Mushrooms and misdemeanours
Once again, I’ve had my say on radio. Here’s a summary of what was said.
I was on the “Journos” segment on Drive with Spencer Howson, filling in for regular host Ellen Fanning, on ABC Brisbane on Monday, alongside Alexis Pink, founder of the Ibis Community Media Project.
We covered a range of topics, from the Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial — the guilty verdict had just been brought down that afternoon — to using animals for our entertainment, and government advertising (expanding on my post here).
First off, for those who might not know, I’m also the editor of The Wrinkle, which is designed for my fellow members of Generation Jones, those people born between 1955 and 1965. We’re too young to be considered Boomers but too old for Generation X, and I feel our distinctive profile isn’t really being served well by existing media.
On the Patterson case, I admitted that, given the length of deliberations, I was beginning to think it might be a hung jury or not-guilty verdict.
Spencer shared the results of a listener poll, with 79% of respondents saying they believing she’d be found guilty, and 21% thought it might be a not-guilty verdict.
We also contemplated the wide appeal of the trial — it spawned enormous national and international media attention, and a few popular podcasts — and we agreed it was the bizarre nature of the case that had drawn people in. (I ventured that it had added international appeal because many foreigners are fascinated with the things that can kill us in Australia.)
Next, we discussed the use of animals as entertainment on the back of two news stories: the postponement of races at the new Q greyhound track, where 11 dogs have died since track trials began in March, and a woman losing her arm in a lion attack at Darling Downs Zoo.
I declared a personal connection to the first story, as I was involved in the greyhound racing industry in my late teens and early 20s. I thought it was good fun then, and I liked the colourful characters at the racetracks. To me, it felt like a “working class” sport that was accessible to everyone.
However, my view has changed significantly, and I’d now like to see Australia join the vast majority of countries where greyhound racing is banned.
I believe we can do better, and I think both greyhound and horse racing will eventually go because they “really exist only for gambling now”, and there are other ways to gamble that don’t involve potential harm to animals (except, I should have added, the people who are addicted to gambling).
As for zoos, I think some well-run zoo are acceptable, especially if they’re involved in the protection and preservation of animal species. I also noted that circuses have largely moved away from animal acts, which is a good thing.
Mister Brisbane is free to read, but if you appreciate what I’m doing here, and/or
at The Wrinkle and Radio Bert, you can buy me a coffee.
Next up was the topic of governments spending money on advertisements that seem to do nothing except tell us how wonderful they are.
My thoughts: While governments should advertise around important matters, such as public health campaigns and emergencies, they shouldn’t just be spending our money patting themselves on the back.
Alexis made the very good point that, especially in regional areas, governments sometimes advertise as a way of supporting small and independent media. I think that’s a good thing, but they could find a way to place ads that are informative and useful, rather than self-congratulatory.
Then there was the news that the Premier, David Crisafulli, had invited Donald Trump to Queensland. I noted that there was no real reason to ask the President here and to do so would invite the risk of protests, a big security bill and potential harm to the state’s image.
Finally, Spencer asked if either of us had ever committed a “dine and dash” similar to that admitted to by Robert Irwin.
My answer was a firm “no”. Spencer, however, confessed to once leaving a restaurant without paying for one quite expensive bottle of wine that was somehow omitted from his bill.