Archive for August 16th, 2010

Media bias towards big parties denies the voters a true choice.

16/08/2010

DARREN CHURCHILL

Australian Democrats Senate candidate

Media Release: 16th August, 2010

Media bias towards big parties denies the voters a true choice.

The Australian Democrats are calling on the media to end their biased approach of presenting only Labor, Liberal and Green candidates on the ABC in particular, and on television and radio in general.

Four political parties and an independent are contesting the Senate election in the ACT for two Senate seats but some sections of the media are doing their best to ignore the existence of the Australian Democrats and the other candidate, independent John Glynn. Australian Democrats preferences are likely to decide the result in an expected close contest.

“Almost all the focus has been on Labor, Liberal and Green. My party, the Australian Democrats, seems to be overlooked yet again,” said Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT, Darren Churchill. “The exception was for minor coverage about our preference arrangements – and even then it was from the perspective of the ever-whinging Greens, and our perspective was not given.”

“People say to me, ‘So, you are still around. Why aren’t you mentioned on the radio/TV? Aren’t you doing any media?’ The decision of the ABC in particular, to either ignore or omit us is nothing short of blatant political censorship!” declared Mr Churchill.

“Despite repeated requests to be included on Stateline and other programs, Stateline still went to air last Friday without us and my phonecalls to the ABC on other programs are responded to with ‘we’ll call you back if we have time,’ even when one of the other parties declines to take part.”

“Who gives the ABC the right to decide who the voters are informed about or not?” queried Mr Churchill. “It’s not their place to decide who is in the election or not. The voters of the ACT have a right to be informed about all their choices, not just the big parties.”

“The ABC’s ‘Code of Practice’ 2008, states that in regard to news and current affairs content: ‘Content will be impartial. Editorial judgements will be based on news values. One perspective will not be favoured over others’.” continued Mr Churchill “Why is the ABC determining who is to be heard? It prides itself on being a community broadcaster but the accusation of bias directed at it appears to be right. Is it our ABC or does it belong to the big political parties? All of the candidates have a right to be heard. It’s not democratic! Clearly the ABC has not adhered to it’s own ‘Code of Practice.’”

“Things might be different in other states and territories but Canberra has biased reporting, and the public needs to be informed, particularly for this election, because people are confused about the policies of Labor and Liberal, and the Greens are coming out with some very strange remarks.”

“The Australian Democrats are here. We are a part of this election. And the good people of Canberra are being short-changed!” Mr Churchill concluded.

CONTACT:

Darren Churchill

Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in Accountability, Censorship, Federal Election 2010, Senate Campaign 2010, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Greens lies make them unworthy of voters trust

16/08/2010

DARREN CHURCHILL

Australian Democrats Senate candidate

Media Release: 16th August, 2010

Greens lies make them unworthy of voters trust

The Australian Democrats have refuted the lies being spread by the ACT Greens about preferences and the willingness to be negotiators, accusing the Greens of being unworthy of voters’ trust.

Interjecting at a GetUp! Senate forum yesterday, at which he was deliberately excluded by the organisers, Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT, Darren Churchill waved a list of environmental outcomes in the air, calling out to the Greens candidate: “Here’s a list of the things for the environment we negotiated with the previous government – all of which you opposed!”

And when the Greens accused Mr Churchill of reneging on a preference deal his response was “That’s a lie!”

Explaining his version of events, Mr Churchill said: “One thing we learned from Chipp was the importance of not allowing anything untrue or inaccurate said or published about oneself, on the public record, to go un-refuted.”

“There was no deal on preferences with the Greens. The Australian Democrats decide where our preferences go, not the Greens. And voters always have the option of voting below the line.”

“But it’s all about who is prepared to act in the interest of the ACT. Being prepared to cross the floor against your party line in the interest of your constituents is what ‘keeping the bastards honest’ is all about. Kate Lundy is bound by her party rules and would be expelled for crossing the floor. The Greens can’t be trusted. Over two decades we have found that the Greens have misrepresented the Democrats again and again.

“That leaves small ‘l’ Liberal Gary Humphries, who has crossed the floor for the ACT in the past. If I am unsuccessful in being elected, then Gary Humphries is the least worst alternative for Canberra.” continued Mr Churchill

“As for the claim that the Greens want immediate action on the environment there must have been some latter day conversion. But I doubt it – although the Rudd Government’s ETS was flawed, it would have been a start, it would have been better than nothing, but the Greens voted it down.

“By contrast a list provided to me by our former parliamentary leader shows where the Australian Democrats achieved environmental outcomes in negotiations with the previous government,” said Mr Churchill.

“It reads: ‘We also negotiated hundreds of amendments to the new (in 1999) Federal environment laws, strengthening them very substantially. Before that the Commonwealth had very few powers over development impacting on the environment. (We started this reform by initiating and chairing an inquiry reporting in 1997 on the need for Commonwealth environment law.)

Thanks to our negotiation, Australia had for the first time, standards governing fuel emissions and eventually matched Europe’s standards

We negotiated renewable energy for thousands of off-grid, remote communities that previously relied on diesel for power generation.

And two extensions of the rooftop PV grants.

We negotiated $400 million to leverage large scale energy efficiency in big industry.

The Greens opposed all the above.’

“This clearly shows where the Australian Democrats have negotiated good things for the environment, while the Greens have just huffed and puffed and talked and told lies.”

“If I am elected, I will continue the good work of the Australian Democrats. We need action, not just talk on the environment. I will deliver, because you deserve better!” Mr Churchill concluded.

CONTACT:

Darren Churchill

Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in Accountability, Climate Change, Environment, Federal Election 2010, Media Releases, Senate Campaign 2010, Uncategorized, Values | Leave a Comment »