Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Twerkgate prompted a flurry of comments as the 101 Doll Squadron demanded an apology from ABC after a stitch-up that caught them twerking from compromising angles and edited in the Governor-General, who wasn’t even present at the ship commissioning where they performed. Marion asked:
“Are we sure Ita is still there? Haven’t heard a peep from her for yonks.”
Steevie wasn’t surprised:
“Another example where ABC management appears to be missing in action. As for the Chair Ms Buttrose, the only thing more disappointing than the ABC is her complete refusal to even admit a problem exists let alone do anything to fix it.”
Peter was peeved:
“The ABC has been caught so many times now actively manipulating storylines that as a rule anything that is broadcast needs to be treated with scepticism. They really are the most horrible and manipulative organisation, and deserve nothing but contempt.”
John was jaded:
“No action will be taken. The ABC is untouchable, and they know it. I’m not sure why we bother having an ABC board.”
Bill was blunt:
“Ita is totally out of her depth methinks.”
A nudge from Nigel:
“I am sure Ita should have something to say about using women as a weapon to score political points.”
Russell’s reaction:
“Also out of step with any sort of editorial standards. Have the dignity of an undergraduate tabloid.”
Jason noted:
“This is not the first time ABC has used deceptive editing. They did it with the aged care royal commission press conference by editing it to make it appear as if Prime Minister Scott Morrison abruptly ended the press conference and walked off because of a question he did not like, when he had actually continued to answer the questions. It is unprofessional and seems to be political interference.”
Siegfried sighed:
“I have lost hope that they will return to honest reporting. Apparently in their wisdom every news story must be presented with a triple twisting, triple somersault of woke positioning. A belly flop on this dive, though.”
Charlie criticised:
“When the ABC attempts to create the news, rather than reporting it, we definitely have a problem.”
Mike mooted:
“I would like to see the Liberal and Nationals go to the next election with a platform to close the ABC and establish an emergency services channel in its place. The ABC is no longer fit for purpose as it no longer reports the news but acts as an activist organisation to generate its own news and biased reporting. Clearly the government is incapable of holding the organisation to its mandate or to account — it is now out of control.”
Mark remarked:
“Hey ABC. You edited the story to make the story you wanted to make. End of story. Your apology is half-baked, and yet another chapter in the story of how inconsequential you have become.”
Chrissy’s present:
“101 Doll Squadron leader Maya Sheridan ... has attacked the public broadcaster for not acknowledging her troupe’s trauma and accused the public broadcaster of using specifically sexualised images of the troupe, which she said demeaned her colleagues. Ms Sheridan states: ‘You deliberately shot our crotches from an angle which nobody else saw that were in attendance. Your worldwide public upskirting of our troupe has left us distressed and shamed.’
“Obviously, these dancers are not left, nor woke enough for the ABC. If they were, they would be praised for their ‘talent’, rather than be demeaned for their appearance. Once again, the ABC proves that all that talk about female equality and respect are just empty words which they only use when describing their favourite woke lefties. This was nothing more than just another ABC pile-on to try and further demean our PM Scott Morrison.”
Lykz’ list:
“If the ABC ever becomes defunded, can I make a forward request for a special reserves fund for the following in no particular order:
Hard Quiz
Landline Catalyst
Australian Story
Foreign Correspondent
that would do it.”
Frank was frank:
“The whole intent by the ABC was to generate more anti-conservative, anti-government confected outrage. More sexism, more social media storm, more media pile on. Just when many Australians are over the endless politicisation of the subject. Setting new depths in plainly dishonest journalism.”
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Brendan O’Neill struck a chord when he wrote of how Prince Philip knew so much more about suffering and being an outsider in the Royal Family than Meghan the Duchess of Woke ever could. Mallee Girl agreed:
“ ‘But here’s what was different about Philip and the generation he belonged to. He didn’t wallow in his pain. He didn’t make a public spectacle of his suffering.’ I was brought up in the 1950s and was cautioned by my mother when I was quite young to ‘never air my dirty linen in public.’ If Meghan had a mother like mine hopefully she would have heeded her advice, for her own sake even if not for the Royals whom she disparaged, because as my mum added ‘what goes around comes around and usually bite’s you on the backside’.”
So too Susan:
“What a fabulous article, absolutely nailed it. Prince Philip’s generation was the last to know what true sacrifice was, stoicism and toughness were the norm, and resilience was expected from everyone. Unfortunately those traits seem to have well and truly disappeared from our current society.”
Terry and Kathy approved:
“Brendan has to be one of our favourite global commentators: he is very articulate in drilling down to the truth of current affairs, to the hypocrisy of our woke world and also he can very satirical in his analysis. Thank you Brendan, keep your wordsmith light shining brightly.”
Jonathan jested:
“I watched 3 episodes of Suits. Meghan does know suffering. The show was awful.”
Robert remembered:
“The mother of Prince Phillip risked her life to hide a Jewish family during the Nazi rule in Greece.”
Both barrels from Barry:
“My father and Uncles fought in World War II (one didn’t come back) and my father’s cousin spent 2 years as a POW and came home and got on with life. My wife’s grandfather fought in the Somme. What suffering has Meghan dealt with?”
Ronald reckoned:
“Meghan’s mother is the only stoic, dignified and calm member of that family. Wish Meghan had followed her example.”
Louise was less than impressed:
“According to the simpering MSM, Phil seems to have been a miAFPxture of Einstein, Enzo Ferrari, Steve Redgrave, Barry Humphries and David Attenborough. In reality he was probably a fairly decent bloke, so can we stop the sanctimonious clap trap now please.”
Len looked back:
“In the 1960s I was in a London cab driving past Buckingham Palace. Driver pointed to the palace and said ‘That’s the home for out of work Greeks’. I imagine D of E had to put up with a lot of that abuse over a long period of time. He was strong and dealt with it unlike some sensitive members of his (now distant) family.”
Rick was not rapt:
“Philip was an outsider to the Royal Family? For goodness sake, his mother was born at Windsor Castle. His mentor and uncle Lord Mountbatten had Queen Victoria as one godparent and Tsar Nicholas as the other. To compare his situation with Ms Markle’s is grotesque. He was not a foreigner, he was a relative. Leave them all alone.”
Patrick’s paean:
“Oh how we live in a serious, judgemental and humourless world where we fall over backwards not to give offence and rush forward to take it! And as we are chastised by the left and woke in their endless seeking of virtue, let us remember a man who used plain English to tell it as it is, kept fawning palace staff on their toes, quietly reminded other royals that they lived in an unreal world, and ministers that they were mortal. Rumour has it that the Queen much enjoyed her husbands daily summary of the achievements, manipulations, antics and cockups of her ministers, and strengthened her resolve to ensure that her Prime Ministers never took her for granted. He will be missed more than we will ever realise.”
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How much is one day of work worth to a barrister? According to Keiran Gair’s enquiries, for those who belong to an elite group of gifted commercial practitioners, the answer could be $25,000. Not Only But Also noted:
“I recall reading an article a few years ago by the wife of an eminent QC who later was appointed a judge. She explained how her husband often went unpaid by clients for months, sometimes never, and that she regularly faced the ignominy of putting groceries back when their credit card was rejected at the check out. All barristers are, by law, self-employed and, like most small business people, and bear considerable overheads. While a lucky few work rise to the top to earn the sort of figures reported here, they are vanishingly small in number. “The vast number of barristers earn a modest income by comparison with most professions, and work harder than most professionals for it. What isn’t mentioned here is that a huge amount of work is performed pro bono (ie for free) by barristers.
“While law firms continue to pay the solicitors who act in such cases, barristers go entirely without an income when acting in such matters. Some of the biggest and most important cases affecting the least powerful people in the country are run on such a basis - including by many of those who are named in this article (as well as those you’ll never hear of). It’s worth bearing all this in mind before joining the pile-on.”
Paul pointed out:
“Movie stars, singers and reality TV celebrities are making a lot more, without many, many years of study and experience. I know which I value more.”
Cathy’s contribution:
“Gee, this smells a lot like the politics of envy. I don’t think any of these barristers got to where they are by just being gifted minds. There are a lot of late nights, missed birthdays and anniversaries and weekends worked to help these people get to where they are. Not to mention the fact that they’re likely employing a range of solicitors and associates, and having to pay all the costs to run their own business.”
Worth every penny, said MFH:
“I was a common garden-variety solicitor for many years and had the occasional need to instruct barristers. The good ones are worth it. Some I instructed were hopeless and should have been in a law firm learning their trade before going out alone as a barrister.
“My brother in law is a barrister who is one of the best in his field of expertise but he has been doing it many years and still doesn’t earn eye-watering amounts. Same for my mother, now retired, one of the best in her field but didn’t earn vast amounts. Top surgeons and medical specialists would be in the same category as top barristers. It is all relative. When your life is in their hands it is worth it.”
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