Herald writer declares all men guilty post-Weinstein

The global sexual harassment reckoning has come to Australia’s shores. Caroline Overington in The Weekend Australian, Saturday:

The (Harvey) Weinstein story obviously changed everything. Like the stories about (Don) Burke, his behaviour had been whispered about for years. Not even whispered: there are clips showing comedians making jokes about Weinstein’s behaviour on stage, and everyone laughed because everyone knew.

And columnist Phil Barker proposed a very interesting solution on The Sydney Morning Herald’s Executive Style website, yesterday:

So there’s no way around it. Some innocent men are going to get shot in the head. So be it. Because in the process hundreds more will be held to ­account for their actions.

We’re pretty sure the right to a fair trial is still a thing in this country. Australian Attorney-General’s website:

Fair trial and fair hearing rights include … that all persons are equal before courts and tribunals … the right to a fair and public hearing before a competent, independent and impartial court or tribunal established by law.

Our Overington on Twitter, yesterday:

This from Fairfax is appalling. It is not okay for innocent men to get ‘shot in the head’ during the campaign against sexual harassment.

Fairfax web editors also thought Barker’s call to arms was a bit much so they deleted it. But this remains. Executive Style, a few hours later:

In a war there’s always friendly fire, collateral damage. You have to break eggs to make an omelette.

Omelettes and eggs? That old motif is from Francois de Charette, the leader of one of the French Revolution’s bloodiest revolts. Walker’s Hibernian Magazine, 1796:

It was remarked to him that he had caused the death of a great many persons. Yes, he replied, omlets are not made without breaking eggs.

On the other side of sexual politics, Liberal MP Tim Wilson had a question to ask in the House of Representatives yesterday:

Ryan Patrick Bolger, will you marry me?

Ryan said yes. The House of Representatives’ Twitter account, yesterday:

We’ve dug through Hansard and @timwilsoncomau appears to be the first ever Member to propose on the floor of the House.

Wilson is the first MP to propose in parliament but a Labor MP was the first pollie to get hitched there. The Age, February 24, 2008:

A federal Labor MP, Michael Danby, will marry in Parliament House today … Mr Danby insists he chose to wed in Canberra because of its central location, not because of the strict work ethic laid down by leader Kevin Rudd.

In the other chamber, George Brandis won’t be proposing to NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro anytime soon. The Attorney-General responds to Labor’s Jenny McAllister in the Senate, yesterday:

It demonstrates the obscurity of Mr Barilaro that even though you’re from NSW yourself, you find trouble ­pronouncing his name.

Brandis hasn’t a great track record with names either. The Attorney-General in the Senate, October 18:

I mean no offence (by mispronouncing the surname of) Senator Di Natale, that’s just the way I pronounce the English language.