Off the Record: Advertiser scoop annoys rivals, Labor party pollies take their masks off, Waite-ing for an answer
In Off the Record this week, rivals riled by Advertiser scoop, and Labor politicians snap an awkward selfie.
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In Off the Record this week, rivals are riled by Advertiser scoop, and Labor politicians snap an awkward selfie – sans mask.
Unhealthy protest
The Advertiser’s subscribers are accustomed to getting good value for money with exclusive, agenda-setting news stories.
But our competitors are more than a little piqued about The Advertiser on Monday exclusively revealing modelling underpinning the imminent reopening of South Australian borders.
This scoop triggered howls of protest from rival media outlets, who penned a joint letter to Premier Steven Marshall putting “on the record” their “concern about the government’s piecemeal release to the media of crucial public health information, like the SA Covid Ready health modelling plan”.
“We strongly believe this information should be the subject of a combined media briefing ahead of any publication,” the joint letter says.
It is understood ABC SA news editor Claire Mackay spearheaded the letter and consulted other news and editorial directors before they signed. The others were: Chris Salter (news director 7 NEWS Adelaide); Jeremy Pudney (news director Nine News Adelaide); David Washington (editorial director, Solstice Media) and Gerda Jezuchowski (executive editor 10 News Adelaide).
Some signatories told Off the Record they recognised The Advertiser’s journalistic endeavour but believed important public health information should be distributed widely. It might also look like an official case of sour grapes.
It is noteworthy, though, that the public broadcaster is leading the charge for in-person briefings from government officials, yet cannot be bothered turning up to observe the state’s peak policy-making body, the parliament.
Off the Record has not spotted any ABC journalists at parliamentary question time this year, even though the public broadcaster has a dedicated viewing area behind the Speaker. When we visited the ABC’s parliamentary box on Tuesday, some press releases and a notepad had been left behind.
The most recent visible press release was from February 26, 2019. So much for in-person scrutiny of important policy by the taxpayer-funded public broadcaster.
Politics unmasked
A political war of words has erupted over MPs not wearing masks.
Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas and Tony Piccolo, the Labor MP for Light, in Adelaide’s north, were pictured earlier this month not wearing a mask on a charter bus.
Under state law, passengers on all public transport including buses, taxis and rideshare vehicles must wear masks.
A Labor spokesman said the party acted on the advice of bus company Corston Coaches – which did not respond to requests for comment – that masks were not needed as part of its SA Health-approved licence.
But SA Health said masks were required on chartered buses.
Mr Malinauskas posted a photograph on social media with Mr Piccolo a fortnight ago without masks, on a full coach.
“Fantastic to be on a tour around the electorate of Light with many other community, business, media and education leaders,” he Tweeted.
The post, on October 16, sparked an online backlash over the lack of masks.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said it was “important politicians lead by example”.
But Labor then provided examples which it claimed showed government breaches including Premier Steven Marshall on the Popeye and Health Minister Stephen Wade at Adelaide Airport.
Health officials said the current direction does not require masks in outdoor locations.
Police said they would not be taking any action over potential breaches.
Mateship and sacrifice
Speculation continues that Waite MP Sam Duluk will head for a well-paid job in the financial sector if his ally Alex Hyde wins Liberal preselection for the blue-ribbon seat.
Former Young Liberals state president Duluk has declared he will contest next March’s state election as an independent – a decision that had been understood to be unmoved by Hyde potentially standing against him.
Hyde is an Adelaide city councillor and chief of staff to Boothby MP Nicolle Flint, whose federal electorate includes Waite.
Both he and Duluk, who declined to comment, have been part of the same Liberal conservative group. Hyde worked on Duluk’s 2018 campaign and was Flint’s campaign manager at the 2019 federal election.
The speculation is persistent, even if sources close to the duo have dismissed it as idle gossip.
Copping it
South Australia was the star of the show at the Australian stand at COP26.
The state could have boasted leading the world in being the biggest electricity system on the planet which has repeatedly had all of its power demand met for periods by solar alone on multiple occasions and by solar and wind combined almost every day in October.
Rather, what did attract attention at COP26 was a large model of the Santos and Beach Energy plan for a $220m carbon capture and storage project at Moomba in the Cooper Basin.
The timing was perfect, with the project being signed off by the companies on November 1, in the midst of the climate change summit.
Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher, who was in Glasgow, said “the world will simply not reach net zero by 2050” without such technologies which strip and store the polluting carbon dioxide from natural gas.
But many environmentalists disagree, and the Santos model created much social media commentary, not all of the complimentary kind.
A simpler case could have been made for solar – with SA Power Networks recording five days since September 26 when rooftop systems in the suburbs and country towns of SA generated more electricity than needed in the local network.
“It is exciting to think that SA is leading the world in the energy transition,” SA Power Networks spokesman Paul Roberts said.
New pitch
Professional services firm Pitcher Partners has firmed up its commitment to the local market, employing its first Adelaide chief executive in its 40 years history.
Gail Murphy-Nakkash will head up the local operation after having moved from Sydney recently, following a previous role as gobal general manager at Alliance and Partners.
The firm says it has several new Adelaide partners and is growing well, with Ms Murphy-Nakkash keen to delve into the local innovation sphere.
“It is such an exciting time to be in South Australia,’’ she said.
“Covid-19 and investments such as Lot 14 have added energy to the business community to innovate and grow”.
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