There’s a loose historical rule of the thumb that one of the rare occasions when power structures are properly exposed is when there’s an internal conflict within them. This is when it becomes in the interests of those within to either reveal what’s really going on, or ally with forces outside in their own interests.
As a result of the Liberals’ leadership debacle, we’re now seeing the role played by media proprietors Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Stokes in the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull, with conversations between all three being detailed in multiple media outlets — along with the inevitable outraged denials and distractions from News Corp functionaries.
None of this comes as any surprise. Stephen Conroy spoke of News Corp’s campaign of “regime change” against the Gillard government in 2011, which involved, inter alia, fictitious stories of misconduct by Gillard years before she entered parliament. In the UK, Murdoch’s outlets have actually boasted of the role they play in winning elections. The only noteworthy aspect in all this is Murdoch arguing that a Labor government would only last three years, suggesting his outlets will work to that end. But even there, that will come as no surprise. The relentless campaigning of News Corp is simply part of the political landscape that Labor has to operate within.
One person eager to make a lot of the details emerging about Turnbull’s ouster is the perpetually limelight-deprived Kevin Rudd, who wants a royal commission into Murdoch’s influence, partly on the basis that Murdoch’s outlets ran a “vicious campaign” in favour of Tony Abbott in 2013.
Hate to break it to you Kevin, but News Corp’s campaigning for Abbott had virtually nothing to do with you losing in 2013 — that was all down to you, your relentless undermining of Julia Gillard and your apparent complete lack of ideas about what you wanted to do once you’d got the prime ministership back.
And it’s pretty rich to see Rudd complaining about the influence of News Corp, given his relationships with local editors like Chris Mitchell (Rudd is godfather to one of Mitchell’s children) and how he made the now ritualistic trip to New York to pay homage to Murdoch in 2007 and tipping off the media about it. Julia Gillard did the same in 2011. So did Tony Abbott in 2014. As Tony Wright accurately noted, Murdoch doesn’t come to Australian prime ministers, they go to him.
No wonder Murdoch appears to have been reluctant to take Turnbull’s call: according to Fairfax (and former Australian) journalist David Crowe, the Murdoch-Turnbull call “was the result of several days of organisation on both sides”.
The narrative of sinister Murdoch hiring and firing prime ministers is, at the very least, incomplete, when prime ministers feel they need the Murdoch benediction and seek it out. And Murdoch — or Stokes — has no votes inside the Liberal partyroom. If MPs are stupid enough to be influenced by the parade of night-time clowns on Sky into dumping a prime minister, that’s on them more than the Murdochs and their executives — particularly given it has sent them spiralling from a competitive position in the polls to facing a landslide loss.
You can regulate for media ownership and influence. You can’t regulate for stupidity.
Your point is valid BK, lickspittle MP’s seeking favourable coverage may court Murdoch’s favour but at what cost to the electorate whose interest they are elected to represent?
Basically Murdoch’s media empire is not interested only to report political news they seek to influence/ control the Australian political system. China or Murdoch neither should be overly considered in any government or political party decisions. And both could be curtailed under current legislature but the political will is entirely lacking, bilateral party MP’s fawn over both Murdoch & China for favours.
Addit- Why did Rupert’s Chinese spy wife Wendy not become a bigger news event? Rupert himself has tacitly admitted her to be a functionary of the Chinese government?
As soon as I heard Mary Kissel (Wall Street Journal) being interviewed about the attempt to unseat Malcontent, roughly 2 weeks before J Edgar Tuber’s putsch, I knew he was gone, gone, gone. She was pushing the shrivelled one’s sentiments word for word – clearly not up to the job, etc. etc.
The WSJ two weeks previous! OMG! I wonder what shares changed hands as a result?
“Hate to break it to you Kevin, but News Corp’s campaigning for Abbott had virtually nothing to do with you losing in 2013 — that was all down to you, your relentless undermining of Julia Gillard and your apparent complete lack of ideas about what you wanted to do once you’d got the prime ministership back.”
Ain’t that the truth! The 2013 election was the only one in which I have ever chosen not to vote. Faced with the choice between Abbott and Rudd as PM, though I lived in the electorate of neither, and working overseas with AusAID (which Abbott closed shortly after) I exercised my entitlement not to vote.
Would it be reasonable to assume that your decision and the decision of others like you may have assisted in the election of the Abbott government and the demise of AusAID?
I’d say so. LNP voters always turn up.
Doubt it. Mine is a safe ALP seat and the incumbent won as he has since the election Keating lost. Abbott was always going to close down Australia’s aid budget and all support for neighbouring countries – he closed Australia Network, too, at roughly the same time.
Great Christian Western Civilised man that he is.
There’s also the votes that are required for the senate ticket and it also helps to show how you feel about the Abbotts of this world, even if it is only on Election Day. Can’t believe you gave up and considered it wouldn’t matter if Abbott as PM was inflicted on us! To think you couldn’t see the chasm that was the difference between the policies of both parties. Something most Australians, many who supported the Libs, soon realised – too late!
It says something about the political intelligence of so many Australians that they continue to play the personality, rather than the policy when they vote, or chose not to, which of course is illegal in our country.
I disliked and still dislike Rudd intensely for his actions after losing the leadership.
Nonetheless, it is undeniable that if not for News Corp and the Liberal Party and all the mining and business lobby groups going after Rudd with a grossly dishonest campaign, a campaign the rest of the press gallery barring Laura Tingle was 100% supine in, to the extent they weren’t simply complicit in it, the moment where any respect I had for Australian journalism vanished never to return, it never would have happened.
The mining tax campaign was the moment we all realised that the downfall of a Prime Minister could be bought, at least if the media was prepared to just go along with the bought-and-paid-for propaganda, which they were.
Still struggling with dislike of Rudd myself, but the last para here is spot on and has to be the dominant perspective.
Given the hyper hysteria over russian election ‘influence’, one would expect border force to be actively investigating murdoch and spawn with the view of charging them with subversion of our electoral processes.
Once a politician curries favour with Murdoch there’s only one option further down the track ie: to be out of favour. All our PMs fall for it having first been courted and, in time, anointed by the media moghul. Alas, it always ends in tears.
Many voters once judged Turnbull as successful and smart. But the wily barrister was used by Murdoch in the manner of a clueless drug mule. Turnbull destroyed a premium quality NBN and then changed the ‘two out of three’ media ownership regulations. Having done Murdoch’s bidding there was no outstanding business hence no reason to keep him around. But why did Murdoch remove him?
Because an ageing lion wanted to demonstrate that he could. It’s an old trick: slaughtering an animal in front of the herd puts them all on notice.
I still do not understand why Murdoch went for Turnbull. He even withdrew the NEG. What more did old Rupert want?
Polls – same thing when Howard began to stink.
Turnbull’s carcase was hanging in the breeze fanned by the back bench blowflies.
“Gallows polls” if you like.
“Rupert, Rupert, hold it a little while
Think I see my caucus coming
Ridin’ many a smile.
Friends did you get pork barrels?
Tell ’em what they wanna be told?
What did you bring me my dear friends
To keep me from the gallows poll?
What did you bring me to keep me from the gallows poll?…..”
Love it when the drums come in!
The Credlin – when she turned to lead in Rupert’s Abbott’s saddle bags.
….. Then he gave her a “job” on his SKY Dept; of Propaganda – because of her politics?
And because he’s a sick control freak who gets off on cutting others down, just because he can – as shown in a documentary on him a few years back.
He just wanted the scalp.
It’s interesting that leaders beat a path to Rupert – maybe , like his employees , they know what is expected of them ?
A Royal Commission would be appropriate -the old paradigms need to change . It’s time for Rupey to have his wings clipped , as happened in the UK . Suddenly the pollies there were emboldened as though a yoke had been lifted – wouldn’t that be nice here .
ScoMo your goose is cooked regardless ; he can’t hurt you . Go for the jugular !