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Shit Happens

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barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
What do you think?

Has Abbott stuffed up or is it invasive tabloid journalism by 7?

I reckon there are faults from both parties. Abbott was being told how the soldier's death was basically caused by a series of coincidences and unlucky events which couldn't have been prevented- the response that 'at the end of the day, shit happens' is pretty justified I reckon. It wasn't insensitive, especially considering he was talking to troops where that language is pretty commonplace.

And I think 7 went a bit over the top with it considering the context. To exploit the emotions around a soldier's death for what was a minor slip of the tongue was a bit over the top.

However I think the reason that this has got so much airtime is it feeds into an impression people have about Abbott- he is not prime ministerial and he is prone to saying things without fully thinking them through. This in itself will not harm the Abbott brand, but I can see it as part of a montage of 'Abbott gaffs' that could be used against him at election time.

I'm sure Abbott is a good bloke, but he can't keep dropping these blokey slang phrases into conversations with anyone- the media, the military or the public. As much as he wants to be the 'everyman', it has to stop somewhere.
 

Rob42

John Solomon (38)
I think when Ch 7 received this video, they spied this moment as one of those little side stories that would cause excitement for a couple of days, and be good for ratings.

I think Tony Abbott has been taken right out of context - this is a non-story. Is this language that he would use normally, or was he "bloking it up" for the soldiers - like just about every polititican? I don't know and don't care. I'm glad Abbott spoke to the soldier's widow and explained himself.

I'd rather that the media was able to focus on more important issues than picking out distracting stuff like this. And we wonder why politicans speak cautiously and blandly?
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Agree, total storm in a teacup. Watching the whole exchange on the video, he listened thouightfully to what was said by military personnel, and "summarised" what was said as "Sometimes, shit happens". That is, the situation of the death was essentially unpreventable, given the resources etc they had deployed at the time.
Total media beat-up.
But I agree in general with Barbarian's point too.
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
Agree with barbar. This is both sides issue.

I can't understand how he couldn't come up with a better choice of words than that, but of course it has been blown out of proportion. Does anyone know when channel 7 actually received this footage? Have they been sitting on it for some time?

I can't stand the way some of the channel 7 'journalists' go about their jobs. Today Tonight is the lowest form of any journalism I have ever seen, in any part of the world. There is no coincidence that channel 7 tends to get the most suits brought against them, particularly libel suits.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
I hate CH 7 news and current affairs with the heat of a thousand suns. They are consistently the lowest of lowest common denominators, with TT being the worst. This is just the latest episode.

When even a senior member of the Labor party (Stephen Smith) comes out in defence of Abbott, you know that the Ch 7 reporter is in the wrong.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...r-afghan-comment/story-e6frg8yo-1226002707799

“I share the view that I don't believe that Tony Abbott would say anything that was flippant or insulting or critical about an Australian soldier, an Australian soldier's death or our contribution in Afghanistan. I share that view,” Mr Smith told Sky News.
 

DPK

Peter Sullivan (51)
I still think ch9 is worse than 7, although in this instance 7 have shown their true colours IMO.
 

Gooch

Fred Wood (13)
I think it has been blown out of proportion. As Baa Baa and Rob said, he was talking with soldiers, whether it's language he would normally use or whether he was being 'blokey', and Ch 7 have tried to make look like a heartless bastard.

He has spoken to the soldiers wife and if she accepts he meant no offence then so can I.
 

Moses

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
Does anyone know when channel 7 actually received this footage? Have they been sitting on it for some time?
They said on 7 last night that it had recently been released after a 3 month FOI request, which they spun as "the footage Tony Abbot's party didn't want you to see".

FOI is pretty standard procedure for just about everything these days, it's hardly the cover-up that 7 are suggesting
 

Empire

Syd Malcolm (24)
Given the context, I can understand what he is saying.

I have an uncle in the British special forces, and he has even said that 'shit happens' - there are some times when regardless of all the preparation and equipment, something jumps out and changes everything.

Just typical media beat up.
 

mark_s

Chilla Wilson (44)
Media beat up and a pretty low one at that I thought. Hard to see what purpose C7 and Riley had other than making it look like he didn't give shit that someone had been killed. They can dance around it all they want but that was the picture they were painting and asking him to explain yet few people have veiwed it that way when full context is known.

A poor reaction from Abbot, looked like he was tossing up punching Riley in the face. Will only hurt him long term if the general public think C7 were acting reasonably. Getting Riled Up now has a new meaning.
 

Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
Even though I strongly dislike the bloke, it was obviously a beat up story. In the context of the conversation what he said is totally reasonable and understandable.

However considering he knew the interview was coming 2 hours beforehand, his response was just poor. Being a politician you open yourself up to shit like that and he should have articulated himself a lot better than he did.

I think it is just as bad a reflection on channel 7 as it is on Tony Abbott.
 

Gagger

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Staff member
A media organisation pre-meditatively using a soldiers death as cover for a media beat up surely is about as low as it gets.

Debatable word choice and reaction on camera is surely nowhere near as baseless I would have thought

Channel 7 needs to be apologising to the widow, not Abbott
 

lily

Vay Wilson (31)
shit happens. You all are taking the piss aren't you. I have no doubt that Tony Abbot meant any disrespect but seriously if he was so blase about the death of any of our kids as if you wouldn't be offended. Also the 7 news network/fox network have been apologists for his comment ever since it was made public. Kochie and Doyle are the 2 most partisan news presenters I have seen recently.
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
Lily,

Are you saying that Kochie and Doyle are outwardly liberal supporters? Maybe you don't remember how they used to gush about K Rudd?
 

Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
Lily,

Are you saying that Kochie and Doyle are outwardly liberal supporters? Maybe you don't remember how they used to gush about K Rudd?

Who could resist K-Rudd......he was a charmer!

But in all seriousness, the only reputable news comes from ABC and SBS. Other programs are run in a sensationalist way to win ratings, influence the masses and ultimately make money. The bias ebbs and flows but the quality is consistent. Consistently poor.
 

matty_k

Peter Johnson (47)
Staff member
But then you can hardly call them news presenters. They host a magazine style breakfast tv show.
 

waratahjesus

Greg Davis (50)
shame on seven.

they make great australian drama though and i hope you all keep and enjoy watching it, remember, seven news bad, seven drama fantastic.
 
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