People at News Corp. was unhappy enough with a question put by Duncan Storrar to Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer on ABC TV Monday night to dig into his past for material for what looks like a smear campaign across the company’s mastheads.
Storrar’s question – You’re gonna lift the tax-free threshold for rich people, why don’t I get it? Why do they get it? – resulted in a poor answer from O’Dwyer that hurt her cause.
Today’s coverage by News Corp. appears to me to be designed to damage the reputation of Mr Storrar. It is a personal attack in page one of newspapers when there are far more important page one news stories.
Mr Storrar’s past has nothing to do with this story, it is not news. News Corp. is again using its newspapers for partisan politics. Shame on them.
Is this a newspaper we should censor and not put on the shelves today?
Fairfax is taking a different approach on this story, looking at the Q&A interaction as news.
I stopped buying the Herald Sun years ago because of this sort of gutter press. They were always sensationalist even back in the days of The Sun but in the last few years its news reporting particularly on politics has hit rock bottom with its cartoon-like front pages etc. I now have no time for that paper or any News Corp venture and that includes news.com, Foxtel.
Surely youre kidding Mark, Mr Storrar ruined the reputation of Mr Storrar. The news is that the ABC Uni politics level producers of QANDA organise, fund and clue up these individuals in a contrived effort to “gotcha” conservatives on the panel. Remember that fine upstanding member of the community Zacky that just happened to be the audience.
Shame on the ABC for such partisan incompetence.
The coverage by Newscorp is starting to look a bit vindictive, but at the end of the day if you go on national television and complain about how hard done by you are you deserve to be scutinised. It’s only human nature to be blind to your own faults and not take responsibility for your failings. Too many people believe they never had a chance when in reality they’ve blow ever chance they’ve been given. May be harsh but sometimes the truth is.
Mr Storrar doesn’t need crowdfunding to buy a toaster he need’s to sue the boss who according to him is only paying $16 an hour casual rates for truck driving, a case of gross underpayment I would have thought. Of course we only have Mr Storrar’s word that that is what he’s being payed, hopefully some journo somewhere is looking into it.
My job as a retailer who sells magazines and newspapers relating to news and current affairs is to remain neutral and provide all publications that target different markets. Whether a publication has political leanings does not concern me as it is the consumers choice to buy or not buy.
That front page is no worse than ABC stacking the Q&A audience and picking questions that tells their narrative.
He’s responsible for the way his life turned out, as are we all.
Why anyone would go on or watch Q&A I’ll never understand.
I would say Mark that you withholding a newspaper from sale because you disapprove of its political leanings is several quantums worse than that newspaper having a political leaning. I can choose not to buy that newspaper, you should not make that choice for me.
Its funny how while all those ABC intellectuals were falling over themselves to support Mr Storrar not one of them mentioned the tax free threshold he was complaining about was raised from $6k to $18.2k only 3 years ago. This was part of the compensation package the Gillard government put in place for the carbon tax they were never going to implement but did. When those awfully unfair conservatives came to power and axed the tax they chose to keep the compensation. Go figure.
Anyway no surprise that Q&A would ignore a fact that doesn’t gel with their narrative.
It is disappointing people feel they have to label others in making their point. Any point ought to stand up on its won without an epithet label.
I’d rather a world where anyone can voice an opinion without the attack we have seen by News Corp. Remember, this is a company the ATO hit with an $800M tax charge and which the current government decided to not pursue. This is politicians making what could be seen as a political decision.
What News does re tax and paying its fair share is far worse than any individual taxpayer on a lower threshold may do.
I don’t quite understand your problem with this Mark. Do you really believe if our national broadcaster puts up someone like Mr Storrar in a blatant political beat up the rest of the country should take it on face value without question? That may be how it works in North Korea but not in Australia.
Steve my concern is the whole of company attack on the character of a person who asked a simple question. The question ought to have been considered isolated. His past is irrelevant yet News has thrown millions of dollars to damage the character of this individual.
I think the question is valid to be asked just as the answer is valid to listen too.
Attacking Mr Storrar for his past or the tax he pays is not relevant to the store.
However, this is what News Corp. does when someone publicly questions the side of politics News supports.
On the issue of the Q&A Audience. I do not think it is stacked.
Q&As Tony Jones left wing attitude spoils what would be a good program
Mark, Mr Storrar’s past has to be relevant as it goes to the heart of his complaint of where his life is at and what is the cause of that, ie government policy or the choices he has made.
I’ve already stated Newscorps coverage is vindictive, that doesn’t mean the questions don’t need asking.
Steve I disagree. The question is about a current situation. How he or others in the situation may have got there is not relevant for if it is deemed relevant then we have to ask about what, for example, small business owners spent money on ten years ago if we are looking at why they may be asking for a better deal today.
I think by all means present both sides of the topic embedded in the question but there is no need to spend millions trying to damage his character.
And how did he end up in his current situation? Oh sorry I forgot we just have to take it on face value without question.
Steve that is a valid question. However, it goes for anyone asking any questions relating to their current situation: How did they get there? This can apply to individuals, business owners, sick people, anyone asking.
So, I am not for one second saying don;t question. I am, however, questioning why News Corp. has spent millions on this one person.
I will listen to your questions about this any day over the disgusting campaign from News.
Mark no one went down to Geelong and pulled an anonymous Mr Storrar out of his house and exposed all his failing to the world. Mr Storrar actually decided through his own free will to go on national TV and complain about how hard done by his life is, it was then open to anyone to question what he believes to be true and expose him as a fraud if that is what he is.
He should never have exposed himself to public scrutiny if his back story is full of holes and Q&A I thought was going to vet their participates better after the Zacky cock up.
Newscorps coverage is still vindictive.
“Is this a newspaper we should censor and not put on the shelves today?”
It’s this typical ‘knee jerk’ reaction that comes from being too PC.
If the common man wants to have a say, so be it.
Just be aware, that when it involves media, clickbait counts. He volunteered an opinion, in an open forum, the exposure looks ugly.
Mark, what did you expect? I’m more alarmed at your quoted response/statement above. Media places $ amounts on ‘shockbait’. It’s lazy as hell, but then isn’t it what celebs complain about.
Steve so everyone who asks a question is open to our pasts being trawled through for any weakness. By all means apply professional journalism to Storer and all the others on all sides of politics but not this. This is appalling, yet typical News Corp chasing a victory for the conservative side of politics.
Was Storer’s question reasonable? In my view, yes. O’Dwyer’s response revealed her as out of her depth.
John, I am not sure which statement you are talking about.
He’s a repeat perpetrator of Domestic Violence. That’s important and was not declared on QandA. There is no excuse and I’m sorry I stand with Rosie Batty, not Duncan.