I really have to question the timing of whoever decided to launch this one, I mean – first week of the Olympics.

With Mike Scrafton exposing Howard’s outrageous lies just before the 2001 Federal election, it is interesting to look back at the PM’s behaviour after he knew children were not thrown overboard.

On the night of November 7 the PM clearly knew his ONA report was merely a rehash of inaccurate ministerial claims about the (non) incident. The day after Scrafton’s clarifying phone calls, the PM told the National press club luncheon he had an ONA report proving his children overboard allegations were correct.

Rather than correct the record Howard ‘batted on’, misleading the Australian people up until election day. John Howard is arguably Australia’s most astute politician and on November 7 he must have suspected election day was just too close for any real damage to be done. Unfortunately for the Australian people only four journalists (David Marr, Marian Wilkinson, Peter Charlton, and Andrew Clennell) exposed the bogus ONA report.
With respect to the four journalists mentioned above, it was a case of too little too late by the fourth estate.

John Howard, should resign over this issue, but as he regularly argues, his political future is up to the Australian people. How well informed the Australian people are will ultimately determine Howard’s political future in 2004.

Let’s hope the tabloid media’s performance in 2001 isn’t repeated in 2004 where outright lies told by ministers, not only went unchecked, but then reappear in editorials supporting the government’s action.

In the lead up to this election, all journalists, must take a more sceptical approach. Given the benefit of hindsight, political journalists should reread their articles in 2001 and understand that unquestioningly repeating the Howard government’s claims as facts was everything journalism shouldn’t be.

Iain Lygo
Author of News Overboard; The Tabloid Media, Race Politics, and Islam.

The Manly Daily MAY run it.

Good luck.

I wrote a similar letter to a few, posted on by blog as well.

Don’t like my chances.

Tim Blair is no more a journalist than Andrew G.

Banned for life once again, from Tim Blair am I,
Along with Miranda Divide and Jeremy, oh why why why?
It’s not like I was being rude or causing discord,
I was just curious re their thoughts on “Howard Overboard”.
It’s obviously something they don’t wanna talk about,
Ilibcc, Evilpundit, PW, Quentin George, all silently stout.
I was just having a fleeting dig, like Rob Millsy and Paris,
To no avail as it where – I’ve been banned by Andrea Harris.
It’s a worrying trend they’ve got going there,
Crushing dissent and uncomfortable facts with hardly a care.
The motivation is simple, can’t afford to make Tim look bad,
After all, he’s an aspiring Rush Limbaugh, an avatar for the raving mad.
A few facts on the ground I urge you to see,
Tim Blair is no more a journalist than fucking Andrew G.
He pens his hack-like Bulletin “articles” oh so imperiously,
What a pity that the Journalistic world never takes him seriously.
He’s only got the gig because he’s a divisive figure,
That, and we can all laugh at his lack of intellectual vigour.
He doesn’t mind, he has his mindless arse-licking weblog devotees,
A sickening, creeped-out, felch-fest, “everyone drop to their knees!”
Sortelli, Real Jeffs, Gary Gravett, the conservatively political,
Free reign for neo-con luncacy, Andrea will ban anyone who’s critical.
How about his allegiance, is he still fair dinkum true blue?
He’s such a pro-Bush yankophile – probably has Stars & Stripes poo.
How about his pathetic hounding of that REAL journalist, Margo?
Can’t critique her on issues and facts so he rants on about her argot.
And how about his anti-ABC stance, or didn’t you know?
He couldn’t cut it there, they cancelled his shithouse show!
His humour is racially geared and composed with little skill,
Why, I’ve seen funnier shit on re-runs of Benny Hill.
Anyway, I think Darpie has made his point clear,
I’ll say what the fuck I want, without any fear.
Oh, Timbo, those Fox News pieces of yours really sucked,
So to you, Andrea and the gang – I bid you all, GET FUCKED!

Love Darp.

Good luck.