Bloody Bob - Always so freaking reasonable, thoughtful and measured. What the hell is he doing in politics?
Mrs Hinge teared up.
)
Oakes labels Gillard and Abbott 'political pygmies'
December 10, 2010 - 7:54AM
Laurie Oakes ... won a Walkley for his coverage of the 2010 federal election.
Veteran television political reporter Laurie Oakes has branded Prime Minister Julia Gillard's stance on WikiLeaks "ridiculous" as he accepted the highest honour in journalism, a Gold Walkley award.
The Nine Network Canberra press gallery journalist took the award for the most outstanding piece of journalism for his coverage of the Labor leaks during the federal election campaign.
He also won the Walkley for television reporting.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard Photo: Getty Images
"The leaks that made this story possible didn't dominate the campaign, but they played a very big role in the campaign. I don't think they should've," he said at the awards ceremony in Melbourne last night.
"[But] there was nothing else, there were no issues, there was no policy inspiration, there were no ideas.
"We had two parties led by two political pygmies."
Oakes criticised Ms Gillard and Attorney-General Robert McClelland for their comments about WikiLeaks' release of US diplomatic cables.
"What they said was ridiculous," he said.
"To brand what the WikiLeaks site has done as illegal when there's no evidence of any breach of the law, I think is demeaning ... I think as journalists we should make that our view."
Kerry O'Brien, who presented his final The 7.30 Report program after 15 years last night, won the Walkley for journalistic leadership.
The veteran current affairs presenter also won the Walkley for best interview for his exchanges with Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott.
"I'm stunned. I did not expect this," O'Brien told the audience.
"Tonight was my last show for 7.30, as you know, and I was determined to play a straight bat and I managed to, and now you've got me, you bastards. ...<cont>
Compared to Laurie we are all pygmies.
Still the thought we heave had a policy free year is pretty well across the board in your thinking journalists. In that last bit from Insiders I posted both David Maher's co-chairs expressed the same hope as you.
) to hold demonstrations in Queensland for a while there?
SHE came, we saw and everyone screamed their lungs out. Even Oprah Winfrey. Standing on the tiny stage at Federation Square in Melbourne in front of 10,000 cheering fans, the Queen of Dreams told us, in a deep, strong voice: ''I've never seen a welcome like this in my life. Never like this IN MY LIFE. IN MY LIFE. IN MY WHOLE LIFE.''
