It’s taken Radio Australia more than 60 hours to broadcast a landmark speech given on Monday night to the Australia Fiji Business Forum by the Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop. (see previous posting) In that speech, Ms Bishop signaled a radical overhaul of Australia’s policy towards Fiji if the Coalition wins the forthcoming Australian election. But the evidence shows that Radio Australia chose to willfully ignore it, broadcasting instead two pieces on its public affairs program, Pacific Beat, that were highly critical of Fiji.
This morning, Grubsheet blew the whistle on this blatant act of censorship with the previous piece. At 5.14 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time, we sent the link to one of Julie Bishop’s principal advisors, Sam Riordan. At 6.21 AM, we sent the link to senior ABC executive, Alan Sunderland, who handles formal complaints on behalf of the news division, which includes Radio Australia. At 7.59 AM, Alan Sunderland sent Grubsheet an email saying he would “follow up”on the story and pointing out an inaccuracy in our original account. Then at 9.12 AM, Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat finally posted a large slab of Ms Bishops address, more than 60 hours after she’d delivered it. It ran it without comment. After all, what on earth could the broadcaster’s journalists say?
As detailed in the previous posting, we know that the Australia Network’s Pacific Correspondent, Sean Dorney, sent the Bishop speech to Radio Australia on Monday night. What happened to it? We still haven’t had an answer from ABC management. But we have clear evidence that senior Radio Australia journalist, Bruce Hill, knew about it but chose not to report it. Instead of broadcasting what was a major change of policy signaled by the Deputy Opposition Leader were the Coalition to win the forthcoming election, Hill chose instead to carry an interview with a former Fiji opposition leader, Mick Beddoes, lashing Fiji’s Foreign Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, for his own speech at the Business Forum. Where Julie Bishop had praised Ratu Inoke in her speech, Mick Beddoes lacerated him. Bruce Hill needs to explain himself, as does the entire Radio Australia news team. Because without a doubt, it is one of the most blatant instances of censorship and news manipulation Grubsheet has ever witnessed.
The timeline above speaks for itself. Julie Bishop is advised, the ABC management is advised. Within a couple of hours, Radio Australia finds the “missing” tape and puts it to air. It is not good enough and the whole episode demands an explanation. There should be an inquiry into why Radio Australia chose not to broadcast a tape that was in its possession for nearly three days. There should be a inquiry into why the rest of the ABC – domestic radio and television, including the ABC’s 24 hours news channel – also ignored the story. Only Sean Dorney emerges from this episode with any credibility at all. Having faithfully reported Ratu Inoke’s original speech, he faithfully reported Julie Bishop’s speech for Australia Network. The rest of the ABC – including its overseas radio service – should hang its head in shame.
No chance of that though, judging from Bruce Hill’s Facebook page, where he denies none of the above and revels in the adulation of his camp followers. These include fellow traveler and Facebook “friend” Barbara Dreaver, Television New Zealand’s equally biased Pacific correspondent. Bruce wants someone to send him the hard copy of the Fiji Sun, in which this article was reprinted, so that he can “laminate it and put it on his wall”. Dreaver suggests that his transgression might attract a ban by the Fijian Government or an enforced stay at the army barracks in Suva, evidently a badge of honour in these circles. It’s an idea that Hill “likes”, just as he “likes” the suggestion from another “friend” that Julie Bishop’s comments didn’t constitute a change of policy.
We didn’t say it was a change of policy. It was a change of attitude. And because Bishop may well be the Australian Foreign Minister after September the 7th, the fact remains that Bishop’s Brisbane speech was important and worth reporting. Instead, it was evidently quashed by Hill, who thinks it’s all great fun and wants to peg his ethical lapse to his wall. Good work, Bruce.
Bruce Hill
Friday near Melbourne, Victoria
Could one of my Fiji friends kindly mail me the two pages of today’s edition of the Sun dedicated to having a go at me? I’m keen to laminate it and put it on my wall. Message me and I will send you my address.
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19 people like this.
Gary McMurray Wow 2 pages! you must’ve hit the nail on the head…
Friday at 5:12pm · 1
Murray Hill Well we’ve always known you were a typical leftie drone.
Friday at 5:13pm · 1
Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson yay! congrats… what an honor! I want to read the story asap
Friday at 5:28pm · 1
Lice Movono Rova Send me ur address!
Friday at 5:32pm via mobile · 1
Kate Schuetze Two pages! You must be doing a good job then
Friday at 6:00pm via mobile · 1
James Morrow You must post this when you get it. What the hell’d you do?
Friday at 6:01pm
Murray Hill Didn’t say what he was told to of course.
Friday at 6:02pm
Bethany Keats Awww what you do now?
Friday at 6:04pm via mobile
Kate Schuetze Mr Davis forgets one very important detail…. How can it be a major shift in Australian government policy if it was even a comment from the actual foreign minister??! Entertaining tho http://www.fijisun.com.fj/2013/08/02/the-abc-of-propaganda/
Friday at 6:05pm via mobile · 1
Barbara Dreaver Surely that’s worth a ban?
Friday at 6:15pm via mobile · 1
Bruce Hill You would have thought so, wouldn’t you? Maybe it’s in the mail.
Friday at 6:23pm
Murray Hill I suspect they may invite him for a free holiday.
Friday at 6:24pm
Barbara Dreaver Fabulous accommodation at Queen Elizabeth barracks
Friday at 8:51pm via mobile · 1
Allan Grant Oh, you’ll have to share it with us, Mr. Hill. Or the link at least.
Friday at 8:59pm
Bruce Hill See the link Kate posted above.
Friday at 9:04pm
Allan Grant As a low-information Yank, am I understanding this correctly? A woman who is in parliament but not in the governing party, not in power, has no authority to speak for the Australian government, has just signaled a change in Australian foreign policy that your Foreign Minister has not? Oh, and you didn’t report it? Is that what the rant’s about? Sheesh!
Friday at 9:49pm · Edited · 1
Kate Schuetze Yes apparently an ‘opposition MP’ can also be referred to an ‘alternative Foreign Minister’ but only in coup-coup land!
Friday at 9:42pm via mobile · 1
Thanks again Graham for standing up against media censorship and unbalanced reporting by Australian media. Are we not lucky here in Fiji to have truly independent media and a modern legislation that prevents the media from abusing their role and bickering about our government. To me there is no doubt that the conservatives will win the coming elections in Australia and then we will all be able to travel to this country again. The hardship and suffering imposed on us through travel bans by a hostile labour regime supporting our destructive unions here will end and we will be able to freely migrate to Australia.
ABC journalists like Bruce Hill and Sean Dorney have a very condescending and paternalistic attitude towards Fiji and the region, and think they can play God with us with their pathetic gate-keeping antics.
When it is a negative story about Fiji, you can picture Bruce and Sean salivating and falling over themselves to report the scoop. But when it’s a positive story, the journalistic zeal and instinct for scoops is somehow no longer there. We can now see right through the hypocrisy.
Where the hell were our self-styled ‘Fiji and Pacific experts’ and seasoned veteran news hounds Bruce and Sean when Julia Bishop delivered her very newsworthy speech? How come neither of the two showed much interest in reporting this story? Is this an example of fairness and balance they like to preach about?
One of the reasons why we have censorship in Fiji today is because Fiji journalists routinely breached their ethics, just like Bruce and Sean did in this instance, but when confronted about this, they hid behind excuse of media freedom and objectivity. media freedom has become a convenient shield and smokescreen to justify all kinds of failings and ethical breaches, and is cynically used to deflect justified criticism of journalistic malpractice.
People like Bruce and Sean give journalism a bad name and they are media’s own worst enemy. They give governments plenty of justifications to ban them and impose sanctions on media freedom.
What nonsense are you peddling here? We do not have media censorship in Fiji. Our legislation guides media and ensures that there is fair and balanced reporting. Pick up any Fiji Sun and you will see what I mean. Or read Grahams blogs and columns for that matter. And you should not forget that no other than PM Gillard tried to introduce exactly the same legislation in Australia. She miserably failed because she did not have the convincing power and met a lot of resistance even in her own party while we in Fiji have wholeheartedly embraced government guidance and now enjoy the positive stories that describe the success of our economy.
Media is censored by the Bainimarama administration and on hand, and by Radio Australia hacks like Bruce Hill and Sean Dorney on the other. It’s censorship all the same. Before it was Fiji media, especially Fiji Times, flexing its muscle and now it is Radio Australia. It’s a clash of heavyweight egos – on one side the regime, on the other crusading foreign journalists who have elected themselves to fight for democracy in Fiji, based on their rather limited worldview of democracy. This view is incapable comprehend the complexities and dilemmas of democracy and elections as a silver bullet.
if something doesn’t fit the script, like the Julie Bishop speech, it is ignored. This is called gatekeeping or censorship by journalists and media organisations. It can be as insidious as government censorship although in their idealist minds, Bruce Hill and Sean Dorney, out to save the world through journalism, think they doing the people a favour by keeping certain things from them, and saving them from the evil Bainimarama. Ordinary people have been totally sidelined in this drama.This kind of paternalistic attitude from journalists with inflated sense of their worth is sickening.
Bainimarama is evil and Bruce and Sean and ABC are knights in shining armour. It’s far more complicated than that.
This drama shows that an objective media is a myth. So are claims that media is for the people.
Ever heard of Hanlon’s Razor? You’re on the wrong side of it so often it’s becoming hard to take you seriously.
Bruce Hill and Sean Dorney, where was the adrenalin when it was needed?
Good one guys -BUT we should not be surprised with the Australian media, Tv etc, can anyone remember how the media reported the Julian Moti trial- big fat zero reporting in the press. It was only in the Fiji sun that we became aware of what was happening.
Democracy,Freedom of the Press all hollow words- very good at pointing out others errors of ommison but when it comes to them-you have to be a fool to believe them them.
GD in 5 weeks Kevin is back an so is your nightmare.
Correction. He is Australia’s nightmare, not mine. I’m on the beachfront in Denarau and Kevin Rudd isn’t clouding my horizon at all.
Are you there to report on the casino construction? Much happening or bit like the gumboots incident? How long has your mate been in power? How many of his family members join his team? Kevin doesn’t like him. I guess you know this from your journalist skills.
Very good point Graham. But I don’t think that Australians will fall for a dysfunctional ALP and a capricious Kevin Rudd again. The election will be fought over two issues: Immigration and the economy and on both counts the coalition has the upper hand. Come September, all sanctions against our leaders will be lifted and seasonal work permits for Fijian workers will be issued.
You know in the end it does not matter if you’re fat or thick in the head for those of us who want the best out of and for the people of Fiji…realy it doesn’t.
Here’s why: If Liberal wins it will be a bonus for Fiji and the Pacific and of course Australia. Our relationship that we have built with Northern neighbours and countries far and beyond will remain the same.
If Labour wins, our relationship with Australia will remain the SAME.
A vote for Labour is not a vote against Fiji…if you know what I mean….no? I don’t blame you….see my first sentence.
You don’t remember the first sentence after reading the preceding ones, then stick to the first one and go to sleep.
FAT he is a nightmare to the idiots who support him but cant see thru him!
Julie Bishop in her speech, much lauded by Graham Davis said that “A free and unfettered media might be a complete pain in the neck for politicians but it is essential to hold all the sides of politics to account on behalf of the people.”
Perhaps the Fiji Sun columnist could write as passionately about the Fiji Media reporting opposition speeches as he did over this speech by an Australian Opposition Spokesperson.
Shazzar & Grubby if only the ‘so called Free Media” was free. Democracy has lost its way-its Governing of the people by Politicians for the Big Time Political Masters ( whoever they maybe)! Look at USA and its so called Democracy and the millions of $$$$ ‘pumped’ into the system to get ‘their” people Elected to represent the “people ” -as for the FREE Press where weere they when Iraq was invaded. Lets get real for a change!
Hahahahahahaaaaaaa……… Just as Holt did the bolt long time ago……… Ruddie’s about to the same- after September 7th, that is!!!!!
It is high time for Australia and New Zealand to exit their aloof Fiji strategy and come back to planet earth. It is remarkable what the Fiji regime has achieved in terms of their foreign relations. Despite Australia’s constant sniping, Fiji is well regarded by the United Nations which support the government with numerous projects and continues to employ Fijian peace keepers. Under the nose of Australia China has taken a very significant hold in Fiji shifting the balance of power in the Pacific region. Even western powers such as Germany and France are fully engaged with Fiji government actively supporting a variety of projects including things like the development of a new energy policy with assistance from the German government. In other words, there are too many new friends out there for Fiji who are happy and willing to fill any gaps that Australia’s and New Zealand’s policies may have left. It is obvious that Fiji will not be the loser in this diplomatic game.
Paula watch the Pacific Forum become just Aussie, NZ the few supporters like Atolls & Samoa becoming the BIG CHIEF!
No wonder why the PIDF is outgrowing the PIF as Frankie would prefer things done “The Pacific Way” with some of the other supportive island countries while the remaining few who are with Australia and New Zealand are just slowly crumbling down.
Clearly he doesn’t seem bothered at all with Australia and New Zealand, unless they change their stances towards Fiji.
Why can’t our PM just take over the Pacific Forum Secretariat’s Ratu Sukuna Rd facilities, send all the useless, highly paid Australians and New Zealanders hanging around there home and install his Pacific Development Forum at these wonderful premises. I am sure there would be a bit of a grumble from Australia, but after a week or so they will again be busy with sending asylum seekers to PNG and Nauru.
Bruce and Sean are typical parachute journalists masquerading as pacific experts. Their understanding is limited because they work from their confines of their air-conditioned offices in Australia. They rely mostly on elite sources. They have a very limited, ill-defined conception of democracy. They only understand one kind of democracy; the one practised in Australia. They cannot get their heads around democracy in the context of Fiji’s history and society. They see elections as the silver bullet, and they want it tomorrow. Limited by deadlines and voice grabs as they are, its is beyond their understanding that ‘Elections Are Not Democracy’.
They have no idea what ‘democracy’ was like for many people under the Qarase government. They cannot fathom why many preferred a coup to democracy; whether people were wrong or right in their judgement is beside the point; at the time, many people were so fed up; so-much-so they welcomed any form of escape from the tyranny of democracy, Qarase style.
It is really quite obscene how Bruce and Sean conveniently covered up the Bishop speech because it did not fit the frame they had been constructing all this time. Once again it has been proven that ABC is shit, with shit journalists like Bruce and Sean, still reporting with the same simplicity of someone who had been in the job for three years.
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Very well put Hill and Dorney Show. This is why Bruce Hill and Sean Dorney ignore what Terry Tavita’s PM does to try to muzzle the media in Samoa. It does not fit in with their simplistic view of democracy and Radio Australia’s bias against Fiji. If the government in Fiji had brought in laws restricting reporting on tourism problems like Terry Tavita’s PM has Hill would be fuming and rushing to line up interviews with his favourite motor mouths Brij Lal and Mick Beddoes. But when Samoa does something wrong not even a whimper from thIs puppet of the Australian Government.
@Hill and Dorney show, the daily grind of meeting hourly deadlines can become routinised and have a brain numbing effect. We can see this in Hill and Dorney. The two gentlemen need to go back to school.
It will serve us all well if they were to take some refresher courses, and broaden their reading to understand democracy in a wider context. Just because democracy (debatably) works well in Australia doesn’t mean it will work well everywhere. It doesn’t mean you can apply the Australian template to Fiji and hey presto, everything will be hunky dory.
Poor Hill and Dorney lack exposure and reading.
The simplicity and naiveness of ABC journalists, even after having been on the job for so long, is mind boggling.
Great job Graham for exposing how ABC journalists try to play God and suppress certain stories, and slant things in certain ways, all the while protesting their objectivity. Objectivity and media freedom have become convenient shield for errant journalists. When they engage in skulduggery and are caught out, they quickly cry objectivity and press freedom. Objectivity my ass!
Big ass dina!
Terry Tavita pretends to fight for press freedom in Fiji but is quite like a mouse in Samoa where press freddon is threatened by the overweight PM:
AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): The editor of the Samoa Observersays media in the country need to do what they’re supposed to do – and that is to be watchdogs of the government, not lapdogs.
In an interview with Pacific Media Watch, Samoa Observer editor Mataafa Keni Lesa made a scathing criticism of the country’s Prime Minister, Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi. Mata’afa called the current conditions in Samoa an insidious dictatorship and one-party state where the Prime Minister rules above all.
“In this country today, I’m telling you now, there is a real culture of fear among our people, including the public service. TThey are so afraid of this Prime Minister.
Instead of trying to establish a media council, Mata’afa said the government should be concerned about corruption among state officials. What we’re saying is, look, let’s have the government regulate their corruption….because they are abusing money from the people of this country.
“The most distressing part for me, is that it?s a very controlled media environment. Our democracy, unfortunately, is referred to as the model democracy in the Pacific. Well, I can tell you that it’s far from it.
It?s very difficult to work here, because people have the idea that we’re free, but we’re not.?
Good one!
Fake media freedom advocate Terry Tavita condemns the situation in Fiji but keeps quite about the problems in Samoa. As Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi’s spokesperson and lapdog, Terry is part of the apparatus oppressing the the national media. His PM condemns Fiji to curry favour with NZ and Aust, while repressing his own media and people. Malielegaoi is no less a dictator than Bainimarama but tries to disguise it. Hypocrite Malielegaoi and his poodle Terry Tevita are a match made in heaven.
GD still answering my question on casino in Fiji? Can you please bring us all up to speed on what the latest development is in Fiji?
My view of Ashwin Raj changed after I attended the seminar at USP. He is right. Sean Dorney’s drunken behaviour in new Caledonia was disgraceful. How can he judge mood of entire nation based on the atmosphere in room with a handful of journalists? How patronising it that?
Ashwin is absolutely correct. Not only is this neocolonialism, it is lazy, gutter level journalism. As Ashwin said, Fiji is is in a delicate, transitional phase. We don’t need cavalier journalists like Sean Dorney.
We heard earlier reports that Sean Dorney was slightly drunk, wagging his fingers at a PINA representative, and threatening to use his connections to withdraw aid from PINA. Typical Australian bullying.
Is this how ABC journalists on assignment behave? Problem is ABC tried to save money by sending Sean both as reporter and PINA delegate. We suffer the consequences of this gross ethical breach by ABC.
The biggest injustice is that Sean Dorney is still covering Fiji despite his obvious bias and emotional outburst. So much for ethics. Shame on you ABC.
No wonder you in trouble with your government. Clean up your shit before talking about running workshops in Fiji.