The era of pretending the media is acting as a fourth estate has ended

Democracy is the new objectivity

I’m still choosing to believe that the Yes vote will win, that there is community activity that is swaying people despite what the polls say.

I know, I know.

If the worst happens and No prevails, there will be plenty of blame to go around, and the cravenness of Dutton opposition should be at the top of that list. Sure, he makes a lovely seafood chowder, but his willingness to sacrifice decency on the altar of political expediency will stand forever as one of the most cowardly and ruinous acts committed by an Australian politician in my lifetime. It speaks to the complete collapse of conservatism in Australian politics and its capitulation to the worse extremes of the global right.

The failure of the mainstream media to hold him to account for any of this is part of that cravenness, so rightly, then, the other target of our ire will be the various means of political communication that afflict our democracy. This, obviously, includes the role of legacy and social media in promoting misinfo…