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Australia
I ran away from teaching to the country to grow veggies. There are also some chooks and a pair of troublesome goats who were so much trouble they had to go! My simple green life isn't always as simple or as green as I'd like...but I keep trying!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Media Mining

Gina Hancock-Rhinehart
You do not have the right,
To use your mining money
To control our media outright.

Information is one pillar, 
Of a democratic state.
Clearly, one equal vote for all,
To you, simply does not rate.

The populous is kept hostage,
By the 24-hour news-cycle.
But now you want, to control,
The entire 'news bi-cycle'!

It is hard enough to make sense,
From news in ten-second grabs.
Repeated over and over.
My voter's brain they stabs.

Politicians' double-speak,
and nasty back-stabbing ways
Keep me reeling daily,
Wondering what it is they says.

A variety of commentators' voices;
Editorial independence,
Help us voters sort the truth
From the rubbish and non-sense. 

Gina Hancock-Rhinehart,
Your billions may be fine
But we didn't vote for you!
So go back to your W.A. mine!


For overseas readers:  Gina Hancock-Rhinehart is a mining magnate 
and the richest woman in the world.  
She inherited a fortune from her working class, 
prospecting father and has built on this foundation.  
There is no argument that she is a clever woman and astute in business.

Ms Hancock-Rhinehart recently purchased 19% of Fairfax Media, 
publishers of daily newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne (our biggest cities).  
She has requested 3 seats on the Fairfax board 
but is unwilling to sign an agreement 
that states she will not interfere with editorial independence.  
Now she has begun to buy up shares in one of the national television stations.

We are blessed in Australia to have ABC radio, television and web. The good old ABC is tax-payer funded, has remained independent of the government interference, and committed to editorial balance.

I, personally, would be willing 
to pay much more than the 8-cents-per-day-per-australian,  
that the ABC costs.




12 comments:

  1. Great poem. I love it. just because Gina is rich, doesn't mean that she gets to run the country.

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  2. You go girl!!! Well done Hazel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. Well said Hazel. Rich should not equate to powerful and it sure as anything does not mean you are always right and know best.

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  4. already we are hearing nothing but how wonderful mining in australia is

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  5. Sign the petition here, if you hate what Gina wants to do to the media industry here. If you haven't already, of course.

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/australia_media_reform/?fvdkuab&pv=3

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  6. Hear hear! Or should I say here here!?
    Anyway love your mid week rant especially in poetry form.

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  7. I have now reached the extremely adult reaction of sticking my fingers in my ears and chanting la-la-la every time THAT woman's name is mentioned. And it does seem to be mentioned a lot at the moment! So over it - she might be an astute business person but I think that she is a very sad individual.

    Jan

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  8. so yeah, what IS she going to do with all that freakin money.....?
    Power is a never ending thing...that will bring her nothing but the urge to obtain more.

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  9. Well said! And as for the 8c - me too!

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  10. Good on you Hazel, we MUST be heard. I too feel very lucky to have the ABC as our unbiased media. Have you noticed that ABC when reporting this latest development used current footage of Ms Hancook-Rhinehart and Chanel 7 were using much more flattering older footage of the same.

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