Calling it Out

It’s not in my nature to comment publicly on things said in the media or in politics, but as Lisa Wilkinson said in an interview with NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, on the Sunday Project last weekend….

‘If you want change to be effective, shouldn't you call it out when it’s happening?’

I agree! And that’s why I am calling it out.

I think the media needs to pull its head in and report on things that are in the interest of the public, instead of pushing their own agendas.

It was supposed to be an interview about the Premier’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. One would assume the Premier was prepared for this particular line of questioning. It would also make sense to assume the Premier would be expecting some tough questions, in particular with reference to the Ruby Princess debacle. But what she may not have been anticipating, were the questions around gender issues within parliament.

In my opinion, this was a weak shot. It really irritates me that the media can hide behind the guise of their so called ‘freedoms’. To me, they are the ones who create much of the problem. They dramatise and catastrophise everything, not because it is in best interest of the public, but because it is in the best interest of their shareholders.

You only have to look at how reporters are trained to communicate. On commercial television, the on-location reporters are usually young, attractive people, who have been primed for their appearance. Hair and makeup done. Clothes styled, even in the wee hours of the morning. And the way they speak is as if the end of the world is looming near. Full of drama and suspense. Are they for real? This is life, people, not a soap opera or a Hollywood movie. This is precisely why I cannot watch the news bulletins.

Let’s get real for a minute. Anything that goes to air on the news must pass through a certain filter. Is it in the public’s interest? Is it controversial? Is it competitive? You can always tell it has been a slow news day when you see a feel good story or something without much relevance to the rest of the content. Actually they don’t even do that anymore. They just keep repeating the juicy stuff, over and over again. Don’t underestimate, either, content which appears to be news but is just commercial in nature. Trust me, I know!

Now back to Lisa Wilkinson. In my opinion, she took a cheap shot at the Premier, and made her look weak and indecisive. This was done deliberately and out of ego. The question was not relevant to the rest of the interview, and considering everything else going on at present, was totally misplaced. I am sure the Premier, and the rest of the country, have more important issues going on right now.

And not that it is not an important issue. But is now really the time to discuss it?

We all know that women are the minority in positions of leadership, and politics is no exception. We know that misogyny exists among the ranks of parliament, as it does in most places of work. We have all seen the likes of Julia Gillard and Julie Bishop battle those same demons, and we all know what happened to their careers. One can understand the difficult position Gladys found herself in at that very moment. Imagine she had called it out. That would have become the topic of the next few news cycles, and would have overshadowed much of the work she is doing to lead her state through this crisis. Now is not the time to exert this sort of pressure on our leaders. I think Lisa Wilkinson was out of line to put her in that position.

I have always liked Lisa Wilkinson’s style, but I must say that after seeing this interview, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The media should work to present the facts in a way which is neutral and fair. Why is it that, as humans, we are expected to treat other humans with respect and dignity, but it seems that if you are a politician or in the media, you are exempt from those rules.

Lisa’s attack on the Premier was underhanded and unfair. And when she didn’t get the answer she was looking for, she continued to pursue it relentlessly. Do you know why she did that? She did it for her own ego. For her own ratings. For her own career.

The public are starting to see through the garbage. I am not a resident of NSW, and nor am I aligned with any political party. I am indifferent to Gladys as a politician but I am considerate of her as a human being. So what gives me the right to comment on these issues? Well, the fact that I believe everyone, irrespective of who they are or what they do, deserves a fair go.

And right now, we should be thanking and supporting our leaders because they have the toughest jobs to do and the most difficult decisions to make. It is very easy for us to sit back and judge, but from our narrow view of the world, we don’t have all the facts and can’t see the big picture. We criticize because that’s what we do. We want to see people fall and fail, instead of triumphing and succeeding. We don’t support others; we do our best to tear them down. We like the drama; it feeds our egos.

I used to think I would like to be in politics. My strong sense of service and social justice has always made this an area of interest to me. But, given that in reality, it rarely has anything to do with either of these, my inability to strategise effectively and to play games, would certainly set me up for sure failure.

Whether you like them or despise them, right now, I wouldn’t want to be carrying the burden and responsibility of our leaders. We do not have the right to judge others until we have walked a mile in their shoes. In the interview with the Premier of NSW, Lisa Wilkinson lost her credibility in my eyes. Her relentless pursuit of the next big headline, put a person who is obviously under much strain, in an awkward position. The Premier was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t.

There has been much commentary of this interview, with much division. Sure, the Premier’s answers made her look like a politician. What would we have expected her to say under the circumstances? Lisa on the other hand, allowed her ego to get the better of her, transforming her usual attractive face into that of a wild dingo in search of its next prey.

You are dead right Lisa; we do need to call out inappropriate behaviour when it happens.

I just want to state that what I have written here is my personal opinion and is not meant to be an attack on any individual. You have a right to a different opinion. I am in no way questioning Lisa Wilkinson’s professional ability. I have always been a fan of her work. I find it sad when one would compromise their principles for the sake of providing some shock factor.

But I suppose when one begins to lose their X factor, they need to pull out all stops. Too far? Perhaps. But why should they have all the fun!

Enough said.