Jones’ on-air bullying of Opera House chief executive Louise Herron bellowed like the morning alarm. "Who the hell do you think you are? Your job is on the line ... I am going to get Gladys on the phone." Classic Jones pre-breakfast vitriol. As they are wont to do, the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, succumbed. Jones, as a politician who broadcasts, has a wicked advantage over properly elected officials. The public pay for the poor judgment inflicted on them, with no commensurate way to vote him out of office. Sydney politicians see little upside in opposing Jones. Credit:AAP The problem for Berejiklian and all before her is the next election. Sydney politicians in particular see little upside in opposing Jones. The other wicked advantage he has is that microphone, which switches on every working day. You give in to Jones because he will keep on bullying.

One of the many victims, former police commissioner Peter Ryan, called him an enemy of democracy. The nation’s most successful broadcaster of course sees it otherwise. He holds public officials to account when politicians fail to do so. Among unparalleled credentials is a term as a speech writer to a prime minister and an audience constituency far greater than that required to be actually elected. Loading While Jones' devoted audience is large by radio ratings standards, it is small compared with a popular national TV show. Jones does not work so well on TV, where he confronts a broader cross-section of the community. The hectoring, the frailty of perspective and weakness of logic become more apparent. It is the same in the witness box. Remember Julian Burnside, QC, at the cash for comment inquiry: "The curious thing Mr Jones is this. That you seem to be saying that what you have done, you weren’t obliged to do. And what you were obliged to do, you didn’t do."