Former Human Services minister Alan Tudge called for all the files of public robo-debt complainants to fight adverse coverage from “left wing media”.
Former human services Minister Alan Tudge was known as a “media tart” and requested the file of every public robo-debt complainant as he came under pressure from the office of the then-prime minister to shut the story down, according to former media adviser Rachelle Miller.
Former media adviser Rachelle Miller said she devised a media strategy to counter the negative publicity about robo-debt coming from “left-wing” media, such as the ABC, the Guardian and The Sydney Morning Herald. She said Mr Tudge had a co-operative relationship with the senior portfolio minister Christian Porter.“The minister requested the file of every single person who had appeared in the media,” Ms Miller said. These details would be used to correct stories using the “right-wing media”, she said.
Ms Miller said she tried to place stories with the right-wing media which had greater reach, such as Nine’s“The message [was ] ... the Coalition is cracking down [on welfare fraud],” she said.Ms Miller said Mr Tudge was very hands-on about his media. She told the commission that he approved all media interactions, even comments that did not mention him.Advertisement
“It wasn’t usual practice at that stage for ministers in that portfolio to do that. It was a risk. There weren’t, to my knowledge, previous cases of people using that particular loophole.In later testimony the then acting national media manager for the human services department, Bevan Hannan said it was a disgrace that the opportunity was not taken in January 2017 to correct the record over the legality of the scheme.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Alan Tudge’s former adviser reveals ‘dole bludger’ robo-debt media strategyRachelle Miller told the royal commission there was firm pressure from the then human services minister to “shut this story down” after negative coverage.
Read more »
Australia live news: Albanese awaits update on Alice Springs alcohol ban; Tudge to face robodebt hearingFollow the day’s news, live
Read more »
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro files for US visa, though his future remains uncertainFor the first time in his more than three-decade political career, Jair Bolsonaro has lost special legal privileges in Brazil.
Read more »
The left-wing economist influencing Jim ChalmersTreasurer Jim Chalmers’ push to remake capitalism channels the ideas of progressive economist Mariana Mazzucato, who advocates government playing a leading role in investing in innovation in partnership with business.
Read more »
‘Old-style’ left-wing Labor is ‘back in force’ after Jim Chalmers’ manifestoShadow Treasurer Angus Taylor says old-style left-wing Labor is “back in force” with Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ manifesto. “This is about putting the government at the centre of the economy, not Australians, not enterprising aspirational Australians, but the government,” Mr Taylor told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
Read more »
'No houses left': China's online study ban triggers 'scrambling' by students, universitiesChina has banned citizens from studying online at foreign universities, but has given little notice to thousands of students enrolled in Australia, and those tasked with teaching or housing them.
Read more »