In your guts, you know he's nuts.
Comedy gold from Anthony Albanese in Question Time to day. Referring to “the human vuvuzela”, he made the attributed remark “In your guts, you know he’s nuts”.
There’s no doubt that Albo is one of the stars of the Labor Party.
The good people at Avaaz are running a campaign to stop Rupert Murdoch gaining complete control of Australian media.
From their latest email:
Dear friends across Australia,
 A draft government proposal would wipe out almost all media ownership limits in Australia — giving Murdoch free reign over what we read, see and hear! We have just two weeks to flood the government with comments rejecting this proposal — before Murdoch’s dream becomes a reality. Click below to send your message and forward to everyone:  |
Free reign to control every last newspaper, TV and radio station in Australia — Rupert Murdoch’s fantasy could become a frightening reality unless we stand in his way right now.
A government review is recommending we eliminate ownership limits — exactly what Murdoch asked for. But we have two weeks to flood the review with objections to their plan during the public comment period before they finalise the report. Unless thousands of us speak out, the recommendations could go forward unchallenged.
Nobody — especially not Rupert Murdoch — should be allowed to own all of our media. Let’s wake up the review with our call — and prevent the Murdoch Mafia from growing even larger. Send your urgent message directly to the review by clicking below:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_rupert_murdochs_dream_come_true/?vl
Last month, more than 12,000 of us sent comments to the Independent Media Inquiry and kept attention focused on the need for greater media diversity. But now, a lesser-known industry review process has tabled recommendations that would undo our hard work and undermine the major media inquiry we won just months ago. The industry review, not surprisingly, sides with Murdoch — claiming that the digital age renders media ownership limits irrelevant, and asking for a weak ‘public interest test’ as the only safeguard against another media mafia — this, even though Australia already has the most concentrated media ownership in the Western world.
The review will help shape the future of media in Australia, and Murdoch’s hoping for a big lobbying win. To make sure our voice is heard above his, we need to submit a wave of comments to the review in the next few days.
Let’s show that the public opposes media monopolies — click below to submit a comment now:
Together, Avaaz members are turning the tide on Murdoch in Australia and around the world. We won the Media Inquiry he tried to kill, and then derailed his bid to snatch a $223 million contract away from ABC. Let’s come together again to end the Murdoch dream come true, defend our democracy from his lobbyists, and promote a more sane and independent media.
With hope,
Emma, Brant, Paul, Alice, Ricken and the rest of the Avaaz team
P.S. See below for the full submission to the major media review from Avaaz.
SOURCES
Australian Government Convergence Review:
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/digital_economy/convergence_reviewAvaaz detailed submission to the Convergence Review:
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/143235/Avaaz.pdfMedia ownership laws in firing line (Sydney Morning Herald):
http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/media-ownership-laws-in-firing-line-20111214-1ov0k.htmlMedia ownership laws destined for the dustbin (The Power Index):
http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/analysis/media-ownership-laws-headed-for-new-public-interest-testReview recommends axing cross-media laws (ABC):
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-15/review-recommends-media-shake-up/3732012
It is vital all Australian’s get behind this petition and stop The Evil Empire in its tracks.
As the Qantas debacle was unfolding, someone on Twitter mentioned a website called Keep Qantas Flying.
Being naturally inquisitive, I checked out the registration details of the site. This is what I found out:
Domain Name: keepqantasflying.com.au
Last Modified: 23-Aug-2011 03:23:58 UTC
Registrar ID: Melbourne IT
Registrar Name: Melbourne IT
Status: okRegistrant: LAWRENCE CREATIVE STRATEGY PTY LTD
Registrant ID: ABN 24106211474
Eligibility Type: CompanyRegistrant Contact ID: 57025O1386117
Registrant Contact Name: LAWRENCE CREATIVE STRATEGY PTY LTD
Registrant Contact Email: Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIsTech Contact ID: 57026T1386117
Tech Contact Name: Andrew Braithwaite
Tech Contact Email: Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIsName Server: b.ns.zerigo.net
Name Server: c.ns.zerigo.net
Name Server: a.ns.zerigo.net[Whois Source: whois.ausregistry.net.au]
Hmmm.
Registered on 23/8/11. The people behind it are either clairvoyant, or…….?
And just who the hell is “Lawrence Creative”, the domain name “owners”? Anyone know how to do an ASIC search?
Another point, as many have pointed out on Twitter and Poll Bludger, is that the Qantas board would never have pulled a stunt of this magnitude without getting some SERIOUS legal advice. I find it impossible to believe that all this advice was sought and given over the last 24 hours.
My own belief, based on the above and other pieces of circumstantial evidence, is that this has been planned for months.
This combined with one of the union leaders stated just that on ABC24 (sorry no link at the moment).
Another thought I had about this, is on Monday morning, when trading commences, the Qantas share price is going to go into freefall (sorry, not a good phrase to use in regards to an airline, but WTF).
Will Qantas shareholders take out class action law suit against the board of directors?
Another matter, if this actually has been planned for a while, why wasn’t it mentioned at the Qantas AGM recently? You know, the meeting that awarded Joyce his $2million pay rise. Can ASIC do something about this?
Lots of questions, but as yet, no concrete answers.
Watch this space, as the “Fat lady” is a long way from singing on this issue.
As always on A Frank View, comments are welcome from others, especially from anyone with further information to add to the picture.
UPDATE:
One of my Tweeps (@victoriavoce) has done an ASIC search, and unearthed the following about Lawrence Creative.
The company was previously called:
07 Pty Ltd, and STW Communications Pty Ltd.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t STW one of Channel Nine’s station names?
Then there’s the “07″. Channel Seven connection?
The plot thickens.
http://bit.ly/udHsDr
UPDATE II
It turns out that Lawrence Creative are a PR/marketing firm that previously did campaigns for the Anti-mining tax brigade as well as the campaign for “Kevin ’07″. Now that is interesting. source: Lawrence Creative
UPDATE III
From Twitter:
MightyChewbacca
Do a whois domain search for RedQ.com. You’ll find Joyce’s Singapore based airline has already been registered. Goodbye #Qantas #auspol
Domain details are as follows:
Domain Name: REDQ.COM
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Name Server: NS57.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS58.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientRenewProhibited
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 02-aug-2011
Creation Date: 22-jun-2004
Expiration Date: 22-jun-2013>>> Last update of whois database: Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:54:16 UTC <<<
[Whois Source: whois.crsnic.net]
UPDATE IV
loobes
RT #qantas staff at head office confirm 5000 redundancy/termination letters printed yesterday….