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When Aunty met Larry it was not a happy union, and staff don’t Wiggle about the bush

We’d like to say that ABC staff were pleased to meet you, Larry, but ...
We’d like to say that ABC staff were pleased to meet you, Larry, but ...

Tell us about the Liberals’ issues with women. AB C 7. 30, September 11:

Host Leigh Sales: The public still has been given no answer as to why the Liberal Party needed to change prime ministers …  Can I ask first of all about the Liberal Party’s issues with women?

Tell us about Aunty’s issues with women? ABC News, September 24:

ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie says she is “devastated” … after being sacked just 2½ years into her five-year term … (She was the first female managing director of the ABC. ABC chairman Justin Milne) was reluc­tant to explain what led to the decision …

When Aunty met Larry, it was not a happy union. Amanda Meade, Guardian Australia, September 4:

The latest Utopia-style move from managing director Michelle Guthrie … (asks staff) to improve morale by thanking each other with cheesy cards featuring a character called Larry. If one of Aunty’s … staff has been an “awesome” employee they may receive one of a range of bespoke cards: a People Focused Larry card, an Open & Transparent Larry card, a Straight Talking Larry card or an Accountable Larry card … (The union representative said staff) felt they were being treated like toddlers … One staffer told the Guardian: “It’s like The Wiggles for grown-ups. I mean, who the f..k is Larry? I have no idea what they’re thinking upstairs. Weirdos.”

Touting for Gloating Larry? Broede Carmody, The Age, September 24:

ABC presenter Jon Faine has ripped into Michelle Guthrie’s legacy … minutes after it was announced the ABC board had shown Guthrie the door … (saying) “Most of us were excited that a woman … was going to be at the helm … It’s an astonishing fail on her part.”

Touting for Straight-Tweeting and Deleting Larry. ABC talkback host Rafael Epstein tweets and then deletes, September 24:

Blather about diversity is bullshit.

How green was my hypocrisy? Damian Carrington, The Guardian, September 21:

The globe-trotting travels of the UN’s environment chief have been sharply criticised in a draft internal audit as “contrary to the ethos of carbon emission reduction”. Erik Solheim, executive director of UN Environment, was travelling for 529 out of the 668 days audited, spending $488,518 … Solheim’s frequent flying … included a weekend trip from the US to France and back … (Solheim said) people should not have a “guilty conscience” about flying and said he held gold frequent flyer cards at all three major airline alliances. “This is simply embarrassing,” said Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace in Norway … (Solheim said:) “they must stop treating me as if I am a … factory worker ”.

Don’t buy Zara, just wear Armani twice. Jess Cartner-Morley, The Guardian, September 24:

(The Green Carpet awards are the Oscars of sustainable fashion, said organiser Livia Firth, wife of actor Colin Firth, who uses) … glamour to mainstream sustainability. Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett travelled to Milan to join Anna Wintour and Cindy Crawford for a ceremony for which statuettes are crafted from Fairmined-certified ethical gold … (At the Cannes film festival this year Blanchett broke with red carpet tradition by wearing a) … Giorgio Armani gown … (she wore) in 2014 … Firth believes the biggest barrier to sustainability … (is fast fashion, saying:) “the owners of stores like Zara are multimillionaires … (because) we buy too much crap”.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/cutandpaste/when-aunty-met-larry-it-was-not-a-happy-union-and-staff-dont-wiggle-about-the-bush/news-story/06ce69fd774d8046b681c667692d8dc0