MATTHEW ROGERS, Adviser to Premier David Bartlett
Having recently been accused by Green staffer Ben Lohberger on this website of telling a Blatant Lie, I was interested to read a sentence on the end of a report in this week’s Sunday Examiner.
You may recall Mr Lohberger objected to my observation that the Tasmanian Greens’ practice of denying journalists full access to their annual state conferences was questionable, given their stated commitment to transparency and accountability.
Mr Lohberger said I had it all wrong – that the Greens do allow full, unfettered media access to their conferences and that I was telling a “blatant lie”.
This is a serious accusation and one that should not be made lightly, to say nothing of the bizarre Nazi comparisons Mr Lohberger also drew.
So imagine my surprise to read the following out of the Greens’ state conference in The Sunday Examiner: “…Greens’ party manager Karen Cassidy said that media were welcome to all parts of the conference, excluding the policy formulation workshop…”
Excluding the policy formulation workshop? But Mr Lohberger said the media would be given full access to cover the conference.
Has there been a mistake? Did Ms Cassidy get it wrong?
Is the policy formulation workshop the part of the conference where uncomfortable debates are most likely to be had?
The part of the conference where unusual, emotive or extreme policy positions might be argued from within the Green rank and file?
The part of the conference that would only do damage to Nick McKim’s attempts to present as a moderate in the lead-up to an election?
The part of the conference that Green spin doctors would least want aired on the nightly news, so as to tightly control their message to the public?
Surely not….
