Last weekend’s edition of The Australian made it clear Newscorpse has Queensland Premier Annastacia Palazczuk in its sights…. yes, we know, yet again! They’ve doubled down again today.
The main question the bitter, washed-up old hacks who compile this column asked after the first salvo last Saturday was a simple one: how are supposedly reputable, fair and balanced news organisations going to respond?
Ignore The Oz for what it is …. and take its claim that Palaszczuk has lost the support of ‘key players’ with a pinch of salt – or will they be their bunnies and follow them blindly down whatever rabbit hole that biased, rightwing, broadshit is digging to undermine Labor in Queensland?
Sadly, we had the answer fairly early, with the ABC’s 7pm news service out of Brisbane last Saturday night backing to the hilt the Oz story’s claims of rank and file and perhaps even ministerial rumblings over the premier’s recent performances, which the MGH accepts have not been great.
Here’s Ellen Fanning’s lead-in: “A Queensland government minister has shot down speculation (The Oz?) that key labor figures have turned on the premier and called on her to stand down before Christmas”.
Now let’s hear from reporter Michelle Tapper: “The controversy over new youth detention laws has given rise to leadership speculation (The Oz?) with reports (The Oz?) that some senior Labor figures want a change at the top before the next election.
“With rumours swirling (The Oz?) the Premier flew out of Brisbane today, heading overseas on holiday.”
Look, can we at the MGH apologise up front for those childish, cynical insertions – (The Oz?) – above.
Instead, we congratulate Michelle Tapper for finding what looks like the very same sources that The Australian used. But with this suggestion: just to cover herself, maybe she should throw in a “the senior Labor figures I spoke to asked not to be named” or “they spoke on the condition of anonymity” here and there.
And maybe work a little closer with your newsreader to settle on whether these Labor folk want Palaszczuk gone by Xmas or by the October 2024 election. There’s almost a year’s difference there.
And, some days later, how is the debate going about the extent of these internal party mutterings about whether Palaszczuk is close to her use-by date?
On Monday night, ABC newsreader Jessica van Vonderen was still talking about Labor MPs being forced again to fend off speculation (The Oz?) about the future of the Premier with Acting Premier Steven Miles again rejecting reports (The Oz?) of internal disatisfaction with Palaszczuk, and state political reporter Kate McKenna explaining that senior ministers were again asked more “leadership questions” amid “internal chatter” (The Oz?) about the Premier’s leadership.
Once again, our MGH hacks apologise for those childish (The Oz?) insertions. But once again, they think some attribution, no matter how guarded or qualified, would be the professional thing to do.
So, as this week has unfolded, various media outlets continue to bang on about leadership speculation in Queensland and who might replace Palaszczuk, with much talk still about internal party mutterings at all levels. The David Crisafulli Hour – sorry, Nine News Brisbane – continues to give the Opposition Leader plenty of time to deliver his “if you can’t govern yourselves you can’t govern Queensland” line. Always packs a punch.
The Australian must be mightily proud of having led the way last Saturday and over how it is continuing to lead the fight with today’s effort (below).
The MGH particular salutes The Oz for its clever use of the word “terminal” seeing the Premier had admitted to some health issues. Wishing thinking on the national broadshit’s part?
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