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Never apologise: it only encourages the bastards. Especially when the bastards deserved it in the first place.
As even the dim bulbs of the left-media (apologies for the tautology) have realised, most of us hate the mainstream media. Loathe might be a more fitting word.
So, when a feisty centre-right political leader in a far-left dominated public service enclave gives the literal finger to a journalist, well… not many people are going to get upset. Except the mainstream media, of course.
Stupidly, the pollie in question went and apologised.
ACT Liberal leader Elizabeth Lee has been forced to apologise after she was caught on camera sticking up her middle finger at a journalist after he had turned his back following a tense press conference.
The ACT election will be held on Saturday.
“I engaged in poor behaviour that was unprofessional, and I apologise”, she said afterwards.
“I have history with this journalist.’
You might say that. The journalist in question has attacked and badgered Lee for months about not releasing detailed policies. Incumbent ACT Chief Minister, Labor’s Andrew Barr, has had a free pass. Not to mention months of favourable coverage.
It was no different at the press conference.
Ms Lee and RiotACT reporter Ian Bushnell had a tense exchange at a press conference on Wednesday.
Mr Bushnell questioned Ms Lee about the timing of costs and details on election pledges.
“Isn’t it a bit late in the day to be having these discussions?” Mr Bushnell asked.
“Isn’t it late in the day for [ACT Chief Minister] Andrew Barr to still have not submitted costings for his policies?” She responded.
‘Whataboutism’ is, of course, dodging the question. Still, Lee has a reason to be miffed.
“No, you can’t throw things at the opposition and expect to have no comeback when the fact is, this is a treasurer who’s been in charge of the ACT treasury – are you finished?”
Lee and the ACT Liberals are trying to overturn 23 years of solid Labor rule. It’s a tough ask in a city which is dominated by – was in fact created solely to house – public servants. Public servants who earn the highest average salaries in Australia. Go figure.
Still, Canberra also has a substantial, non-public-service underclass.
The Canberra Liberals have sought to win back voters by carving out a policy platform distinguished from the Labor-Greens government by its pledge to deliver 125,000 new homes by 2050, a promise to build a 30,000-seat lakeside sport stadium and commitment to scrap plans to extend the light rail to Woden in the city’s south.
If Ms Lee succeeds in sweeping Chief Minister Andrew Barr out of office on October 19, she has also vowed to cap the annual increase of residential rates to 2.2 per cent and wind back the nation’s most liberal drug laws, which decriminalised possession of small quantities of illicit substances […]
To turn their political fortunes around after more than two decades in opposition, the Liberals will also need to contend with Canberra’s unique demographic characterised by relatively high household incomes, a large proportion of public servants and openness to socially progressive policies.
Because, like all wealthy ‘progressives’, Canberra’s public service class know they’re completely insulated from the consequences of their ‘progressive’ nostrums.
Canberra: it’s like San Francisco or Portland, minus the seaside charm and the sea of excrement in the streets.
And more than a few Australians are likely to be perturbed by someone giving the finger to its chattering class.
Never apologise: it only encourages the bastards.
