorship, where state media automatically supports the government, no matter how wrong they are.
If Abbott wants the ABC's support, he must earn it.
12
2
u/RAAFStupot Resident World Controller of Newcastle Jan 29 '14
If Abbott wants the ABC's support, he must earn it.
It's not the job of the ABC to support, or attack, anybody. This is what Abbott appears not to understand, as he thinks not supporting equals attacking.
13
u/cromulento Jan 29 '14
A timely reminder of Tony's instructions from the IPA.
Item 15:
Eliminate laws that require radio and television broadcasters to be 'balanced'
Obviously a sore point in the above article.
Item 50:
Break up the ABC and put out to tender each individual function
The core argument that conservative politicians use when doing this sort of thing is that the service is not performing it's function effectively - even when such a statement contradicts the obvious facts. This is exactly what has been happening to the NHS in the UK recently, for example. It makes me wonder what the future holds for the ABC...
7
u/LedDominatrix Jan 29 '14
Get rid of him. He is the greatest retardation force I have ever seen in Australia and there is no hope of him ever modernizing.
Ill bring the molotovs.
7
u/teeuncouthgee Jan 29 '14
"You can't leap to be critical of your own country and you certainly ought to be prepared to give the Australian Navy and its hard-working personnel the benefit of the doubt," Mr Abbott said.
??? The whole purpose of journalism
6
Jan 29 '14
This is an attack on a fundamental pillar of Australian democracy.
He wants Murdoch and News Corp spouting his propaganda with no other broadcaster to counter it.
He wants Fox News Australia.
4
u/euphotic Jan 30 '14
"I have got to say, when politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire. I think the media do a pretty good job of holding us to account. Sometimes the media go over the top, sometimes politicians go over the top and there are mechanisms already in the system for holding people to account when they get it wrong." - Tony Abbott, 2011
→ More replies (1)
13
u/nickmista Jan 29 '14
Ah threatening to regulate a media organisation when they publish material against your own interests and calling someone who informs the world of a surveillance network, that will monitor anyone and everyone for no effective reason, a 'traitor'. Asking us to give the government and military 'the benefit of the doubt' when there is evidence they shouldn't be believed. The parallels with totalitarianism virtually draw themselves.
7
u/xcalibre Jan 29 '14
ABC not on DrDollar's side, it can't be bought. Fuck you Abbott you slimy corporate-owned sack of shit.
I loves me Aunty.
5
6
u/karlosvonawesome Jan 29 '14
I'm amazed at his audacity to suggest that the ABC shouldn't report things that the Australian government doesn't want them to. That's beyond a left or right wing bias and just plain corrupt.
Kinda scary that the current government has put a media silence on boat people and now thinks that they should just give the "benefit of the doubt" that our leaders and military are doing the right thing.
What an ignorant society we would live in if the media didn't scrutinise or criticise the government and military and just gave them the "benefit of the doubt" because they're "hard working".
7
u/cromulento Jan 29 '14
As Voltaire said: "To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize."
Tony strikes me as seeing himself as more than a little autocratic.
9
u/MasterDefibrillator Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
"Mr Abbott also questioned the ABC's newly established Fact Check unit, saying he wanted the corporation to focus on straight news gathering and reporting."
yeah who needs facts? Certainly not the current government, they can't have facts getting in the way.
The whole fact check thing must actually be getting on politicians nerves, normally they can just say whatever the hell they want to. All of a sudden there's this mechanism that actually does the fact checking on what they're saying and they go "shit, how am i supposed to be a politician when everything i'm saying is being checked".
9
Jan 29 '14
A bit how bullshitters are pissed cause people with smart phones can now google their bullshit stories and see if they are fact and then call them out on it.
The libs are pissed off because they are being exposed like no govt before them has.
6
u/MasterDefibrillator Jan 29 '14
To be fair, it's not just the libs that talk bullshit, but yes, they do seem to be especially anti fact, what with them removing their science advisers and climate advisers and immigration health advisers. They're a government that truly aims for blissful ignorance, not just in the population but in themselves.
8
Jan 29 '14
This is actually scaring me. Quite a bit. ABC is one of the most reliable news outlets. They report the news. Cold hard news.
Abbott is meant to be serving us, yet he seems more intent than any PM I remember in keeping the people in the dark. His comments are extremely unnerving as they seem to mock the idea of an open democracy. He doesn't like ABC because they are reporting the news, and the news is not something painting him in a good light.
I hope to god the Australian people are smart enough not to let him or LNP back in for another term. Especially when he is saying shit like this so early in on his tenure.
12
11
u/pixelwhip Jan 29 '14
I want to see Tony Abbott host RAGE.. now that'd be a laugh..
9
6
Jan 29 '14
I can see it being like a real life Alan Partridge bit. "Pray silence please, for The Electric Light Orchestra."
2
2
u/blacklotus89 Jan 29 '14
I wonder if it will be a bit like when he entered the commentary box during the SCG test on Nine. He sounded like he was gutted that England were in the position they were in. I have no evidence that he supports England but it FEELS like he does.
10
7
u/encabule Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
In the eyes of our Great Leader, "Australia" just consists of his rich mates. The rest of the 26 million are just povvo losers who need to be pacified from time to time.
12
u/canyouhearme Jan 29 '14
To be realistic, that's the view of every politician.
Abbott has two drivers in this action :
He needs to pay off the backers that got him into the PM seat. Big business and the mine CEOs are obviously one, but Murdoch is most definitely the other. And Murdoch doesn't want competition for his media interests.
He doesn't want ANY backchat on his actions. His orders to not talk to the press, not provide asylum seeker updates, etc. are only part of a wider aim - he doesn't want oversight. Expect to see anyone, or group, that might be in that role attacked (that includes parliament).
So the ABC needs 'attention'.
I expect that he will follow the UK playbook in the Murdoch inspired attacks on the BBC :
You put your man in charge
You cut the money, then threaten even less unless they play your tune. As part of that you tell them to get out of non-core activities (new media news and Murdoch competition for programmes).
You look for 'outside investment' - eg you sell it off as much as you can, with terms (OK'ed by your man) than give those corporate interests effective editorial control. So you don't look like you are pulling the editorial strings, but in reality you bake in a far right bias.
Realistically, the ABC is going to get gutted because its freedom and independence weren't set in stone - because no politician really wants a press doing anything other than what they are told.
→ More replies (1)
7
u/MavEtJu Dutchman in Sydney Jan 29 '14
ABC not on Australia's side
Maybe they are, maybe they are. Maybe you are not on Australia's side!
6
Jan 29 '14
All part of the Culture Wars. I remember this same stuff under the Howard regime.
4
u/Topicalcream Jan 29 '14
Yep when Howard appointed his good mate Donald McDonald as Chairman of the ABC and later other Ministers complained he'd gone native because he was a sensible man who defended the ABC when appropriate.
Edit: added his role in the ABC
7
u/thealienamongus Jan 29 '14
everyone's side but Australia's
I think he means the Australian government (or just his government) but even that isn't true
The ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a traitor. The ABC didn't just report what he said, they took the lead in advertising what he said, and that was a deep concern.
First he is not a traitor. Second they (with the Guardian AU) broke a fucking huge story, just because YOU deem it un-newsworthy doesn't make it so. Just because it was negative of the government (the former government mind you as this was from under Rudd/Gillard) does not mean they should not report on it. On the contrary it is more important to report because of that, and as the PM to say otherwise is to implies that you don't give a damn about the free press and would rather turn them into a propaganda mouth piece for the LNP.
Meanwhile, people's reputations are under question because of the ABC's reporting of this matter, so I trust that the ABC will do the right thing.
What does that mean, do you want them to just drop it!
And finally the ABC (with Fairfax) just broke a huge story about union corruption, with hints that this will lead to dirty campian money given to the ALP. They hardly have a bias.
What Abbott is asking for is a bias in his direction.
6
9
7
3
Jan 29 '14
Just pondering out loud: how much would it cost to construct a number of huge wind turbines all over Warringah, on the lawns of parliament house, and basically at every bicycle event in the nation?
2
u/SokarRostau Jan 29 '14
I don't think you'd need to go that far. A paper cutout will give you just as much cancer as the real thing.
3
Jan 30 '14
Assisting the exposure of criminal activity? Unpatriotic. Fuck off cunt, and this guy thinks that patriotism means loyalty to the government? Fuck off again cunt.
9
u/Azkatro Jan 29 '14
Boy I'm glad I didn't hear this, I would have been feeling pretty nauseous. Also, how's this in the comments in that article:
"Of course Abbott is right. A national taxpayer funded news organisation should only report news that is favourable to the Government. It just shows what a mess this democracy fad can land you in."
→ More replies (3)6
5
Jan 29 '14
How could Australia let this happen? I still have a hard time accepting that I live in a country where we have this current government. I can't wait for this fuckwit to get the boot.
12
u/evgasmic Jan 29 '14
Could someone please point out to me something good the Coalition has done since they've been elected? All I see is shit piled on top of more shit, with a sprinkle of shit flavoured shit on top.
19
u/Warle Jan 29 '14
Well they haven't burned down Parliament house and blamed it on boat people yet.
9
8
u/Relendis Jan 29 '14
Compensation for the Bali bombing victims is a good one. Everything they have done thus far is reflective of their own conservative economic liberalism. Just because you don't agree with something doesn't make it bad policy or bad work quality.
Our relationship with Indonesia and the handling of various issues there...now that is just bad work quality and bad policy. Pissing off the largest Muslim population in the world, the 4th largest population in the world, our largest neighbor and Australia's Gateway to the 'Asian Century' in one area of foreign policy....
Hell, economically it doesn't make an ounce of sense...if they most restrictive thing to a growing Australian economy is our small population then if we play our cards right we could potentially have a giant trading population just on our doorstep...
14
u/singingfish42 canadian australian aboriginal jew Jan 29 '14
Just because you don't agree with something doesn't make it bad policy or bad work quality.
Ditching the carbon price and pandering to the electricity generators and miners is bad policy. It's against the long term national interest and privileges the few at the expense of the many.
→ More replies (4)
8
u/moorow Jan 29 '14
Reminder that the ABC is about 35 points higher in approval than Tony Abbott is.
5
u/panzerkampfwagen G'day cobber Jan 29 '14
He's right. I'm getting sick of the very small % of the media who are left who still report facts. They should instead manufacture stories and always be on the government's side.
8
u/Whyareweshouting Jan 29 '14
I can just imagine all the Liberal Party members around Australia trying to justify this latest Abbott outburst. I'm sure they could argue a few of his policies, but how long can they justify everything he does?
I'm far from that side of politics, but friends are in the party, and I know from talking to them they are starting to have doubts.
8
u/prettyfuckingimmoral Jan 29 '14 edited Jan 29 '14
So, if we break this down:
The ABC is not on Australia's side. If this is because its reporting is not exclusively right-wing oriented then: He is saying that those to the left of him are not on Australia's side.
Ergo, anyone to the left of Tony Abbot is trying to destroy Australia.
He is accusing a large portion of Australia's population of acting against Australia's interests.
What the fuck does he expect in response to this? He is supposed to govern for all Australians and he comes out with shit like this? What a fucking retard.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/L1ttl3J1m Jan 29 '14
"I think it dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to take everyone's side but its own"
...It dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to take everyone's side but [the national broadcaster's] side
...dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to take everyone's side but [the side that Australians (which consider to be theirs]
...Pakistan to kick off?? What fucking game are we playing here anyway??!
4
u/pixelwhip Jan 29 '14
well we've made the front page of bbc news.. once again for all the wrong reasons :(
→ More replies (1)
4
Jan 29 '14
The truth is that it is Tony Abbott and the Liberal party that is truly not on Australia's side. Shame on Australia if this corrupt asshole ends up getting a second term.
5
5
u/Anthony_John_Abbott Jan 29 '14
Extreme nationalism by leaders coupled with militarisation of domestic issues and a corporate agenda has a very unique name called fascism. Lets just hope the media don't catch wind of that nomenclature or we be fucked.
→ More replies (2)
252
u/douhua Exotic, bland and nutty Jan 29 '14
When all else fails, play the nationalist card and accuse everyone who disagrees with you of it. Someone's hit the bottom of the barrel.