Hey! @simonahac is moderating #VoicesOfKooyong tonight, now introducing Kerry O'Brien and Cathy McGowan to talk about our eroding democracy! #auspol
Cathy telling us some of her backstory.
Kerry O'Brien now doing the same; marvelous to hear his voice again.
Kerry mentions the corruption he saw in Queensland under Bjelke-Petersen and NSW under Askin. Tonight is going to be searing ... now talking about John Howard ...
Paraphrasing Kerry O'Brien:
Look at the health of your Parliament and your media and that tells you about the health of your democracy.
We are in a state of deep unhealth. "I am deeply, deeply concerned."
O'Brien:
Our two major parties have become corporatized.
Politicians are all careerists now.
It's not about the right thing to do; 'how will this affect my career' is more likely to be the question.
They are too slick; they're too preset; and so often directed from the top; so often even Ministers and backbenchers and staff can't move without a nod from the top.
That's not the way you get fluency in politics.
O'Brien is in full flight. Very passionate.
We are in the process of denying young people from owning their own homes. That's just one. If we had time, I could give you 20 at least. And climate change is the biggest.
He's here to talk to us about saving the ABC.
In pursuit of the truth, O'Brien says you cannot go past the ABC. He is left speechless to understand just what it is that drives people to want it gone.
Back:
O'Brien is ripping IPA a new one. "The ABC is dangerous for democracy." The ABC is the absolute opposite of everything said by the IPA but is being repeated by elected officials!
He wants people to think about this on voting day. And to stop voting blindly.
Has the 4th estate failed to do its job, leading to the erosion of our democracy?
O'Brien: Utterly. Absolutely.
There are so many ways the gov manufactures the circumstances that prevent journalists from doing their jobs.
The Friday night drops. The huge reports with no time to read. Example from Britain on 9/11 of email sent out asking was there any bad news that could be put out.
O'Brien does not approve of what Morrison said abt NSWICAC. "Lots of Qs raised that have yet to be answered; unhealthy to see that body attacked in the way it has been & to have its processes called into question without knowing what the outcome is going to be—is just wrong."
O'Brien bemused about Labor having to agree to something before Morrison will bring it into the house (the federal ICAC legislation). "If that's how things worked, they'd only have to sit two days a year."
Both parties have lost their way on factionalism according to O'Brien. Used the example of Ed Husic needing to step down from the front bench for Kristina Keneally. I do so agree.
Cathy McGowan is very pumped about independents like Zoe Daniels. That's it for these two guests. And me.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.