By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
Laura Tingle’s offhand comments at the Sydney Writers’ Festival in May about a racist Australia and her very ripe remarks about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton triggered a rather predictable culture war firestorm and a limp-wristed but nevertheless highly embarrassing rebuke from ABC management, which prompted yet another culture war firestorm, which led in turn to plenty of mouth-frothing moments from Liberal senators in estimates hearings, prompting yet another ... OK, you get the picture.
In the culture wars: Journalist Laura Tingle.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
You’ve gotta wonder whether it was worth all the trouble for the ABC staff-elected board member and chief political commentator.
Well, in terms of cold, hard cash – definitely not. In response to an estimates question from Liberal senator (and former ABC presenter) Sarah Henderson, the ABC revealed that Tingle received a standard honorarium of $600 for two appearances at the festival where she made her infamous remarks.
An ABC spokesperson told us on Monday: “All external work must be authorised by the appropriate manager and must meet relevant guidelines.”
Laura TingleCredit: John Shakespeare
Not quite the levels of coin she trousered in 2018, when The Australian reported Tingle, then political editor of The Australian Financial Review, had pocketed $15,000 for a two-day contract with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for hosting duties at an Association of Southeast Nations summit in Sydney.
She told The Australian at the time: “I see absolutely no conflict” and then tweeted at the young female reporter who wrote the story, “Why don’t you go chase a real story?” Advice she is free to repeat to us.
‘V/LINE MAYOR’
Melbourne’s race for lord mayor is heating up, as more candidates throw their hat in the ring for the big job.
But from where that hat is thrown has caused a stir inside the Town Hall thunder dome.
The current person in chains, Nick Reece, has had to bat away claims he doesn’t live in the City of Melbourne boundaries – a major no-no if you want people to trust your local bona fides beyond nominating a favourite cafe.
Nick Reece in his lord mayoral robes.Credit: Justin McManus
Reece, sworn in as Melbourne’s 105th lord mayor in July after the handily timed departure of Sally Capp (close enough to the October polling day to avoid a byelection), was asked at a recent press conference by Channel Seven reporter Paul Dowsley where he was enrolled to vote.
In prep for the big job, Reece and family moved last year from Clifton Hill (a suburb within the Yarra City Council’s purview) to Carlton, within the City of Melbourne. But he had only just got around to updating his eligibility with the electoral commission – hey, it’s a busy gig!
So Reece confidently stated he was enrolled to vote at the new address … but then later issued a statement saying that actually he wasn’t.
The confusion came about because of how the franchise works in local government elections – residents get to vote, as do ratepayers even if they don’t live in the area (company directors included). Reece says he never left the ratepayer roll, as he owns a property in the city. He added the whole kerfuffle was a great reminder for voters to update their enrolment. Rolls close on Wednesday.
Lord mayoral candidate Arron Wood.Credit: Jason South
Meanwhile, former acting lord mayor turned climate consultant Arron Wood rejects any suggestion he’s an out-of-towner after a tree-change move to Macedon a few years ago. Wood says he’s kept his finger on the pulse by commuting to Melbourne every week to work at the Clean Energy Council, staying at his parents’ Docklands apartment.
To complete the deal, the family is moving back to its home in Kensington in time for the October poll.
“It’s like I’ve never left,” he told CBD.
Wood also made a veiled jab at his opponent: “I do think if you’re not living in the city for your time on council, it diminishes your ability to see those issues every day.”
Meanwhile, a Reece campaign insider clapped back: “There are a lot of candidates, so let’s hope we get a full-time mayor, not a V/Line mayor.”
Also running: Greens candidate Roxane Ingleton, a midwife and renter in North Melbourne, and Docklands resident and independent councillor Jamal Hakim, while pollster and serial contestant Gary Morgan is a long-time East Melbourne stalwart.
OFF THE PACE
It’s not just our athletes who are drawing attention to themselves at the Olympic Games. Some of our Aussie broadcasters are lighting up the internet, and not always for the right reasons.
Step forward Leigh Diffey, NBC’s commentator for the biggest race of Paris 2024, the 100m men’s dash final.
Diffey, a former PE teacher from Ipswich Grammar School (yes, readers, we checked), traded his teacher’s whistle for a commentator’s microphone initially in motorsport and via the BBC, Channel Ten and Speed Channel.
Alas, when the time came to call the big Paris race, Diffey botched his moment. Not only did he name the wrong winner, but he failed to mention the real winner at all during the sprint.
NBC as a rights holder has busily scrubbed the call from social media, but as USA Today reported of the NBC race call, Diffey declared: “Jamaica’s gonna do it, Kishane Thompson is a gold medallist, on debut.” He did not mention the real winner, US track star Noah Lyles, once during the race.
Sure mistakes happen, but NBC attracted an extra level of attention by editing the post-race commentary together with the race call to make Diffey’s lapse seem less than it was during replays.
For what it’s worth, Gerard Whateley (for Nine, owner of this masthead) and Bruce McAvaney (ABC Radio) both chose to be more equivocal about the result, until Lyles’ victory was confirmed about 30 seconds later.
In contrast, Diffey’s error has now been written up everywhere from the New York Post to the website Awful Announcing.
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