Another load of crap by the usual suspect,give it a rest David you were a dud as boss of the broadcasting tribunal and this is par for the course in defending Jones your good and fellow Liberal backside kisser

*Warning* Heavy-handed left wing diatribe with litttle basis in fact is about to be posted.

Maybe lefty books sell better because left wing people actually like to read, unlike right wing people, who are too dumb.

Flinty flinty flinty, You lost your job because you were are able to see reality and you've not learnt a thing from it.
How can you have a go at the ABC for not taking on lefties when you yourself describe AJ as a leftie? it was that kind of silly logic and general love for AJ that saw you loss your job. Smart people learn from there mistakes dumb people repeat them.

An excellent article, David. I would agree with you that the ABC is most probably beyond reform. Fortunately the whole free to air broadcasting scene seems about to go belly up, as anyone like myself who is not interested in sport has long ago fled the scene. I really don't think that the people in the media who have been using the media as a vehicle for pushing their political ideas down the throats of a disinterested public realise how the new era of video podcasting and streaming is going to take that power away. I am greatly comforted by the words of Tim Berners-Lee who recently said "remember, we are just at the very beginning of the technological revolution".

Sounds like sour grapes to me...

Carl, the same point was made about the lack of bios on Howard!

see http://weekbyweek7.blogspot.com/2006/02/howard-10-years-and-more.html

Dear David,

Why can't the ABC publish a book on Alan Jones? He is a powerful man and the public broadcaster (or any private broadcaster) has a legitimate interest in knowing more about him.

As an academic who has always championed the cause of free speech, I am surprised that you should criticise the ABC for considering the publication. Indeed, there is little doubt that the book would have sold a handsome number of copies, which would help the ABC to defray its production costs in other areas, with a net benefit to taxpayers. Chris Masters should be praised for giving the ABC first option.

I wonder if you saw the ABC's "Chaser" program last week: their video out-takes of Mr Jones ranting at ABC staff (including some exceptionally fruity language) offered an insight into Mr Jones that few people in the public are privileged to witness. It was eye-opening.

As an erstwhile civil libertarian, I am amazed that you would be critical of anyone for attempting to publish the book.

Give it a rest, Flinty. You havent had an original word to say. Ever. Everything you've ever published has been a variation on one theme......rabidly pro-right wing, pro-monarchy, anti-everything and everybody who disagrees with you, and screaming tanties and hissy fits if anybody dares to disagree with you or your fellow travellers Howard and Jones. You're a pedant. We only hear so much from you because you've been sacked so many times you're constantly 'available' for comment. Get over yourself...we all have.

Precious prissy pontification presenting pathetic problems. Personal perception prevents piquant plans promoting previous promises. Perfect!

Professor Flint's comments make a lot of sense.

Relative to the quality of his frequent contributions, (ex) Professor Flint seems to get more than a reasonable run in The Australian and ineviatble recycled through On Line Opinion. And in this context, we should recall his publically avowed admiration for Alan Jones even when Flint was required to investigate cash for comment allegations against Jones - later found to be substantiated. His is hardly an independent voice.

Readers of The Age (10 July) might have seen the article by Matthew Ricketson, media and communications editor. He reminds us that Bob Mansfield, a former managing director of McDonald's in Australia, was asked in 1996 by the federal Coalition Government to review the ABC. Mansfield, hardly a left-wing ideologue nor a fool, found no left-wing bias or imbalance at the ABC.

Ricketson reminds us that at the time of his enquiry, Mansfield said, "I've been in business for quite a while and most businesses would give their right arm to have the relationship with the customer the way the ABC has with their listeners."

Flind tries to argue that Jones's "private life may well be interesting to the public but it is certainly not in the public interest to publish that". Flint fails to take account of the fact that Jones and his employers are making a fortune from a publically-granted license to broadcast - a privilege denied to many who would like to have such power. Moreover, Jones has made a living tearing down - or shoring up - the reputation of other Australians. Are we not entitled to know what manner of man is he who pontificates about other people's virtues?

I believe David Flint is one of the reasons the old generation of conservative politics in Australia has gone so down-hill. In response to political correctness, the conservatives have opted for political erectness. They associated "softness" with the Left and will do anything that makes them look "hard-core".

Conservatives will jump on any bandwagon opposed by the Left. Hence, if the Left attacks someone discredited for a legitimate reason, the old generation of conservatives will support that person.

Alan Jones has done alot of good. He has also done plenty of stupid things. His apparent support for the sentiments of the Cronulla riots was stupid. His response (and that of the ABC) to the impending publication of Masters' book is (in my opinion) even more stupid.

The Left opposed the stoned and drunken sentiments of the Cronulla riots. But senile pseudo-conservatives like Keith Windschuttle, John ("Joh for PM") Stone and others (whose articles only get published in the low-selling Oz) will use this as sufficient reason to support these sentiments. Does Flint fit within this mould? Time will tell.

For many Aussie Muslims, David Flint will be remembered as the man who awarded a community radio license to a tiny fringe intolerant Lebanese Muslim group known to represent and promote the interests of the Syrian Ba'ath Party. Two senior members of the group are currently on trial in terrorism-related charges in Beirut.

I can only speculate Flint supported their application after thinking Bashir el-Assaad was opposed by the Left!

I have noticed left wing bias on the ABC. It comes across sometimes when you compare how some news items are reported on the ABC to how the same news item is reported by alternative sources, like SBS. Flint’s claim is nothing new: the ABC has always leaned to the left, and probably always will, so just put up with it. After all, one of the people who works there was a Whitlam press secretary; and another is married to a Labor politician. Alan Jones is quite a remarkable man, who has helped many people, but whether you love him or hate him, he just yaps far too much.

Woops, a few corrections ...

"I believe David Flint is one of the reasons the old generation of conservative politics in Australia has gone so down-hill. In response to political correctness, the conservatives have opted for political erectness. They associated "softness" with the Left and will do anything that makes themSELVES look "hard-core" ...

For many Aussie Muslims, David Flint will be remembered as the man who awarded a community radio license to a tiny fringe intolerant Lebanese Muslim group known to represent and promote the interests of the Syrian Ba'ath Party. Two senior members of the group are currently on trial in terrorism-related charges in Beirut.

I can only speculate Flint supported their application after thinking Bashir el-Assaad (Ba'athist President of Syria) was opposed by the Left!"

The ABC, of course, has no “commitment to balance”; never has, and never will. Any criticism of the organization, from David Flint or anyone else on OLO always brings out the snapping, snarling lefties. It gives them something to do other than running around in circles biting at their tails.

Even Prof. Flint’s remarks on the paucity of conservative writing in Australia brings on a rabid, mouth-foaming remark that it is only the loony left that reads when, in reality, only the left wing writers ‘penny dreadful’, naïve style can be understood by them. It is impossible for logical thinkers to write down to their level of understanding. Their ignorant criticism of any opinion different from theirs on OLO clearly shows they can’t actually understand what they read. Like dogs guarding their territory, they react and bite on natural instinct – nothing intellectual about them at all.

As for the ABC, I love it. While I agree with most of David Flint’s criticism of it, I rarely watch or listen to anything else. If it were not for the ABC I would not watch TV or listen to radio. The commercials networks are inane. I know that there will always be a left wing skew to most things: I just ignore that and make up my own mind. And, unlike left wing ideologues, I don’t go berserk every time I hear or see something I don’t like.

The fact that the left rushes to defend the ABC over the slightest criticism, no matter what that is, is clear proof of the Corporation's bias.

Some of us have the capacity to enjoy the ABC even with the bias

Ah Dave, I do so look forward to your articles. Always so balanced, consistently considering both sides of a debate fairly and objectively, constantly mindful of the best interests of others even at great personal sacrifice. What a guy.

What makes you think a book about Alan Jones would contain "filth"? And what makes you think a journalist of Chris Masters' standing would publish something that couldn't be substantiated? You don't make an appearance in there somewhere, do you Dave? Are you possibly protesting too much? And has it occurred to you that while this drama has offered you an opportunity to criticise the ABC, it's also great advertising for the book?

If it turns out to be the best seller it promises to be, you will have personally contributed to that. No flies on Flint.

I can't wait to read it.

Leigh, let's see if I understand your logic when you say, "The fact that the left rushes to defend the ABC over the slightest criticism, no matter what that is, is clear proof of the Corporation's bias."

So, let's see: I put your three propositions down like this.
1. The left rushes to defend the ABC over the slightest criticism.
2. They do that no matter what that criticism is.
3. That is clear proof of the Corporation's bias.

No, I must be real dumb, Leigh. Even if I accept 1 and 2 as true for the sake of your argument, I can't follow the logical leap from those two propositions to proposition 3. What am I missing?

On the other hand, I could try using your own form of logic. Here are two propositions from your writing from which I can draw a conclusion:
1. You are a right-winger.
2. You love the ABC and rarely watch or listen to anything else.
3. Therefore the ABC is full of right-wing bias.

When your looking from the far right everthing looks like a pinko plot, The ABC, Teachers, Human rights.

The Snowy appears to have been called off by Howard because legal advice proved the deat on the part of the commonwealth to be illegal.

The border protection that Jones and Flint refer to is and was nothing more than turning away refugees for a time, locking up children until they hang themselves, driving people to slash up and commit suicide and drown 360 on the way, including 146 children. Meanwhile I believe the terrorists like Willie Brigitte can fly in and out at will.

The war on Islamic fundamentalism has seen the greatest humanitarian catastrophes ever seen in both Iraq and Afghanistan and a huge increase in fundamentalism in the world.

As for Jones himself? I am so glad I am in Adelaide and don't have to listen to the fool.

Now Leigh, the ABC has dumbed down to the extent that they have music quiz programs and the like so perhaps you could point out the lefty bias for us, which programs it shows up on and what precisely your definition of lefty is because even the insiders make us listen to Andrew Bolt and Piers Akerman on a regular basis, they use them for interviews about social issues, god knows why because they don't have a clue, and so on.

Human rights, welfare rights, work rights and the rights of the Iraqi people not to have been bombed to bits are not like handbags that can be picked up an put down at will and they are not leftist ideas - it was Bob Menzies for example who helped write the refugee convention that Jones thinks we should flout and the destruction of that convention that Flint calls border protection.

I like the ABC, like Leigh I don't really listen to or watch much else, if it wasn't for triple j i probably wouldn't even listen to music at all (and many great aussie bands would never have gotten anywhere), and i'll admit theres a bit of a lefty tilt to most of its programming.

However, the right-wing myth that the whole of the ABC are all-but card carrying communists is ridiculous. There are many issues the ABC won't go near. They repeat many of the lies and distortions that all the other mainstream media outlets repeat, particuarly regarding the so-called war on terror, for just one example.

Their are many issues and ideas that are reguarly discussed in our universities, on the internet and in academic circles that the ABC wouldn't dare go near. So while I like the ABC and think it can be credited with some great work over the years, the idea that it is an organisation of radical progressive idealouges seems to me quite absurd

Oh David: You do come across as a pathetic, cringing, slobbering crawler. As far as your build-up of jones isn't/wasn't he a special friend of yours. So you are seen as anything but fair and honest in your appraisal of this ma err person. numbat

Kenny - you wrote "...general love for AJ that saw you 'loss' your job. Smart people learn from 'there' mistakes dumb people repeat them".
People 'lose' their jobs. Smart people learn from 'their' mistakes. And again "When 'your'looking...". A verb is required Kenny -"you are" or "you're".
You should no (Oops! know), that you can't depend on a Spel Cheque (Sorry! Spell Check). But then again you may have had a "teacher" who didn't "beleave" that spelling or grammar mattered. Fairgo.

My learned collegue Prof Flint, wern't you involved in an issue some some back with your good mate Allan Jones, something about "cash for comment" perhaps the ABC never go after lefties because we don;t practise such behaviour as cash for comment. Only the greed, and lure of "easy money" of such behaviour attract the "right" incorrect behaviours that are reported, we on the left are too busy earning a proper living using hard work, instead of underhanded methods to achieve the growing enormous task of filling our vehicles every week.

I recall Neville Wran refusing to talk to the ABC due to an accusation of bias. I also recall the Hawke/Keating "rubbery figures" puppets and their embarrassing exploits.

Aren't they left-wing enough?

As for Alan Jones, he didn't stop the Snowy sale - it was Howard, who lost his nerve after he received legal advice that a full Parliamentary debate would be necessary before the sale could proceed.

Most people would suspect Jones' sexuality already and couldn't care less, but some may also be curious about his partner/s and perhaps this would somehow be in the public interest (in accordance with his own journalistic ethical standards).

Unlike the ABC, Jones is beyond accountability - unless he gets caught of course.

Poor old David. He really must be getting old, for he conveniently forgets the relentless pursuit of Mark Latham, for whom I hold no great regard. Nothing like short term memory loss to gild the lily. It's a furphy that David is touting and he knows it. Right wing bias is as much an evil as left wing bias.

Perhaps ABC Radio National could give old Dave a 1 hour slot on Sunday mornings (around 2am that is) so he can reveal to the world all his lefty conspiracy theories. Anything to stop him posting his incontinent dribble here on OLO.

By the way, it was recently revealed that Jonesy (the Parrot) rips and reads opinion polls and then cannibalises them to create his own so called "opinion".

So much for Flint’s little bit foreplay on Jonesy here where he suggests the Parrot “eloquently speaks for the silent majority on issues from his opposition to the politicians' republic and an apology to Aboriginal Australians”. He’s simply dog whistling. If opinion polls were supportive of a republic and an apology, the King Parrot would be milking this for everything too.

And poor old Dave thinks he's the messiah

I was wondering when we would see the fragrant professor in action again, and he once again fails to disappoint.

>>My admiration is based on the fact that Jones is a principled and superbly effective communicator<<

Principled, professor?

Mr Jones used his position as an effective communicator to line his own pockets in a devious and underhanded way in a thing we like to call "the cash for comment scandal".

His attitude, then and now, is "the till was open, yer honour, so I helped myself"

If these values are the object of your admiration, I can only assume that you are being rewarded for parading them here. Nobody I know who can sleep soundly at night would share them, let alone trumpet them to the world.

Good evening to you all...
I'm fairly new at this 'Writing a Post', on some articles that I might find either interesting or provocative. However, I can't get over my absolute amazement at some of the insulting language, and a complete lack of respect, so often occasioned, toward the comments and opinions of various correspondent/s contained herein. I only possess a very basic education (NSW Intermediate Certificate - 1956), but surely we all know, that more respect is given, if a critic presents a more polite and intellectual arguement and response, than to engage in some sort of character and vocational smear. I really don't know, nor do I understand?
Apropos the ABC - I believe they do indeed give far too much 'oxygen' to the proponents of the 'left'...And Mr. Alan JONES, I remember a few years ago, I really really needed some personal help! I got that help and more, from Mr. Jones, and interestingly, I don't even live in Sydney,(I reside in Melbourne) and nor did he even know me...and basically, I'm just a nobody. I couldn't care less what Alan Jones is or isn't. Nor what he's done or hasn't done. I found him to be an absolutely caring man, with an abundance of humility, and egalitarianism toward his fellow man. I'll take ten Alan Jones's over some of our more overt pious leaders, anytime !

Coversation Between Dike Carton and Mark Loathem.Gee I hate that!

So Mark continues his search for leverage without policies.His youthfull exuberance proves popular with the worshippers of image without substance.To improve his image he sought the the advice of the famous radio star Dike Carton,the lefty who lives in the closet.

Mark; Why don't you come out Dike?
Dike;Leave me alone.I'm safe within my well intentioned frame of mind.

Mark; Why don't you admit you've socialist tendencies?

Dike; That will limit my appeal.I have to be all things to everyone.Let me seduce my public with my mellow dulcit tones of pomposity.

Mark; Why do you hate those who premote personal responsibility?

Dike; I hate anything that begins with "P",which includes Piers,Parrots,Prime Ministers and people who premote courage over dependancy.

Mark; Why don't you join the Labor Party?

Dike;You've got to be kidding.I'm from the Chardonny left.We have education and status.The injustices of the world are our niche from which we derive sustenance.We don't actually fraternise with blue collar left overs.We have a vision beyond the mundane struggle by the mediocre masses.

Mark; How were you so named Dike?

Dike;I was so named because I'm bland ,tasteless and anyone who disagrees with me,is a filthy racist pig.

Mark; I thought your heart overflowed withthe milk of human kindness?

Dike; Only for those who polish my ego.

Mark; You can lose touch with reality.

Dike; Forget reality,I need ratings.I'm Super Dike.I'm faster then a speeding bull's dung,more powerfull than an introspective.Able to leap to tall conclusions in a single bound.Stay tuned for the next exciting episode,of Super Dike and the left of /off his senses.

Now who is this Dike Carton?

Actually without OLO's censorship,it should have read,"Faster then a speeding speeding bull's tit",if you get my drift.A classic tautology.

Alan Jones has a lot of influence,but as far as political leaders go,he has no favourites.I think he is a genuine person with the interest of all hard working Australians at heart.There are no black and white absolutes in life.Humanity needs co-operative,fair solutions,and it is all about finding the right balance.

This constant sniping by the the left in the ABC says more about their own inadaquaces than their perceptions of the productive evil right,whose taxes pay for this self indulgent childish rebellion.

As a media personality,Alan is ordinary,however his logic,passion and depth of knowledge has few counterparts.

The ABC conspiring to expose and exploit a media person on the basis of sexual preference? Hhmmm.
Leftist literati leap to ABC's defence for same? Hhhmmmm.
Could this be a cliche calling the kettle black?
Or is this what hypocrisy really smells like?

Arjay,

Are we talking about the same unbiased Alan Jones who stood as a candidate for the Liberal party some years ago?

The same Alan Jones who has the best opinions that money can buy?

The same principled Alan Jones whose blatant plagiarism earned him the nickname of "the Parrot"?

I think Alan's political bias is well established and firmly on the public record.

Yes, taxpayers do pay for the ABC but as consumers, we ALL pay for the so-called "free-to-air" media and they seem to go about their business without the same degree of scrutiny the ABC is subjected to.

Perseus,
I don't see any sex-based conspiracy in this book being written. If Mr Jones has a problem with some of it (before even seeing what's been written) he still has recourse through the legal system.

I'm sure that there will be people from both sides of politics who may have cause for concern.

Smells more like right-wing paranoia than left-wing conspiracy to me.

FrankGol,

At last! We agree on something: you "must be real dumb". Although, to use correct English, you should have said that you "must be REALLY dumb".

Flinty Flinty Flinty. What chapter are you going to be in?
Close aquaintence?
Fellow traveller?
Likeminded?
Alan wont do an Oscar Wilde here.
There will be no law suits flying around regarding the truth or accuracy of this book.
Chris Masters is a good investigative Journalist,it will be a great read.
I will be buying a hardback copy upon its release.
What were the ABC Board thinking when they canned it.
I wonder if Kroger is in there as a special friend.

Leigh, you’ve got me there; and I confirm that I agree with you. How REALLY dumb of me - I expected a REAL debate and all I got was a cheap insult and a grammar lesson. Your contributions are too profound for me.

FrankGol, dont worry about Leigh. Check out his previous postings. He believes in Democracy and the rule of law, but thinks detention without trial is ok too.
His grammar might be good, but he is a confused fellow looking for an arguement.
Unwin and Unwin bless you for publishing this book, you will make a motza.
Is motza a word Leigh?

FrankGol,
Don't feel bad, Leigh is real bute at gramar himself at times. This issue is the usual type from Davo, a storm in a teacup. [Deleted as unacceptably vulgar.] Davo forgets some of us have long memories, we even remember his part in the "cash for comment" saga, which contributed to his complete loss of credability.

Still you must give him 10/10 for his willingness to continue to publicly embarres himself by defending Jonesy, Davo, may even recall an incident in England involving Jonesy and a public toilet.
My question to Davo is how does one rise from obsurity to Wallaby coach, then be "offered" a radio career with top remuneration? Sorry cancel that question, someone earlier mentioned that Jonesy had stood as a canditate for the Liberal Party, no more questions your honour.

I agree with O Sung Wu above. This thread is getting out of control. I've edited Shonga's comment above, and maybe could have edited some comments from others, but I have limited time. However, I'll be paying particular attention from hereonin, so please let's keep it polite.

Rache;Alan Jones does support the Coalition,however I've heard him tear strips off Peter Costello and John Howard just recently.He has taken them to task on both the future taxing of ethanol and our free trade farce,whereby Aust protects almost nothing compared to our competitors.

The shrill,staccato music at the end of his comments is really annoying and a bit amateurish however listen to the analysis and logic.He is not always right,but there is no other commentator that comes close.The Labor Party should be taking the Coalition to task like this,but they are too busy looking in the rear vision mirror.

As for the leadership tussle,I've a sneaking suspicion that Peter Costello has set John Howard up with these ill planned IR reforms.Peter is waiting for John's popularity to plummet and will step in to fill the breach by moderating IR,however he does not understand the electorate don't trust that supercilious smirk.

This public airing of linnen just shows how low a standing Labor are in the opinion polls.On the other hand,the Coalition had better make the new IR reforms fairer and simplier or risk losing the next one.

Arjay,
I think that the IR reforms are a Howard initiative, although Costello's history with the HR Nicholls Society and the Dollar Sweets case demonstrates his true attitude toward workers.

I also believe that the Libs have left themselves no way out of the IR situation they have created for themselves since they have already publicly apologised to the business community for not going far enough (yet) and blown a stack of public money telling us how important these reforms are.

To back down now, regardless of community backlash, would stuff them in the eyes of their corporate masters and make them look like hypocrites to everyone else.

The Howard/Costello events of the last 36 hours have done neither of them any credit. The choice of PM now seems to be between a liar and a wimp.

Alan Jones does flex his muscles and criticise the conservatives sometimes but it's always mid-term, when it matters least. Watch what happens next time an election (State or Federal) is called.

David

Why shouldn´t the ABC publish books particularly about a broadcaster?

And where id your logic that the ABC has a left wing bias because it publishes a critical book on one right wing personality?

You say that the ABC never goes after leftie celebrities. Evidence please. You have done nothing more than write a hate letter.

And how do you define left and right. I watch a lot of the ABC and nothing of commercial TV. Does that make me a "leftie" or perhaps I just don´t like programs being broken up by advertising. I have never thought of myself as left ot right. Could there be another dimension? I think so.

Typical of the creep towards the right in the ABC. ABC commissions a book about a known right-winger to apparently appease all those conservatives and then gets its arse kicked for doing so. Now that is natural justice.

Why didn't the ABC just ask for Jones' approval before assigning the project?

The ABC Rancidtas were going to defame him with sexual innuendo.Unless you have harmed someone,your private life is no one's business.

The ABC are no different from the multi- nationals at the top of the food chain,they want a secure niche without too much stress or hard work.They feed off the weakness that lurks in all of us and this is what makes them so mundane.

This Latte sipping Chardonnay set are just a bunch of hypocrites much like our Dike Carton,who blow the trumphet for blue collar workers,but would not be seen dead fraternising with one of them.

Actually Dike Carton has a lot in common with Piers whom he despises.

Hey Arjay - what's the problem with Mike Carlton? He's the one who uses the innate hypocrisy of politicians as a basis for humour and at least has opinions of his own.

Alan Jones is the one who doesn't spend much time on "struggle street".

John Laws, who claims to have the common touch, boasts that has never used an ATM and Piers (Rupert's Dancing Bear) is just a tacky apologist for the Murdoch/Howard bandwagon. His ongoing attacks on Latham were in reponse to his nickname of "Cokey" being recorded in Hansard.

Likewise, aren't the Andrew Bolts and Gerard Hendersons given enough airtime on the ABC to express their opinions?

Every other night there is a procession of right-wing advocates defending the government on everything they do. The "free-to-air" networks don't seem to give them the same opportunity.

It's also OK for the media to invade anybody's private life (because the public has a right to know) as long as it isn't on of their own.

This picture of Jones sez it all.
http://www.apolitical.info/images/AlanJones.jpg

Rainer, the picture and the caption says more about you,than any intended detriment you have intended for Jones.

Rainer,
As usual you are spot on, poor {wealthy} old Arjay can't stand opposition, remind you of anyone we know if federal parliament?

He is lucky to have Beazley as an Opposition Leader, I remember as a kid watching Beazley on TV, the show title was "The Invisible Man."

Arjay, what does calling Mike Carlton, Dike Carlton, say about you ? Glass Houses old chap, glass houses.

I guess there are a few so called lefties in the media scrum - P Adams comes to mind maybe even John Faine from Melbournes ABC - perhaps you can throw in Kenneth Davidson from the Age and there are many others - Maybe even Virginia Trioli

There are quite a few targets out there - but maybe there is nothing on them worth reading - maybe thats why the ABC leaves them alone - if there is some juice on these guys the commercial outlets are free to have a go at them any time they like - maybe they are just not newsworthy enough -

But Alan Jones! when he breaks wind they hold there noses in Canberra! - so maybe there is a story attached to this guy worth pursuing.

From watching the ABC for a very long time my feeling is they go the incumbents when it comes to governments or whatever the dominant paradigm of the day happens to be - they are there as for as I am concerned to report and critique - I certainly do not recall the ABC giving the Bob H Paul K Government a dream run.

Similary when the BLF, the Food Preservers Union and the HEF where kicking industrial heads around during the seventies and eighties the ABC were not overly partisan to them at the time -

If if people want to bag the ABC maybe they need to look at what they do in some historical and political context - not merely in a defensive state of paranoia.

Dear Mr Flint,

You,like so many, seem to still believe there is left and right in Australian politics. Don't know if you've noticed but Labor's policies today are almost identical to the Coalition and the only real area they disagree on is who should lead the other's Party.

Leftie rhetoric disappeared from most people's vocabulary a long time back. There are still some old duds like Adams who spout such tirades but the public and politics itself took a large jump to the right about when Hawke took over the Coalition's agenda, followed later by Howard stealing One Nation's policies.

You do, of course, contradict yourself in describing Jone's views to be at least partly left, whatever you think that is.

Please go back to writing only personal letters, they are much more entertaining.

Flint says: "My admiration is based on the fact that Jones is a principled and superbly effective communicator and a successful radio identity."

Arjay says: "The ABC Rancidtas were going to defame him with sexual innuendo."

You've read the manuscript?

I think I know what you are talking about there Arjay and so do most of Jones' listeners. Given that listeners have apparently decided that the convicted criminal who embarrassed Jones on the commercial TV station, and given that Jones is still a "succesful radio identity", and "principled " to boot, I don't see the problem.
Innocent until....

Correct. The private life of even public figures should be respected if it isn't hurting anyone. Perhaps you could tell what you think of Channel 9 &7 and the way their current affairs show hound, harrass and intrude on the private lives of the flannel shirt brigade. These people can't afford to get a high-paid solicitor to protect them.
So most every night viewers are being brainwashed into thinking that battlers are all ill-tempered, thieving, argumentive, unreasonable, worthless thugs. It is as if the powers that be want to undermine the self confidence and disempower these peoples. We are not stupid. The majority are good honest folk.

One more point, the ABC commissioned Masters to write the book. Masters is a consummate professional and you good sir are being defamatory and unfair to him.

Buggger. Another thought, I am hoping Keith Windshuttle gets the nod re: the ABC board as this fella will be able to set his own supposed right-wing leanings aside. I think he is a professional. I am not saying that it is possible to be completely objective. There is always the old unconscious pulling us off track or perhaps on track. I tried to convince graham Y of this but we agreed to disagree. I recall reading KW's book "The Media" a few years back. Truth to tell he is in the same league as Masters when it comes to integrity and honest professionalism.

rancitas,just recently one of these flannel shirt brigaders appeared on Current Affairs.He took me and many others to the cleaners.Don't give me sob stories of the oppressed ignorant working class.This one rang all his creditors threatening them violence.He was being investigated for trading while insolvent,but there wasn't enough money in kitty for the liquidators to pursue the issue.The legal system protects these shysters and your public service mentality has no idea of how hard it is for honest business folk to make a living.

At least the commercial TV and radio networks try to address some of these injustices,while the ABC suck off the sweat of private enterprise and denagrate the very system that sustains them ,in their nebulus euphoria of social justice without responsibility.

My point is, if the commercial stations get rid of ABC, then we will have no in depth current affairs. It may not be so entertaining but a story about WHY small business people, like the one you mention, can get away with their trickery which, if we believe your assertions, is a behaviour that is common amongst small business (the flannel shirt ones)would be more productive.

I didn't mention at all "oppressed ignorant working class"; they are your words that you dishonestly put into Rancitas' mouth. The "shyster" you are talking of is a small business person - no doubt people like him rip their staff off with immunity thanks to the Liberals' workplace laws.

He is not representative of low-income wage earners (as your convoluted nonsense wrongly claims) anymore than he is representative of small-business folk. Some of my friends and relations are struggling honest small-business owners. I resent your assertion that they are dishonest. Some of my friends and relations are wage earners and I resent your assertion that they are dishonest.

I have owned and have friends who own small businesses. I have first hand experience of "how hard it is for small business to make a living".

I don't know what you mean that Rancitas has a "public service mentality". Arjay you are just showing how foolish you are. Why didn't you check out the contractor you are complaining about? Why don't you take some responsibility for the mistakes you make? A public service person would possibly be sacked for being so lax.

Anyway, I was more thinking of stories about neighbourhood disputes. FYI, Arjay, hose disputes are often attended to by Police who mostly have a "public service mentality" that you, Arjay, find so objectionable.

Always look for motive. Let me see who benefits from the fear of being "taken to the cleaners" by small business contractors like the one you mention. That would be the big business, franchised companies that will threaten to sue the arse off you if you say boo

One of the problems with small business contractors is building trust and commercial stations' low-budget-entertainment-orientated hit stories actually can undermine honest small business folk. Mentality, like the one Arjay displays, where one supposed dishonest, flannel-shirt contractor represents, for Arjay, all flannel shirters (and through some verbal gymnastics working class people) is the kind that the commercial stations promote.

You can say pretty well say whatever you like, Arjay, if its in the public interest, about the public-owned institutions like the school, Telstra, railways, police service and defence forces and so on because defamation laws allow criticism (often unfair) of public-owned utilities. This is because any criticism is innately in the public interest. The commercial stations often take advantage of this unfairness to attack public utilities while ignoring their private counter-parts.

If you criticise or expose a wealthy private company, and, especially, if it affects their income and your story is not airtight, then you will face the prospect of being sued into silence and beyond.

There is a "nebulus euphoria of social justice without responsibility" that is applicable to commercial stations and Arjay it very much applies to your ill-founded assertons based on your own ignorance of public-service mentality.

rancitas,I know public servants in the NSW Govt who are on $90,000.00 plus and openly admit that they do stuff all.Our NSW Govt just took all the GST and grew the bureauracy.Billions wasted on jobs for the boys.NSW is broke and is the only State going backwards economically.

It is about time you lot were made more accountable.You are the public privlidged who don't realise how well off you are.Having a degree should not entitle anyone to keep their noses in the public trough for a life time at the expense of honest hard workers.

You lot should hang your heads in shame.

Arjay,
Honest business, now that's an oxymoron, if ever I've heard one!

Honest small-business, however, is not...

I should know, my partners and myself ran one for 15 years.

I'm sure there's plenty more around too, don't tar them all with the one brush.

Arjay says: "I know public servants in the NSW Govt who are on $90,000.00 plus and openly admit that they do stuff all.Our NSW Govt just took all the GST and grew the bureauracy.Billions wasted on jobs for the boys."

Okay who are these public servants? Name them - shouldn't be too hard seeing as they "openly admit" it. You know that , if they exist, they aren't representative of the whole public service. That is an unfair and unreasonable slur on good people.

That is bit like saying because one soldier, "a public servant", is caught smoking dope all ADF personnel are potheads.

You claim that “jobs for the boys” are provided. Who provided the jobs for whom? It is in the public interest to name them.

Who are you referring to with the words "you lot"? That clearly includes Rancitas. Do you base all your opinions on this type of empty assumption? Do you wrench all your thinking to fit your narrow schema? Do you ever allow for the possibility that there are good people in the public service? Of course not Arjay that would be being reasonable.

Why am I expecting you Arjay to be reasonable when you unfairly present a supposed corrupt small-business person as ‘working class” and then try to give the impression that Rancitas had used that term, when it was, indeed, Arjay’s corruption of Rancitas’ words.

Are you trying to tell me that there aren't "jobs for the boys" in private industry? Contracts doled out to the old-boy network while honest contractors don't get a look in. And this bureaucracy you are talking of -if it were placed with a private bureaucracy, how are you going to criticise it without being sued, contract terminated or sacked?

What has all this got to do with Jones? Been listening to his rubbish so long you are taking on his often groundless commentary?

The ABC must be retained in Australia otherwise we will simply not have, compared to the commercial media, an unbiased and fair media that digs deep into the issues that concern us all.

Rancitas

You have just said everything I have been thinking about Arjay for a long time but could not be bothered posting. As a former public servant who never earnt any more than 40,000 P.A. and worked my proverbial off, your post has given me a much needed cathartic boost.

For similar reasons I rarely bother posting to any of Flint's articles - too predictable with his sour grapes rants. How he can be complaining about an ABC whose board is heavily loaded with the likes of Albrechtsen et al, people who never let a few facts get in the way of a whinge.......I guess words fail me.

Just keep up the entertaining posts Rancitas - they light the way in the gloom of extreme righteousness.

Just recently Janet Albrechsten wrote an article entitled"Our Addiction to Big Govt" in The Australian.New Zealand who has a rapidly growing public service has one public servant for every 57 people.Australia on the other hand has one public servant for every 17 people.We have three times the number of public servants per head of population compared to NZ.Now under a Labor Govt their PS ranks are growing expodentially.Is there a symtomatic disease echoed in left wing Labor philosophy whereby anyone with a Bachelor of Arts or a BS can suckle on the public nipple for the rest of their lives without having to make a decision that pertains to their survival for 45 years?

In the meanwhile,NSW burns without infrastructure or health services while the public servants make merry with the GST and spend time counting their superannuation.Try justifying that reality.

If we use our intelligence to help small business instead of crucifying them,then there will be a better future for all.

Arjay, Janet Albrechtsen’s data on public servants warrants close scrutiny. In particular, be aware of what she counts as a public servant – and denigrates. Police, military personnel, customs and immigration officials, nurses in public hospitals, teachers in state schools, taxation officers, trade representatives, traffic and planning officers for local councils, Telstra workers, parks and wildlife officers, public librarians, public broadcasters…These and many more would all be counted as Australian public sector employees in Albrechtsen’s demonology, as they should be, and as they are in official ABS statistics.

The old stereotype of generic public servants making tea and spending time “counting their superannuation” doesn’t wash. The overwhelming majority work their hearts out.

To put public service bashing into perspective, in August 2005, according to the ABS, there were 8,526,600 employees in Australia – 81% of whom were in the private sector and 19% in the public sector. Australia’s population at that time was 20,340,000 of whom nearly 4 million were under 15 and nearly 2.7 million were aged 65 or older. Public servants work hard for the young and the old as well as for those of working age.

Under John Howard’s government, there are currently 18 government departments and around 60 statutory agencies in the Australian Public Service. A list of these bodies is at <http://www.apsc.gov.au/apsprofile/agencies.htm>.??

Hey you lot, get off this post if your not prepared to stick the boot into Flinty.

I should never have mentioned Albrechtson, Hedgehog.

Just thoroughly fed up with Arjay sticking the boot in Public Servants, working class, small business, big business, ABC, teachers, human beings and on and on ad nauseum.

However, sticking it to Flinty will only convince said Flint of his imagined superiority and self-righteousnes. Given that Flint is such a regular 'contributor' to OLO (who else would tolerate his rants?) the best we can do is boycott future articles thus reducing the number of posts.

All for boycotting Flinty, say Aye!

Poor old Davo, everytime he shows his pompos face here he gets a pasting, when will he ever learn. Col nice twist of the truth earlier. You could be a Tory politician.

Beware,when Peter Debnam gets into power,he actually might have the courage to do a Geoff Kennett.We need a no nonsense leader to get NSW out of this depressing blanket of ineptitude.I remember the Victorian number plates up here during the 90's recession."Victoria On the Move",and they were here in Sydney looking for work.Now it is "Victoria the Place to Be" How ironic!

Perhaps the surplus baggage in NSW can now migrate to Victoria and become a burden to the Bracks Govt.The moral of the story is that Labor Govts cannot manage economies because they basically appeal to the weakness in human nature and the electorate are under the illusion that the Govt will provide,not realising that it is they, the individual who provides everything and not the seemingly well intentioned parasites who feed off their ignorance and endeavour.

Obiviously there are many hardworking Public Servants particularly nurses,however when parasites begin to out number hosts,we have an imbalance that must be rectified.

Arjay, you obviously don't know your history. Your hero, Jeff (not Geoff) Kennett, was thrashed at the polls when he savaged the public sector in the name of "no nonsense" market ideology. Slick PR stunts such as sloganised number plates were no substitute for real public sector services which people actually want and need. And the Labor Party has been in power ever since in Victoria, rectifying the wasteland Kennett created especially in hospitals and schools.

Arjay, you say that Labor Govts cannot manage economies but do you have a way of explaining why as we speak every State government in Australia is a Labor one? Perhaps people are not so stupid as you think?

Another A Bolt?

Who based their claims on twisted evidence or no evidence.

Fankgol is very selective about Labor achievements.What Govt sent Victoria broke in the early nineties that brought about the fire sale of every public asset they possessed?Jeff Kennett did what was necessary.Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.

Gough sent us broke in the early seventies and thus was rightfully sacked.Keating sent us broke with his banana republic interest rates.Now the Iemma Govt is sending NSW broke when the rest of Aust is experiencing an economic boom.

Morris Iemma is only getting by because of his pretty boy looks.I hope that the NSW public have more depth of perception at the next election.

Peter Debnam doesn't have the glitz,however he does have the discipline and guts to do what is right for the hard working constituents.

We are the Hollywood Worshipers of image without substance,and the "Big Brother Mentality" needs to look beyond their immediate basal gonad urges.

Arjay,
Agreed, what Federal Government had double digit inflation and unemployment in 1982? Hint, John Howard was the Treasurer, the tale that Liberal Governments handle economies better than Labor is a furfy. Global influences rule our economy, and always have, Australian Governments can also influence the economy to a small extent, but can never control pressures such as interest rates, unemployment etc.

If this were possible don't you think Howard and his cronies would prevent the interest rate rise which will arrive this week? Governments of both political persuasion like to take credit for good economic figures, however when they turn sour, the politicians try to distance themselves. If anyone is foolish enough to believe we are in this mess because of petrol and bananas they should again vote Liberal next year, and leave a stocking out in December for Santa.

With breathtaking hypocrisy Arjay accuses me of being “very selective” while in the next breath claiming that “Jeff Kennett did what was necessary. Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.”

Just firing a few fat cats eh? The facts are that Kennett sacked thousands of public sector employees; by the time he was finished a workforce of 53,000 has been reduced to approximately 34,000, leaving many workers, half in regional Victoria, unemployed or in casual and part-time jobs. Unemployment in Victoria was to remain above the national average for the entirety of his premiership.

But worse, this slash-and-burn policy savaged valued community services---police, health, education and welfare. He closed 350 government schools and removed 7,000 teaching jobs. He cut and closed rural rail services. He forced amalgamations of local councils, reduced their powers and cut local government services.

The Kennett government privatised in whole or in part: prisons, gas and electricity production and supply, hospitals, ambulance services, trams, trains and buses, water supply and government laboratories.

Some readers will remember when Kennett cut the funding of the Grey Sisters rest home for distressed mothers in Croydon. There was total disbelief because his government saved just $45,000 a year by cutting a service which was almost certainly saving lives.

Meanwhile, the big end of town thrived while bad smells arose from the processes. For example, the Crown Casino tendering process was the subject of serious allegations of corruption in the tendering process.. Scrutiny and accountability was diminished when Kennett reduced the powers of the independent Auditor-General.

By the time the Liberals lost power in 1999, Kennett’s radical program had damaged Victorian social infrastructure particularly in regional areas. When he resigned, his own seat was lost to the Liberals in the by-election. Labor signed a pledge to restore services to rural areas and promising Parliamentary reforms.

And Arjay maintains that “Jeff Kennett did what was necessary. Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.”

FrankGol,
I empathise with your frustration with Arjay, I have learned to not take him seriously, re above post. Kennett was the scurge of Australian politics until he was overtaken by Howard. Kennett was punched in his son's hotel recently, I was not happy about that, I was not there to see it.

For Frankgol and Shonga I have but a simple question.What Labor Govt sent Victoria broke in the early nineties that made it a necessity for Jeff Kennett slash and burn an inefficient Public Service?

Govts exist because of the efficiencies of private enterprise.In 1951 the income tax for a teacher was 11%.Now we have all manner of taxes,both spouses work and we have less service from our public priviledged.Something is seriously amiss when we have far more taxes,work longer and a poorer quality of life.

Perhaps we have too many parisites sucking off the system.

On Sunday, Arjay told us “Jeff Kennett did what was necessary. Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.”

On Monday Arjay tells us it was "...a necessity for Jeff Kennett [to] slash and burn an inefficient Public Service".

Which Jeff Kennett is Arjay adulating?

Frankgol,you have evaded the question.Which Labor Govt sent Victoria broke in the early nineties and which Liberal Govt had to correct the debacle?

Which Labor Govt has brought NSW to the brink of collapse in times of economic prosperity?Now what sort of moronic fools can destroy the richest and most prosperous state in the country and still won't reform their wasteful,bloated public sector?

Are you trying to tell me that socialist's Govts have a good economic track record?You draw a very long bow indeed.

Arjay,
- suppose for the sake of argument that I agree with your ahistorical claims about economic (mis)management and
- suppose I accept your assumption that economic prosperity (or lack thereof) is soley attributable to reigning political parties in the states in question:
how am I going to explain to my children the current economic prosperity in WA and Queensland under Labor governments?

But let's take the debate a little further. Are you saying that the economy is an end in itself or could you agree that it is just one of a range of important indicators of social well-being? Could it be, for example, that Victorians slashed and burned Jeff Kennett because he was fixated on big business and the top end of town and failed to see that people also need and want (and are prepard to pay taxes for) high quality community services, health and education?

Arjay,
The answer to my previous question many posts ago was the Fraser Government double digit inflation, double digit unemployment, ah! yes the Liberals know how to run an economy, will interest rates rise today for the 7th time in 4 years, causing more havoc than in 1989? Don't worry about economies, we the Liberals know economies.

You're right to a degree Shonga.There is a lot I don't like about the Coalition.I don't like the fact that they are subserviant to the multi-nationals and treat small business as a stepping stone to be used used and abused.My greatest critism is that this Govt has lacked courage to do innovative things that will make Australia a far more dynamic country.This so called level playing field whereby we lower our tarrifs and most of our competitors don't,is total insanity.The Keating/Hawke Govts had exactly the same philosophies towards this one sided stupidity.

I think that one of the main reasons for this interest rate rise is to stop us consuming foreign goods.We are not paying our own way,and to have an almost non existant manufacturing sector.Our balance of payments deficit is now over $400 billion,or $40,000 for every working person.We have borrowed too much and now our spending will be reigned in.

It may well mean another recession,our first for 15yrs. The Libs are far from perfect,however they are light years ahead of the opposition.It is a shame that Labor are in such poor shape,since we would all have benefited if the Libs actually had real competition.

Arjay, perhaps yu missed my last post in which I said:
- suppose for the sake of argument that I agree with your ahistorical claims about economic (mis)management and
- suppose I accept your assumption that economic prosperity (or lack thereof) is soley attributable to reigning political parties in the states in question:
how am I going to explain to my children the current economic prosperity in WA and Queensland under Labor governments?

But let's take the debate a little further. Are you saying that the economy is an end in itself or could you agree that it is just one of a range of important indicators of social well-being? Could it be, for example, that Victorians slashed and burned Jeff Kennett because he was fixated on big business and the top end of town and failed to see that people also need and want (and are prepard to pay taxes for) high quality community services, health and education?

"And he eloquently speaks for the silent majority on issues from his opposition to the politicians' republic and an apology to Aboriginal Australians, to his strong support for border protection and the war on Islamic terrorism."

A silent majority? What a dim, myopic and typical demagoguery of a conservative commentator. Abuses committed against Indigenous Australians occur to this very day,examples are on his program.

Comments by such a glorified ignoramus threaten the fragile lives of indigenous adolescents everyday.

Australian media is of its only kind in the world who promotes overtly offesive laymen into the mass media to make the country feel it does not need to think, rationalise or argue their stance but they just need to congele together as a majority.

This silent majority may only exist because they do not need to speak - they're intimidating prejudices speak for them.

Alan Jones will forever be a blight on the Australian media - he and others like him constantly shock the rest of the world.

Wake up Australia.

- Nadia Montague, Toowong

Arjay,
Old boy the level playing field is a figment of the conservative imagination, it hasn't, doesn't and will never exist. Untill a third political party non reliant on multi-national funding is created with a collection of ordinary working people, small business and community groups, we are destined to be at this "you say" "Isay" position forever.

Liberal Party policies are as old as Napolean, divide and conquer, we need to come together with a mass of new ideas.