Joe Hockey attacks media handling of US midterm elections
JOE Hockey’s Trump-style tweet attacking journalists on the eve of the US midterm elections has incensed Labor, who say the remarks were inappropriate for Australia’s ambassador.
National
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HE’S the former Australian treasurer turned top diplomat in the United States.
But overnight Australia’s ambassador to the US Joe Hockey raised eyebrows with an inflammatory tweet.
Mr Hockey weighed in on the country’s midterm elections by taking a swipe at journalists Trump-style.
US MIDTERMS: Everything you need to know, and what’s at stake
The 53-year-old took to Twitter overnight to accuse “a vast number of journalists” of bias.
This mid term election has revealed that, now more than ever, a vast number of journalists actually hate the people they write about.
— Joe Hockey (@JoeHockey) November 4, 2018
The most trusted journalists should be the ones that you’d never work out who they voted for.
Labor has criticised Mr Hockey’s tweet, which appears to endorse the Trump Administration’s attacks on US media.
“The Foreign Minister should remind Joe Hockey that he is supposed to be Australia’s ambassador, not a partisan political commentator,” Acting Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Mark Dreyfus said.
“His job is to promote Australia, not antagonise the local media.”
Mr Hockey appears to be taking a keen interest in the work of the media lately.
Just days ago he praised the work of another journalist for their “fair and balanced” work.
Congratulations to @BretBaier @FoxNews on receiving global recognition for excellence in journalism. He is fair and balanced. The Urbino Award was presented at the Italian Ambassador’s residence last night. A great honor to be there! pic.twitter.com/PRZX94wHso
— Joe Hockey (@JoeHockey) November 3, 2018
In 2015, Mr Hockey won a defamation case against Fairfax Media while he was still a treasurer under the Abbott Government.
A judge found that a poster headline and tweets reading “Treasurer for sale” were defamatory.
Mr Hockey was awarded $200,000 in damages.
All other claims made by Mr Hockey were dismissed.
More to come