Why the Press Gallery Failed Us, and Why They Will Again R
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R INSIDE Volume 64 I 4 WHY THE PRESS GALLERY FAILED US, AND WHY THEY WILL AGAIN R haphazard administrative style. And hidden, or revealing facts that make journalists decided not to write powerful figures uncomfortable, is JAMES PATERSON about the fact that Rudd was widely arduous and often thankless. Yet it is Editor hated by Labor MPs. the true essence of the best reportage; Button was a speech writer uninterested in consequences, just way back in 2009. Since then, the focused on pursuing the truth.’ problems have only become worse. Kevin Rudd’s behaviour had real JOHN ROSKAM We face a perfect storm. First: consequences. Because he had Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs many journalists have abandoned no faith in his ministers, Rudd their traditional notions of encouraged his personal staff to objectivity. Second: governments make policy decisions without and bureaucracies have built up input from ministers and their ne of the most revealing vast armies of communications departments. That was how the Why the press gallery failed stories in modern professionals, whose job is to drip tragedy of Labor’s ‘pink-batts’ Australian politics comes feed good news stories and ‘manage’ came about. One of the reasons from James Button—a the way the press covers its failures. the National Broadband Network, Ospeechwriter for Kevin Rudd for a These changes have been a long time the largest infrastructure project in us, and why they will again short time in 2009. coming. Thirdly: the Australian the country’s history, didn’t have Button’s recent and fascinating media has finally been hit by a long- a cost-benefit analysis applied to book, Speechless: A year in my father’s running world-wide phenomenon: it was because the policy didn’t go John Roskam and James Paterson argue we can no longer business, details the now familiar the breakdown of the news industry through any sort of regular cabinet rely on the media to hold governments to account. story of chaos and confusion under business model. process. It was conceived only as Rudd’s prime ministership. Cabinet In other words, we have fewer an ‘announceable’—a media stunt deliberations were routinely stalled journalists, those journalists have for the political benefit of the and abandoned. Bureaucrats waited stronger and more explicit political government. to submit briefings until he went opinions, and they face off against When Rudd was deposed in overseas and his deputy, Julia Gillard, more professional media managers June 2010 it came as a complete could be trusted to make decisions. than ever before. shock to voters. The public were Advisers flew across the world for in- Journalist Chris Kenny recently mystified that someone who had flight meetings that never eventuated. attempted to explain why so many led the ALP to victory against John ‘Around Canberra,’ Button writes, of Australia’s political journalists Howard in December 2007 could ‘it was widely said that Rudd’s refused to cover the story of be dumped the way he was. At the leadership style was dysfunctional.’ Julia Gillard’s dealings with the time Labor MPs stayed disciplined Nothing demonstrates the failure Australian Workers Union. What and no-one gave an explanation of Australia’s journalists to tell the he said also applies to the coverage for what had happened. It was only public the real story than these of Kevin Rudd’s time as prime when Rudd attempted a comeback two words: ‘around Canberra’. The minister. earlier this year that the truth Canberra press gallery, comfortable ‘The foundation of journalism is finally emerged. in their wing of parliament house, curiosity, so it is confounding to This time they spoke out. Labor knew Kevin Rudd was mad. They see journalists display deliberate backbencher Steve Gibbons called knew his government was wildly and selective incuriosity. Paid to be Rudd a ‘psychopath’. Gibbons said spinning out of control. They traded stickybeaks, journalists are expected to that Rudd had a ‘chaotic and deeply stories among themselves; they gather information and share it with offensive style of leadership’. Wayne speculated how long Rudd could people. The entire disposition of their Swan said that as PM Rudd had keep it from falling apart. craft is towards transparency, inquiry suffered from ‘dysfunctional But they didn’t tell us. and revelation. Too much information decision making and a deeply While Kevin Rudd was prime is never enough. Their primary function demeaning attitude towards other minister journalists decided is as simple as it is challenging - to people including our caucus not to write about his rude reveal the truth. Journalism is never colleagues’. (This of course raises and vindictive treatment of his so valuable, nor so testing, as when it the question of why Swan tolerated colleagues. Journalists decided not reveals unpalatable truths. Shedding such behaviour from Rudd as to write about his disorganised and light on information others would prefer his treasurer.) 6 IPA Review | ipa.org.au DECEMBER 2012 | IPA Review 7 R WHY THE PRESS GALLERY FAILED US, AND WHY THEY WILL AGAIN Volume 64 I 4 POLITICAL REPORTER R treatment of the flight attendant is public opinion. ‘The government to work. In a recent profile for the her background prior to becoming Media advisers exactly why Swan said Rudd was ran a media machine, better staffed Crikey website, The Power Index, her a journalist: ‘Kelly…was involved in employed by The story of unsuited to be prime minister. At than most media outlets, which journalist listeners gushed with praise. the feminist movement and marched chaos and the time then Coalition senator bombarded the press with daily ‘Fran is like the Madonna of in anti-nuclear, environmental and confusion under governments Kevin Rudd: Nick Minchin talked about what the announceables.’ the journalism world. You don’t Aboriginal rights rallies in her youth.’ across Australia Speechless: media wanted to ignore. ‘Those of The explanation that it was even need to say her surname. It’s Indeed, in March this year while A year in my us who work and live in Parliament because of budget cuts that the just Fran,’ said ABC colleague Sally being interviewed by the Sydney father’s business House have known for years there’s Canberra press gallery didn’t tell the Neighbour. Fairfax columnist Ross Morning Herald for a profile, she two sides to Kevin Rudd, and that nation about the reality of Kevin Gittins says her radio program is admitted ‘what I am, really am, 1,600 behind closed doors he’s prone to Rudd’s prime ministership doesn’t ‘unmissable for serious followers is an activist’. Federal government temper tantrums and this sort of give the media enough credit. The of politics’. Crikey described her Ironically, in a previous (source: The Australian, August 2012) CONTINUED belittling and very bad behaviour members of the press gallery in regular segment with The Age’s interview with Crikey, Kelly accused In the end it wasn’t the with his own staff.’ What Minchin Parliament House are not so dumb political editor Michelle Grattan The Australian newspaper of being government that fell apart, it was said is exactly what any Labor MP that they missed, in Button’s words, as ‘appointment listening for the ‘completely skewed on issues like Rudd’s leadership, because of could have said about Rudd—and ‘the biggest story in Canberra.’ political class.’ climate change and the NBN’. 822 the things that Button describes. subsequently did. Members of the press gallery simply Victoria As Button makes clear what was Button writes that it was only after chose not to write about ‘the biggest THIS TIME THEY SPOKE OUT. LABOR (source: Herald Sun, October 2010) happening was no secret. Public Rudd was on the backbench that the story in Canberra’ because it didn’t BACKBENCHER STEVE GIBBONS CALLED RUDD A servants do one thing well and details of his behaviour emerged. suit their purposes. Journalists were >‘PSYCHOPATH’. GIBBONS SAID THAT RUDD HAD A another thing often: they watch ‘But this story [of Rudd’s dysfunction and too busy cheering for the apology, ‘CHAOTIC AND DEEPLY OFFENSIVE STYLE OF LEADERSHIP’ their ministers obsessively, and rudeness] did not hit the papers until action on climate change, and Kevin 156 then they talk about their minister much later, after Rudd had gone. It was Rudd saving Australia from the global NSW incessantly. There’s no way Rudd strange to me, a former journalist. Were financial crisis. Kelly is also a regular panellist But one journalist’s biases on its (source: Herald Sun, October 2010) could act the way he did without it the media so out of touch they couldn’t Many journalists and news on Insiders, the ABC’s flagship own don’t prove the press gallery is getting out. And it did get out and it spot the biggest story in Canberra, how outlets now barrack for one side or program for discussing conventional flawed. But that Kelly continues to was known widely in Canberra, but it the whole functioning and fate of the the other. Long gone are the days political wisdom. It was on the hold such a prominent post at the was just that the media didn’t report government seemed to hinge on the when the vast majority of journalists Insiders couch that Kelly made an ABC, and the obvious admiration 401 it. While Rudd was in office one or psychology of one man? In hindsight, attempted a degree of objectivity unintentionally revealing comment of her colleagues, following her Queensland two stories about his tantrums did I think it would have been better if in their reporting of politics.