On the Federal election

Honestly, I don't recall (as an adult, at least) a more unified pro-Coalition biased media in the campaign coverage than what we are witnessing this campaign.

As I noted before, it is 100% clear that Murdoch the Elder, or Younger, or both, desperately want Scott Morrison, a Prime Minister with a terrible, terrible management record, returned.    What they fear about Labor is far from clear, given that it is following a "don't frighten the horses" strategy which is hardly radical and causing people like John Quiggin to run to the Greens in disappointment.

But this campaign, we have Fairfax and Nine following a soft on Morrison line too, with the woeful Chris Uhlmann virtually giving up any pretence of objectively. I stopped trusting him many years ago, and am very happy he is retiring.

Yesterday, apparently, Albo faced an aggressive interview by Ray Hadley - I won't listen to it, but someone like Michelle Grattan said it was really over the top.

And as many people have been saying on Twitter, even the ABC coverage has been seeming a bit cowered - bending over backwards to deal with it primarily as a pretty context-less horse race and showing minimal interest in reminding viewers of the Morrision government history, as if another "daggy Dad" campaign is all that matters.   And to be honest, when I see the coverage on TV, and the images the Liberals put out, I am fearful over how easily persuaded the un-engaged in politics are by such soft piffle.   

And the world of conspiracy on Facebook is probably playing a role - on the weekend at a social event, one woman said she was sure Albo didn't have Covid - he was just hiding from the media because he's not going over well.   I didn't ask if that was a personal idea she had come up with, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was swirling around on social media.

 I am still feeling relatively confident of a Labor win, perhaps with the support of a handful of independents.   But I am pretty dismayed about the media coverage of the campaign.