By Darryl Mason
Apparently if Rupert Murdoch's Australian newspapers don't run at least one story a week mentioning "Hitler" and/or "Nazis" the entire media organisation will wither and die.
What other explanation can there be for such a relentless obsession?
The latest :
First, the smear. Then the beat-up :
Wilkie dealt with the allegations at a press conference earlier today :
"Let me start by saying I can't remember anything about that specific allegation, but I have never made any secret of the fact that I was one of the many cadets involved in the bastardisation scandal at the Royal Military college Duntroon in 1983.
"In fact I was disciplined for misconduct at the time.Wilkie is, rightly, suspicious of why this near 30 year old incident, if it happened at all, is suddenly headline news, in the midst of his campaign for badly needed reforms of the multi-billion dollar Australian poker machines industry :
"I am obviously regretful of my behaviour of almost 30 years ago when I was a cadet at Duntroon in my early 20s."I think that sort of behaviour at the time was wrong and I regret I was in any way involved in that sort of behaviour.
"I've obviously grown up a lot in the last 30 years and what at the time seemed appropriate, I have learned is clearly inappropriate and nor is it necessary in a place like Duntroon or in the Defence Force Academy.
"If there is anyone in this country who feels aggrieved in any way by anything I've ever said or done to them then I apologise unreservedly."
"There is clearly a campaign that is being waged against me on account of the fact I am the only thing standing between the poker machine industry and the $5 billion that is lost by problem gamblers in this country on poker machines each year.Nor should he. The Hitler card has been played. What's next?"I will not be intimidated by that campaign against me, I will not be cowed in any way."
