Australia's craven newsrooms suffer worst week in a very bad year

The mainstream media continue to deny the positives, amplify the negatives and fabricate falsehoods, as Alan Austin reports.

THERE WERE MORE REASONS to celebrate than usual last week, including:

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced on Thursday that household wealth increased by a thumping $1.46 trillion through 2025-26 to a record $19.39 trillion, snuffing out any doubts about the economy’s strength.
A sound ABS monthly jobs report made interest rate rises less likely and likely to be less. Most outcomes improved (though not all), including an all-time-high labour force, a record number of jobs, lower underemployment and near-record job participation.
The streak of jobless rates below 4.7% stretched to 58 months and the jobs-to-population ratio stayed above 63.5% for 53 months.
At the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a new strategic partnership with the Netherlands to boost trade and defence ties.
In an emotional meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Albo signed a ten-year security agreement and pledged $60 million in fresh aid.
The PM enjoyed a brief but jovial conversation and happy snap with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Albanese confirmed collaboration on vital energy supply chains and critical minerals with South Korea.
Jointly with French President Emmanuel Macron, Albanese launched the Coalition for Children's Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Albanese met new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time, and also held discussions with European leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.
The PM met with other leaders, including Canada’s Mark Carney, Kenya’s William Ruto, Spain’s Pedro Sánchez and Papua New Guinea’s James Marape.
Marape presented Albanese with an Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award at a black-tie event at the Waldorf Astoria.
Australia announced its bid to join the United Nations Security Council for the 2029-30 term.
Back in Australia, Treasurer Jim Chalmers released the 2026 Intergenerational Report, which highlighted an expanding economy, with rising real incomes supported by productivity gains from AI adoption and a healthier population that stays in work longer. It affirmed an improved fiscal outlook, with Australia leading most advanced economies.
Comparative data confirms Australia is already the world’s only triple-A-rated economy with GDP growth above 2%, the jobless rate and inflation both below 4.7% and interest rates in the optimum band of 2.5% to 5.5%.

Naturally, all this sent several media outlets into a frenzy of activity to try to spin it into proof that Albanese is Australia’s worst leader ever and must be sacked immediately.

Australia’s incompetent newsrooms fail to report best financial year ever

Last week’s gross domestic product (GDP) numbers confirm Australia’s economy is a world leader again.

False allegations of fraud

Online journal The Nightly got reporter Latika Bourke to try to humiliate the Prime Minister by reciting a list of false allegations and calling him “a fraud” for accepting the Atlantic Council award.

This was not a trivial matter. It violated the Westminster convention that prohibits airing divisive domestic issues when a guest is in another country.

The first British prime minister to spend substantial time abroad established this principle firmly.

Winston Churchill said in 1934 that it was:

“...a great error if you ever give the impression abroad that you are using language which is more concerned with your domestic politics than with the actual fortunes and merits of the various great countries [visited].”

So, ignorance or deliberate malice? Did Bourke not know of this principle, or did she know but choose to trash it? IA emailed her to clarify, but received no response.

While Bourke’s “great error” disgusted all observers who knew how heinous it was, some newsrooms actually applauded her stupidity.

The News Corp tabloids headed their gleeful reports:

‘Anthony Albanese hit with brutal question during New York campaign at the United Nations.’

The Daily Mail headlined its account:

‘How Latika Bourke's loaded press conference question that visibly rattled Anthony Albanese has sparked a furore from the Left... over the ABC.’

All riddled with falsehoods. There was no furore from “the Left”, whoever they are. The PM was not visibly rattled. He kept his cool and dismissed the question with a succinct “No” and moved on. Any temptation to inflict the public humiliation Bourke deserved, he resisted.

Flailing newsrooms stymied by household luxury spending splurge

Multiple reports from the statutory authorities confirm living standards for all Australians are rising steadily.

The compulsive liars just can’t stop

Further reports from Australia’s newsrooms which falsified recent events include these:

‘Australia is becoming a second-rate country again’ (Australian Financial Review, 25 September);
‘Albo rejects he’s a fraud for UN award despite home woes’ (The Nightly, Perth Now, 21 September);
‘PM’s chaotic Trump selfie a wild misstep that betrays his “lion of the Left” persona’ (News24, 25 September);
‘Tribalism trolled the PM’s United Nations bid in the Big Apple’ (Australian Financial Review, 24 September);
‘Newspoll: Albanese suffers brutal voter backlash’ (The Courier Mail, 21 September);
‘Cost of PM’s UN bid: millions for Africa and Trump’s ire’ (The Australian, 25 September);
‘Unemployment just jumped. It’s unlikely to stop a rate hike’ (Sydney Morning Herald, 24 September); and
‘Labor falls to near record low in polls’ (Nine News, September).

Australia’s wins reported abroad

Fortunately, other countries are happy to run positive reports on Australia, including:

‘My friend: Anthony Albanese announces $60m more for Ukraine at Zelenskyy meeting’ (Guardian UK, 24 September);
‘Apple’s Cook sees Australia’s media curbs as “world leading,” Reuters says’ (Business Insider, USA, 20 September);
‘Australia to seek UN Security Council seat from 2029’ (Straits Times, Singapore, 21 September);
‘Anthony Albanese beams in selfie with Donald Trump: “Good to catch up”' (Daily Mail, UK, 23 September); and
‘China private crushers buy Australian canola — first deals since 2020’ (Reuters, UK, 23 September).

This week helps explain why Australia keeps tumbling down rankings of life satisfaction, consumer confidence and happiness, while living standards and quality of life are soaring. This will be reversed when the noxious newsrooms disappear.

Alan Austin is an Independent Australia columnist and freelance journalist. You can follow him on Twitter @alanaustin001 and Bluesky @alanaustin.bsky.social.