I wanted to begin this article with a new group name that appropriately described Australian political reporters. I refuse to call them a “Pack”, even though it rhymes with hack, because a media pack sounds active and alert, not at all suitable for the aging and pathetic mob of name droppers, lobbyists and scandalmongers who constitute the Canberra media.

I have settled upon “Wallow”, a name that more accurately describes a group of gossiping dirt lovers who lethargically flop around on the muddy shores as a vast river of fundamental information flows past their uncomprehending eyes.

Why do the Wallow focus on the non events occurring in this country? How is it they are capable of extracting the finest nuances from a story with sexual connotations? They relentlessly pursue the Peter Sleeps and Craig Thompsons for some juicy gossip that  makes no difference to this country, and while they are doing so, they miss the real story.

The Wallow have concentrated their gaze on the personal imbroglios of both of these miscreants and attempted to widen the smear to their parties while missing the really important ramifications that could massively change the future direction of the Australian nation.  If both of these MPs are removed from the Australian Parliament there is a real chance that Tony Abbott can very quickly become our Prime Minister. Why is the possible impact of this invisible to the Wallow? Perhaps they have mud in their eyes.

By his own admission, and despite his relentless calls for the resignation of the Gillard Government, Tony Abbott is not ready to take over governing of this country. He has offered no clear idea of what he will do in government beyond reversing important reforms implemented by the Rudd and Gillard Governments. Abbott has refused to say what his reversal plans will cost the Australian taxpayers and is equally coy about the feasibility of the  few new programs he promised to implement in his budget speech. He said he didn’t need to reveal the cost until the next election is due. This means on the last day before the election when it is too late to calculate the true cost of his program socially and economically.

The last time Abbott ran for government his last minute budget was farcically exposed as being greatly flawed. Now there is a real possibility of Abbott becoming the Prime Minister long before the next election is due.  It is a disgrace that the Wallow has failed to pin him down on this fundamental issue.

On the day of his recent budget speech it was far too easy for Tony Abbott to get away with saying that because the next election is not due for over a year, that there is no need to outline his alternative plans or tell us what his budget will cost until then. Yet on the same afternoon Abbott repeated his demand for Prime Minister Gillard to resign her commission and go to an election immediately.

The media Wallow has no agenda to keep the populace informed on important public issues. They see themselves as media celebrities and performers and the providers and creators of gossip. In short they treat the public as short attention span fools to be manipulated by fear and envy. The Wallow no longer have a beneficial purpose in society above telling us what to buy and where to do our shopping. Not so much a fourth estate more a glorified advertorial posting board.

While the Wallow blindly flop in the murky shallows we seem destined to be led by a man who does not agree with science or with evidence based decision making; a man who plans to drag us backwards into a narrow prejudiced Tea Party style past. While trumpeting Christian values he seeks to turn back refugees seeking our help and shelter. He calls the Prime Minister a liar and yet he makes promises he knows he cannot and will not deliver. He then excuses himself saying we should not rely on the promises he speaks, only on the promises he has written down.

Tony Abbott has driven Australian politics to new low levels of nastiness. He has regularly put his own ambition above the public interest. He needs to be exposed before our country regresses into an ignorant, deeply divided winner take all battlefield, like that created by Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately we cannot rely on our largely foreign owned Australian media to shine a light on his deficiencies.