A former NSW premier goes into bat for Michael Danby
Former NSW premier Morris Iemma has questions for Fairfax media who have mounted a front page attack against Labor Federal MP for using taxpayer funds for funding ads to point out bias in ABC reporting in Israel.
Morris Iemma
The MP for Melbourne Ports was also criticised using public funds for his personal use… wrongs which Danby corrected when he became aware of them some time ago.
Morris Iemma asks these questions…and answers them.
“So Fairfax attacks an MP for using taxpayer funds where the expenditure was within the guideline and in accordance with the rules?
What is the difference if Michael Danby had used the money to produce a pamphlet from that ad of his and distribute it to 100,000 constituents of his?
None
What is the difference if he had sent same pamphlet to 20,000 Jewish constituents of his?
None
What is the difference if he had produced a direct mail letter and sent it to 100,000 constituents or just those that are Jewish?
None
What is the difference if he had placed the same ads in his local newspapers and culturally diverse ones?
None
What is the difference if he had used the rules of the Parliament and made a speech on the issue and mailed it out to his constituents and broader audience?
None
What is the difference if he had used various forms of social media to do the same?
None
What if he had produced an ad on any other issue that is in the public domain and placed it in the same media outlet?
None
Politicians have been producing ads ( full page, quarter page, half page and smaller) in newspapers of all kinds ( local, regional, metro tabloid, broadsheet ) for decades advocating all sorts of issues and contributing to all kinds of debates
Michael Danby
What is the difference here?
None
For decades it’s been seen as legit part of MPs job and part/parcel of our robust Democracy and freedom of expression
What is the difference here?
None
Except the content/subject matter?
Because it’s Israel and a Jewish family, offence is taken.”
Morris Iemma added: “Fake shock, horror expressed over an MP making legit use of entitlements communicating with constituents and the broader public.
Well!
Refer him to Senate Privileges Committee, call in the Federal Cops, move for his expulsion from the ALP or better still crank the campaign up to expel him from Parliament.
There you go. Problem solved. No contra view. No debate. No opinions other than the corporate line at headquarters. All dissent crushed
Must be what they mean by ” Fearless. Independent. Always.”
Morris Iemma was the 40th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 3 August 2005 to 5 September 2008.
Great points to hammer home, Morris Iemma. Thank you for that. The media attack on Israel, using all sorts of vehicles through which to mount them, is not only a disgrace, but becoming dangerous. Michael Danby is strong and courageous to call it how he sees it. And Fairfax have exposed themselves for the unbalanced, non-professionals that they are. They’ve muddied their own waters. I wonder why they’re not so interested in the monies Green’s Senator Lee Rhiannon spent in the past two years on Pro-Palestinian leaflets that paint Israel as evil occupier?
Well said, Morris Iemma.
Thank you Morris Immea.
Yeh it’s obvious Danby’s fellow Melbourne labor colleague Dreyfus is no where to be seen Dreyfus does not wish to offend his Muslim
Constituency by Defending a fellow Jewish MP