This is the Media Show with Jack outing, Hello and welcome to the Media Show.
Tonight.
We're going to take a look at the biggest stories in the media, starting with Peter Dudden's rough ins with enthusiastic ABC reporters, which continues, but the Union is furious. Media Union calls Peter Dudden's response to two ABC reporters unnecessarily aggressive. Now, this attack by the union, which at this point is basically just a propaganda unit barracking for one side of politics, came after this heated press conference.
A vast majority of the public in colleague.
Support Well, how do you know that they don't. Well, I have.
Spoken to a number of them. I haven't seen you spoken to a single member of the public, not just the shame.
Oh look, I understand the position of the ABC. The ABC has an ideological position against that's an issue for you. I don't really care. I'm not interested in the politics at the ABC. You could all be advocates and play your games.
The reporter in that clip wasn't asking questions, she was asserting facts. She was asserting that the community did not want Dutton's nuclear policy. Rightfully, he snapped back, pointing out that she did not even go to the community meeting. And yes it was tense, it was provocative, but a lot of Australians are sick to death of the clear and obvious political campaigning by activist journalists on the taxpayer dime like this moment just weeks before the first clip.
Determined Captain Ristaship even though men, where are you from? I'm sorry which organization ABC? I had presumed up until this point at least that the ABC supported the government's laws, and the government has passed laws supported on a bipartisan.
Basis, but not by the ABC.
It seems in.
Relation to the prescribing or the listing of a terrorist organization.
For those Aussies irked by the ABC's lack of professionalism, we love these moments because Dutton has courage to call it what it is, taxpayer funded politicking. And while the media union is having a cry about this exchange, the reporter was lapping it up. Bridget MacArthur, who has she her pronouns in her Twitter page, proudly tweeted the exchange out, saying it was her first tango with Dutton, the implication being clear, I've been looking forward to having a tango
I'm glad I got one. I have now become the story and there will be plenty of profile boosting tangos to come.
Well.
Joining me on the show this week is The Australians Darren Davidson and Radio two Double c's Stephen Seneateempo. Well, Darren, let's start with you. Peter Dudden. He has this combative way that he has decided to deal with questions that he thinks are maybe straying from the more professionalism side. And the interesting thing here that's happened this week is the media Union. I really trying to take him to task.
I guess the one point that I didn't make in the editorial is labor politicians can be quite combative as well. And you know the Attorney General, Mark Dreyfuss, he had quite a fiery moment with one of our reporters, Olivia Caseley. I don't know if you recall that, but it was quite provocative. My point being, we don't seem to get this outrage and this oh this poor journalist kind of got scolded as if they're not tough enough to scrutinize it. We don't get that when the shoe's on the other.
Foot, absolutely, I mean complete silence from the union, the Journalist Union, the MUAA when our journalists, Liam Mendez was bundled over exactly Peter Costello, the former chairman of Channel nine, for asking some very reasonable questions about the culture at Channel nine, And we've had that report emerged in recent weeks which completely validates Liam's line of questioning there. So it does feel like the Union has taken a almost
like a political position on this one. And you know, absolutely fine for journalists to ask robust questions as long as they're informed and they're relevant. But you know, I don't think we are seen them applying the same kind of rigor or the same kind of line of questioning when they're actually interviewing the government of the day as well.
Yeah, And I guess the main point is, Steven, that if you're going to throw a punch, prepare for someone to maybe throw one back. And I guess you know, when your conducts radio interviews and you decide to go somebody, I'm guessing you're prepared. You've got thick skin in these situations.
Oh.
Absolutely.
In some of the exchanges I've had with local politicians here in the Act, you have been somewhat legendary. But look, I would say that Dutton's being combative but not aggressive. But look, it's always almost thatturesque, isn't he when you think about it. But look, the thing that really annoys me here, well, there's two things. The E and me douba stands for entertainment, right, it's entertaining where these exchanges happen.
But secondly, if the me douba was fed income about the quality of journalism, they'd be pulling their journalists their members in the line and saying, you know what, maybe you guys need to be better. This is the reason people don't trust our profession anymore, because this is the rubbish you carry on with. If you want to be a commentator, be a commentator. If you're going to pretend to be a journalist, then be a journalist and don't tweet and say I'm now the story like that was
your aim in the first place. I mean, you should never be the story yourself.
It's a really good point.
I mean, it wracked up thousands and thousands of views and retweets, and the reporter clearly wasn't bothered, which makes me wonder why they actually made such a big point of it. But let's move on now to the Queensland election. Just one day out and the polls are tightening. The race, which was once built as a runaway, will actually be much closer, according to The Australian, which reports David Chris a fully Squander's lead but Queensland LMP on track for
ninthe edge win. The paper reported the race could be so close that Premier hopeful David chrisafully could be forced into a minority government. So how did we get here? Well, Labour ran a very strong campaign, but it did use one hell of a lie to scare every single moderate Queenslander that the LMP would attack abortion rights.
You certainly can't trust him on health cuts or on abortion. Voted against decriminalizing abortion. He didn't make a speech, so we'd have no idea why he did that or what his beliefs are. What does he believe in his heart, whether that's on nuclear or on women's access to abortion. I'm really worried about this. I'm really worried that Queenslanders could vote on election day believing David Christophole's promise that nothing will change when it comes to women's reproductive rights.
When I know he's lying.
You know he's lying. Now.
That was all a lie. It was pure labor misinformation. The LNP never had an anti abortion policy that they were bringing to the table, and they repeatedly promised not to make any changes if they won. This was an attack point that Labor tried to bring in from America and it was incredibly impactful and incredibly damaging to the LMP.
Regular people who don't have time to read every bit of media will have seen the headlines peppered through the press casting fear and doubt about abortion policies, and Chris of Fooley only has himself to blame. While it was never his policy, when he was asked about it repeatedly, he seemed uncomfortable. Miles also effectively cornered him and said, policy aside, what do you personally think about this issue?
Will be no changes to abortion law and I want Queenslanders to hear that directly from me.
Can anyone tell from David's answer just then what he thinks about this issue? I mean, this is this is a really important issue.
I think it shouldn't change.
Everyone knows I think it shouldn't change.
The laws will remain the same.
Will you have a conscience spoken?
The laws will remain this view, There will do you no change. So the scare campaign will continue, but you.
Need to well, let me answer the question.
The scare campaign will continue, but it's not happening.
Give a straight answer.
Okay, there will be no change, none at all.
Are your pro choice or not?
There will be no change. The legislation is there and women will have access to that legislation that gives women the.
Right to choose. Chris A.
Foley could have shut down this line of questioning much earlier in the campaign, but now this one mistake could end up costing him big Well, Darren, it's the classic case of your policy may not be here, but I
think that you disagree with your policy. The only way to deal with that, surely, if you're getting it at press conferences from every second journalo that's falling for this, By the way, a lot of journalists fell for this, you have to say, well, I personally agree with my policy, otherwise it wouldn't be my policy.
Yeah. I think the fact that Labor's made up lost ground late in the race, it's just a testament of fact that the opposition leader's campaign has been really, really, really poor, and it's a distraction from the real issues that are actually concerning voters that polls have shown time
and time again. It's cost living, it's crime, and we're also not talking about some of the real big problems in the state, which is the balloony state debt that Queensland has and this out of control expenditure on public sector workers as well.
Yeah, and Stephen that the main point is that Darren hinted at it as well. There are other big issues and the disappointing thing about this and the fact that there is this weak campaign is you've got a Labor government that is on the precipice of at least preventing their fourth term from being completely shattered. We're talking now
about maybe a minority government. In my opinion, I don't think governments really should be given a fourth term, and it was the LMP's race to win, and it was also their race to lose.
What do you make of the campaign.
Well, I mean, when you talk you shouldn't get a fourth term here in the act, maybe just got a seventh term. But moving on from that, look, there's a couple of things here. Nobody runs a scare campaign like the Labor Party does when it comes to campaigning. They are disciplined, they are effective. They run these when did you stop beating your wife campaigns all the time. The
Liberal Party always plays into their narrative. The only politician I've seen from the Conservative side of politics in recent times not to let this happen is Peter Dutton. But at a state and territory level they all let the Labor Party set their agenda for him. And let's be fear nikan. If you can't beat the work experienced kid in an election campaign, well David Christopheley deserves to lose this one.
Yeah it's Miles.
I mean some of his TikTok ads and find the bloke a bit much with the grinning in very serious moments. He's right, if he can't beat him, he doesn't deserve the job. But look, we're going to take a quick break when we're back inside the Karmala Harris CNN town hall. Welcome back now to the US election. It is anyone's game.
But this week Karmala Harris stumbled. Her buddies at CNN took her to task at a town hall event, and she bumbled and blustered her way through the event with more gaffes and awkward moments than we have time to show. But of course we have to show you. Our favorite moment.
Is a border wall.
Stupid.
Well, let's talk about Donald Trump and that border wall. So remember Donald Trump said Mexico would pay for it, Come on, they didn't. How much of that wall did he build? I think the last number I saw was about two percent. And then when it came time for him to do a photo op, you know where he did it in the part of the wall that President Obama built.
But you were agreed to a bill that would ear MOREK six hundred and fifty million dollars to continue building that.
Way, I pledge that I am going to bring forward that bipartisan bill to further strengthen and secure our border. Yes, I am, and I am going to work across the aisle to pass a comprehensive bill that deals with a broken immigration system. I think Jackson's question part of it was to acknowledge that America has always had migration, but
there needs to be a legal process for it. People have to earn it, and that's the point that I think is the most important point that can be made, which is we need a president oh is grounded in common sense and practical outcomes, like let's just fix this thing. Let's just fix it. Why is there any ideological perspective on it. Let's just fix the problem.
To fix the problem, you're doing this compromise bill. It does call for six hundred and fifty million dollars that was ear marked under Trump to actually still go to build the world.
I'm not afraid of good ideas where they occurred.
Say, you don't think it's stupid anymore.
I think what he did and how he did it was did not make much sense because he actually didn't do much of anything. I just talked about that wall, right, we just talked about it. He didn't actually do much of anything.
But you do want to build some wall.
I want to strengthen our border.
Well done to Anderson Cooper for pressing Harris. We love to see it. Let's bring the panel back in to I mean, Darren, that was some brilliant television. A few reasons why I think that is going to be really damaging. First, just on its surface, just logically. She starts off inferring that there is a stupidity around that policy. After a minute and thirty of talking to Anderson Cooper, she's saying, it's a great idea, we're actually doing it, and Donald Trump didn't do enough of it.
Yeah, it doesn't make any sense. I think the more votacy of her, the more her momentum in the poles seems to be slipping away. She refuses to identify how she would do things differently to the Biden administration, of which she was obviously a key member, and she refuses to ignoie your identify any problems. At the same time, and having watched that town hall this morning today, the viewers were all but begging her to come out and state positions and she was completely unable to do it.
And her response is just absolutely baffling. And I think Trump just needs to stay the course and hope that she keeps doing these town halls. And I think the thing about the CNN town hall is, unlike the Fox News onners, which you know, you're kind of a lot of these viewers are web Trump, there's a lot of undecided voters watching that CNN debate who would have been very unimpressed by her performance.
Yes, Stephen Darren makes such a good point CNN, there would be a lot of moderates there. More so probably that we're tuning into the Fox interview. That probably watched the Fox interview thinking well, that was always going to be compative. She's almost on home soil here. Really, she's playing a home game and she's getting smashed by her own side.
Yeah, but Jack, I think that's the point, is that an American election is not necessarily a big and getting people from the other side to vote for you. It's getting your own people to turn out and vote. And that's where I think she's losing it here with CNN. But it also highlights how poor American politicians are at their handling of the media. I mean, here in Australia we have access to our politicians on most daily basis and they have to polish their skills because they're going
head to head with us every day. In the US, they don't have that same access and they're not very good at it. But then you take on top of that, put layer over the top of that. Kamala Harrison, her word salad and her inability to articulate almost anything.
Look, it's working against her.
If I was I'd stop doing these town halls because there's not winning her any votes. But I mean, Nick, did anybody understand what she just said?
Then? Yeah, it was contradictory.
It said one thing, and then by the end of it she completely flipped. You're right, though, Stephen, because people are jd Vance. I mean, he's out press conferences getting smashed every day, and that toughens you, It hardens you, it makes sure better operator.
Yeah.
I mean, it's just word salad city all the time with her, and it seems like the Democrats have decided the only play left for them is to demonize him. We've had these kind of weird Hitler comparisons this week. Didn't work in twenty sixteen.
I mean, isn't that the most reprehensible thing you can do. I'm losing something to call my political opponent hit blah. It's just so reprehensible, Such grubby politics. Let's move on though, because King Charles Australian tour was soured this week with an aggressive stunt by dimwit who has no place in politics.
Kind of sign against our people, Get up our landmaps, give us why your style.
From us, our bones.
Our scar, our baby, our people. You we want to training in this country, Give.
Up and the media lapped it up. Thorpe made headlines around the world, including talking to broadcasters in the UK about the stunt at length, but not all spotlight is good and eventually the story got away from Thorpe when her office published a cartoon photo of a decapitated King Charles with the caption you are not our King, and
the press kept eating it up. Nearly all British publications cover the story, including The Evening Standard, the BBC and The Sun, and the backlash was swift, with Thorpe eventually having to release media statements that it was not her fault, just actions of her staff. Well, we think that's an appalling and violent way to have the conversation and any political staff or involved should have been sacked immediately. But
that wasn't the end of the story for Thorpe. She soon took to the ABC to gloat about not having sworn her oath of allegiance correctly.
Nice were allegiance to the Queen's hairs. If you're listen close enough, it wasn't her airs. It was her hairs that I was giving my allegiance to. And now that they're no longer here, I don't know where that.
Stands, but Thorpe was soon backpedaling. Calls were mounting for the senator who hadn't properly completed an oath to be booted from Parliament. Soon she was back on air, promising it was all a misunderstanding. That arrogant and gloating interview she gave to the ABC morphed into a sob story about her poor literacy skills.
Now forgive me for not being you know, my English grammar isn't as good as others, and I spoke what I read, so I misspoke. And to have this country questioned or particularly you know, people like Dutton and other senators from his party, for them to question my legitimacy in this job is an insult and they can't get rid of me.
Thorpe, who owned became a senator by leeching off the back of Green's votes before quitting the party, probably has realized her two hundred thousand dollars plus salary from the Crown isn't worth risking. I mean a lot to unpack there now, but essentially she managed to take the entire media cycle for nearly a full working week with just these bizarre acts.
Yep, it's absurd.
It's I look, whatever penalty the Senate hands down, hopefully it's severe, but you know, starves her of the oxygen that she cloaks so clearly and craves it was very ugly tantrum. And she's poor value for money. I think by the time her term is in twenty twenty eight, she would have been paid nearly a million dollars and a million a million. Yeah, So you know, if you look at the damage she's done over the past year taking up the Palestine fight against Israel, that's actually alienated
a lot of Australian Jewish supporters of reconciliation. So she's doing a lot of harm at the moment and has been doing a lot of harm for some time. She's poor value for money.
Good point, Steve, and your thoughts.
Well, firstly, looking in to defend Lydia thought hear and say, at least she's more articulate than Kamala Harris and every court needs it's fool and the King's Court had that, and look, his Majesty was clearly entertained by it. He led over to Alba and said, do you know if she does bucks parties and weddings as well?
Look.
I mean, she argues that other people question her legitimacy. She questions her own legitimacy. She doesn't believe in the authority of the parliament, yet sits in the Parliament and takes our money under false pretenses. I mean, there's no legitimate to see the woman, and the less oxygen we give her the better. In three years, she'll be gone and we won't have to see her ever again.
I agree with that fake outrage about how dare they question my legitimacy when she you know, it's not as if people just out of the blue accused her of not doing it. She told everyone, haha, I didn't do it. Absurd. Let's go to stories of the week, Darren, What do you have for US?
Dodgers' World Series kicks off Friday in La the La Dodgers versus the New York Yankees, one of the big classic all time rivalries East coast, West coast, the two big NBA baseball markets ready looking forward to it. It's going to be a good one.
That's great, Steven yours. Well.
The one that's as fascinated me for a few weeks now is the Menendez brothers, who back in nineteen eighty nine, brutally murdered their parents, and it now looks like their life sentences, well, they're not going to be commuted, but as of today, it looks like their sentences might change and they could be out of jail in weeks because it's now come to light that the abuse that they
accused their parents of might have been real. I just find this absolutely fascinating and an interesting page in history, particularly from a legal perspective, and when you look at the context of it happened at the same time as the Rodney King assault, it happened, the OJ Simpson thing, happened at the same time. There was a lot going on in the United States at that time, and we're now getting a different resolution thirty odd years later.
Yeah, very incredible. We'll definitely keep a very close eye on it. Steven Darren, thank you so much. That's all the time we have fortnight, but we'll be back next Friday at the same time.