National disreputeBy phill PARSONSThere are times when government or industry bring Tasmania into national disrepute and just occasionally they combine for a king hit. Unfortunately, they are increasingly common unlike some of our plants and animals. Sunday, Sept 26 has become a prime example, a lesson through the ages to be cited at every journalism school in the country. George Monbiot would be proud that a journalist was not cowed by threats of legal action and attacks on their reputation. The Sunday program and Graham Davis in particular has destroyed any faith the general public might have had that ethics, fairness, balance, truth, research and perspective may play a part in their practice of government in Tasmania. Through distortion, misrepresentation, selective quoting, bias, innuendo, blinkered vision and amateurism the government has undermined confidence in public health in Tasmania. Why else would Minister Kons be so foolish and drink a glass supposedly tainted with unknown ppb of Atrazine except in an attempt to restore that confidence. Keep going men and women of Tasmania, make Gunns shareholders rich, never mind that you may suffer cancers and die. You, and those who put you up to this should come clean. Loyal Tasmanians have been crying foul since at least 1967 and all the time that foulness has grown until greed rules over responsible government. The damage to the Tasmanian brand can be repaired, all it requires is for the special interest regime to end, for the government to govern for all and not just their mates and to stand up and build that job rich future that lies in processing our own clean and green product. Shame on you Bruce for being such a toady. Having met Graham Davis, leading presenter on the Sunday Program, once, he seemed capable of understanding the issue. You may not agree with his views Monty. Expressing them is what a democracy is supposed to be about. He did not report events that did not happen. Without the Tasmanian Times the silence of dissent would remind one of a pine plantation on a still day. One only has to watch the flaming fall of Rod Scott to see how a pen for hire can light the path to change. I would start looking for another position, things will change at your work too. phill Parsons does not know who put Graham Davis up to it, he can only guess that the blaring bloody obvious covered up by the supposed representatives of the fourth estate in Tasmania for many years was too attractive to be left unreported. After all Monty your machinations in manipulation are not unknown. Government and industry refused to appear, giving the impression they must have something to hide. Their advisers have failed them and guess what, they do have something to hide, the water test results showed it. They have failed all Tasmanians by building a paper image without substance. Time to stand up for Tasmania and clean up the water supply.
phill Parsons
RAPID RESPONSE EMAIL: What do you think? Friday, October 1, 2004 |