Tag: Queensland Times

Our Queensland Times Masthead Disgraced and Disrespected under Murdock

Since 1982 I have supported the QT well before I moved in in 83. I have seen some truly great journalism, and watched many rise through the ranks to apply their trade here and in other outlets.

And yes we’ve seen some imposters blow in, one in particular but overall we were blessed with professionals delivering our copy to a outstanding standard.

Me, I put my 2bobs worth in via Letters and provided some banter to keep some in fits and others in anger management, but it kept the local political players thinking that someone was watching outside the media.

Sadly once APN was annexed by Murdock it was inevitable the toxicity would eventually eat the once strong respected masthead and try to Trojan horse on its history.

Well it’s failed, failed in Trumps in fact and that’s no reflection on who has been spared to cover what remains of so called “local News” They have to survive and my heart feels for them genuinely as they knew what we had and now defending the indefensible must be exhausting.

I won’t give oxygen to the product they produce now but it’s not local journalism, it’s a moving mush of mediocrity to be kind, and having it appear and presented under the Queensland Times Masthead is a total disservice to the history and journalistic forefathers of such a great entity.

Murdock has mongrelised journalism with toxic bias and is no longer a newspaper but a bias blue tie newsletter and it’s classification as a “News” outlet must be challenged in a court along with it monopolies that have been allowed to develop in the name of democracy, or we will be no better that a state under propaganda as was Germany.

Yes I’ve signed Rudd’s petition but and so should you if you care, but things will not change unless Morrison and his thugs are gone as Murdock is being paid by us taxpayers to keep him in office and to me that’s no better than any fascist state trick used by dictatorships who have crushed unfavourable media across the world.

Federal ICAC to Oversee Judicial Appointments.

It has been a well known in the legal profession that bullying and misogyny is common within its culture, so the revelations of the a Chief Justice has been called out by a independent investigation.

His controversial appointment and alliance to the conservative government is on the record, a situation that brings our justice system into a focus for all the wrong reasons.

I am a firm believer judicial appointments must be isolated from political influence or intervention, and have a body similar to a federal ICAC oversee all judicial appointments, state and federally.

Our justice system can never be allowed to follow the American path, and should never be a tool of any political whim or payback.

I am very concerned about the wedge politics played by this government, playing state against state in Covid crisis, the mirroring of American racial attitudes emerging here in Australia, and our government responses truly Trumpian be it ministers or backbenchers.

With our media opinion taking a higher profile than factual reporting, our fallback legal professions independence and faith in the system cannot be compromised by political noise or propaganda regardless of who you support, so I see no reason why Judicial Appointment should not be a part of a Federal ICAC which this government promised last election and still have failed to act on.

That’s not surprising is it?

Wayne Offer

He Who Pays the Piper, Selects the Tune.

News is in the headlights of late and as the organisation’s bid for our gold coin per day we the public must also look at the quality we are being served up.

I’m on the record for being in favour of balanced and investigative journalism across the board and fortunate enough to have the time to be able to source different outlets world wide and my concerns about what is truth are growing.

Our news sources are diminishing and centralising, our national broadcaster is being defunded buy a thousand cuts, and extreme groups are infiltrating the talking heads who impersonate professional journalists, no wonder it becomes just too hard for joe citizen to find the illusive truth and turns off.

It’s red alert when media groups hold fund raising events for political party’s, when journalists are arrested for doing their job, when investigative journalism is regarded as a enemy of the state, and politicians run to politically friendly news services to avoid scrutinisation, we have to ask is this the way a democracy works or are we on the soft fascism road and no ones game to ask?

Loss of democracy moves slowly, feeding on apathy, as once we could regard media as the watchdog, but today that dog has too many masters, and we the punters are left making the decision who really is telling truth and who has a agenda to gain power in a government of their choice?

Wayne Offer

Keep the Electric Fence on our Boarders.

In these different times to some and others indifferent my observations of my fellow humans is becoming frustrating to say the least.

A visit to my local bakery and on arrival all customers were observing the distance markers and progressing in a respectful fashion and in walks a lady with a kid past people waiting outside and both totally ignorant of others protocols.

Before full lockdown was declared we had the grey nomads in their vans rat running at night to avoid the government requests to stay put in their parks and police, so age is not a benchmark for stupidity levels.

New Zealand has recognised Queensland’s effort as a world standard and prepared to enter a travel bubble, irking those states with lower performance rates to try and drag us down by opening the borders and us to their failed government decisions like the Ruby Princess.

It’s quite obvious the federal government like Trump see business first and lives second and is playing classic wedge politics, supported by its slanted media outlets to spin its dollar driven agenda.

We Queenslanders have done the hard yards well before the Federal Government and the other states penny dropped and yes the capitalistic system has failed and we have fallen into the socialistic safety net, truly irking those who think their world of everything has a price, and lives are part of that price.

Wayne Offer

Murdock Butchers our Local Newspapers

For those who are not so News aware the Murdock Press has made the decision to cease all hard copy news papers to the regional and country areas across Australia and go digital.

This action in effect sends the little and older generations into news darkness as many have no IT or basic computer knowledge.

This may have been self inflicted by some granted as they refused to grow with the times and others unable to grow due to educational limits.

With all that’s said, the facts are people will loose the fabric that binds smaller communities together, a lifestyle that is incomprehensible to the self centred generations living their little boxes with make believe acquaintances online, many unable to communicate face or face let alone read and comprehend a news article.

A bit savage you may think? Yes but truthful and if you need proof, spend a hour or two on a polling booth and see humanity in its raw form doing something that should effect their lives and their family’s.

You will be amazed at the ignorance not only of the political systems but of general manners expected of a human being.

That said as true to form as you can get from Murdock the said they’d keep regional and small papers on takeover from APN and they lied, nothing new again from these bottom feeders of toxic text, and they will expect you to buy the Courier Mail if you want a hands on paper which in fact is nothing more than a LNP newsletter as I have stated many times and subedited out or simply consigned to the junk mail.

Truth and Murdock should never be put in the same sentence, as you now know from their actions.

In my case my editorial days may be limited as many times before my View does not sit with the owners ideology and I have been extremely lucky to have a editor who still feels balanced reporting is a key factor in a democracy, but like the QT she too is moving and many of the contributors may join me in the junk mail due to our views clashing with the owners ideology also.

That’s life but it does not help those who have been thrown into darkness, those businesses who’s adds were accessible freely will not have a presence of picking up a paper, the sporting body who wants any press to help them survive, the cocky who wants the cattle prices, the auctioneer, the church, the garage sale, and you can go on all gone to the iPad or smart phone of the fortunate.

To be honest I’m looking at community radio as a service, not a competitive entity but NFP (non for profit) organisation and any other media stream APP to try and compensate the losses, and any ideas please fill in at the bottom of this blog. Also Periscope the live App has been mentioned.

And I cannot close without mentioning the silence of the Hanson’s, the Katters, the Nationals all supposed to represent country people but obviously terrified to upset their puppet master Murdock, their absolute silence says why we as a nation need to govern ourselves for ourselves not run the agenda of a non tax paying overseas jerk , but not one of the conservatives have the guts to call him out. Political Harlots. All looking for that headline from Rupert.

Ipswich’s Village Idiot Embarrasses.

Well every village has one (Idiot) but ours is National

In not sure if it’s flipping or flopping day or both but for a politician who states she stands up for the little man and women chooses go against a State Premier who is standing up for the health and well-being of Queenslanders is advocating the States right protect it sovereignty and its borders be overrun to appease southerners who have failed to reach our standards.

It’s well known Hanson talks the talk but fails to walk the walk and when it comes to workers, disabled, unemployed, disadvantaged now health she follows her true form for of voting with the government over 90% of the time abandoning them.

Her China bash appeals to those Trump like tribe forgetting that our farmers, cattlemen, food exporters will cease to exist but it sounds patriotic playing to her deranged base of flag wavers or old men living in the past.

One can be certain, she is never short of stunts to try and justify her political survival and gather her electoral refund, but entering into this COVID-19 debate is well out of her depth as this is not politics it’s lives at stake, and as a former businessman I empathise with that sector but like the exporters who put billions of dollars into our economy know no customers dead or alive means no business anyway. No flipping or flopping there.

Wayne Offer

Self Monuments are Inappropriate

It’s refreshing to see our Mayor and new councillors reviewing the policy and habit of past councillors erecting monuments to themselves.

To be clear and contrary to many beliefs they are public servants and they work for is ratepayers, we are the boss, an pay them to perform, and before the tribal followers of past servants erupt I would encourage them to look up Ipswich City Council Conduct Register and they may discover some furphies they’ve swallowed we’re not fact.

The commission chose not to peruse complaints if the councillor indicated or swore they would not seek re-election as I imagine a cost saving decision for the ratepayers legality and labour, certainly not a get out of jail free card as portrayed by some.

As I have stated it’s sad to that all past councillors were swept up in the sterilising process of the CCC as some were new and naive to the “Culture” but that ignorance should never happen again as long as full Corporate Governance is applied and monitored independently.

Wayne Offer

Reevaluate our Perspective on Trade Now.

I’m not sure if the penny has dropped yet for some who think if we stop trading with China how our farmers, beef producers, and now coal miners will be able to keep their businesses operating.

We over produce for our own population that’s why our export market is critical, and the simple fact we have the reputation of being America’s Deputy Sheriff has bought us into the firing line in Trumps Trade war with the dragon.

For too long our politicians have portrayed Australia as a big player and our exports are critical to other countries economy, a fallacy that is being played out as we speak and reality is globalisation is redundant ought forward by the virus.

We have a great product no doubt, but like in every business we need customers and if you upset them you go broke and having politicians promoting this crazy go it alone philosophy are promoting their own profiles to the flag waving gullible as Trump relies on to keep him in headlines.

We need intelligent, respectful, dialog delivered by competent knowledgeable representatives negotiating in our national interest as our major alliance partner USA has filled the void immediately supplying produce we have been priced out in their their new trade agreement with China, that’s business, no mates there.

I think it’s now time re-examine our trade position, and economic viability by spreading the risk and re start manufacturing and research and development sectors totally ignored and defunded by this government in favour of export priority, a decision that is being proven a total failure and made us vulnerable like never before.

Wayne Offer

Lazy Journalism, Lazy Thinkers.

It’s easy when your confined to spaces to adopt the easy convenient way to get your daily dose of whatever and has the potential to make you a lazy thinker.

It times such as this it’s the media, the information hub, should be out their delivering broad expansive reporting on issues that are impacting on our new way of life but it’s just not happening.

Our news is becoming narrower and repetitive especially within our nation and like in America where the trend is playing one state against another to make news, to make controversy, create sides, to manipulate conversations and interviews to look for the sound bite to start the next cycle of cynicism.

Like many at my age TV ,radio, are the prominent deliverers of doom nowadays and we are turning off I believe. Once balanced reporting was a ethical requirement, now it’s a treasure as some of us wish to make up our own minds instead of being told what to think.

I frequent news outlets worldwide without political bias to get perspective on important stories and when returning to home the political spin is easily identifiable, something you miss by remaining in the news bubble.

It’s important for us to explore information or we will end up dumbed down as a population, fertile ground for the peddling of conspiracies and falsehoods and that can start with good honest hard hitting journalists that hold their ground in the scrum and persist without fear of reprisal in any form.

Bit of a Sub Edit Below.

Sub edit fail.

Mr. Bean Masterstrokes

Why is it that whenever you think we as a nation are getting some sort of consensus some see it advantages to seek to divide?

Its beyond my recall when our states and federal governments has put politics aside yet we have examples of late where the true characters of some who need conflict to elevate their flailing or failed profiles.

I will not back away from the fact our State Government has undergone surgery and reshuffles and resignations have taken place locally as is done by all of Political parties in their tenure as government and we were reminded when a former State Member and now Somerset councillor rose from his Ipswich hideaway to weight in on fractional pranks, a game he played and lost in his one term debacle under Cambell Newman.

Then we have Mr Christensen the self appointed Foreign Minister who when he is in the country declares takes aim at our biggest export nation China without thinking things like international diplomacy protocols exist and the fallout of that ignorance. Totally out of his pay grade, and intellectual capacity.

Then we have Mr Dutton, the cruise ship king lecturing a treasurer on the quantitive steps to keep Queenslanders employed and Tourists industries fluid, and outback air service retained after himself failing to count his own caucus to see if he had the numbers to challenge for PM, a Mr. Bean masterstroke.

If we are to build back faith in our political processes and democracy we could start by sticking to your appointed day job, serving your constitiuents well and not grandstanding.

Wayne Offer

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