From 2010 to 2013, almost the entire focus of the media was on Kevin Rudd stirring up trouble in order to resurrect his Prime Ministership and the rest was taken up belittling anything that the Gillard government tried to do, or giving oxygen to the catch-phrases dreamt up by ATPC (Australian Tea Party Central) for Abbott to use.

The end result was that, all the public ever saw were bad-news stories about the ALP — criticisms, questions, suggestions, allegations, stories about infighting … and catch-phrases, of course. Anything that was in the least bit negative got a run, to the almost total exclusion of any of the good it had done.

You’d be excused for thinking that my wrath is directed entirely at the Murdoch media ‒ Foxtel, The Daily Telegraph, The Herald Sun, The Courier Mail, The Australian, The Advertiser, the NT News, The Mercury and so on ‒ but you’d be wrong.

It’s also directed at some of our more credible networks and journalists, including; the Fairfax media, various independents and even the likes of Fran Kelly, Leigh Sales and good old Barrie Cassidy at the ABC.

The nadir of this was when the normally reputable Four Corners did a piece entitled The Comeback Kid, by Andrew (What-a-way-to-end-your-career) Fowler. This was long before a Rudd comeback looked even remotely possible. In fact, it may have even kick-started it…

I could have added former 7.30 host (as well as one-time ACT candidate for the wacky “pro-life” Osborn Independent Group) Chris Uhlmann to the above list, but he has been so vitriolic towards the ALP for so long that he doesn’t deserve a mention in the same sentence.

As for Michelle Grattan, who appears daily on Kelly’s breakfast program, I just don’t know what to think. She’s supposed to be the doyen of Australian journalism, but I don’t think I ever heard her utter a kind word about Julia Gillard throughout that entire campaign. In fact, she even flat out told her to resign at one point.

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/another-fine-mess-australias-media-has-gotten-us-into,7093

See also: http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/13535

and : grattan, in love with tony...

In 1839, two American warships entered the harbour at night and circled Pinchgut Island. Concern with the threat of foreign attack caused the government to review the harbour's inner defences. Barney, who had earlier reported that Sydney’s defences were inadequate, recommended that the government establish a fort on Pinchgut Island to help protect Sydney Harbour from attack by foreign vessels. Fortification of the island began in 1841 but was not completed. Construction resumed in 1855 because of fear of a Russian naval attack during the Crimean War, and was completed on 14 November 1857. The newly built fort then took its current name from Sir William Thomas Denison, the Governor of New South Wales from 1855 to 1861.

read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Denison

Here we are 150 years later, arse-licking the Yankee butt and demonising the Russians yet again... Of course Crimea played its part in some silly war where some of my ancestors fought on which side I have no idea...

It's gunboat diplomacy of the most literal kind.

Vladimir Putin has stationed four warships close to Australian waters before the G20 leaders’ meeting of the most powerful world economies in Brisbane starts today. The President’s show of naval muscle comes at a time when Russia has drawn global criticism for its intervention in Ukraine, where it is still reportedly sending tanks, artillery and troops.

But it has left David Cameron less than impressed. “I didn’t feel it necessary to bring a warship myself to keep myself safe at this G20, and I’m sure that Putin won’t be in any danger,” he said last night.

Mocking Mr Putin’s machismo was more than just a joke. It was yet another dig at a man who has backed rebels and split Ukraine in arguably the most delicate European crisis so far this century.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/g20-summit-enter-putin-accompanied-by-four-warships-to-the-sound-of-mockery-9862465.html

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The Russian "gunboats" are possibly still closer to China that to Australia, but with a Turdy Tony making a threat of shirt-fronting you, one cannot be too careful... 

The Prime Minister's comments to world leaders in Brisbane for the G20 summit about domestic policy issues were "weird and graceless", the Opposition Leader says.

Mr Abbott had told the leaders that his efforts to balance the budget were being frustrated by public opposition to his plans for a Medicare co-payment and deregulation of university fees.

"At best, this was weird and graceless. At worst, it was a disastrous missed opportunity for Australia," Mr Shorten said in a statement.

"This was Tony Abbott's moment in front of the most important and influential leaders in the world and he's whinging that Australians don't want his GP tax."

The Prime Minister told the gathering that he had fulfilled his election pledges to axe the carbon tax and stop boats coming to Australia.

But he said his efforts to "get the budget under control" were proving "massively difficult" because of the unpopularity of proposed spending cuts.

"It doesn't matter what spending program you look at, it doesn't matter how wasteful that spending program might appear, there are always some people in the community who vote, who love that program very much," he said.

He singled out the proposal to levy a $7 Medicare co-payment as something that was proving difficult to achieve.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-15/shorten-slams-abbott-remarks-at-g20-leaders-retreat/5894142

see also: http://www.smh.com.au/business/g20/g20-summit-tony-abbott-laments-to-world-leaders-his-failure-to-pass-tax-on-gp-visits-20141115-11nccp.html

Thank god?... Not only Tony Abbott is an idiot, he is a full-blown zealot as well... Dear Almighteress, WHAT did we do to deserve this stupid clown?

Vladimir Putin has suggested to a German interviewer that the west is provoking Russia into a new Cold War. The airing of the interview, which was recorded by the German channel ARD in Vladivostok last week, followed Russia’s tit-for-tat expulsions of German and Polish diplomats, as well as the deportation of a Latvian accused of spying.

Asked whether the accusatory rhetoric between Moscow and Washington and a noticeable increase in Russian displays of military strength near western countries points to a new cold war, Putin said two rounds of Nato expansion in central and eastern Europe had been “significant geopolitical game changers” that forced Russia to respond.

Moscow resumed strategic aviation flights abroad several years ago in response to US nuclear bomber flights to areas near Russia that had continued after the cold war, he added.

“Nato and the United States have military bases scattered all over the globe, including in areas close to our borders, and their number is growing,” Putin said. “Moreover, just recently it was decided to deploy special operations forces, again in close proximity to our borders. You have mentioned various [Russian] exercises, flights, ship movements and so on. Is all of this going on? Yes, it is indeed.”

read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/17/putin-claims-west-provoking-russia-new-cold-war-spies-deported