In trying to play down the sale price of his piggery and perhaps cover some tax evasion, Keating said to O'Brien that the figure of six million wasn't the sale price of the piggery, but rather it was "total consideration". Huh? Doesn't the former Federal Treasurer have even a fundamental grasp of finance and accounting? It went right over O'Brien's head. Keating also seemed to contradict his own story that he sold his share to his partner prior to the purchase by the Indonesian interests. Again not taken up by O'Brien.

Where were all the other journalists? Were they all asleep? Or were they frothing at the mouth so much over Pauline Hanson they missed perhaps the biggest story of the year. At the very least, Keating needs to be questioned by a competent journalist over his outrageous statements.

The Australian again concentrated on digging up (or inventing), dirt on Pauline Hanson. They buried the Keating story on page 5. Their main thrust seemed to be why is the nasty Liberal party harassing poor , vulnerable Mr Keating. No mention of Keating's incredible statements on the 7.30 Report. And what did they have on the front page instead of Keating? A large 1970's photo of One Nation director, David Ettridge accompanied by the now familiar nasty, smutty article, in this case by Leisa Scott.

The clear winner is Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer. It's bad enough that he attacks the character of a democratically elected member of the Australian federal parliament whilst on an overseas visit. But he attacks Pauline Hanson while sucking up to B.J. Habibe, head of one of the most repressive regimes on the planet. Indonesia has a dreadful record of human rights abuses. It has invaded West New Guinea. It has invaded East Timor. Habibe was a member of the former regime that kept it's people poor and suppressed, while the corrupt leaders and their cronies siphoned off untold billions from the economy. Democracy is unknown in Indonesia. Corruption and cronyism by the ruling elite has brought the entire economy to its knees. Millions of Indonesians are starving. If Downer had any guts he would reserve his criticism for the Indonesian regime.

It is a very unsavoury situation for the media in general, and the Murdoch empire in particualr, to carry on their vicious anti-Hanson crusade. The media have enormous power to change the direction of public opinion. At the moment they are flagrantly abusing that power. Witness the unthinking morons that turn up to scream abuse at One nation meetings. This abuse has turned to violence on a number of occasions.

The journalists have gone into a feeding frenzy. They repeat each other's lies and distortions.

No wonder the Australian people rank journalists near the bottom of society in social surveys.