Tuesday 5 August 2008

Who ya gunna believe?

Following the ghost of Desley Boyle's "speech" at the Yacht Club public meeting on Saturday afternoon, which made it's way to some radio stations around our fair city.

ABC's public pronouncement yesterday morning seemed to have caught out legendary broadcaster and all round fun guy Kier Shorey. You see, Kier has his toast and marmalade before sparrow's fart and is at his office desk well before any normal person crawls out from under the doona, or duvet, eiderdown, quilt, if you're of Kiwi or English stock. He grabbed the look-alike "media release" from the ABC News inbox, and proceeded to read it on air, without checking, and it seems, reading the full text to reveal the obvious jokes within.

After a caller telephoned in to declare it wasn't legit, he apologised, and said he really should have checked it out first. Pat Morrish took over the driver's seat for her 9-11 show, and continued the grilling about the fake media statement, trying to save some face for such an unusual slip up for good ol' ABC.

It seems that after I published the speech on the blog, as presented on Saturday afternoon by the stand-in for Desley, it was copied and did the rounds!

Regular CairnsBlog readers will know well the sense of humour they've come accustomed here. A couple of whizz bang April Fool's jokes this year that caught many out!

Following yesterday's palava, my inbox quickly filled up with a load of responses about the incident, including these two rather auspicious looking media releases...

  • OFFICE OF THE QUEENSLAND PREMIER
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ~ 4th August 2008

    Bligh Tightens Law on Public Ridicule

    Following a shameless act of intellectual terrorism over the weekend, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has taken swift action, announcing the forthcoming 'Sense of Humour (Limitations) Bill 2008'.

    Premier Bligh said this morning “the Bill will be introduced into the next session of State Parliament. As there is no effective opposition in Queensland, it will become law very soon.

    She continued “It is unfortunate that the Government has been forced to legislate, but seditious activity in the community has forced our hand.

    “Over the weekend, a Cairns man issued a bogus media release in the name of Desley Boyle, the MP for Cairns.

    “This disgraceful stunt brought Ms Boyle and the Government into disrepute, unfairly ridiculing our policy on a matter of public interest and bringing about unwelcome scrutiny.

    “Furthermore, the bogus release was read on air by ABC Far North - risking public exposure of the full extent of the credulousness of this respected institution.

    "This reckless behaviour threatens the very fabric of our much-envied Aussie way of life. It risks undermining the public's faith in our conformist mass media as well as our democratic system.

    “This new Bill tidies up an anomaly under existing laws, which make it difficult for the police to intervene in cases of this type.

    “Of course, most jokes will still be legal in Queensland – but anyone undertaking outright political subversion will no longer be able to shield behind the mask of satire”... ENDS


  • Leader of the Liberal National Party ~ 4th August 2008
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Bligh Must Stop Playing Politics over Satire

    Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has attacked the Bligh Government’s proposal to legislate against seditious satire in the next session of the Queensland State Parliament.

    “This is another example of the Bligh Government’s out-of-touch approach to dealing with the concerns of ordinary Queenslanders” said LNP leader Springborg.

    “Of course, we support sensible policies on restricting seditious humour – and appreciate the Government had to take action” Mr Springborg added.

    “But this is an out-of-touch Premier charging ahead without proper consultation.”

    “Had she discussed the matter with us beforehand, we could have proposed bi-partisan policies. The LNP supports sensible, well-thought-through measures such as compulsory colour-coding for satirical comments”

    “As it is, the Opposition will be forced, yet again, to cast a worthless No vote when Parliament resumes.

    "What really rankles is that Labor State Premiers blocked a national approach to regulating satire during the Howard era.

    “Now we have Labor Party opportunism at its worse.

    "Liberals support a sensible, measured approach to curbing reckless mirth. Most Nationals don’t know what satire means.

    “We could have achieved uniform national laws – but once again, Queensland Labor has played petty politics”… ENDS

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Remember you read it in the Cairns Blogg first.
Stay tuned folks, you aint seen nothin yet. The Government have been doing it to us for years, now it's our turn.
I heard that Cairns Ports and the Premier have called a war cabinet meeting to discuss the gathering clouds of a Native Title Claim over the whole waterfront. I reckon we should do the Airport as well. After all the ratepayers and citizens of Cairns own that too. By the way have you seen http://queensland-debt.com/