Isentia Index: dogs, disasters and Donald

We might be pretty bored with our own politicians, but Australians (or at least the Australian media) are obsessed with the ups and downs of the US presidential race, especially the ever deeper downs of one Donald Trump. You get the feeling that there are plenty of social media types who would have gladly given up their Australian vote to have one on the first Tuesday in November. Fairfax have been particularly fascinated with Trump, but it was all media hands on deck this week after the leaking of the video and audio tapes of him bragging about his sexual abuse of women in 2005. There’ll be more to come, no doubt.

TV news loves a disaster, and so it was this week with the devastating images coming out of Haiti after Hurricane Matthew slammed into the island of Hispaniola on which Haiti sits, a country that seems to have picked up about ten times it’s share of misfortune this century already. A lot of the coverage focused on potential damage and flooding in Florida, despite Haiti bearing by far the worst of the storm.

Ah plebiscite, I knew him, William. The only infinite jest being felt by anyone around the issue of same sex marriage seems to be from those deeply opposed to it ever occurring, as they appear to have won themselves at least a two year reprieve from whatever the dangers they imagine equal rights might bring. Politically the damage may well be felt on both sides of the aisle, although how many actual votes will be won or lost is another matter.

Facing a pretty much total revolt from the National Party and from plenty of Liberals who felt that banning things just isn’t what Liberals do, the previously untouchable NSW Premier Mike Baird swallowed a very large slice of humble pie this week as he overturned the ban on greyhound racing. The professional media coverage was reasonably balanced, discussing the issue along with the expected dose of schadenfreude about Baird, while social media of course went completely nuts.

The weather eased, but the water was still flowing down a number of river systems across south-east Australia, peaks not expected in Western NSW until next week, or in some cases November, and the cost of the last few weeks damage being counted in the billions.

What goes on tour stays on tour, eh gents? Not this millennium.