Keating whips media, Abbott

Paul Keating popped up for the first time during the election campaign in Melbourne.

Delivering a speech on media privacy at Melbourne Uni, Keating expressed a thinly veiled contempt for tabloid editors, saying there should be proper watchdogs to punish them.

He also advocated for a reform of privacy laws.

Picture: Lateline

His speech was titled 'The Privacy Imperative in the Information Age Free For All' which focused on the way privacy has become a secondary concern to ratings.

Brendan Fevola and Lara Bingle got a mention, as did Pauline Hanson and those fake nude photos.

After attacking the state of the media Keating took aim at Tony Abbott in a post-talk press conference.

He said if he were to campaign against Abbott he would target his economic record.

There were glimpses of the Keating of old but just as he was getting into gear he cut himself abruptly short, exercising his own privacy from the media.

I'm sure it's not the last we'll hear of him.

(Here's the news story for SYN's Below The Line election program.)

Unis gain from science funding boost

During the campaign, universities weren't a big focus for either side.

Science was one of the biggest winners, with Labor announcing $21 million for unis to invest in science infrastructure.

The Minister for Science and Research, Kim Carr announced the policy at RMIT as he opened a new microscopic facility.

Senator Carr giving the new microscope a whirl

Picture source: Peter Rummel, RMIT

Kim Carr said the new investment will fund further technology upgrades and boost scientific research and output.

But some uni professors have said there's still issues in getting that funding, and with increased competition it's going to be a long term problem.

Here's an interview with Kim Carr on the new science policy, citizens assembly, and the future of funding for unis.

The curious case of Benjamin Cousins

The biggest story of the week, the most talked about, the biggest most hyped, most drugs, most chicks, most footballers and drugs and footy and also drugs.

    

Pictures: Channel 7

Ben Cousins' Such Is Life doco has dominated media coverage.

Talkback radio has been solely dedicated to it for the past three days and every newspaper has run news stories and opinion pieces.

Google News lists 759 recent news articles about Cousins.

Opinions and verdicts have been mixed, but there's certainly been plenty of attention given to the show's morally ambiguous message.

Most news coverage rightly included the Australian Drug Foundation's concern that the footage of Cousins using illicit drugs could glamorise drug use in the eyes of young people "who look up to Ben for his sporting achievements".

........
Meanwhile in less prominent news, another young Aussie said yesterday, “I’m a living example of how drugs can destroy lives”.

He's not a footballer, but 24 year old Scott Rush has a story that is by far more powerful and more frightening.

As one of the 'Bali Nine', Rush is facing the death penalty for trying to smuggle 8kg of narcotics into Australia.

He has pleaded in court saying "my life is in your hands" and if his appeal is rejected his only other option of surviving is appealing for clemency to President Yudhoyono

In the past Yudhoyono has shown little mercy for drug criminals.

"I accept I am a criminal, not a celebrity," Rush said to the media yesterday.

Scott Rush and Ben Cousins are different, the severity and consequence of their stories are poles apart.

But as those in the media moan about Cousins' story not being a big enough detterent for drugs, they could do well to look beyond AFL and Australia, and discuss the impact drugs have had on someone like Scott Rush.

Greens last minute appeal to Melbourne

On the Wednesday before the election Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott were at the Brisbane Broncos club getting a grilling from angry voters.

Picture source: The Australian

In Melbourne, the country's third biggest party were having a Green celebration.

Greens leader Bob Brown was at RMIT's Storey Hall four days out from the election making a last minute appeal to local voters.

Picture source: Stefan Postles AAP

He said the Greens had put themselves in a good position in the campaign and in the seat of Melbourne Adam Bandt was on the verge of history.

At Storey Hall Bandt came on to rupturous applause and spoke about compassion, equality and sustainability.

"If we can win in Melbourne it's gonna change the way people in this country talk about politics," Bandt said.

He was coy about his role in possibly holding a balance of power but he indicated he would support progressive government.

As it turned out the next Monday he was the first of the non Labor/Coalition MPs to show his cards, saying he would back Gillard.

Here's part of the speeches plus an interview with Adam Bandt on his main priorities and how he would change youth allowance.