I’m bemused at the nonsense spewing from our acting P.M., Wayne Swan’s mouth, on the issue of ‘media influence’.
Apparently Wayne Swan suspects that Gina Rinehart is not a Socialist and therefore, should not be entitled to have any say about the outcome of her investment dollars.
Any talk of Gina Rinehart ‘trashing’ the Fairfax company is laughable as the present board has already done that.
The lack of shareholder activism is at epidemic proportions in Australia and shareholder activism should be encouraged, rather than attacked.
Shareholders in public companies, like Australian union members, have allowed all manner of irresponsible behaviour to continue in both the corporate and political fields.
Australia would be a better place if shareholders and members of various organizations actually attended General Meetings and called for a higher degree of accountability.
It’s time to ‘open the window and let some fresh air in’.
The other inconsistency from Wayne Swan’s outburst is that whilst he is intolerant of media proprietors expressing opinions and exerting influence, he appears comfortable with the government owned and controlled ABC toeing the government’s line over its network of thousands of radio and TV channels, reaching into even the most remote localities of our vast continent.
Fair go Wayne, let’s call for our politicians to sign a ‘covenant’ not to influence the ABC!
For further examples of government media control please click here! (http://lpickering.net/item/1499)
Ron
Ron, you could not have put it better. Let’s hope that Gina gets up and starts actively demolishing this climate change crap that the government, ABC and other compliant press keep espousing unchallenged !
Well said.
I would only add that I doubt there is even the necessity for ALP pollies to influence the ABC - the journo’s, generally, offer enthusiastic self-determined support of Labor/Green views - all of their own making.
The only reason I am satisfied with my 8 cents a day is the routinely excellent ABC Counterpoint on Radio National. The Aunty’s single attempt at balance? And bonus: you will even find the excellent Patrick Cook there.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/counterpoint/