Fairfax follies

When asked these questions by email, Day responded thus: "I was referring to the timing of the resignations. I agree with all you say [re ministerial resignations] but the timing gave the appearance of chaos. It was a poor political calculation and nothing was done to hose down the hooha in the press."

This is further nonsense. It was never poor political calculation when John Howard did precisely the same. And just how can a government 'hose down' media hooha? Arrest the journalists? Ban the mastheads?

What else could have been done by whom? Whose responsibility is it in a liberal democracy to report what governments are doing? Could the media release have been any clearer?

And why is calling the election date evidence of the PM's "propensity for political stumbles"?

Every election year in living memory has had retailers, businesses, traders, investors, state governments, community organisations and others screaming for certainty and an end to the election date speculation. Now we have it. For whom is that disastrous, and why?

Day then criticises the Government for its failure to win support for its environmental initiatives. "With the carbon price in place, the government should be earning kudos from the many Australians who care about the environment and are concerned about human-induced climate change."

Again, whose job is it to report the substantial drop in emissions since last July? Positive reports in the mainstream media – brief, down page and rare – are simply drowned out by the constant prominent misreporting on the matter.

Day continues with an attack on foreign policy unbecoming of a political history scholar: "The Prime Minister has also disappointed many Australians with a foreign policy that is not discernibly different from that of John Howard. She kept the troops in Afghanistan and has thrown Australia open to American bases."

Yes, some aspects of the previous foreign policy regime were continued. Specifically concerning the US alliance. But actually very few. Labor's foreign policy has been worlds away from the previous administration's in signing strategic international treaties and accords. And in restoring relationships in the Asia pacific region. In these vital areas, just no comparison.

The damage done to relations with Australia's neighbours during the Howard years have virtually all been reversed. Australian embassies are no longer targets for bombing; ambassadors are no longer expelled by friendly neighbours; Australians in nightclubs abroad are no longer being killed; false allegations are no longer levelled against neighbouring allies; official visits between friendly countries are no longer threatened; and millions of dollars of aid money are no longer illegally paid to Australia's enemies in trade bribes.

Most disturbing is Day's reference to Australia's jobless. The article claims that "Julia Gillard has not shown sufficient commitment to protect Australian workers. She seems content to have unemployment at about 5 per cent, to have about 15 per cent of school-leavers without a job …"

Really? Where and when has employment been any better? Here in France the jobless rate is above 10%. In the UK and the US it is above 7.7%. In the Euro area it is 11.7%, more than double Australia's rate.