So here’s a lesson in how parts of the Murdoch media machine work.
For those outside South Australia, some context.
For decades Adelaide’s major north-south transport corridor, South Road, has been a bottleneck. Successive governments talked about fixing it. The current Labor government is finally building the final section: a 10.5km tunnel system under the city.
To avoid demolishing heritage-listed buildings, schools, churches, pubs and thousands of homes, the project is being built underground. From day one, the government said it would be the most expensive infrastructure project in South Australian history.
Naturally, state debt has increased as construction ramps up. That’s what happens when you build a once-in-a-generation piece of infrastructure. The government has also repeatedly stated that debt levels are expected to stabilise once the project is completed.
Cue the predictable headlines: “Debt out of control”, “Labor spending spree”, “Burden on future generations”. The usual suspects piled in.
Then came the next angle.
The paper started floating the idea that the tunnel should be a toll road.
Never mind that South Australia hasn’t had a toll road since the 1850s. Never mind that the Premier has repeatedly ruled it out. Never mind that the Treasurer has repeatedly ruled it out.
A Facebook poll was launched asking whether the tunnel should be tolled to help deal with Labor’s spending.
Predictably, the comments exploded. “Labor planned this all along.” “Users should pay.” “Vote One Nation and this wouldn’t happen.”
The poll scraped out a narrow majority in favour of tolls.
The government responded exactly as it had before: there will be no toll. There was never going to be a toll. The road will be free to use. The project is on schedule.
So after running stories about debt, then stories about spending, then stories suggesting a toll road was needed, the paper found a new headline:
“Government out of touch with voters.”
Apparently the same toll road that the government never proposed, never planned and repeatedly rejected is now something the government is being criticised for not delivering.
Create the problem. Amplify the outrage. Poll the outrage. Then report the outrage as news.
And people wonder why trust in media keeps falling.
The umpire allowing Harry McKay 40 seconds to take a shot he was never having, unbelievable and at the other end it cost Essendon to win the game, wow. #AFLDonsBlues#AFL
I am absolutely fed up with the relentless targeting of Grace Tame.
Let's be clear. There is a difference between fair criticism and a public pile-on. What we keep seeing directed at Grace is not constructive debate. It is constant scrutiny, personal attacks, outrage cycles and a level of judgment that seems reserved for women who dare to speak too loudly, too honestly or too unapologetically.
Grace Tame survived child sexual abuse. She helped change laws. She gave a voice to countless survivors. She has spent years doing work that most people would never have the courage to do.
Yet the attacks never seem to stop.
A few weeks ago it was the Prime Minister taking aim at her. Now it's Charlie Pickering. Before that, countless commentators, columnists and social media critics. Different names, same pattern.
And frankly, it disgusts me.
No, women in public life should not be immune from criticism. Nobody is. But there is a world of difference between criticism and the kind of sustained public hounding that seeks to diminish, discredit and exhaust someone.
As someone who has experienced public judgment and media attacks, I know how destructive these campaigns can be. They reduce human beings to caricatures. They erase context. They encourage outrage while ignoring the very real emotional toll on the person at the centre of it.
What troubles me most is that women who survive violence are so often expected to be perfect. The moment they become angry, outspoken, political, imperfect or inconvenient, they are treated as fair game.
Grace Tame has contributed more to the conversation about sexual abuse and survivor advocacy in this country than most of her critics ever will.
Maybe it's time some of the men lining up to take shots at her stopped and asked themselves a simple question:
Why are they spending so much energy attacking a survivor instead of supporting the change she helped create?
Enough. #gracetame #charliepickering
Bit of biff from both boys but Reid manages to score a free. I'm not usually glad when the opposition misses an easy goal, but I'm glad this time #AFLEaglesDons