Not grilling Gillard

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressing the National Press Club today [24/2/10]

She may be wearing a teal ribbon for Ovarian Cancer awareness, but like all the other politicians wearing one of these ribbons today, she is a robotic tool, and her government's actions tend to prove that they don't give a flying fuck about Australians, their health, the education of their children, or the future of the planet.

What's worse than a Minister for Education declaring war on teachers and education professionals?

A bunch of Australia's supposedly finest journalists unquestioningly accepting the declaration.

Whatever happened to journalists asking questions in order to craft a story that informed the majority of their readers?

Questions like:

"But Minister, didn't we have school inspectors in the past?"

"Minister, doesn't the collapse of ABC Learning indicate to you that the free market model for provision of education doesn't work?"

"Minister, isn't this just a big fucking joke?"

"Minister, has it occurred to you that Rudd made you announce this bogus policy to make you look like a real bitch?"

Fourteen journalists asked questions following Gillard's address. Only Scott Hanford (Canberra Times) and David Harrison (The Age) made any attempt to speak truth to power. Six of the journalists were from News Ltd. - they always turn up en masse for the National Press Club talks when Murdoch has an ideological barrow to push, and they are conspicuously absent on serious topics on which he has pre-determined their anti-reality position, wankers! - and today's turn out reflected Murdoch's special interest in education:

... Speaking at a session titled 'Advice to the US President on Competitiveness', Mr Murdoch blamed the teachers' union in America, which he said was very rich and the number one donor to the Democratic party.

He told the audience of international business leaders and politicians that it would take courage and strength for President Barack Obama to fight them....

The 'Courier-Mail's' Emma "Rupert wants to know if you will implement a Naplan test for everything every day" Chalmers

Gillard's announcement today is not about kids, equity or improving education - it's not an education revolution - unless you consider bringing the 'free market' into all of Australia's schools a revolution.

What's happening to our country? Seems like every day one of our politicians decrees some bogus policy plucked straight from the arsehold of neocon central's storeroom of talking points and ideas, to be dictated to Australians.

Are you going to let the neocons continue to have their way?

2010 is an election year.

Ignore the Murdoch press, switch off the telly and the radio when the obvious Murdoch bumlickers at the ABC appear, and Vote 1 for The Greens.