Journalists love a good case study to personalise a news story and national broadsheet the Australian found a perfect one in Sydney couple Malcolm and Kathy Clyde. The couple were photographed wearing their best sombre faces – against a backdrop of yachts – for a story in which they complained about Labor’s decision to impose a higher concessional tax rate on super over $3m.
The Clydes said it would disadvantage them because they had given up buying a “nicer car” and going overseas on holidays to put their money into super.
“I was contributing on the promise by the government that those funds would be concessionally taxed,” Malcolm said. They’re going back on that promise.”
Could it be the same Clydes who in 2020 appeared in realestate.com.au after they sold a Mosman Bay three-bedroom property for a reported $7m in order to be closer to their grandchildren on the northern beaches?
“We recently fully retiled our private pool with Spanish glass-mosaic which has been greatly loved by our grandchildren,” Mrs Clyde said.
Mosman protester throws glass of ’94 Penfolds Grange on famous artwork to raise awareness about superannuation changes https://t.co/AMxXkPkAff
— The Shovel (@TheShovel) March 1, 2023
The real life case study almost surpassed the Shovel’s satirical “north shore man Charles Bridgegate” who it said threw “a glass of 1994 Grange on a Van Gogh, to protest the government’s changes to tax concessions on super balances over $3m”.
Today show reporter Lara Vella was a breath of fresh air in the media with her tongue-in-cheek TV report on the “victims” of the tax on the well-manicured streets of Sydney’s Double Bay.
Leave the 0.5% alone! 💰😆 https://t.co/wGSZMENlaQ
— Lara Vella (@vella_lara) February 28, 2023
Saudi Women’s Day sponsorship ditched
When looking for potential sponsors for International Women’s Day events most organisations wouldn’t think of Saudi Arabia as an obvious source of corporate dollars. Its human rights record, especially when it comes to women, is not good, and Saudi women still need the consent of a man to get married and obtain certain forms of healthcare.
But the Council of Australian Tour Operators (Cato) had no such qualms, announcing Visit Saudi as the major sponsor of its IWD lunch next Wednesday.
Cato’s MD, Brett Jardine, told trade press Travel Daily: “In recent years, the kingdom has undergone a significant cultural transformation, evolving century-old customs to fit the contemporary world we live in today, and their support of our local industry is to be applauded.”
But just 24 hours later the relationship was over. “We accept misreading this situation, despite our best intentions, and apologise for any distress this matter has caused our industry colleagues and our board,” Cato said.
The tour operators didn’t cut Visit Saudi loose entirely though, promising to work with the tourism body on “increasing awareness and education of the positive changes being made in the kingdom”.
What other side?
Sky News host Chris Kenny is pretty annoyed with the ABC for its World Pride and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras programming, calling it “fawning, indulgent and all-pervasive”.
“It even featured key members of the ABC’s news team, seemingly blurring the lines … between coverage, campaigning and reporting,” he said. Kenny is referring presumably to ABC news presenters Jeremy Fernandez and Nate Byrne who hosted some of the parade coverage. He also seems confused between news programming and entertainment. We can assure Kenny that Byrne and Fernandez did not appear on news bulletins in their glittering finery and make-up.
“Some viewers have pointed out that this indulgence is far broader than the weekend’s events,” Kenny said and went on to list “gay” ABC programs such as an upcoming drama about the HIV/Aids epidemic and a documentary about a trans kid.
“Someone’s put a big effort in here at the ABC programming for some reason, and perhaps the ABC ought to just, you know, tell us what it’s up to with our money.”
Sky News host Chris Kenny says the ABC’s coverage of World Price and the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was “fawning, indulgent and all-pervasive”.https://t.co/uMDUeAwb4W
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 28, 2023
But our favourite complaint came from the Australian’s media writer Sophie Elsworth who said the Mardi Gras didn’t look “impartial” to her because the ABC presenters were “really getting into it”.
“It didn’t look like impartial coverage to me – they were really getting into it; they’re meant to be newsreaders who are impartial, I thought,” Elsworth said.
🙄 Their understanding of News vs TV, bias and science is...let's say (in my personal opinion) "selectively deaf". As a weather presenter and very occasional desk hog, I'll take "National, news reading face", though! 😁
— Nate Byrne (@SciNate) February 28, 2023
Which raises the question: what is the “other side” of the Mardi Gras Elsworth would like the ABC to cover? An interview with bigots? Again, Sky is confusing ABC news with its TV entertainment programming.
ABC staff vie for board job
The eight ABC staffers who are vying for the position of staff-elected director on the ABC board sent out their pitches to their colleagues this week. The emails had to be vetted by management for their content but sadly no one picked up the formatting problems and they went out with a wide array of fonts.
ABC staff have received seven emails, each from a candidate for the staff-elected board director vacancy. The formatting in most of the emails is a disaster.
— Markus 🎲 (@MarkusMannheim) March 1, 2023
It’s a highly contested field, from journalist Laura Tingle, who has been endorsed by the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), and Dan Ziffer who won the ballot to represent the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), to six other independents.
Tingle’s pitch is characteristically direct and doesn’t spare the feelings of ABC management.
“Reading the ABC’s five year plan, and the restructuring proposal released late last year, it is hard not to be struck by how incomprehensible they are,” she told her colleagues.
“By comparison, the BBC’s similar plan says quite clearly that going digital first will involve closing down television and radio stations. Has anyone been that clear at the ABC? I think not.”
The incumbent, Dr Jane Connors, finishes her term on 30 April.
I am proudly voting for Laura Tingle to be the ABC’s next staff-elected director. In a field of very fine candidates, Laura’s experience, gravitas and ideas are just what we need on the ABC board right at the moment. She’ll be a fierce advocate. @latingle pic.twitter.com/rbv7yLJ6I4
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) March 1, 2023
The 7.30 political editor also tackles the “intensifying political culture wars” head-on.
“I confess I was shocked by how twitchy the ABC was to outside attack when I joined it in 2018,” the former print journalist said. “I think it has improved in the time I’ve been here.
“But it has been a particularly bruising period under the former government, and with the ongoing and daily assault on the ABC and its reporters from News Corp.
“The ABC needs to spend less time second guessing itself. That involves continuing a shift in culture from the top down which gives a greater sense of pride and confidence in the organisation’s record of outstanding journalism, and in its independence from government.”
Van Onselen returns to academia
After four years of daily news reporting Peter van Onselen has quit as Channel Ten political reporter to return to academia.
He leaves with a bullying claim against him and Ten, lodged by former Canberra colleague Tegan George, unresolved.
George alleges Van Onselen undermined and humiliated her, including by backgrounding other journalists against her. She also claims Ten failed to stop Van Onselen from “tormenting” her in social media posts.
Network 10 and Van Onselen have previously denied the claims.
