It is rare indeed for a journalist to break a big story while simultaneously being at the centre of another big story – all in a space of a single day. But as Peter van Onselen prepared to ask Scott Morrison his bombshell question about the “psycho” text messages at the National Press Club on Tuesday, news was breaking that he was named in a lawsuit brought against the Ten network by political reporter Tegan George.
It was a milestone day for the political academic, who was dubbed “the work experience kid” when former editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell hired him as a columnist at the Australian 13 years ago, praising him as “the next Paul Kelly”.
Ten’s political editor has been accused of undermining and humiliating George, according to a statement of claim filed in the federal court, a claim he denies.
With trademark confidence, PVO soldiered on, appearing on TV and radio to talk about his scoop. Later, the prime minister had a sledge of his own, saying: “The journalist who raised it is facing his own questions,” when he was asked about the texts in which the PM was called a “horrible person” by Gladys Berejiklian.
When PVO didn’t appear on his usual commentary slot on RN Breakfast on Thursday many wondered: had the ABC dumped him in light of the allegations?
Well, no, but he has been dumped. The new RN host, Patricia Karvelas, has replaced Van Onselen with Guardian Australia’s Katharine Murphy. Weekly Beast understands the decision has nothing to do with the lawsuit, or his much-maligned column about the former Australian of the Year Grace Tame. PK’s new team wanted more gender diversity; and will now have three male and three female commentators over the week: Michelle Grattan, Phil Coorey, David Crowe, Murph, and Samantha Maiden and David Speers on Fridays for a look back at the week in politics.
Ten colleagues back Tegan George
A fundraiser set up for George’s legal fees raised more than $42,000 in a couple of days, some of it from Ten colleagues who told us they had contributed anonymously. But some brave souls felt so strongly about showing their support for the political reporter they’ve put their names to their donations.
On The Project my rage bubbled to the surface. That’s what happens when women are no longer willing to make nice @AmyRemeikis https://t.co/dpVGQrKCpQ
— Narelda Jacobs (@NareldaJacobs10) January 26, 2022
A senior Ten reporter, Lachlan Kennedy, chucked in $100, as did the Studio 10 host Narelda Jacobs. Ten is yet to file its defence.
Nicknames nixed
The ABC News Breakfast co-host Michael Rowland has announced that the program will be a “Scomo” and “Albo”-free zone this election period.
Our very own @BreakfastNews election year pledge:
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) January 30, 2022
We promise to be a 'Scomo' & 'Albo'-free zone. Nicknames for political leaders have no place on our show. Someone has to maintain standards.
And pollies using nicknames for us face the instant dump button!
Thank you.😀 #auspol
Viewers had some other requests: asking if ABC presenters could stop referring to Karvelas as “PK” and Andrew Probyn as “Probes”. They also asked if the Murdoch papers could be dropped from the media wrap of the day.
Markson’s Modi moment
There aren’t many journalists who would welcome a personal gift from a world leader, never mind publicising the largesse.
But Sharri Markson was so “deeply honoured” to receive flowers and a “generous personal letter” from the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, she shared it with her followers on Twitter.
Thank you enormously @PMOIndia @narendramodi.
— Sharri Markson (@SharriMarkson) January 30, 2022
I’m deeply honoured to receive your generous personal letter and flowers on India’s Republic Day in recognition of my reporting on the origins of Covid-19. @HCICanberra @cgisydney @MEAIndia #whatreallyhappenedinwuhan pic.twitter.com/fRb57ggXRP
In her book What Really Happened in Wuhan, and on Sky News Australia and in the Australian, Markson argued that a Wuhan Institute of Virology staffer could have been accidentally infected with Covid-19 and carried it outside. She also raised the possibility that the institute’s research is not just to “stay ahead” of possible future pandemics but to engineer viruses as potential bioweapons.
Markson’s reporting on Covid’s origins got particular traction in India, where the bioweapon theory was a defence against the government’s mishandling of the country’s collapsing health system.
Show’s over
The Sunrise co-host David Koch was excited when he introduced Andrew Whitehouse, a professor of autism research, to discuss a “fascinating” new study which drew “a link between baby boys exposed to screen time and a greater risk of being diagnosed with autism”. Kochie told viewers that 84,000 toddlers had been monitored over three years to find that “one-year-old boys who spent more time in front of a screen were more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder”.
“Andrew, how significant are these findings?” Kochie asked.
A new study has found boys who spent more time watching screens at age one were more likely to be on the autism spectrum at age three than other toddlers. pic.twitter.com/M7yBlAIs6F
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) February 1, 2022
“Look, Kochie, in two words, not very,” Whitehouse said, knocking the wind right out of Kochie’s sails and causing him to pretend to wind up the interview immediately.
“It’s really important that we put these kinds of findings in context,” Whitehouse said. “This association doesn’t equal causation here. It could actually be caused by any number of factors and what the study very clearly does not show is a causal link between early screen time and a later diagnosis of autism.”
Humble pie
The first Newspoll of 2022 was bad news for the Coalition, showing popular support has slumped to the lowest levels since the 2018 Liberal leadership spill and Morrison’s approval ratings are tumbling.
Not that you’d know it if you glanced at the Australian’s pie charts, posted on social media on Monday.
Do not buy pie from The Australian pic.twitter.com/I3IYySPkCi
— Greg Jericho (@GrogsGamut) January 30, 2022
The Australian’s graphic did not represent the pie pieces as the numbers had indicated, resulting in Morrison’s and the Coalition’s support looking more significant than it was.
While conspiracy theories abounded that the Oz had tried to make Albanese’s support look smaller, the explanation is likely to be more mundane. The pie chart graphic used by the Oz has stayed largely the same for months so some genius just changed the numbers without adjusting the size of the slices, distorting the proportions. The Australian was quick to delete the posts.
Sandilands’ 12-minute spray
When KIIS FM newsreader Brooklyn Ross led the bulletin on The Kyle and Jackie O Show with the story about Scott Morrison being called a “horrible person” by colleagues, it infuriated co-host Kyle Sandilands who believed it was “not real news”.
Kyle launched a 12-minute expletive-laden rant at the newsreader and his co-host, after which he stormed out, leaving Jackie to present the show solo for the rest of the morning.
Now, it may just have been another FM radio stunt to gain attention – drama, bad language and high jinks are common – but the language the popular host used may have been blue enough to attract the attention of the media watchdog.
“Actually, I’m a little bit annoyed,” he said just after at 6am on Wednesday. “This is the biggest news in Australia, and it’s all over nothing.
“This is not real news. If this is the news just go on the TV and radio today and say ‘no news is good news’. Don’t make up fictitious bullshit drama over nothing.”
When Jackie and Brooklyn argued that it was newsworthy, Sandilands labelled her an idiot and told the newsreader his career was “over”.
“We don’t have to run around every time some cocksucker from the ABC asks a question,” Kyle said, apparently missing the fact it was Ten’s Van Onselen who asked the question.
“Fuck this joint,” he said. “Do the show by yourself. What a fucking show it will be.”
If listeners complain to the station and are unhappy with the response, the Australian Communications and Media Authority will investigate, a spokesperson said.
While the $100m media mogul has apologised he maintains he has every right to “decide what the news is”.
“Well, every right, because I run the show,” Sandilands said. “I’m not an employee ... I don’t work for anyone.”
