The white-anting of ATSIC has been brought about by the usual suspects

But it has never been acknowledged by mainstream media.

Not even when conservative bureaucrats, like Mr Beadman, tell conservative "think" tanks that mainstreaming has failed.

Prejudice is blind.

The Beadman paper and postcript came to mind in the past fortnight as Mark Latham announced a federal Labor government would abolish ATSIC and ATSIS in favour of a new form of self-determination.

Prime Minister Howard announced he'd mainstream the lot, having, of course, all but already done so.

The mainstream debate in mainstream media was, as you'd expect, drenched in disinformation. All the usual suspects lined up.

All trotted out their familiar lines about ATSIC's failure, lack of leadership, millions of dollars not hitting the ground ... yadda yadda yadda.

The truth was, as usual, relegated to the slipstream.

We have all become accustomed to the radio ravings of Jones, Laws and their fellow squawkback brigade and the lineup of loonies who parade as the august commentariat in mainstream newspapers but things are getting seriously weird when seasoned journalists swallow the anti-ATSIC tommyrot.

Let's look at both ends of the spectrum - the "doyen" of the Canberra Press Gallery Michelle Grattan, The Australian's Editor-at Large, Paul Kelly, and Alan Jones, enfant terrible of any debate on Aboriginal affairs.

Jones was jibbering after Latham's announcement.

He told his 2GB listeners on April 2 there would be few "fair dinkum Australians who would disagree," with Latham's announcement that ATSIC would be no more.