In this week’s column, Tasting Australia wounds heal slowly, one media outlet accidently shows its petticoat, and we ask: where are the white leaders?
Bon appetit!
Our tourism and events people in Adelaide have cottoned on to the Federal Government’s decision to raise the nation’s terror alert level.
Several weeks after the alert was raised EventsSA boss Hitaf Rasheed has organised a 20 minute briefing from a couple of senior police on what it means for mass gatherings (not just of the Catholic variety).
“I have been privy to a number of briefings and the principle message remains the same BE ALERT – NOT ALARMED,” Hitaf assured those on her email list.
The email, however, was also sent to the founder of Tasting Australia – Ian Parmenter – who hasn’t been involved in events in SA for a few years, ever since EventsSA thought they could find someone better than Ian and his team.
His response to the invite is classic.
“Dear Hitaf, Thank you for the first communication I’ve had from you in more than two years, inviting me to what promises to be a highly entertaining one hour session on security,” Parmenter wrote.
“It’s good to see that EventsSA continues to have its priorities correctly in place.
“You never know when a chef with an egg whisk is going to run amok.
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“By the way, what on earth happened to Tasting Australia? A brilliant international festival over 16 years and now?
“As to the meeting, I would rather stick my head in hot chip fat.”
Parmenter then suggested that EventsSA update its email distribution list before signing off with a last dig: “I note that there is not yet a venue for this meeting… I’d keep that one secret… like SATC’s Secrets campaign.”
For those interested in how to fend off an attack by a man wielding a banana, contact EventsSA – the security briefing is next week.
Drop the pilot
One of the classic methods of getting a good run in the media is the “drop”.
The technique (most often seen in political yarns) is evident to those attuned to how it works – “here’s an exclusive for you on the condition that we get a prominent run in the story”.
One of the most prolific users of the drop is Family First MP Rob Brokenshire who hands out Freedom of Information documents to various outlets on a one-by-one basis. As a result Rob gets a jolly good run at the top of the story.
Usually the machinations of the drop remain obvious only to insiders.
However, this week The Advertiser made sure we all knew where the drop came from when it ran a story in Wednesday’s edition on population trends and young people leaving the State.
The dear old Tiser had the yarn all to themselves and a wider media release was issued by the Property Council later in the morning.
That explains this instruction to sub-editors – MUST LEAVE HIS COMMENTS PLS – by journo Lauren Novak (the Dropee) – which were left in the online version of the story where quotes from Property Council spokesman Daniel Gannon the Dropper) were given a prominent run.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this column mistakenly said Tiser journo Daniel Wills was was the Dropee. Apologies for the error.
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Free cupcakes!
Speaking of Mr Wills, he makes an appearance in the Tiser’s latest commercial which mimics those of other News Corp newspapers interstate.
Wills, for those who don’t know him, is the slightly uncomfortable looking chap sitting next to columnist Ali Clarke.
And that’s food writer Simon Wilkinson handing out the free cupcakes. Which is a refreshing change for the Tiser from handing out free copies of the paper.
Boom, Tish!
Dragged off to ICAC
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander put a scare into the many public officers who use pseudonyms to pen witless and nasty Tweets.
This tedious crew have been notably quiet since Lander’s report hit Parliament this week, with its warning that such trolls should be returned to their caves.
One of the few amusing and unabusive political accounts belongs to John Rau’s Cat, who seems to be taking Lander’s warning shot seriously.
Here’s the video:
Where are the white leaders?
This is a bit delicate, but let’s not be diverted from an important public issue by Political Correctness Gone Mad.
There have been several reports lately about drunk and otherwise addled people misusing the ‘parklets’ on Bank Street, off Hindley Street – using them to sleep, as de facto toilets, and to “loiter”.
We don’t want to stereotype anyone, but let’s be honest – the culprits are mostly white Australians.
Now, hang on, before you accuse me of racism, I believe it’s always important to acknowledge problems within the community when they arise. And, let’s face it, we all know that white people have had problems with alcohol abuse for a long time.
Not all of ‘them’ of course – just a highly visible minority.
My question is this: where are the white leaders and why aren’t they condemning this behaviour?
And why hasn’t the council called a roundtable – involving white leaders, of course – to come up with a solution?
The Outsider appears in InDaily every Friday, digging into places where we’re not welcome, and probing Adelaide’s obsessions.
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