Mr West turns in his grave

The Hag’s shout

A serve for the Ex
A serve for Elwick
A serve for Lenin Labor
“It’s not enough that a newspaper should be innocuous — it ought to be useful.” ”A false delicacy that does not disturb the quiet of speculators or impostors, or shrinks from correcting the errors of well meaning but blundering functionaries, may secure a journalist from opposition but he must speedily drivel into contempt and drop into oblivion.”

This quote was taken from the first editorial column of The Examiner’s founder, the Rev John West, published in 1842.

Doesn’t it still ring true with regard to the paper’s recent disemboweling by Media Watch, The Barra winner cops another serve, with regard to their coverage of the proposed Gunns Ltd pulp mill.

Somewhere this great man is turning in his grave that the paper he created has fallen from such Utopian ideals … to be ”reasonably factual” and now just plain biased.

In the last two years this paper has won ”The Barra”, pulp mill related of course, been lampooned for their now infamous Ricky Ponting memorial gaffe; suffered a declining readership.

How can the paper seriously claim that while Gunns is their largest advertiser it has no impact on editorial policy?

This is a ludicrous statement; the circumstantial evidence alone belies it: former editor Rod Scott now works for the Premier, a former senior journalist is now doing PR for Gunns, the brother of a member of senior Examiner management is a Government trouble-shooter on projects like the Meander Dam and the pulp mill.

But most important of all let us not forget Fast Eddie (Rouse), the man who propagated and institutionalised this incestuous old boys’ network.

Just how much longer will Rural Press allow this once great paper to flounder in the shallow end of Fourth Estate swimming pool?

Meanwhile …

Hag has turned her jaundiced eyes onto what must rate as Tasmania’s ugliest new building.

She refers of course to Paul’s Taj Mahal at Elwick … a monstrously ugly embarrassment whose principle feature appears to be two ET-like eyes on stalks.

And it hasn’t impressed a few of the punters.

Witness this comment from Mercury reader Shane Hutton:

AFTER a visit to the most recent thoroughbred race meeting at Elwick, I thought it would be remiss of me to not pass on a report to fellow taxpayers on what their $20 odd million has and has not provided.

There is a half-completed grandstand. This was supposed to be completed by the Hobart Cup in February, but it wasn’t. Then they said it would be completed by Interdominion time in March, and it wasn’t. Based on the rate of progress from then until now, one cannot see the grandstand being completed by Hobart Cup 2007.

Surely someone’s head should be on the chopping block for this alone.

But wait. We also have missing interior roof panelling, obvious signs of water leaks and damage, holes in walls, unlit stairwells, construction equipment and materials scattered throughout and vast volumes of dust covering everything that has not been recently cleaned.

But all of this does not really matter for all you fellow members of the public out there. Why you ask? Because everywhere, except a small public bar on the ground floor, is restricted to members of the TRC only.

That’s right, a taxpayer-funded grandstand that the majority of us cannot use. I managed to sneak a peek upstairs and there was barely enough people to comfortably occupy no more than a third of the upstairs capacity. I don’t have a problem with members having access to the best vantage points, but I do find it astonishing that they command control of the entire upper level when they simply do not need even half.

Why not use some commonsense like the harness racing people do and have both a general public area with a restricted access area for members.

Oh, and if you are planning a trip to Elwick for a day at the gallops, there is only one choice for food, a small tuckshop selling hamburgers, dim sims and chips. There isn’t even an area to sit down to consume this restricted menu.

I hope messrs Cox, Lennon and Clarke read this and fix the place up to a standard that taxpayers both demand and expect.

Shane Hutton
Austins Ferry

And, while Hag is having a bloody good go …

How true is this: You reap what you sow.

Premier Paul has taken on all of Deputy Premier Brian’s portfolios, because he hopes Brian will soon again be back looking adoringly puppy like up at the Master.

Another reason? There simply is no talent!

And who is to blame for that? Not only did this least-Labor-like party trash democracy in its desperate rush to be rid of the Greens, and cosy up full-time to the Big End of Town, it has also undertaken purges which would make Lenin proud.

The party simply has not regenerated, hacks who toe the party line ad nauseum have been approved … and the wisdom and fresh perspective of a Duncan Kerr or James Crotty eschewed.

For heaven’s sake, it’s enough to turn a Hag to drink …