Category Archives: Fourth Estate
Judgement is vital for human and social flourishing
Recently, I attended an event sponsored by Accountability Round Table about evaluation of programs proposed by our democratic parliaments for Australian citizens. The speaker was Peter Baume, retired federal minister, who served in the Senate from 1974-1991. In his speech he made … Continue reading
Tabcorp’s murky Cambodian adventure
Is this the type of business Australians want Australian business Boards and management to be about? We think this reporting by Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker, Michael Bachelard, Daniel Quinlan of Fairfax is what journalism needs to be about: if Australian … Continue reading
Why no resolution to big problems?
A Turkish journalist, threatened with imprisonment if he returns home, observed that Australian journalists did not challenge our Australian government about a “Chinese invasion” of Australia, in “education” and through “investment”. Shortly before, I’d walked to his event through the … Continue reading
When should our elected governments break political conventions?
Australia still follows Westminster in allowing key principles of democratic accountability to operate according to convention. This article in the Conversation by Richard Mulgan, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University is worth a read: if you’re interested in the political process … Continue reading
Why do journalists not challenge primacy of economic growth?
This article in LinkedIn by Mal Fletcher, UK social futurist and commentator, raises important issues concerning personal and social flourishing, which is the big goal of the Secular Project, Buddhism and Christianity. I’m wondering why serious journalists don’t enquire into … Continue reading
Is this a story about talented musicians being abused by the market?
This is an interesting read from the Conversation. Our interest in media is about what makes for greater fairness, well being and shared prosperity in Australian society? If this research is true why would journalists from mainstream media not investigate … Continue reading
Might be time for journalists to relearn principles of Rule of Law!
Last year, Australian Media Engagement Project (AMEP) engaged in a number of events around, “Beyond the Game – Is there a crisis in Australian democracy?” We believe there is a crisis, and that crisis affects, and will continue to affect, … Continue reading
Has journalism fallen prey to “The Market”?
Has Tim Lane named the elephant in the room? That Journalism, as the Fourth Estate to protect democracy, has fallen prey to “the market”! In his piece in the Sunday Age (Melbourne, Australia) today Tim Lane says, “An esteemed Australian … Continue reading