On the basis of the existing reporting of this book, it appears to be too full of errors, misunderstanding and untruths – and far too heavily skewed towards one particular version of events – to be taken seriously as balanced or accurate journalism.
That is Wayne Swan’s spokesman describing Maxine McKew’s book. So what’s new we ask?
After reading about McKew’s version of the events leading up to Rudd being knifed and Swan’s rebuttal, I was gobsmacked to discover that I found an ex ABC employee’s version more credible.
Wayne Swan has less credibly than the ex ABC employee!
Just how low can he go?
I would laugh it off, except that he is in charge of how one in every five dollars is spent in Australia.
Truly scary.
johno
27 Oct 12 at 5:05 pm
What was the central purpose of the incumbent government she asks, what did they achieve compared with the Hawke/Keating era?
Indeed.
What is the contest of ideas at present she asks?
Who ever accused this administration of having any ideas that make sense? (That is my question).
She wants to see advocates for ideas rather than a shouting match.
How can that happen in the MSM? (my question?)
Poor Old Rafe
27 Oct 12 at 5:23 pm
Everything she says in the latter part of the interview signals a dysfunctional administration.
Add to that her support for Gillard’s rant in the House. Still a rusted-on true believer.
She wants a grown-up discussion. She is pleased to see Abbott driven down by the dirt game. Get real!
Poor Old Rafe
27 Oct 12 at 5:36 pm
johno, you said:
“Wayne Swan has less credibly than the ex ABC employee!”
The alternative view is that Ms McKew as an ex-ABC journalist, and ex-politician, has improved her credibility to the point where it now exceeds that of the Federal Treasurer.
John A
27 Oct 12 at 6:07 pm
Her credibility is not enhanced by her admiration of Gillard’s performance (while deploring her methods, how do you make that distinction?) and her belief that the incoming Rudd administration actually had something to offer the nation. Like saying Sorry!
More proof that the ALP/left are brain-dead in the real world of policy, propped up by the trade union movement, the MSM and our money that is paid to the ABC and their backers in the universities and all the organizations and agencies of the grievance industry. Not to mention their plants in the judiciary.
Poor Old Rafe
27 Oct 12 at 6:25 pm
Perhaps Wayne’s SPOKESPERSON( let’s get it fucking right you miserable misogynist mongrels) might like to be a little more specific as to exactly where these errors,misunderstandings and untruths are to be found and then give us the “approved” version so we can all have a good laugh.
Lew
27 Oct 12 at 7:00 pm
For something that never even happened.
That and the ETS – a policy that wouldn’t fix something that isn’t even happening.
What a surreal time we live in to our everlasting shame.
jupes
27 Oct 12 at 7:06 pm
It’s a bit like Syria. Hard to know which side deserves any support.
blogstrop
27 Oct 12 at 8:09 pm
It’s not hard. Neither.
Or both if they are going hammer and tong killing each other.
jupes
27 Oct 12 at 8:17 pm
“she” is just anothercommunist /soshalist indoctrinated student politician,journalism is like all arts degrees ,just another 8week course jammed into 4years,and a 51 per cent result is a pass! 70per cent is an “honors ” degree.
Borisgodunov
27 Oct 12 at 9:07 pm
There is a real ‘dirt game’ going on with Nicki Gemmell, columnist on all things female apparently, in the Weekend Australian magazine, made worse by the fact that Gemmell writes as if she is somehow a ‘neutral’ observer, thus women will believe her. Today, here I am sitting in a hot bath trying to read this mag when Da Hairy Ape walks in, sees me turning the page, and advises me not to read what I am just about to read: Ms. Gemmell’s piece. He has a concern for my welfare. But I did read it, and the steam rising was not just from the bathwater. What a poisonous piece of partisan ‘commentary’ it is, especially following on from her paeon of adulation to Julia Gillard as a paragon of female victimhood a few weeks back.
Gemmell is playing the gender card hard, fast, and loose. In this piece she claims to write for ‘women’ and their views concerning Tony Abbott. We are then gifted with the complete Labor narrative concerning Tony Abbott, from his teenage years through to various more recent Labor fabrications of his ‘misogyny’ and his ‘negativity’. All accepted without query or qualification or any real analysis, and all said to represent how ‘women’ feel about him contrasted to Malcolm Turnbull (of course). She then burbles on about how we women look for ‘uplifting, visionary, adult politics’. What utter crap. What women want is some policies that will stop the economy tanking and let their families and children enjoy prosperity. Gillard has absolutely no hope of delivering that.
Gemmell is either deeply malevolent in intent or a seriously stupid new arrival back to Australia and its political life. Perhaps she is both. She is clearly living in an inner-urban la la land.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.
27 Oct 12 at 11:06 pm
Abbott should offer McKew preselection in Gillard’s seat just to prove he likes women.
Splatacrobat
27 Oct 12 at 11:13 pm
Lizzie, I often see Gemmell on Today – she has a regular gig on a segment called “Girlz on the Grill” – and I’m generally astounded at how vacuous she is. Well, maybe that’s too harsh, she is unoriginal.
dover_beach
27 Oct 12 at 11:41 pm
I’ve read one and a half of Nicki Gemmel’s columns. She gives brainless bimbos a bad name. She makes it clear that giving women the vote was a really bad idea. Lizzie, if you feel strongly about this, we can declare you an honorary bloke, at least for voting purposes if no other.
DrBeauGan
27 Oct 12 at 11:54 pm
McKew saves her sharpest critiques for the Rudd government’s communications effort. On this point she concurs with Gillard:
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/never-a-clean-way-to-slay-a-king-20121026-28b3q.html#ixzz2AVJMlnC0
Jim Rose
28 Oct 12 at 12:03 am
Hmmm..
Busyness? Check
Announcements? Check
Doorstops? Check
Photo Ops? Check
Facile Point-Scoring? Check
Talking point memes mindlessly and gratiously regurgitated, even when they don’t apply to the topic being discussed? Check, Check, and Check
Reading that quote from McKew (in Jim’s post above), it’s hard to see any difference between either PM Rudd or PM Gillard with how this inept ALP/Green clownocracy functions …
Brian of Moorabbin
28 Oct 12 at 6:49 am
They truly are idiots
All they are doing is whetting the interest of those with coin to buy the book!
Jazza
28 Oct 12 at 7:22 am
The latter. I think I tagged her as terminally stupid frmo the days she used to read the news on JJJ. Nobody with that idiotic voice of hers could possibly be intelligent.
duncan
28 Oct 12 at 9:39 am
Wayne Swan is a coward.
candy
28 Oct 12 at 9:50 am
Beautifully put, Lizzie.
A fitting epitaph.
Rabz
28 Oct 12 at 10:09 am
Slightly O/T – but I think I’ve broken my telly.
Who is the idiot Mike Seccomb on today’s Insiders. Abbott, Abbott, Abbott…
These morons need to understand, that they can keep saying what ever the F they like – it ain’t gonna make it true.
The ABC & much of the MSM is certainly becoming irrelevant to most people’s lives…
Dianne
28 Oct 12 at 10:14 am
Mrs Hogg forgets that those talking points were specifically aimed at journalists and opinion writers at the ABC and Fairfax – which explains why they were so childish and required constant repetition.
boy on a bike
28 Oct 12 at 10:39 am
Is Mike Seccombe still alive? I thought he retired from his SMH gig years ago where he was a total one eyed Labor cheerleader like Coorey, but without the charm.
Mique
28 Oct 12 at 10:39 am