When Julie Bishop and Jenny Morrison were on the political stage they were praised for their fashion sense and for showcasing Australian designers.
Not so Laura Chalmers, who was targeted for wearing an outfit with a $1,900 price tag to watch the delivery of her husband’s third budget.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ wife Laura stole the show in a buttery Carla Zampatti dress while her husband debuted his second budget consecutive surplus > https://t.co/FQPPGGRNMc pic.twitter.com/NWdyg8GpmB
— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) May 14, 2024
Laura Chalmers, who is the national editor-in-chief of News Corp’s Saturday Weekend Magazine, was described in the Herald Sun as stealing the show “in a buttery Carla Zampatti dress”.
The coverage prompted the former News Corp journalist Madonna King to ask why the papers were focusing on the “missus” of the treasurer – as one paper had it – who “happens to be a very talented journalist” in her own right.
The commentary soon turned from sexist to accusing the couple of being out of touch for wearing a designer outfit with a “hefty price tag”.
“Jim Chalmers is branded out-of-touch over his wife’s Budget act – as his eye-watering salary re-emerges: ‘This is gold tier tone deaf’,” said the Daily Mail headline.
The Mail’s new political editor, Peter van Onselen, was just warming up.
“Jim Chalmers and his wife Laura foolishly forgot to pretend they’re at one with the common people on the night it REALLY matters – and now they’ll pay the price,” PVO said.
Jim Chalmers is branded out-of-touch over his wife's Budget act - as his eye-watering salary re-emerges: 'This is gold tier tone deaf' https://t.co/quVvMvXxsW
— Daily Mail Australia (@DailyMailAU) May 15, 2024
When Scott Morrison was PM, his wife Jenny was praised by the Australian’s political correspondent as the “first lady of fashion” for wearing Australian designers Zampatti and Ginger & Smart on a visit to the US.
On 3AW Jacqui Felgate fumed about the tabloids claiming the treasurer was “out of touch” because of what his wife wore.
“She’s a successful woman in her own right, who can buy and wear whatever she likes,” Felgate said.
“How is this still a discussion in 2024? … It’s time to shut up.”
The budget radio chat that crossed a line
After a big announcement like the budget, the prime minister does the rounds of the media – even the FM radio programs that thrive on stunts and crude banter. On Fox FM, Albanese was asked why governments can’t “wipe debt and just start again” and how governments “know the world’s going to be ending at some point in the future”.
The PM happily engages in the frivolity while getting across his message, but one exchange crossed a line, it would appear.
On Perth’s Nova 93.7 with Nathan, Nat & Shaun, the PM found himself saying hi to Nathan’s mum, who was apparently lying in bed, naked, clutching his photograph.
Nat: Are you gonna do a Rove and say hi to your mum for me?
PM: Of course I am! Of course I am. We love our mums and …
Nathan: She likes it when you use her name. It’s Marlene. Say it to her, she’s in bed right now, speak to her. Say it to her.
PM: G’day Marlene, I’m glad you’re feeling better.
Nathan: She sleeps with nothing on.
PM: And I hope Nathan gave you a fantastic Mother’s Day present!
Nathan: I did! It’s a picture of you that’s she’s holding right now naked in bed …
The offending exchange was cut out of the official transcript issued by the prime minister’s office.
Papers line up billionaires for budget attack
The Labor budget also revealed an astounding hypocrisy when it comes to the coverage of government largesse for high earners.
The News Corp papers were outraged that the $300 energy bill rebate was not means-tested and went so far as to line up billionaires to criticise it.
“Dick Smith to donate $300 bill relief as millionaires rally against Albo’s budget,” said Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.
The tone was in stark contrast to coverage of the Labor government’s changes to the stage-three tax cuts a few months back.
When it was announced that due to the cost-of-living crisis those earning above $150,000 would get a smaller tax cut than they otherwise would have, all hell broke loose.
“Albanese’s Tax Ambush,” said the front page of the Australian, and the stable framed the move as an attack on aspiration. The Oz: “Bad day for aspiration.” The Herald Sun: “Albo’s war on aspiration.”
ABC’s first female news director honoured
The ABC’s first female news director was due to receive an honorary doctorate on Friday when the RMIT Council acknowledged Kate Torney for her contribution to the media, arts and culture.
Torney ran ABC News from 2009 to 2015 and was key to the broadcaster’s digital transformation, before going on to lead the State Library Victoria.
“I had the privilege of working as a journalist for 25 years and for 25 years I was on a deadline, and every deadline was critical, and seemingly catastrophic if not met,” she said ahead of her acceptance speech. “It was exhilarating, extraordinary and sometimes exhausting.
“My advice to my younger self, and to you, is to be brave enough to pause, to take a breath now and again. Very few things in life are genuinely urgent … embrace your daydreams.”
Since 2021 she’s been the chief executive of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.
In the diary: News Corp ‘catch-up’
Victorian ministers now open up their diaries to the public after changes introduced last year under the premier, Jacinta Allan. One recent entry, dated 27 February, caught our eye.
“Business luncheon meeting with News Corp” was very well-attended by all the big names from the Murdochs’ Australian operation, including the chair of the Herald and Weekly Times, Penny Fowler, the national executive editor, Peter Blunden, and the Sky News chief, Paul Whittaker. Many of the editors of the mastheads were there too: Michelle Gunn (the Australian), Sam Weir and Nick Papps (Herald Sun), James Wagstaff (the Weekly Times) and Lisa Muxworthy (news.com.au).
We can’t tell you what was discussed with the premier’s director of media, Nathan Motton, and chief of staff, Matt Phelan, but the purpose of the meeting was marked “media catch-up”.
More brickbats as Walkley Foundation drops Ampol
While many in the media were celebrating the Walkley Foundation’s decision not to renew its major sponsorship deal with the fossil fuel company Ampol, the Australian took a different view, attaching the word “shameful” to the headline on the front page of its online media section, a quote from the Daily Telegraph cartoonist Warren Brown included in its report of the decision.
After a two-year partnership which attracted much opprobrium and boycotts, the Walkleys changed its donation policy to sever ties with companies whose dealings “offer no tangible benefit to humanity”.
The campaign, kicked off by cartoonist Jon Kudelka, was supported by Climate 200, which teamed up with the Climate Council and Australian Cartoonists Association to host a dedicated climate cartoon award.
Brown told the Oz the move made the cartoonists who protested “look like a pack of imbeciles”.
“For Christ’s sake, we draw funny pictures for a living and pillory people and what cartoonists are doing is cruelling it for other cartoonists,” Brown said.
“They’re biting the hand that feeds them.
“How are they going to get to the Walkleys, in a Tesla or on a solar-powered pogo stick?”
Even though AMPOL is a retailer rather than an oil or gas explorer and is rolling out EV charging points.
— Peter Ryan OAM (@Peter_F_Ryan) May 16, 2024
The ABC’s senior business correspondent, Peter Ryan, was also unimpressed by the decision, saying Ampol was a retailer rather than an oil or gas explorer “and is rolling out EV charging points”.
For the record, Ampol fuel sales were up 17% to 28.4bn litres last financial year.
