CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
One of the most unspoken conflicts of interest in Australian politics comes to an end this week, as the former Liberal Treasurer who spent 13 years as Deputy Leader of the party, stands down from his role as Chairman on Nine Media.
This announcement follows weeks of scandal surrounding the major Australian media network, with Nine in the midst of allegations about inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment within the both the news room and boardrooms.
This is also bad news for the Federal Opposition, who despite their conspiratorial claims that the entire Australian media landscape is full of left-wing communists, relies heavily on the favourable news coverage that comes from the major media brands that answer to the network’s chairman.
But things have only gotten worse for both the Coalition and Nine, after Peter Costello was forced to resign from the high-powered chairman role that he ended up taking after it became clear that John Howard was never going to let him lead the Liberal party… Because he was ‘elitist and out of touch’.
Costello has not resigned over the allegations that he oversaw and was complicit in a toxic work culture of bullying and sexual misconduct. Rather, he resigned because as a media executive responsible for one half of Australia’s right-wing media duopoly, he probably should’ve known about the existence of iPhone cameras.
Peter Costello’s media career ended suddenly last week after a video emerged of an ugly incident at Canberra Airport, where he was filmed knocking over a journalist from the Murdoch media empire that he has tirelessly tried to emulate.
This announcement spells good news for any Teal Independent candidates, who can now run against Costello’s moderate Liberal proteges without fear of having partisan journalists going through bins and compiling dirt files about their families.
It’s also good news for the female members of the Labor Government, who can rest knowing that their own colleagues can die of a natural causes without being accused of bullying them to death.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is reportedly in a panic today, after it became clear that he will no longer be getting any of those warm and fuzzy headlines that urge voters to please try and forget his past human rights abuses and give him a go because maybe he’s a good bloke.
It is not yet known who will be recruited to replace Costello on a long-term basis, but the Victorian Liberals are reportedly lobbying heavily for a young up and comer by the name of Josh Frydenberg, a man with a very similar resume to Costello and a similar sized chip on his shoulder about having never achieved leadership.
