Mike Pompeo, Peter Dutton, Elon Musk and more.
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Saturday Dec 16
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Anthony Albanese invoked transparency and accountability as significant parts of his election campaign — indeed his party’s 2021 national platform said a Labor government would “make government open and accountable” and “strengthen freedom of information laws and foster compliance throughout the government”. Crikey's media reporter Daanyal Saeed this week took a look at whether the notorious iciness towards the media under a Coalition government has thawed.

Elsewhere this week we asked: What is happening at the ABC? And should domestic violence be classed as terrorism?

Thanks for your support and we hope you're having a great weekend.
Gina Rushton Gina Rushton,
Editor
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Qantas offers litany of lies in a flight from reality on regulation
BERNARD KEANE

Qantas has responded to the government's aviation green paper by saying everything's pretty much fine in the industry, thanks, and there's no need to do anything differently.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi)
 
This isn’t America — covert recordings are admissible in Australian courts. Here’s why
MICHAEL BRADLEY

Despite what 'Law & Order' may have taught us, the judge in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case has much to consider regarding secretly recorded conversations related to the trial.

Brittany Higgins and her lawyer Leon Zwier (Image: AAP/Dean Lewins)
 
The Schwartz family’s big quit, and Fox finally covers Paul Kent
DAANYAL SAEED

In this week's Media Briefs, the patriarch of Schwartz Media resigns and Fox Sports finally decides to report on a controversy involving one of its own.

Morry Schwartz and Anna Schwartz in 2019 (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi)
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Why progressives should get behind the stage three tax cuts — no, really
BERNARD KEANE

Failure to deliver stage three tax cuts will derail Labor's strategy of offering competent, predictable government that voters will reward over the long term. And the argument that they're unsustainable will no longer wash.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)
 
Pompeo and Morrison do church, AI is unfailingly woke, and influencers take on Canberra
CHARLIE LEWIS

A dump of FOI docs in the US reveal the early days of Scott Morrison's bromance with Mike Pompeo, plus more in this week's Tips and Murmurs.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo (right) toasts former PM Scott Morrison in 2019 (Image: AAP/AP/Alex Brandon)
 
The media and arts bodies are failing to defend creative workers and their rights
CHRISTOPHER WARREN

The 'creators' are the bread and butter of publishers and cultural institutions, but they've been taken for granted for far too long.

(Image: AAP/Steven Saphore)
 
You don’t need to approve of Israel to condemn the rape and sexual assault of Israeli women. You just need to be human
NOMI KALTMANN

I lament the delayed and insufficient responses from feminist groups and wish they had reacted with greater urgency and force. 

A protester outside the UN headquarters in New York (Image: AAP/Olga Fedorova)
 
Government pushed to scrap ‘unfair’ financial reporting exemptions for basic religious charities after new report
AMY FALLON

The Productivity Commission has recommended an end to special rules for basic religious charities in the interest of 'public transparency and accountability'. Will the government listen?

(Image: Zennie/Private Media)
 
Tony Burke was Labor’s best in 2023. Albo needs to emulate him in 2024
BENJAMIN CLARK

With the Labor prime minister seen by some voters as 'weak' and 'missing in action', it might be time for him to follow Burke's more principled lead.

Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)
 
Dutton demands more immigration, less immigration. In one breath
BERNARD KEANE

Peter Dutton wants more migrants and fewer migrants. Is this contradictory? Well, yes, but it doesn't matter when you're in opposition.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton (Image: AAP/Joel Carrett)
 
Australian government continues to advertise on X after Elon Musk’s anti-Semitic post
CAM WILSON

At least two government departments are still paying to promote posts on the platform.

Elon Musk and a Defence Department tweet (Image: Daniel Oberhaus, X/@ADFCareers)
 
‘Labor’s lost interest in transparency’: Another year of a broken FOI scheme
DAANYAL SAEED

Some gains but many losses in freedom of information requests from Labor as calls for transparency become words used only in opposition.

Centre for Public Integrity's director Geoffrey Watson SC (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)
 
An incel who murdered a woman was convicted as a terrorist. Australia can do the same
EMMA ELSWORTHY

Could treating far-right subcultures as terrorist movements help reduce violence against women in Australia?

(Image: Adobe)
 
An artist lost funding for an artificial insemination artwork. Their court win raises vital questions
LARA STEVENS

Creative Australia's court loss to performance artist Casey Jenkins — after rescinding funding for their controversial work — should ignite discussions about the role of art in our society.

A still from a Facebook video by Casey Jenkins (Image: Casey Jenkins/Facebook)