AS DAVID BARTLETT woke to a beautiful Tasmanian day and pondered his visage in the shaving mirror, did he ask himself: Why am I afraid of Nick McKim?
As he scanned the breaking news of teacher discontent (HERE: Greg Brown says Tasmania Together is falling apart, and, HERE: Bad start to school year, ABC Online) did he wonder if he had the ticker to combat articulate McKim.
Premier Bartlett’s refusal to allow McKim to debate him on Sky (HERE: Peter Henning, Emptiness in the sky without diamonds, and, HERE: Bob Burton, Bartlett Launches Ploy to Shunt Greens off Debating Stage) suggests not a strategy, but a paranoia that perhaps his belligerence is inadequate to intelligently answer the questions McKim might raise.
The debate also raises the important questions. Who are to be the invited journos to ask the questions of the furiously agreeing David Bartlett and Will Hodgman.
Hag’s bet is that Mercury Chief Reporter Sue Neales will be there; after all Sky is News Ltd. Is that so Sue?
Who else? And what credibility will it have?
PS: Hag heard on ABC’s 7pm weekend TV news a report about Bartlett, McKim & Hodgman meeting a school P&F group at Campbell Town. One of Bartlett’s advisers told the media to leave the meeting. Afterwards Bartlett denied he’d told her to say that. He said he had no objections to the media being present. Though ABC Radio ran the story Sunday morning, there’s nothing on their website. WIN TV also covered it but their most recent story is dated September 2009.
Sigh …
Meanwhile …
Temporary Boil Water Notice Campbell Town and Ross
“As a result of deteriorating water quality after significant rainfall, there is a high risk that chlorination of the drinking water for the towns of Campbell Town and Ross will be ineffective.
As a precaution you are advised that water for consumption within the Campbell Town and Ross areas should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute. Water should then be allowed to cool and stored in a clean container with a lid and refrigerated.”
Hagnote: I guess the Barty minders never leave Hobart without bottled water …
