Dead possums for The Australian’s reporter taking on the OPI
The Australian says dead possums have been left on its reporter Cameron Stewart’s car and in his garage after he wrote a story critical of the Office of Police Integrity. In today’s Media section, the paper says:
“On the same day that The Australian ran a front-page story critical of the OPI earlier this month, a dead possum was found on the bonnet of Stewart’s car. “Another dead possum was found wedged into his garage door the following day.
” It is unknown if these consecutive events were simply a bizarre coincidence.”
The Australian and the OPI have been at loggerheads since Stewart revealed details of terror raids last year. The newspaper has since fought a fierce legal battle to protect Stewart’s source.
Today’s story is the latest development in an escalating feud between The Australian, the OPI and Victoria Police commissioner Simon Overland.
The paper also reports that OPI officers turned up at Stewart’s son’s creche to hand him a letter, telling him: “Remember me?”
In the article, editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell criticises the OPI for coming to the childcare centre rather than calling on Stewart at work. Mitchell said: “I believe this is a body unlike anything I have dealt with. It makes the NSW ICAC and Queensland CMC look very good indeed.”
I reckon the journo knows that if you’re gonna play with the big boys, you gotta prepared to take as much as you give. There is NO doubt in anyone’s mind The Australian newspaper’s release in metropolitan Melbourne prior to the counter-terror raids potentially exposed police and others to far greater danger than had othgerwise been the case.
This is not to criticise the journo for his sources, and his willingness to play ball with the AFP (but not VicPol it seems), and hold the story until the day of the raid(s). But as we all know, online version of newspapers are a 24/7 iteration, and the hard copy hits the streets around 2.30-3am in most cities (whether it[‘s The Age, The SMH, The Courier-Mail and etc). So the journo’s willingness to hold back the story until the day of the raid(s) didn’t do anyone any favours…and hence the resultant sh+tstorm.
Look…The Oz has now sooked its guns onto Overland and the Victorian OPI. If it’s dead possums, and calls to the childcare centre, get used to it. Stewart and The Oz are pis+ing off a lot of people.
Hi Hat Trick Jones,
As far as I know, there’s no dispute that The Australian held its online publication of the story. What appears to be the point of contention is whether a small number of the first edition copies were on sale before the raid.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
@ Hat Trick Jones – What appears from the resulting saga is the freedom of press issue, not a shitstorm. I do not think Stewart and The Australian are pissing a lot of people except those that have something to hide. I do agree that The Australian might be stubborn in its crusade to nail Simon Overland and the OPI, but it is for the relevant authority to rein in the press. Come on, dead possums, creche gatecrashing? That’s sheer stupidity.
Maybe the poor possum just died of natural causes, fell out of its tree and landed on Cameron Stewart’s car. It happens all the time.
Tim,
“The Australia says”?????
Can you fix that typo before I stick a dead possom on you?
Your wish is my command…
Done.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
and Angry Punter … the dead possum’s mate went looking for it, and got wedged in the garage door. Happens all the time.
Underbelly: Of The Possum
Did you know The Australian’s media commentator Mark ‘my’ Day wears a dead possum on his noggin whenever he’s defending The Dirty Digger business interests.
indiancurry – are we talking about freedom of the press, or some journalists ‘freedom’ to risk the safety of the police, and indeed our national security? In order to maintain that all important freedom, they must surely be capable of sound and responsible judgement.
The actions of Stewart and the Australian, in knowingly releasing this story early and then conducting a personal vendetta, actually risks that freedom.
@ Rob – Differing opinions but the saga continues as evident in today’s Australian headlines.
From what you say, its more despicable to release a story under the guise of personal vendetta than someone using internal taps to prolong a career thereby jeopardising the investigation?
@ indiancurry – the ‘vendetta’ and phone tapping are simply results of the point I was trying to make – which was that irresponsible journalists risk the freedom of the press.