One of the most disappointing aspects of the past week is the relative lack of criticism in the media directed at the appalling Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy. I guess there were just too many other things to write about.
(Did anyone hear Emmo’s hilarious and lame excuse for the government – aka Conroy and Gillard – trying to ram through the media bills in such a short space of time? Honestly. Some garbage about these bills were always likely to be contentious and so it was important that they were not really debated – by Cabinet, Caucus or any interested parties and were dealt with quickly. My ass, I say, what tosh.)
We, Cats, should recall that it was a close run thing – if Conroy had had more confidence in the cross benchers, he would have had the bills submitted to the House, with the speaker casting the deciding vote. I’m pretty sure, the Coalition would not have accepted Thomson’s ‘no’ vote, assuming he really meant what he said.
There are two really important things to think about:
- There were probably enough cross-benchers on side, at least with the spirit of the bills, including the dreaded PIMA, but the fool Conroy was so ham-fisted in the way he tried to ram the bills through the House, even the likes of Oakeshott and Wilkie couldn’t go along with the farce. Is this the best mate of the great negoshiator?
- Conroy couldn’t even explain what were the real purposes of the bills. First, it was about preserving media diversity, even though on all available evidence, news media has become more diverse. The choice in respect of traditional sources will probably come down to allowing mergers or the collapse of some newspapers, including all of Fairfax. I’m not sure that will do much for diversity. Second, it was about defending community standards of journalism. This was code for trying to put a sock in News Corp products in the run up to the election in the hope that staff would be fearful of being reported to PIMA and emperilling the ongoing privilege of privacy.
The fact that Conroy thought he could split the press media (did he use the word baron? Is Hywood a baron? Is Williams also a baron?) demonstrated what a complete fool he is. At the end of the day, even Fairfax was not going to support suppression of freedom of the press and freedom of speech.
If Conroy remains Minister of Communications and Broadband (say no more about the looming fiasco of the NBN), it will tell us a lot about Gillard, her judgement and her current predicament.
Has anyone else noticed that to be at the top of the parliamentary Layba pardy tree you have to be gutless, gormless and graceless? Gillard and Conroy best examples.
Tintarella di Luna
23 Mar 13 at 5:23 pm
He’s also a know-nothing.
This contemptible cur has never done anything in his life which did not involve mooching off others.
Mk50 of Brisbane
23 Mar 13 at 5:26 pm
And it absolutely sticks in my throat that my hard work on close to two days each week will go to support these utterly moronic parasites in a retirement of luxury we can only dream about.
Megan
23 Mar 13 at 5:32 pm
Judith, if you continue this trend of praising the idiots, I think you need to reconsider your positiuon…
mct
23 Mar 13 at 5:36 pm
The departure of Ferguson, Bowen and Crean from the ministry, and the likely retention of Conroy, Swan, Plibersek, Ellis and all the other no-hopers, really does show that modern Labor has up-ended the old morality: adult men leave the sinking ship first, while the women and children remain on board.
Ronaldo
23 Mar 13 at 5:42 pm
I must give my vote to for the best description. And alliteration as well:
“gutless, gormless, and graceless”
I thought I had some command of English; but I defer to you…
JohnRMcD
23 Mar 13 at 5:43 pm
Turns out he’s a conservative Catholic too and voted against the RU pill. Funny, I thought the love media liked to get stuck into Catholics and their veiws..
Ooh Honey Honey
23 Mar 13 at 5:44 pm
views
Ooh Honey Honey
23 Mar 13 at 5:44 pm
As with every ministry reshuffle I live in hope that Conroy gets “promoted” out of DCBDE! Be nice if they out someone in that portfolio who has a decent technical understanding (and they do exist in the party, they just don’t have the right factional support)
Chris
23 Mar 13 at 5:45 pm
Hey I just got a “you are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.” message. Who runs this joint? Stephen fucking Conroy?
Ooh Honey Honey
23 Mar 13 at 5:45 pm
Quite apart from all the forgoing, the Indonesian are to buy up copious amounts of Broadband by buying a Geo Stationary satellite over this part of the world, Conroy might think he’a being mighty clever in stymeing Optus and Telstra, but I bet he didn’t even contemplate an offshore competitor…….Doh; where’s me red undies
Michel Lasouris
23 Mar 13 at 5:46 pm
Being photoshopped as Stalin wasn’t enough? Obviously Judith wanted him photoshopped as Martin Bryant.
m0nty
23 Mar 13 at 5:47 pm
Step-hen Conroy = Snuffles Conjob
Michel Lasouris
23 Mar 13 at 5:48 pm
Great article with great replies
A mob stumblebum goons ruining our great country who will walk away with retirement remuneration packages that most Australians can only dream of receiving.
Dave of Cossack
23 Mar 13 at 5:50 pm
Do we need to know anything more?
ar
23 Mar 13 at 5:54 pm
[...] So, who is Senator Conroy? Judith Sloan at Catallaxy has him pegged: Conroy: arrogant, incompetent, contemptible. [...]
who is Steven Conroy … | pindanpost
23 Mar 13 at 5:58 pm
Well, who else would be willing to take on this poisoned challice of an NBN?
Next bunny in the headlights will be … ??
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.
23 Mar 13 at 5:58 pm
NBN: Final cost to each Australian citizen. Estimate only.
$74 billion divided by $23 million = $3217.39130435
The biggest waste of Australia’s taxpayers money : ever!
Dave of Cossack
23 Mar 13 at 6:06 pm
It would have to be the insulator Peter Garrett. (Bottom of page)
Helen Armstrong
23 Mar 13 at 6:15 pm
Thursday’s announcement that NBNCo is already lagging- by at least 100,000 premises passed- the midyear NBN target, and with take-up rates not improving, that fiasco is more like a boa-constrictor coiling around Stephen Conroy.
He’s lucky that the media were distracted- or did luck play no part?
Leo G
23 Mar 13 at 6:21 pm
Post traumatic stress re his false memories of the radioactive milk that little Steve, as a pitiful lower socio ec pommie, was pitilessly plied with by the Tories, drives a man to bitter extremes of revenge.
Conroy is employed here well above his limited prospects at town Council level in the UK.
Alfonso
23 Mar 13 at 6:29 pm
Judith, I think the term that suits is ‘failed media controls.’ They were never reforms.
James Barlow
23 Mar 13 at 6:32 pm
m0nty – to be fair the Daily Tele did apologise to Stalin.
Sinclair Davidson
23 Mar 13 at 6:37 pm
A union organiser for the gas fitters Conroy is out of his depth and incompetent. But this is not important just his union backing. Gillard and this government are a disgrace it wouldnt be so bad its just the wasted opportunity and throwing money away. If the could just stick to saying sorry and gesture politics.
honesty
23 Mar 13 at 6:44 pm
you can say all those things about Conroy but for me the week provided some highlights – for example
Kim Williams before the parliamentary committee
I liked his impressive interview with Sky News – in front of those Chinese restaurant curtains – but can’t find it
Chris Berg’s testimony before the Senate Commission:
note these passages
But I do not think it is appropriate for any government regulator or any government to try to impose on the free press its own conception of what constitutes fairness or balance. The free press has a vital and essential democratic role to basically expose the misdemeanours of government. The idea that the government would then turn around and regulate the press for fairness or balance seems to me to be deeply worrying and seriously concerning. It is extraordinary that we are talking about this in 2013.
…
Mr Berg: I am not suggesting that it is a very good thing to equate people with paedophilia. I am not defending that claim. I am defending the claim that in a society that respects freedom of speech as a fundamental value we have to accept sometimes that offensive speech will be made. If you are only going to defend speech you agree with then you are not defending freedom of speech at all.
that front page on the Daily Tele and its apology the next day ‘Sorry Joe’
Piers Akerman on Insiders
and the lowlights:
so far as I recall there were no journos of the left with the courage to criticise the proposed bills
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 6:49 pm
Oooh, good point. He’s affiliated with the ACTU, not the AWU. Conroy may be demoted then.
Gab
23 Mar 13 at 7:01 pm
Labour can only seem to recruit ex union officials and the odd member of a rock band or athlete, and one or two ex employees of the law firm Slater and Gordon. It has not occurred to them at any time in the last twenty years to vary this.
Ye reap what ye sow.
hzhousewife
23 Mar 13 at 7:02 pm
There is only one thing underpants boy needs to know. Yellow to the front, brown to the back.
Steve of Glasshouse
23 Mar 13 at 7:08 pm
here’s Piers
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 7:10 pm
I have a feeling that Michael Smith is going to break some news on Monday re: the spill..and perhaps one Albasleazy will be playing a role…no further info available.
lem
23 Mar 13 at 7:10 pm
YOu’re not a New South Welshmman who grew up in WA now living in Qld are you lem?
sdfc
23 Mar 13 at 7:19 pm
Conjob is also a mad Collingwood supporter which sort of sums it up the NBN is a bit of a stretch.
honesty
23 Mar 13 at 7:20 pm
I must point out the spelling error of “negoshiator” is should be “negoshiador”
(My first comment here)
inedible hyperbowl
23 Mar 13 at 7:21 pm
sdfc
No
lem
23 Mar 13 at 7:30 pm
NO worris lem had to ask I’ve got a childhood friend who went by that nickname.
sdfc
23 Mar 13 at 7:32 pm
check out Chris Pearson today
you wouldn’t want to believe Rudd on what really happened, I’d take Crean’s word
One good thing, I don’t think Rudd will be given another chance
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 7:32 pm
“Arrogant, incompetent, contemptible.” Stop mucking around and tell us what you really think of this hopeless arse licking creep.
Robbo
23 Mar 13 at 7:33 pm
Very nicely put, Judith. Quoting Wellington after the battle of Waterloo may be premature. I think we can assume that the enemies of freedom will not give up their attempts to muzzle us. I think that Churchill’s “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” may be more appropriate.
Richard
23 Mar 13 at 7:50 pm
He would have been valued very highly in the former USSR …sent out to delouse mines with his feet , a one shot wonder , even Stalin would have despised the slimy little pond dweller !
Raven
23 Mar 13 at 7:51 pm
I’m getting a bad feeling about this. The left-wing canaries from my school days seem impressed by Gillard’s balls. Someone said she was playing a lay-down misère hand. “Have mercy one me electorate, I am a poor oppressed female surrounded by idiots.” You lose big enough and often enough you win. And Tony Abbott doesn’t come across as the smartest tool in the shed. Just thinkin’.
laterite
23 Mar 13 at 8:04 pm
Its hard to comprehend how Conroy etc could make the demand of passing these additional regulations ( aimed at weakening Mr murdoch )in such a short space of time . Maybe they will use the leadership spill on the ast day as an excuse to reintroduce it when parliament next sits ?.
Media watchdog head Julian Disneys brief submission to the finkelstine inquiry (regarding the possible need for further govt oversight to achieve maximum freedom of speech )is worth a read . The Proffessor is a wordsmith . Im not sure why Judith does not discuss this .
sunshine
23 Mar 13 at 8:05 pm
Monty shows up to stand with the fascists. You really are a waste of food, sport.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 8:14 pm
i don’t think it had anything to do with ‘balls’ – I think as Barnaby said ‘faced with the mad and the bad they chose the bad’
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 8:16 pm
Tone doesn’t really want to speak conservative political talk on a stump on a street corner.
The US has Palin, Rand, Paul, Levin, Rubio all mega more conservative than Tone …….he’s an empty conservative who thrives exclusively on social mores that the electorate doesn’t give a rat’s arse about.
Worried? Correct.
Alfonso
23 Mar 13 at 8:18 pm
val majkus, right on the money. Super bad.
lem
23 Mar 13 at 8:30 pm
Look I would like to shoot one comment down in flames. regardless of how flawed and rushed conroy’s bill was…the private media is just too damn concentrated in this country
with such high levels of ownership going to the biased old Rupe and the newcomer GIna who fancies herself (when she is not pissing off her kids) as a media mouth,
who are both getting a bit past it all.. and I will object to listening to Sarah and Lachlan and Gina going forth…
Along with concentrated airlines, concentrated groceries, concentrated phone services, concentrated energy providers
Could all you lot go forth and multiply pronto so we get a market big enough to get some decent market competition????. I am a tad over been run over by oligopolies and monopolies and their power games in Australia.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:31 pm
“If Conroy remains Minister of Communications and Broadband …it will tell us a lot about Gillard, her judgement and her current predicament”.
Fair go Judith. The woman is a Communist – her ideal is the destruction of Australian society – why would she sack Conroy who shares the same aim?
HRT
23 Mar 13 at 8:31 pm
should read….Ginia going forth
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:32 pm
Yes I don’t buy this business about Gillard being tough. She may be but to me she just seems to not really get it. I always get the feeling that her first taste of uni politics in the uni bar was intoxicating and she’s never moved on. If I had to choose a word it would be “brazen”.
And in case misogyny comes up – I believe a man would not be treated the way Gillard has been treated. A man would have been sacked long ago.
Paul CO
23 Mar 13 at 8:35 pm
Yes Paul
I get the same impression. Julia is playing power ganmes at uni level and its about winning and losing party support, when she is supposed to be thinking of the whole country now.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:40 pm
Arrice, I, too, loathe Australia’s anti-competitive oligopolies and duopolies, but if you want to argue about how they can be castrated you need to understand how they work and that successful competition policy is about removing regulation, not adding to it. You’re still sounding like an 18-year-old uni sstudent. Get educated.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 8:43 pm
Listen – there is nothing wrong with eakening mr murdochs hold on the media here.
He has too much market share…but thats australia fdr you, easily bought out by the big wigs in town.
No he needs to lose a bit. Murdoch never was as good at being a news man as Packer. We always get the news according to murdoch and its pared down efficient reuters downloaded international news.
That aint the news here but he is much tighter on spending than Packer was. …..and I dont like it (its cheaparse news). Murdochs news is either a Reuters feed from the Middle east or a Hollywood gossip stream from LA.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:48 pm
the defining image of Gillard’s reign
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 8:50 pm
Aliice, the worry about the commissar and his laws for me was not the control of the “old” press, but the wedge it introduced to control the internet. Because the internet is the future for freedom of speech/information/association, and no government has a right to control it. Check out China.
lem
23 Mar 13 at 8:50 pm
TOM – so between calling me an 18 year old uni student – what the fuck were your ideas to get rid of the oligopoly and monopoly control of markets in Australia?
As I said the only suggestion is for you to go and have more kids (I will keep it clean – I could say go fuck yourself but it wouldnt be productive).
What is your better idea Einstein?
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:51 pm
about that internet wedge
http://australianclimatemadness.com/2012/03/06/legal-advice-sinks-bloggers-finkelsteinian-nightmare/
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 8:53 pm
To my mind Ms Gillard is an almost perfect example of what is arrested development. She’s never developed past the nubile know-it-all 16 year old school girl stage. Insouciant, immature, irritating and illogical.
Tintarella di Luna
23 Mar 13 at 8:56 pm
give me a link Iem
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 8:56 pm
Arrice, you’re babbling. You have no idea how the media works. Murdoch doesn’t give a shit about Australia. He leaves his local papers to make money by responding to their audiences according to a tried-and-true formula. The alternative is a pile of garbage called Fairfax, which doesn’t work.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 8:57 pm
How about – deregulate and let new players enter the market?
Worrying about monopoly control of the print and broadcast media in the Internet age is quite bizarre IMO
Matt
23 Mar 13 at 8:57 pm
OOps sorry ’twas Conroy under discussion. Well he’s a big sixteen year old school girl blouse, overfilled with promise never delivered.
Tintarella di Luna
23 Mar 13 at 8:58 pm
The media bill is here
Alice it’s got nothing to do with reducing perceived ‘oligarchies’ and everything do with Government control of the media
have a read of ss 7 to 10
thank God it’s gone
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 9:05 pm
That’s interesting about Conroy — given his particular penchant for bovver boy behaviour I was under the impression he was affiliated with the Australian Council of Unions and National Trades – rather than the ACTU
Tintarella di Luna
23 Mar 13 at 9:06 pm
Val: “defining image” – so who’s the handsome gent?
Val: “internet wedge”‘ – yet another dimension to Finkelstein’s stupidity. I showed here that his proposal of monitoring blogs greater than 15,000 hits pa equated to less than a single reader a day.
laterite
23 Mar 13 at 9:07 pm
Aliice:
My vague understanding is that Murdoch owns a minority of the titles, but gets a 70 percent share of the sales. If this is correct, the problem is with the other media participants (Fairfax, Stokes) not producing a saleable product, that puts the ball in their court. Or Murdoch could hire some Fairfax types, and make his product unappealing, this reducing his share (but Fairfax would then need to hire some Murdoch types, to make it more appealing)?
Boambee John
23 Mar 13 at 9:07 pm
Hang on a minute tom
They aleady HAVE been de-regulated and no new players have entered because its Australia in 2013 and we have bugger all polulation for any new players to enter… (too bloody small a market)
No one wants us baby – except the oligops and monops – small market – costs a lot to ship their crap here and out again.
So any other ideas? As I said, unless you can multiply yourself and …….wanking wont do that – I dont see any end any time soon to the market concentrations you and I dont like in Australia) and your one bandaid approach which is sounding more and more like an 18 year old’s approach) of deregulation aint going to work here.
Or it would have by now – WE HAVE ALREADY DE-REGULATED.
Do you get that Tom?
Different circumstances. no one rule fits all.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:09 pm
If I had to choose two words they’d be “brazen hussy”
Tintarella di Luna
23 Mar 13 at 9:11 pm
hi laterite:
from the AWU national conference on the Gold Coast – Bill Ludwig
yes, I read that article, spot on!
and has anyone yet answered the question ‘what’s to be fixed?’ as someone said ‘a punishment in search of a crime’
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 9:11 pm
Tom you can deregulate all you want but if you open the doors and no-one steps inside because you have a piddling (by world standards population? meaning a piddling market?)
What then?
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:18 pm
Finally it’s dawning on you. So tell us how regulation and government hostility will improve news media coverage in the internet age?
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 9:19 pm
Matt – follow the argument – its about oligopoly control and monopoly control of industries in Australia generally – which is prevalent – ie not specifically internet and media.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:21 pm
as to the author of the review the Oz had a good article
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 9:21 pm
The only weapon you have Tom, if you have tried de regulation, and no newcomers arrived to contest the market is as i said before, increase the population so there is a decentt market making it contestable or re regulate to ensure market concentrations (such as those oligopolies and monopilies you dont like and nor do the majority of aussie like) do not gain too much market power.
I already said you can open the doors and de-regulate but if it doenst fucking work you have to try something else or the rest of us get to live our lives beholden to giving ever large percentages of our income to essential services and food.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:26 pm
found it! the most impressive interview on the proposed media laws:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/cabinet-rolled-in-conroy-media-reform-ambush/story-e6freuy9-1226596774787?sv=77eecb9d14d439e7c5359a2ab42f7457#.UUEcO5FrkTA.twitter
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 9:36 pm
Val: ‘what’s to be fixed?’ anything the left likes according to Clive suspend democracy Hamilton or Kellie sue the skeptics Tranter.
laterite
23 Mar 13 at 9:39 pm
You are a simpleton and a fabulist, Alice. The idea of having a news media is simply to describe the world to the people who live in it, not to describe a world that half-arsed radicals like you would like to see.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 9:39 pm
Bullshit Tom
You havent given me a substantive argument all night and you turn around and call me a simpleton and a fabulist? (and you pepper in some sprinkling of words with ‘hard arsed radicals’ in the middle?? By who’s definition – yours?)
The nerve of you young man!
This is the dumbest response ever. If you cant fight fire with words and genuine arguments instead of clumsy pat silly insults then dont you dare come in the kitchen when I am cooking.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:47 pm
Id also like to hear your definition of the word “fabulist’ Tom?
Could be mildly interesting.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:50 pm
TOM and ALIICE sitting in a tree K I S S I N G
I want to know if you guys think big money will end up controlling internet news like it has newspapers ?( much to the liking of the cooalition newspapers will still set the news agenda here for at least 2 more elections )
sunshine
23 Mar 13 at 9:53 pm
Arrice, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to be put down. The nice men here will make it as painless as possible. There’s a good girl. Off you go.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 9:53 pm
I do not rescind TOM. Your dear Mr Murdoch, for all his poor quality reuters feed news on the Middle East and Hollywood and nowhere else much…happens to have too large a share of media ownership in this country and also relative to ownership percentages in other advanced nations, to the detriment of all our intelligence.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:54 pm
The media can only lead those who choose to be misled. Like the politicians can only lead those who choose to be misled.
stackja
23 Mar 13 at 9:58 pm
sunshine – of course it will….until we get over all this bullshit dergeulation free market crap and start getting some sense back
Where is Katter? I tell you I am voting for north QLD.
Enough with driving the car with the hands off the wheel.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 9:59 pm
Nah. lay-down misere is actually the easiest hand; you only call it when you know you can win it.
A huge loss might get you some bounce, but only enough to end up with a big loss. Showing you are surrounded by arse-clowns only denigrates you as a leader.
“She’s putting up a brave fight and I’d totally vote for her but look at the party she’s lumped with” comes right before “I really can’t vote for her, it’d be a waste” which comes right before “I never voted for her” followed by “I disliked her from the first moment I saw her”.
wreckage
23 Mar 13 at 10:00 pm
laterite – why is it the left has those communistic tendencies
the left doesn’t get it – as Chris Berg said ‘If you are only going to defend speech you agree with then you are not defending freedom of speech at all.’
check out Piers Akerman and check out the other journos
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-17/piers-akerman-attacks-totalitarian-conroy/4577978
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 10:02 pm
You endorse phoning Canberra and hoping they can tell you how to steer. Minimal government IS driving with your hands on the wheel. YOUR HANDS.
Not someone else’s, and not a bloody lawyer because the regulations on steering wheels are so arcane no ordinary person can actually do it!
Who the hell would steer via a committee? Aliice it seems.
wreckage
23 Mar 13 at 10:03 pm
As I said, you’re sounding like an 18-year-old uni student. Get educated.
Tom
23 Mar 13 at 10:05 pm
Akerman calls it ‘totalitarian Conroy’
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 10:05 pm
Aliice, I have been away switching on lights and only just got back. We are talking about communications in this thread.
Forget Murdoch. It’s all over. It’s called the INTERNET. That is the news and information delivery platform now and for the future. Even he is not all powerful and evil enough to control it. Only cooperating governments through legislation are. Be afraid of governments, Aliice, if you are worried about intrusion, and reduction of choice.
And Val, thanks for that link it cleared up for me what the Constitution says, but I still think vigilance is necessary.
lem
23 Mar 13 at 10:07 pm
OK wreckage
On that point (“they are driving with my hands”)
I hang my head in shame….lol (and seek to evade all my taxes because they are really losuy drivers)
That is a problem. How fast can the bastards in power waste my tax money (pretty fast it would seem).
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 10:07 pm
Tom I will be back to deal with you later.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 10:09 pm
No-one voted for Gillard. They voted for Krudd. I cant see her collecting his voTES with his blood on her hands…its a perception thing.
Aliice
23 Mar 13 at 10:14 pm
In every possible way this is drivel. It is not even on topic.
dismissive
23 Mar 13 at 10:17 pm
trust Delingpole
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 10:24 pm
Go James!
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 10:27 pm
lem, while this Govt is in don’t take your eyes off them for a second
val majkus
23 Mar 13 at 10:28 pm
Well they had a bit of “tribute to the old “Oz” magazine in the Australian. The one that got prosecuted in the UK in the 60′s.
I wonder if Mr Conroys regulations could have shut them down where the Poms failed?
Also got a bit of goss on the NBN in Geraldton (currently being put in, one of the first).
The Telstra bloke was claiming they were miles behind because the existing conduit was in crap condition, and a lot of it is being trenched again instead.
If thats the case then it doesnt bode well for any older suburbs in Australia.
thefrollickingmole
23 Mar 13 at 10:42 pm
Well I can say one thing, my ancestors were raped, pillaged and murdered by governments from extreme left to extreme right and even some in the middle, but not a single relative of mine was ever wounded even slightly by a journalist.
Dan
23 Mar 13 at 11:08 pm
I see the local drunk discovered someone left the drinks cabinet unlocked.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
23 Mar 13 at 11:16 pm
In country areas where they’ll be going fixed wireless if no one wants a tower in their land the area will get sat. If councils knock back planning applications for towers the area will get sat. NBN info night the crowd was told that fibre wireless and sat were all same speeds etc.
Pickles
23 Mar 13 at 11:24 pm
Given the standard response here seems to be insults and abuse, it seems there is no rational objection to the proposed media regulations?…..or no one here knows what they are.
Michael
23 Mar 13 at 11:31 pm
There is an obvious objection – there has been no evidence that they are needed. In the absence of any proven need for the laws, there is no case for them. The end.
Fisky
23 Mar 13 at 11:40 pm
Malice loves Rupe and Gina bashing on every thread. She is a master derailer.
Go and start a newspaper yourself if you think there is too much concentration of ownership malice.
Splatacrobat
23 Mar 13 at 11:44 pm
Alice has just popped out to freshen her metho supply. She’ll be back after she finds a hardware store.
Infidel Tiger
23 Mar 13 at 11:48 pm
Switched back on after Earth Hour, Michael?
I think the thing that bothered people most was the Government appointed nanny. It just gets right up freedom loving people’s noses.For me, you put those words “media” and “regulations” together, and I’m immediately en garde. Always will be. You’ll never change my mind. So I’m off to bed now to save you the trouble of trying. I’ve got lots of appliances to turn off. Sweet dreams.
lem
23 Mar 13 at 11:49 pm
Don’t worry too much Tom, Malice has just slipped out to get another flagon of muscat from the off license. She’ll be back soon to argue Katter is good, Abbott is bad, Gina is fat, big business should pay lots of tax.
Splatacrobat
23 Mar 13 at 11:49 pm
snap IT
Splatacrobat
23 Mar 13 at 11:50 pm
Shut up, you idiot. We do know what they are.
The ones we have a problem with are
1. Fit and proper person rule
2. setting up a public interest advocate.
You dipshit.
JC
23 Mar 13 at 11:54 pm
“There is an obvious objection – there has been no evidence that they are needed.” – fisky.
You mean besides all the evidence presented in the IMI Report. Yeah, besides that evidence, there is no evidence.
I like it!
Michael
23 Mar 13 at 11:59 pm
“You’ll never change my mind.” – Iem
At least you admit you’re irrational.
Kudos for that.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:01 am
“The ones we have a problem with are
1. Fit and proper person rule
2. setting up a public interest advocate.” – JC
My comment notes that no one makes a rational argument, and settle for insults and abuse, so you contribute the above for the first point, and on the second;
“Shut up, you idiot…..You dipshit.”
Awesome!
You’ve gotta be a Poe, right??
I mean, not even the looney libertarians are this stupid.
Right?
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:10 am
If the evidence were compelling, you’d no doubt explain why. Otherwise, we can dismiss without justification what is asserted without justification (Hitchens).
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:11 am
Michael, we have discussed the topic of Conroy’s bill at length on many threads. Perhaps you’d care to read the other threads before making your uninformed and insulting comments here.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:11 am
Hello Michael, I was only joking when I said I was going to bed. i’m tricky like that. And you not being able to change my mind doesn’t mean I’m irrational, necessarily. It just means that I sense you are boring and want to defend having someone tell me what “public interest” is. And history has so many times shown us where that sort of behaviour can lead that I reject it. So, I am very tired from turning lights on and off now, you will have to look up Mein Kampf and read it yourself. Pass my condolances to the Commissar.
lem
24 Mar 13 at 12:12 am
“If the evidence were compelling, you’d no doubt explain why. Otherwise, we can dismiss without justification what is asserted without justification (Hitchens).” – fisky
You mean you’ve never bothered to look at it, at you’d rather not be moved from your position of blissful ignorance?
OK.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:17 am
“Michael, we have discussed the topic of Conroy’s bill at length on many threads. Perhaps you’d care to read the other threads before making your uninformed and insulting comments here.” – Gab
I have, that’s why I made the comment about the lack of rational argument.
But credit where it is due – it’s quite an achievement to blah blah so much and not say anything of substance.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:20 am
Waiting and laughing
Almost as good as the sexual magnet that is Bob Ellis
Tiny Dancer
24 Mar 13 at 12:23 am
As you haven’t quoted from it, or attempted to summarize the arguments within, there is equal evidence that you haven’t read the document either.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:23 am
“Hello Michael, I was only joking when I said I was going to bed….” – Iem
Apologies – I retract my Kudos for inferring that you had some semblance of insight.
Irrational and deluded it is.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:25 am
Dickhead, the reason I told you to STFU is because you made a truly stupid comment. In fact it’s insultingly stupid.
And no, my argument wasn’t calling you stupid and asking you to STFU. Those two points basically countered you stupidity.
Michael, you really have no business being here as you’re simply not up to it. You’re too dopey and flat footed to be hanging around. As they say in the classics.. fuck off and stop wasting our time, you imbecile.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 12:31 am
Leftie Central is now sending it’s rejects here. Fmd
JC
24 Mar 13 at 12:32 am
Fisky,
Nice gallop.
1st – there is no evidence
2nd – well, if it was compelling evidence, you’d say so
3rd – OK, then you haven’t given it to me, so you don’t know it either.
What next – Ray didn’t come and sing it to me as a bed-time lullaby, so it doesn’t exist??
Is this some bizarre way of asking for the information, stemming from being embarrassed about not knowing it in the first place?
Anyway, I’ll give you a summary and some examples, if that’s what you want. Is it?
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:33 am
Nope, you still haven’t provided any evidence of a compelling argument for “media reform”. I’ll take that to mean that you either don’t know of any evidence, or that the evidence doesn’t exist.
Either works for me.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:34 am
JC,
Congrats!
More insults, still no rational argument.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:34 am
Haven’t seen any arguments for you – rational or otherwise. You’ve just come here and said what?
What’s your argument, apart from saying nothing anyone says here is rational in your learned opinion, which is no argument just insulting.
Come on, what’s your argument?
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:39 am
We haven’t, have we? It’s an “arguments for thee but not for me” kind of schtick. Or a Nixonian “I’ve got a secret argument, but I’m not telling ’till after the election!”.
Not even good enough for a troll.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:41 am
Fisky, I think Michael’s evidence is drawn from his fearless leader saying News Ltd, the Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, has some “hard questions” to answer.
Even TLS couldn’t elaborate so how can you Mickey?
Splatacrobat
24 Mar 13 at 12:41 am
Fisky,
So now you don’t want to know that the evidence is??
Strangely enough, if that’s the case, it does mean that there is at least a glimmer of hope for you – you at least understand at some level that there may be conflict between your cherished beliefs and the evidence.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:42 am
What evidence? He hasn’t provided any evidence. He’s referred to a report. Hasn’t cited any passages, hasn’t said anything that a six-year old couldn’t run rings around.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:45 am
“Haven’t seen any arguments for you – rational or otherwise. You’ve just come here and said what? ” -Gab
Oh, just pointed to the direction of a whole pile of evidence.
Anyone can find it in a few clicks if they are open to rational persuasion (Fisky is running full tilt away from the merest hint of evidence!!).
Dogmatic ideologues aren’t much interested, naturally.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:45 am
Michael STILL doesn’t know why media reform is a brilliant idea! Just amazing. A slam dunk, I had thought, but he’s apparently not up to it.
Oh well. It doesn’t matter anyway, because it’s never going to be law.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:46 am
You’ve done nothing other than refer to a report and sprouted the usual leftie empty rhetoric.
What’s your argument? What is it you want to discuss specifically? Answer with specificity not boilerplate rubbish.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:48 am
“We haven’t, have we? It’s an “arguments for thee but not for me” kind of schtick. Or a Nixonian “I’ve got a secret argument, but I’m not telling ’till after the election!”.
Not even good enough for a troll.” – Fisky.
Poor Fisky.
The IMI Report has been out for over a year, published, on the internet for free download, but the poor dear can’t manage to even take a glance at it!!
Bet there is something he couldn’t find with both hands and a flashlight.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:51 am
Okay, so what part of the report you introduced here do you want to discuss? Cite the para. The onus is on you.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:53 am
Nope, that’s not an argument either. “Look, a report! I wins!”
That wouldn’t pass first year sociology, a subject not known for its rigour.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 12:55 am
He’s a waste of time and pixels. This is where the Fisk Doctrine would come in handy.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 12:56 am
“You’ve done nothing other than refer to a report and sprouted the usual leftie empty rhetoric.
What’s your argument? What is it you want to discuss specifically? Answer with specificity not boilerplate rubbish.” – Gab
This is just the point – the Report is full of evidence and rational discussion around the issues.
I think it’s safe to ay that no one here has bothered to look at it, hence all the endless stupid insults- no one has a clue.
Look at poor Fisky, running around like a chook-with-it’s-head-cut-off, seemingly terrified of actually engaging with any evidence. In the hour since he made that especially silly comment, he could have already read a good deal of the evidence – but it’s clear he hasn’t the slightest interest.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 12:57 am
I don’t think Michael has quite twigged to how silly his argument is.
Michael, the Daily Telegraph says the reforms are terrible. If you want to find out why, go read the Telegraph for yourself.
See? “Citation” has never been easier!
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:00 am
Fisky,
What’s that, excuse number 6 for not bothering to engage with the evidence?
Irrational.
At least man-up like Iem, and say – ‘I don’t care what the evidence is, I’m sticking to my opinions’.
Own your stupid!
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:01 am
How’s this for a rational argument? Current media laws work just fine. The Conroy PIMA proposal is a solution looking for a problem. The scope for future abuse by anyone in government whose agenda is to shut down scrutiny far outweighs any benefit.
Lloyd
24 Mar 13 at 1:01 am
Michael, you’ve said nothing different for the last 30mins or so. I have no idea what it is you want, nor do I care. You’ve proven yourself to be nothing other than a repetitious bore sans any argument or reasoning.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 1:02 am
Michael, I have cited from a credible published source to the effect that the media reforms are bad. Obviously, you aren’t interested in finding out why. Why don’t you? I would have thought that a supporter of failed legislation would be interested in finding out what went wrong.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:03 am
It’s an incredible coincidence that all of the organs, agencies and exemplars of the Australian left – in fact, exclusively the organs, agencies and exemplars of the Australian left – see a need for a crackdown on the press and fully back Stephen Conroy and ‘Judge’ Finkelstein.
C.L.
24 Mar 13 at 1:11 am
Gab,
Try Section 4 of the IMI Report – Fisky will be all over it I’m sure.
I’ll give you a little taster – while the news chiefs, we all ‘nothing wrong here, move on’, their own body, the APC, was scathing about the media’s performance in relation to their own professed standards.
Hilariously, the APC demanded more regulation than what Conroy ended up putting foward.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:12 am
“Michael, I have cited from a credible published source to the effect that the media reforms are bad.” – fisky
Is this excuse number 7?? – I’m losing count.
Avert your eyes or you’ll be turned into a pillar of salt!!
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:18 am
“It’s an incredible coincidence that all of the organs, agencies and exemplars of the Australian left – in fact, exclusively the organs, agencies and exemplars of the Australian left – see a need for a crackdown on the press” – CL
Yeah, like those damn commies in the Australian Press Council…..
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:20 am
“Michael, I have cited from a credible published source to the effect that the media reforms are bad. Obviously, you aren’t interested in finding out why. Why don’t you? I would have thought that a supporter of failed legislation would be interested in finding out what went wrong.” – fisky
Poor darling – if I had been silly enough to say there was ‘no evidence’ of people disagreeing with the proposed reforms, then yes, I’d be in the same boat (SS Stoopid) as you.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:23 am
Ever win a Walkley, Michael? Because you remind me of someone.
Jarrah
24 Mar 13 at 1:32 am
Yes, Michael does remind one of someone.
Winner or finalist, Michael?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:38 am
What happened to the smart libertarians? Is it really only these dregs that are left?
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:39 am
Winner, finalist, nominee, wishful thinking… for some people, it’s all roughly the same.
Jarrah
24 Mar 13 at 1:40 am
Bzzzz! Argument from authority. Fail.
As I said before, the Daily Telegraph opposed the media reforms. That’s enough to refute your citation-without-an-argument (still not getting it, are you!).
In any case, the Telegraph won and you lost, Sando. Eat it.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:41 am
Bzzzz! Argument from authority. Fail.
As I said before, the Daily Telegraph opposed the media reforms. That’s enough to refute your citation-without-an-argument (still not getting it, are you!).
In any case, the Telegraph won and you lost, S@ndo. Eat it.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:42 am
There is no need to read a report. If it supports any restriction, any touch, on speech then death by torture of all the children of all the authors and supporters is the only moral course. The first step is to get capital punishment of children mandated in law. Second step get some convictions. Third step, nothing. All will be serene after a few children get stoned. Getting the legislation passed will be a big effort but we can all see why its neede.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:46 am
Fisky,
You really aren’t this thick are you?
Argument from authority?????
The industries own body, the APC, charged with monitoring and maintaining standards, says the industry is not doing well and more regulation is required.
Um….where is the ‘argument from authority’??
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:46 am
needed.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:47 am
Speaking of journalistic standards, what’s your take on steaing articles from behind the NYT paywall and flogging it to online subscribers, Michael?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:47 am
Nice to see ‘Michael’ backing Opus Dei’s man in Canberra.
C.L.
24 Mar 13 at 1:48 am
WhaleHunt answers my question from 1:39m.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:48 am
Sounds like the APC needs to be childless if there is to be a moral and legal resolution
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:48 am
An authority says, “give us more authorit-eye!!”
Shocking, eh?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:48 am
that’s 1:39am
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:49 am
Is this Fisky admitting that ‘argument from authority’ was nonsense??
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:50 am
Nope. The Press Council’s opinion does not constitute a logical argument. Sorry.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:50 am
The liberty to die is the only true liberty. Legalising it for the needy is a kindness and a blessing for the giver and the receiver.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:51 am
Fisky,
Are you drinking?
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:51 am
It’s doing very well. The ongoing Gillard debacle has been pursued relentlessly and her ‘government’ is now destroyed. It’s Woodward and Bernstein stuff.
Headley Thomas, indeed, is the Woodward of our time.
C.L.
24 Mar 13 at 1:52 am
Argument from authority, meet ad hominem.
“Pleased to meet you Mr Hominem!”
Still no argument, I take it, S@ndo?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:53 am
Does Thomas drink much then?
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:53 am
Agreed. Journalists have been doing a fantastic job in holding the government to account, and the government is understandably peeved. Amazingly, that doesn’t constitute a case for more media regulation!
Funny world, this is.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:54 am
Sorry, that was just the industry self-assessment. What would they know.
Please, ignore my rude intrusions into your little world, and continue babbling to yourselves.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 1:55 am
… although I suspect that reputed Opus Dei member Conroy may have been booted for his rebellion against Catholic doctrine vis-a-vis conceiving a child using the gametes and loins of two women, neither of whom was his wife.
C.L.
24 Mar 13 at 1:56 am
I presume they are more on top of things than a lawyer, and a bunch of journalism students. But you never, never know!
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 1:57 am
God he was a Jayant Patel whiner.
yuk
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 1:57 am
Fisky,
Still abstaining from evidence?
Good man. Only way to keep one’s dogma in pristine condition.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 2:01 am
Michael, shouldn’t you be out selling second-hand Krugman columns while shouting about ‘Neo-Cons’ at this hour?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 2:02 am
I admire your commitment to evidence-free opinion.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 2:04 am
Don’t worry mike. There’s still time for another go at getting it up in time for an Abbott win and an Abbott appointed Alan Jones PIMA to financially ruin every Fairfax ‘journalist’ and columnist. He can troll back over time picking out even occasional leftard column authors like academics who think they’re immune. Ruin a few Uni’s and they’ll all cower in the dark. Great times if it gets up.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 2:06 am
Yes, Whale demonstrates the problem – assuming others share your motivations.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 2:08 am
Neo-Cons!
Bloody leftards.
Where’s the ACCC when you need them to enforce truth in advertising. When’s the last time any of them supported Pol-Potting the inner urban elites. Not even con let alone neo.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 2:09 am
In theory, I like the idea of banning Left-wing journalism, although I would be wary of waging a war against a contradiction in terms.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 2:10 am
Mr Conroy has no trouble in waging wars. He may lose some, but he seems to be happy to wage them. The NBN seems a great success …. compared to the media laws. Perhaps he’ll be remembered for that and all this silly press freedom molehill will be forgotten.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 2:14 am
both 1). fit and proper person test ,and 2). public interest advocate problems are best dealt with when selected by panel as bob katter suggested and tony windsor favored .
this function should be as far as possible at arms length from any govt of the day . minimul reg to ensure max freedom and choice for the max no. of people can only be used when necessary (operation get oligarchs ).
sunshine
24 Mar 13 at 2:15 am
Bed time in his time zone, so;
Fisky – please take good care of your dogma; protect it from threatening evidence and nasty facts, and ensure it only socialises with others of its’ breed. Yours has a very delicate constitution and is very prone to being overwhelmed by more robust varieties.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 2:15 am
Heavens, 72,000 out of the gazillion promised homes have access now. Thats 71998 more homes than media laws. Great success.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 2:16 am
There’s no need for any oversight. If a paper slags you, go to a competitor and they can sobbingly tell how sad it made you, or you can bugger off. Your choice. Papers are a business selling to consumers. If they’re not happy with your standards they can not buy the product. It does not matter how sleazy and slanderous they are. if the public want lies and slanders then they’re entitled to them.
WhaleHunt Fun
24 Mar 13 at 2:20 am
……..Oh sorry, I was holding my breath for a justification, you know, something you might add to an opinion to provide it some value. Could you pleast try it out next time before I blow a valve?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 2:25 am
Hooray!! An argument! That’s much better than anything I’ve seen in the last 2 hours. Michael, Sunshine? Would you like a turn?
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 2:27 am
Or you can hire a lawyer and use our perfectly proven and already effective existing laws such as libel, slander, defamation, etc.
Then you would have to convince a court, which is what normally happens when people believe they have been wronged.
Tel
24 Mar 13 at 8:00 am
(M)Aliice The Murdoch media is not concentrated, its just that people that pay prefer it. The ALPBC is concentrated, no accountability, unending source of funds, us whether we want it not, as many channels as wanted not needed and unbalanced. Give me two sides of an arguement and I can sort out the truth. I don’t need to be told the supposed truth when it is obviously not.
johninoxley
24 Mar 13 at 8:40 am
Whalehunt fan says
“There’s no need for any oversight. If a paper slags you, go to a competitor and they can sobbingly tell how sad it made you, or you can bugger off. Your choice.”
Im back from the bottle shop fellas (aka MK50 and Tiny brain) and yep like which competitor do you suggest? Would that be Rupert Murdoch or Mr Murdoch as some here are fond of deferentially calling him?
So we have a lot of choice here do we??? Some people like Whalehunt live in Dreamland with a script to follow and not much else. Media ownership concentration is too high here and I dont rescind from that and there is nothing wrong with a public interest test or a fit and proper person test.
Some of you are, as expected on cue, are popping up to parrot your favoured one fits all approach (regulation baaaaaaad no regulation gooooooood) without thinking.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 8:43 am
And to quote from another thread
MK50 and tiny Dancer (tiny brain too)
it appears are the biggest boozers here…who would have thunk that?
to quote MK50 himself
“Gab it was a bit of a bugger for me. Been off the beer for a while to lose some weight, just a leetle spirits on the weekend (unless I’ve incinerated my finger in which case it’s a third of a bottle of medicinal rum).
So Pickles and Tiny are scarfing down schooners like there’s no tomorrow, not showing anything, and I’m feeling it after a miserable four schooners!”
4 bloody schooners eh MK50 and that is a diet weekend for you?? hmmmm. Pot kettle and all that crap.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 8:52 am
Hey mUnter …. The Telegraph is not stupid. Bryant is still alive and could sue for defamation.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 8:55 am
Arrice, sweety, go to bed. These benders are bad for you.
Tom
24 Mar 13 at 8:57 am
Does the left ever have a crack at the democrats for passing the Affordable Care Act when a bunch of ‘em admitted to not reading the report. As for our media act, Conroy couldn’t articulate what it was all about. Dog’s regurgitated breakfast imo
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 9:43 am
Media Diversity 1
Media Diversity 2
Media Diversity 3
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 10:12 am
Well, i did ask for ‘rational’, but hey, we have to make do here.
And if no other paper is interested in Whale’s lament – that’s it??
That’s quite some proposal.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 10:28 am
Fisky – Youve blown a valve and got a cracked head too ! My justification for regulation is as per Julian Disneys submission to the senate enquiry (referred to in my first post 8.05 pm yesterday ). He put it nicely in terms you would like – minimum regulation (only when necessary, like media here ) to help get maximum freedom and choice for maximum number of people . Free market theory – all information needs to be freely and widely available so people can make choices which lead to efficient allocation of resources . Diverse media is vital .
sunshine
24 Mar 13 at 10:41 am
@sunshine 24 Mar 13 at 10:41 am
You mean like the taxpayer funded ABC is diverse?
You mean Conroy’s prior attempts to regulate and control the internet?
You mean the government knows what is best for me and attempts to guillotine debate?
Thank GOD we have the Murdoch press that does have a diversity of opinion!
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 11:12 am
@Aliice
I gain my news and opinion from the WWW newspaper sites, blogs and think tanks from around the world.
I cannot be bothered with ‘their ABC’ and its commercial arms such as Fairfax because they have become echo chambers for pushing ‘One World’ type crap.
What media do you actually read?
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 11:29 am
I’m delighted to note that Communists feel they should pay lip service to free market theory (when they aren’t in histrionics about how the GFC has ‘buried’ capitalism forever), but no cigar. Obviously, you don’t believe in free markets, so the premise of your argument can be safely ignored.
Fisky
24 Mar 13 at 11:40 am
There’s a big speedo by NBN co to get radio tower approvals. Just to ensure country people get super fragilistic Internet. Or maybe because someone else is buying up the satellite spots?
Pickles
24 Mar 13 at 12:03 pm
Thank GOD we have the Murdoch press that does have a diversity of opinion!
Umm, many won’t believe this; surely they are more pro-Libs
samuel
24 Mar 13 at 12:40 pm
samuel 24 Mar 13 at 12:40 pm
Have you actually read The Australian cover to cover for 1 month?
Fox News in the US is the only diverse news site on the whole of the American Continent!
If an evil Murdoch, don’t you just love how his name is so close to ‘Mordoch’, can allow phukwit phil adams into The Australian then I ask you to show me where on the Government Controlled ABC or Fairfax whom gives a contrary viewpoint!
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 1:42 pm
Pickles 24 Mar 13 at 12:03 pm
And in the process the totalitarian instinct is destroying existing free enterprise.
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 1:47 pm
The thing about not reading is, you get the false impression that the things you didn’t read don’t exist.
There will be a limited number of “self regulatory” bodies. The limit might be as low as one. If the self-regulatory bodies breach rules so broad that they might as well be rule-by-fiat, they get disbanded. Thereupon anyone who relied for their “freedom of the press” “privileges” upon membership of that “self regulatory body” is out of business.
So the government doesn’t control media content but they can break anyone at any time if they don’t like their content; and they can do it at one step removal through an “independent body” thereby avoiding voter backlash, and this power extends to every government from now ’till doomsday.
Wow, why was I worried? A small price to pay to eliminate the kinds of gross breaches of individual privacy that never happened under Australia’s pre-existing self-regulatory system.
wreckage
24 Mar 13 at 1:58 pm
Lol..Is Michael, Metro mick my carbon slave?
JC
24 Mar 13 at 2:05 pm
[email protected]
This is the standard theory as taught in all of those copycat Samuelson’s textbooks. But it is wrong.
The theory assumes that everybody has the information they need to bring about an efficent allocation of resources. Policy makers then try to make that happen, but they can’t
In reality, information is widely dispersed and no one is ever likely to have the ‘perfect’ information that the theory assumes people will have to bring about an efficent allocation of resources. It just ain’t going to happen.
The kind of information required to bring about an efficent allocation of resources isn’t the kind of information that can be gathered up and reported by the media. Media diversity is a good thing, but largely irrelevant to efficent resource allocation.
In any case, the greatest hindrance to media diversity are the long standing regulations that ban entry into broadcasting. Anyone who bangs on about media diversity without banging on about these restrictions isn’t worth taking seriously.
Johno
24 Mar 13 at 2:09 pm
wreckage,
You know that the power to directly remove a broadcasting license already exists under ACMA (designed by Comrade Howard) – a power far greater than the proposed PIMA ability to only monitor the standards body/bodies.
But this does raise the question about what the loony libertarian fringe think should be the responsibilty of the press for the privelege they are granted (by evil govt, no less!) in the form of the exemption from the Privacy Act.
You mean just like the other week when one of the New Ltd hacks was caught out having secretly filmed a couple, and then broadcast the footage, after assuring them they weren’t being filmed? To top it off, he ran some damning audio attributing it to them, but it was actually a sound grab from the ‘journo’.
Move on, nothing to see here!
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 2:53 pm
Michael 24 Mar 13 at 2:53 pm
When Comrade, suspend democracy, Clive Hamilton gets his way tell me about it then.
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 3:11 pm
@Michael
you are a fucking numb nut fucking ignorant twit….
obviously you do not come from Australia nor have any regard for our history…
fuck off
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/international/austral.html
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 3:16 pm
More highly rational, not at all reliant on name-calling, argument from the loony libertarians.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 3:20 pm
and for fuckwits like michael check one of the bits of the history of the development of section 51(v) of The Australian Constitution.
And fuck off you ignorant numb nut.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Australian_radio
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 3:35 pm
@michael 24 Mar 13 at 2:53 pm
I do not waste my time reading ‘populist girly’ magazines!
But okay…. where is the link?
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 3:50 pm
Pretty sure that’s already covered, but even if not, it’s not especially heinous.
And the reasons for denying a license are as broad as “community standards” are they? Or are you assuming that if Howard did it it must be good? Orrr, are you now a Howard supporter? Because IIRC the Left weren’t real happy about Howard’s media laws.
Do you really not see the gaping logical hole in that argument? I’ll wait, answer anytime.
wreckage
24 Mar 13 at 3:55 pm
malice. For faaaaaarks sake. It’s a Friday. Friends meet and share tales and a laugh.
You on the other hand are still blithering and banging away like a sailor on shore leave at 8.30 in the morning. It couldn’t just be the grog. It must be the bong. Get back on the prescribed medication.
Tiny Dancer
24 Mar 13 at 4:02 pm
Way to go off on a tangent out last Pluto, Micky boy.
The thread was not about the merits of media censorship as proposed by Komrade Konroy. It was about the ineptitude, duplicity and arrogance of the Chief Censor Red Underpants in firstly sneaking this one past caucus and cabinet, then failing to convince cross-benchers, most of whom were salivating at the thought of gagging News Ltd.
The final indignity was the Altona Droner telling him to put on the red substitutes vest to match his red underpants and go to the interchange bench.
Conroy is proven to be an intellectual Pygmy, a deficiency he attempts to mask by lying and bullying.
Even though it is off topic, the laws themselves have one objective and that is to censor discussion of failed policies and cover for the many corrupt ALP politicians.
Topics which would have been adjudged to be “not in the public interest” include ……
– The pursuit of Shagger Thomson
– The exposure of Slippery Pete’s penchant for long taxi rides and (ahem) pother peccadillos.
– Eddie Obeid and his links to other politicians including Conroy
– BER corruption
– NBN overspending and underperformance
– Criticism of Carbon Taxes, indeed any climate change scepticism
– The AWU fraud and its links to Lardarse
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 4:10 pm
Indeed and how, pray tell, did the story migrate to this thread?
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 4:11 pm
Guys – you should be able to make a point without using the F-word, totally unnecessary. I am not sure that Judith Sloan or the moderators condone this.
sabrina
24 Mar 13 at 4:18 pm
You should be able to make your point without sounding like a deranged school marm as well. Capisce?
Or are you running interference for the loathsome criminal, Senator Conroy?
.
24 Mar 13 at 4:25 pm
Sabrina
Please don’t attempt to play the school marm schtick. It’s off putting. Don’t like swear words? Then don’t read them.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 4:30 pm
I for one substitute the thought of cute fluffy kittens when the f bomb gets dropped..
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 4:41 pm
Okay Steve. Good for you. Impressive stuff. I’m sure that as a Bolt ref you’d find that a little easier to do than the rest of us who’ve been around here for years.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 4:42 pm
JC..FFS..sarc my good man/woman. That’s the trouble with email etc..very one dimensional.
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 4:46 pm
Oh okay missed it.
There’s been a avalanche of females that have shown up here over the past 9 to 12 months and a few of them tried to rearrange the furniture in the animal animal house. Some have had the gumption to bring flowers and put them on the table. This is animal house, ladies. We’re not interested. And leave the empty bottles and rotting food alone as it adds to the feel.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 4:52 pm
One of my favourite movies. The Belushi guitar smashing scene comes to mind at this juncture..
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 4:54 pm
Ha ha.
Very droll analogy JC.
There are days where this dark corner of the electric inty-web resembles a share house lounge, complete with stubbies half full of cigarette butts and greasy pizza boxes.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 5:09 pm
From this point forward I resolve to keep the foul fuckin’ language to an absolute fuckin’ minimum.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 5:12 pm
Fluffy kittens Fluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kitten
Fluffy kittens Fluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittens Fluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittensFluffy kittens..grow into gnarly cats..
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 5:16 pm
Leigh
If some of these shielas had their way they would turn this place into mummyblogs. We’d be knitting soon.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 5:17 pm
Abso-fucking-lutely JC.
There needs to be a distinction made between the use of the occasional “fuck” to emphasise a point or even as a form of punctuation, and outright abuse.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 5:21 pm
Feet off the coffee table!
Pickles
24 Mar 13 at 5:24 pm
Listen, your mate SFB has been doing that for years.
Gab
24 Mar 13 at 5:34 pm
Malice:
Cripes, your jealousy is showing.
Three blokes get together on a Friday after work for some beers, a laugh and to catch up. It’s the first time I’ve caught up with Pickles in a year. I’ve had one standard drink a week for eight months, dropped the best part of 10kg, and really felt even a few beers. And you carry on like this you sour crone?
Grow up.
Mk50 of Brisbane
24 Mar 13 at 5:34 pm
And he’s a despised individual, Gab.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 5:35 pm
It’s a training fillum.
Pickles
24 Mar 13 at 5:37 pm
… taste really good with satay sauce.
They’re like quail, but.
You need four or five for a decent feed, but two makes a nice entree.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 5:52 pm
That is a solid effort to limit the intake for that long.
But, yes, you can get out of form in terms of capacity to absorb the stuff after a lay-off.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 5:56 pm
Leigh..come the breakdown of society, you’ll be a survivor. Ever noticed the curl of lip when you talk to the kids about eating offal etc. Yum ..more for me and mine
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 6:23 pm
There is point, so the abuse actually is necessary – it’s all there is!
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 6:38 pm
“there is no point”
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 6:39 pm
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3718348.htm
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 6:41 pm
Troll trolling himself. As they say in the western suburbs of Sydney, “success troll is barbecuing a loan”.
.
24 Mar 13 at 6:46 pm
Troll trolling himself..is that a form of fisking?
Still the newbie..
Steve of Glasshouse
24 Mar 13 at 6:54 pm
I suppose he did Fisk himself at 6.41 pm.
.
24 Mar 13 at 7:14 pm
…arrogant, incompetent, contemptible
etc.
discuss
codger
24 Mar 13 at 7:51 pm
So being splashed all over national news via a secret recording, and having words put in your mouth, is no big deal. Are you Kim Williams?
News content was Comrade Howards’ innovation.
I’m sure if you had a point, you’d make it.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 8:02 pm
Michael 24 Mar 13 at 8:02 pm
Michael… you are asking me to go to an ABC site… a fucking media watch website at that….
Why the fuck do you think I am trying to wipe the fucking scum abc out of the books….
do not shit me you fuckhead
give me a real fucking reference….
got that you gormless fuck brain…
a real world reference
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 8:40 pm
Listen MK50 – every time I say something YOU (yes you and your Tiny brain friend start going on about me drinking or being out at the bottle shop nor being drunk….when its all in your fertile and pathetic imaginations.
Yet you boast about your own drinking (which I bet you do a lot more of than I ever do)
So get a life and if you cop a bit of flack back from me you damn well deserve it (you and Tiny brain).
You can dish it out….. but you cant take it back can you?
and now you want us all to believe it was one drink in a year on a friday night with mates?
The words at least came out of your own mouth and I wasnt making bullshit up – unlike you and Tiny brain.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:12 pm
Michael, when I have a glaringly obvious point I don’t make it. I sit here and look smug until you realise you’ve screwed up. it is how I roll.
wreckage
24 Mar 13 at 9:13 pm
For faaaarks sake
You two (Tiny and MK50) are a paid of hypocrites – in the grandest fashion and as for Gag
She really had no business weighing in with her for “for faaaaarks sake” either.
Gab slags off ex servicemen.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:15 pm
Gag might be the operative word.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:16 pm
Aliice 24 Mar 13 at 9:12 pm
Alliice – your awake……
good to see you back on deck…..
whilst you have been away some of them have been fighting amongst themselves….
now that you are here i am sure they will be much happier to direct their ridicule at you instead of each other…
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 9:25 pm
Of course no Fixed address…when I am not around they tear each other to pieces…
Call it a social service I offer!
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:35 pm
Leigh says
“From this point forward I resolve to keep the foul fuckin’ language to an absolute fuckin’ minimum.
that even got a laugh from me… God dont let this place ever turn into the polite (but stringently enforced) blog high tea parlour like J Quiggins….whatever you do dont drop the sugar cube from too high up.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:41 pm
NFA appears to have had a brain implosion.
NFA, reality exists despite whatever dogmatic views you hold.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 9:53 pm
NFA – WTF IWW (is wrong with) Michael?
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 9:55 pm
If you think the old primary school taunt of; well-if-you-don’t-know-I’m-not-going-to-tell-you (said with hands on hips) is clever, well, good luck with that.
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 9:56 pm
Michael
Have you anything else to talk about other than your hurt feelings. Either ignore the stuff you don’t like reading, get on subject or get the flying fuck outta here.
You’ve been crapping on about your hurt feelings for a number of days now, you dipshit.
Discuss subjects without no sanctimonious drivel or fuck off.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 9:59 pm
oops.. without any..
JC
24 Mar 13 at 10:01 pm
Yeah well – there ought to be a percentage cap on how much media any one person can own or we get the likes of Conrad black bigshots here (and he is just as dodgy as these second rate corrupt labor politicians).
WE dont want censorship but we do want any one single person wosning too much ane becoming a nloudmouth (and im sorry but dear old Rupe falls into that category having become more enamoured with playing politics through the news than doing the news – and he plays it and that isnt news).
Its not about which field he fucking bats for and that is obvious by now. Its about it not being one sided and its also about being smart enough to expose corrupt politicians from both sides (all sides) of the political divide – because i have seen enough crooks in nsw labor over the past ten years i reckon to last me a lifetime.
And why that dodgy richo is still out there spouting his big mouth off I woulnt know. I remember when he was at the epicentre of the dodgy Offset Alpine factory fire along with Rivkin and even back then someone associated with Obeid.
This crap has being going on for absolutely years and I dont need some politically biased old newspaper owner to tell me “it never happens on our side of the fence – it smells like roses here”.
That no good either.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 10:05 pm
JC – gets straight to the point – I do like that about you JC.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 10:07 pm
Why Alice? Before Gmail, there was Yahoo mail. Before Yahoo, there was hotmail.
Without the profitability of the other, the new entrant would not bother.
What if there is five people owning 20% of the press each, and one of the five decides to simply shut down their business and convert it to say, heavy industry?
The remaining four owners will be forced to sell 20% of their interests to third parties for no good reason at all.
.
24 Mar 13 at 10:12 pm
Alice
Media concentration concerns are garbage. Like I have, other people have never as much choice to read whatever they like. I can literally flip from the New York to the Australian in seconds.
People like C..t Conroy and taxeater Jonathon Green are basically dinosaur leftwing zombies.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 10:19 pm
damn….New Yorker…
JC
24 Mar 13 at 10:20 pm
Joe your damn carbon slave is free again,stop giving him weekends off he ends up here and messes the place up
Tal
24 Mar 13 at 10:31 pm
Tal
I left him chained while peddling on the peddle pusher I bought him to add carbon free energy to the grid for my personal use. But the fat boofhead found the keys and let himself free.
JC
24 Mar 13 at 10:33 pm
Hey, while we’re at it, let’s regulate how many Hansom Cabs licences one owner may have. And the chimney-sweep industry badly needs a dash of the Conroy’s.
That cat is out of the bag …… regulating old media is an anachronism.
It is an absolute joke that the A-Grade dickhead Minister for the Electric Intraweb is bleating about media diversity without recognising that the Intraweb delivers just that …… diversity.
Unless of course you want to stick it up Gina and Rupert.
Leigh Lowe
24 Mar 13 at 10:37 pm
I think they’re keeping Peter Garrett clean to be the opposition leader after Gillard’s hurled out of office in September, along with a vast number of her party colleagues. I mean, they’re running out of options.
Oh come on
24 Mar 13 at 10:42 pm
Well thats not a bad idea Leigh – as much as I like entrepreneurs (I like purely self made ones better though) Id rather they stuck to business than politics and neither of those two know how to do that.
I dont vote for either of them so in my opinion they should run their businesses rather than attempt to run government policy.
Trying to draw an analogy between regulating hansom cabs (Hansom cabs is rather a quaint choice of words – sounds like you have been reading too many Mills and Boons)?? and capping the percentage any one owner can control the media in this country..
Bit of a sad analogy Leigh.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 10:45 pm
JC maybe you are right – I cant see much of a future in newspapers anyway.
Aliice
24 Mar 13 at 10:48 pm
Malice. Go easy. The green stuff must be costing you heaps at the rate you go through it. Do you ever have a moment of introspection? Ever?
Tiny Dancer
24 Mar 13 at 10:51 pm
Are there any other symptoms besides delusions?
Michael
24 Mar 13 at 11:51 pm
Aliice 24 Mar 13 at 9:55 pm
sorry Aliice!
Michael got upset because I challenged him to provide a link to an assertion he made that did not involve his abc, and meja watch at that…..
i am careful about websites i will check.
apparently Michael is not!
NoFixedAddress
24 Mar 13 at 11:59 pm
Ah, no, do you have trouble reading?
wreckage
25 Mar 13 at 12:45 am
Here we go. So, look. Imagine you are arguing with an extreme Libertarian, thoroughly loopy, mind you. Now, your argument is that exemption from an ACT OF GOVERNMENT is itself and ACT OF GOVERNMENT so then, the Libertarian cannot argue against government intervention coherently.
However the limited intervention is actually only necessitated by a previous intervention.
If you are, as you so often loudly proclaim, arguing against wild-eyed ideologues, you’re not doing it effectively.
All of which I thought was pretty trivially obvious.
wreckage
25 Mar 13 at 12:49 am
Bad legislation is not a matter of motivation; further, any legislation that, to avoid disaster, requires every government from now forever to be utterly selfless, blameless and without even a hint of malice against their political enemies is a bad idea.
wreckage
25 Mar 13 at 12:58 am
No.
I was just pointing to the reality (the exemption) and fishing for a position on the privacy aspect in relation to journalistic privilege.
But thankyou, your response is much more entertaining.
Michael
25 Mar 13 at 1:37 am
I always chuckle when I hear this talk of ‘media barons’ and ‘big media’ by Labor and Greens. I get the feeling they would much prefer News Corp to be owned and run by a old-age pensioner from Rooty Hill!
Youngster
25 Mar 13 at 9:35 am
Stephen Conroy’s NBN keeps moving the goalposts but still can’t reach the goal.
150,000 homes short of the extrapolated March target, likely with a larger shortfall from the June target of 341,000 of “homes passed”
But what really counts as “passed”?
The international convention refers to the situation where an active cable connecting point is available at the property boundary and where a service can be provided within a reasonable time frame (10 to 20 working days).
NBNCo appears to be counting as “passed”, premises where cable has been laid anywhere in the street- even if there is no boundary connection point available for the house or apartment.
That would help to explain why acceptance rates are so absurdly low.
But it doesn’t explain how the rollout could be reported completely on schedule to a Senate Estimates Committee on 12 February but 150,000 behind schedule on 4 March- particularly when the planned monthly “passed” rate is 25,000. The NBNCo shifted its progress status from “on time” in February to 6 months behind schedule in less than one month.
Let’s not let Conroy Do The Time Warp Again.
Leo G
25 Mar 13 at 3:01 pm
Tiny Dancer (tiny brain) listen – you old drunk self medicator. I have real information about what you get up to on the weekends crawling from one pub to the other…. and you have no information one me so stick your green stuff in your bong and smoke yourself into oblivion…
One more hallucination wont make any difference.
Aliice
25 Mar 13 at 4:22 pm
A befitting epitaph you ought to consider for yourself, Alice.
Gab
25 Mar 13 at 4:26 pm
I must go allright then in between kid’s sporting events and work. I didn’t know I was that good.
other than the utter rubbish you go on with
Tiny Dancer
25 Mar 13 at 4:46 pm
Aliice …..
Shit!
Now I’m worried about me!
Leigh Lowe
25 Mar 13 at 4:54 pm
You should be a bit worried about yourself Leigh!
Not because of me. Shit..
Aliice
26 Mar 13 at 9:05 pm
Listen tiny brain – you are a drunk and an insult to my intelligence. Everyone knows you drink copiopus amounts of beers most nights. You are probably in the pub as we speak right now…too inebriated to defend yourself. Keep on dancing Tiny dancer…
Aliice
26 Mar 13 at 9:07 pm
Oh sorry I dodnt know i had upset Gags team tag…
Aliice
26 Mar 13 at 9:08 pm
Thats Gag not Gab..who only puts in the occasional insult here and there and then retreats to near silence in some other thread.
Hardly a worthy blog combatant, ie not in for the long haul.
Aliice
26 Mar 13 at 9:11 pm