BISONS, Dennis Shanahan, Grattan, Hartcher, Innuendo, Leadership speculation, Rumours, TheFinnigans





PM Julia Gillard: “Well, the first thing I would say is, don’t write crap, can’t be that hard.” National Press Club 18/07/11

By @Thefinnigans

Source: The Bisons

The ides of March

AFHP: This is the updated list of blindfolded journos and commentators, courtesy of @Thefinnigans, updated to the moment

The Finnigans has collated this incredibly long list of failed commentariat predictions since 2011. Let’s not forget that this is the product the media is selling to us as quality insider information with context. In the 24 hour news cycle you can say and publish whatever you want and you get rarely held to account for your work, shoddy as it may be. Just last Thursday, the twitterverse went into overdrive over this quality false rumour:

Reliable source tells me JG is about to appoint Shorten as treasurer. More to come. — John Mangos (@johnmangos) March 14, 2013

How come they never explain how or why they were wrong? If it finally happens they will say they were right, but won’t admit they helped make it so. If it doesn’t happen they’ll try again. Accountability doesn’t happen for political journos, commentators or their bosses. And if they have their way it never will.

Here is our running tally of 81 Leadershit stories stories from 42 insider experts.

PM GORN Inaugural Leadershit Trophy

goes to….



PETER HARTCHER

Fairfax Media (Now in full tabloid)

1 Peter Hartcher 9 2 Mark Kenny 6 3 Michelle Grattan 5 4 David Day 3 4 Dennis Shanahan 3 4 Malcolm Farr 3 4 Peter van Onselen 3 4 Phil Coorey 3 4 Richo 3 4 Tony Wright 3 5 Andrew Bolt 2 5 Fran Kelly 2 5 Lenore Taylor 2 5 news.com.au 2 5 Paul Kelly 2 5 Piers Akerman 2 5 Simon Benson 2 5 Sam Maiden 2 6 Alan Stokes 1 6 Ben Packham 1 6 Bob Gosford 1 6 Chris Kenny 1 6 Clive Palmer 1 6 Derryn Hinch 1 6 Gerard Henderson 1 6 Heath Aston 1 6 Janet Albrechtsen 1 6 Jeremy Thompson 1 6 Jessica Marszalek 1 6 Katharine Murphy 1 6 Lanai Scarr 1 6 Leo Shanahan 1 6 Malcolm Turnbull 1 6 Nike Savva 1 6 Peter Costello 1 6 Peter Reith 1 6 Philip Adams 1 6 The Age Editorial 1 6 Tory Shepherd 1 6 Troy Bramston 1 6 Judith Ireland 1 6 Laurie Oakes 1

The Publisher Tally is won by Fairfax (Tabloid Format) 37 to 33.

Fairfax 37 News 33 ABC 5 The Conversation 4 Crikey 1 Ch9 1

2011 – 5 stories

15/05/2011 – Gillard is dead, politically dead – Peter Costello

06/06/2011 – Gillard gone by December – Andrew Bolt

01/09/2011 – Labor stalwart says Gillard ‘finished’ – Jeremy Thompson

06/09/2011 – JULIA, resign. Let Rudd resume rightful role – Philip Adams

17/07/2011 – Gillard down for count – Phillip Coorey

2012 – 20 stories

20/02/2012 – Gillard delusional and in retreat – Dennnis Shanahan

21/02/2012 – Too late for Gillard to save herself – Niki Savva

23/02/2012 – Assassins reap what they sowed – Simon Benson

21/04/2012 – Gillard will be GORN by end of May, Hewson & Richo jointly on #Slynews

30/04/2012 – Credibility gone, PM should fall on her sword , Michelle Grattan

02/05/2012 – Julia’s going: it’s a matter of time – Dennis Shanahan

18/05/2012 – Despite the poll and budget uptick, Gillard and Labor are doomed – Richo

19/05/2012 – String of disasters mean the party’s over for Labor – Piers Akerman

26/05/2012 – A leadership change to Kevin Rudd is the last real option – PvO

28/05/2012 – Lame duck Labor likely to waddle on to term – Gerard Henderson

25/07/2012 – Labor’s choice is Rudd or oblivion – Paul Kelly

12/06/2012 – Determined Gillard may be, but her leadership is looking terminal – Shanahan

14/08/2012 – Pride comes before a fall for Gillard Government – Derryn Hinch

23/08/2012 – Gillard in big trouble no matter what happens – Leo Shanahan

12/09/2012 – Just like Howard, Abbott has the numbers that really count – Janet Albrechsten

13/10/2012 – Misogyny tactic will backfire – Paul Kelly

13/10/2012 – Gillard’s hypocrisy stripped bare – Chris Kenny

05/11/2012 – Hanging by a thread by Peter Hartcher

24/11/2012 – Knives are out for Gillard – Peter Hartcher

29/11/2012 – Ducking and diving, but PM’s goose is cooked – Piers Akerman

2013 – 55 stories

05/01/2013 – Rudd’s support for a challenge edging closer – Mark Kenny

15/02/2013 – An adrenaline charged Rudd increases pressure on Gillard – Michelle Grattan

18/02/2013 – Poor poll for Labor plays to Rudd’s ambition – Michelle Grattan

19/02/2013 – Beware knives of March – Mark Kenny

19/02/2013 – Gillard’s departure is a matter of timing – Peter Reith

19/02/2013 – Final nail in PM’s coffin – David Day

19/02/2013 – Something has to give – sooner or later – Lenore Taylor

19/02/2013 – Desperate caucus eyes leadership switch – Ben Packham

19/02/2013 – PM Julia Gillard ‘gone’ if she struggles in next week’s Newspoll – Tory Shepherd

19/02/2013 – Labor’s critical question: time for a new leader? – The Age Editorial

19/02/2013 – Julia Gillard’s support base is softly slipping away – Simon Benson

19/02/2013 – Kevin Rudd’s odds on leading ALP in September election shorten to $2 – news.com.au

19/02/2013 – Labor in despair over dire poll – Phil Coorey

19/02/2013 – Dead woman walking – SMH

19/02/2013 – Final nail in PM’s coffin – David Day

19/02/2013 – Rudd’s just in storage, waiting for sun to shine – Tony Wright

20/02/2013 – Dear Julia, it’s time for a dignified exit speech – Alan Stokes

22/02/2013 – PM should go for party’s sake – Graham Richardson

23/02/2013 – Gillard may not recover this time – Katharine Murphy

23/02/2013 – Drumroll, then exit on a final cymbal crash – Tony Wright

23/02/2013 – Julia Gillard risks her legacy by not ceding to Kevin Rudd- Peter van Onselen

23/02/2013 – Labor feels guilty over Rudd: Turnbull – Malcolm Turnbull

23/02/2013 – Teams lining up early for a Coalition victory – Lenora Taylor

02/03/2013 – Hating Kevin, loving the saviour – Peter Hartcher

10/03/2013 – Deadline looms for Prime Minister Julia Gillard – Sam Maiden

11/03/2013 – Julia Gillard must resign as leader or Labor is doomed at the election – news.com.au

11/03/2013 – Clear message from the west is that Rudd is the only hope – Peter Hartcher

12/03/2013 – PM’s backers must move for the greater good, says Rudd camp – Mark Kenny, The Age

12/03/2013 – Fran Kelly & Peter Collins #newspoll will give PM Gillard one more week to survive

13/03/2013 – Demoralised Labor hangs on every poll – Peter Hartcher

15/03/2013 – Media bill threatens leadership – Mark Kenny SMH

15/03/2013 – Julia Gillard – gone by next Wednesday – BOB GOSFORD Crikey.com

16/03/2013 – Labor poised to restore Kevin Rudd, insiders say Peter van Onselen The OZ

17/03/2013 – Is that a drum roll sounding? – Judith Ireland – SMH

17/03/2013 – Helpless blues. Why won’t Labor just go with Kevin?- Samantha Maiden Herald Sun

18/03/2013 – Labor troubles now entrenched – Mark Kenny, SMH

18/03/2013 – Poll piles more pressure on Gillard – Michelle Grattan – TheConversation

19/03/2013 – Ministers turn on PM – Peter Hartcher SMH

19/03/2013 – Trouble brewing, but don’t blame it on the usual bloke – Peter Hartcher

19/03/2013 – Ministers forced to defend their loyalty to Gillard – – Michelle Grattan – The Conversation

19/03/2013 – There could be a leadership spill on Friday – Laurie Oakes Ch9

What I said:"Some Rudd backers have spoken to caucus colleagues about the possibility of a leadership move this week… (cont.) — LaurieOakes (@LaurieOakes) March 19, 2013

Pt2. "probably friday–IF they can be sure of the numbers. But they're apparently NOT sure of them yet."

Hardly a prediction. — LaurieOakes (@LaurieOakes) March 19, 2013

19/03/2013 – Gillard an ineffectual campaigner – Peter Hartcher brisbanetimes

19/03/2013 – The faint sound of a ballad for Gillard. MEMORIES of the way we were – Lanai Scarr HeraldSun

19/02/2013 – Pushing Gillard to the edge of her temper – Malcolm Farr news.com.au

20/03/2013 – Many shades of grey in art of denial of spills and other ills – Tony Wright – brisbanetimes

20/03/2012 – No honour, no authority, no chance – Andrew Bolt HeraldSun

20/03/2013 – The numbers game. Rudd supporters consider another tilt – Mark Kenny, TheAge

20/03/2013 – Gillard and Rudd in limbo – Phil Coorey AFR

20/03/2013 – Confidence is name of game for survival – Peter Hartcher, SMH

21/03/2013 – Time for Rudd’s sweet revenge? – Heath Aston The Age

21/03/2013 – Gillard should not contest – Clive Palmer

21/03/2013 – Time for Labor to break the deadlock – Malcolm Farr News.com.au

21/03/2013 – Labor burning up the history books by dumping the first woman to be PM – Malcolm Farr News.com.au

21/03/2013 – ‘Rudd delegation ready’ to visit Gillard after ‘first strike’ – TROY BRAMSTON The OZ

21/03/2013 – Rudd has kept nose in front of Gillard – Jessica Marszalek News.com.au

Richo tells @SydneyLive2GB there's no doubt K-Rudd will contest the ballot and it will be a slim Rudd victory. — BenFordham (@BenFordham) March 21, 2013

Latham only commentariat who called it right on the morning of the spill

‘He’s always inflating his numbers’: Latham unleashes extraordinary diatribe on Rudd, Fitzgibbon and Richardson

TheFinnigans from the famous Beautiful Inspiring Set Of Numbers – BISONS blog started to collect the PM GORN headlines after the appearance of this “JULIAR BITCH” picture in March 2011.