ABC’s The Drum

View here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/the-drum-wednesday-march-27/10946430

Holly Ransom joins host Craig Reucassel on ABC’s The Drum, alongside panelists Van Badham, Kate Carnell and Rory O’Connor for a feisty discussion across breaking topics in Australia and overseas.

The panel discusses the freshly released documentary by Al Jazeera titled How to sell a massacre, exposing One Nation’s promise to influence our country’s democracy as part of a failed bid to secure political funding from Koch Industries, a United States energy giant. The panel debates whether Australia’s gun lobby rivals the US, whether the revelations will change loyal voter sentiment, and whether journalistic integrity was compromised in filming the piece with hidden cameras. To what level will we tolerate breaches of privacy for the benefit of public good?

The George Pell case has thrown light on the issue of suppression orders and protection of the integrity of court proceedings. The panel discusses where the line should be drawn in journalistic responsibility between protecting the chance for a fair trial and ensuring the public is kept informed. With the 24 hour instant news cycle, international media pick up on the story second hand, rather than being told by journalists present in the courtroom. Who’s responsibility is trolling and where is the accountability of the platforms?

Also on the agenda is the “very small” NSW coal plant on the list of Scott Morrison’s energy projects, and the importance of engaging the next generation of voters on issues rather than “the politic at large” and the rise of independent parliamentarians. And finally, the need to preserve Indigenous language for generations to come.