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Election 2013 media panel

Richo calls it like it is

Two developments this late afternoon of Day 3 - Richo, as his Sky News fans know him (Graham Richardson to the rest of us) tells David Speers on PM Agenda that no commercial media will scrutinise or challenge Coalition tax cut announcements. This is not good, says Richo, and we have to agree. Here’s hoping his own show can do some proper Fourth Estate journalism on the Coalition pitch.

Development number two - Anthony Albanese caught supping beer with Craig Thomson last night. Nothing to it, claims Anthony, looking guilty as sin; merely a parliamentarian associating with another parliamentarian, as you do.

In normal times maybe, but appearances are important in election campaigns, and the taint of ALP corruption hangs high over the government. Deputy prime ministers really should not be seen in public with individuals who are accused of the sorts of transgressions Mr Thomson claims to be innocent of. It smacks of old left arrogance, and that sense of entitlement which underpins the corruption scandals currently swirling around Labor.

Notwithstanding the protests in some circles about how Rupert Murdoch’s Australian media might influence this election, corruption is the government’s Achilles’ Heel. And that, frankly, has nothing to do with News Corp.

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