Amazingly it has been over half a year since I have posted in here. That certainly isn’t because nothing actually pissed me off enough to blog about, far from it in fact. But apathy is a terrible thing that gradually eats away at your desire to do, well, anything. But if there is one thing I can rely upon it is our current Federal Government and their willingness to do the most ridiculous things to motivate me to write angry blog posts that no one bar me reads. That’s cool. I enjoy looking back over them.

This specific episode doesn’t even hit on one of my favourite topics. Not climate change or science. Though I guess it does kinda touch on the T word. This specific “storm mewn cwpan de” is about a fellow who was NOT convicted of the big T offence appearing on Q and A, a current affairs show on the Australian ABC where audience members get to ask questions of a panel. This panel usually includes a couple of current politicians and other prominent members of society such as economists, scientists, journalists, etc. This particular fellow asked about people going to fight for IS in the Middle East. And the over the top response from a current serving member of the Government basically said he would love to strip his citizenship away and deport him or words to that effect. Whatever the exact words were, and I really cannot be stuffed to go and find them and give them more airplay, it was pretty childish.  Not exactly what you expect from a current member of the Government.  Oh wait a sec…..  You get the drift.

Now, the management of Q and A have stated they erred bringing this particular audience member in given they had overlooked some inflammatory and downright offensive remarks he had made on social media. Fair enough. Investigations to be had, smacks on the wrist to be handed out, new procedures on who to let in will no doubt be formulated.

But.

In a classic “teganau allan o’r pram” moment our Prime Minister Captain Looney has stated that “heads should roll”. (I really should have put that quote in Welsh too – it would look much more impressive – I gave up on Latin quotes when the first one looked far too boring – hence Welsh. For, you know, reasons.)  Now why should the Captain give a tinkers cuss about this happening? Because he has always had an issue with the Government-paid-for National Broadcaster not broadcasting whatever he wants to hear. Statements such as “who’s side are they on” have fallen out of his open mouth. Well look here Captain Looney, let me tell you this once. They are on no one’s side you bloody idiot. Ever heard of an independent press?  No, I guess you haven’t since Fairfax Press and Murdoch Press are both in the cot with one side of the political spectrum each so neither are particularly independent. Well, I happen to like the coverage the ABC do, and of course since Captain Looney and I are effectively diametrically opposed in our political views it’s not much of a surprise that if I like it he doesn’t. But since I am a taxpayer and he is either a tax waster or something I shouldn’t print here, even in Welsh, I’ll go forth with the opinion that my view as a taxpayer on what the ABC disseminate is far more important than his.

So, not only do we get a witch hunt of Salem proportions to bring the perpetrators of allowing someone to actually speak their piece on TV to justice but he also now forces a boycott on any member of his Government from appearing on the show. Fine by me, less bullshit to be broadcast perhaps. Though perhaps Labor should offer not to send anyone other than Albo, Tanya Plibersek or Tony Burke on to keep the bollocks level even from their side as well. Actually Malcolm Turnbull should get an exclusion from that Coalition prohibition since he doesn’t act with anywhere near the level of childishness or ignorance to be on the same level as most of the rest of the Government. How the hell he survives in the Cabinet without wanting to bind, gag and throw most of them into Sydney Harbour while heavily weighted down is utterly beyond my comprehension. But as usual I have digressed.

Basically, my long winded and almost incomprehensible point from the above rambling is this.  The ABC is paid for by all taxpayers.  Not just those that voted for the Coalition.  If that were the case they wouldn’t get much in funding since I do find it difficult to get anyone to own up to voting for that lot.  I have found a few souls hardy enough to admit to voting that way (Hi to Brett, Matt and Richard), but not a lot.  Most who I suspect did just go a little quiet and avert their eyes.  Whatever, it’s their choice.  But that doesn’t mean it becomes a propaganda machine for the Government.  And Q & A generally get a wide variety of panelists from those I admire, to those I tolerate and all the way to those I would like to park a bus on.  They cover a wide range of subjects, and led by my favourite journalistic attack dog Tony Jones, I think the show informs a hell of a lot of people.  The aforementioned host is in my opinion fair to all contributors and loves nothing more than jumping on a hypocrite who manages to take 2 different points of view inside the timespan of the show.  He is an excellent host, has a fine sense of when to butt in to stop a full on brawl and takes control of the situations well.  So Captain Looney should butt the hell out and let the Minister for Reason and Common Sense, oops Communications, Malcolm Turnbull MP, look at the inquiry and make reasoned suggestions on averting future embarrassments.  First off banning most of the politicians from appearing would help….