The news media is right to highlight the suite of laws recently passed by our Federal Parliament that makes it illegal to publish or promote information that may be embarrassing or inconvenient to the Government of the day. I hope this campaign is successful and that these laws are repealed.

Unfortunately, I'm not optimistic.

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My pessimism is fuelled by the complete and utter failure of this same News Media over the preceding 20 years to do anything other than to promote and repeat the talking points of an increasingly conservative, war-mongering, fact-denying, and hysterical minority who seem hell-bent on dragging us back to the dark ages.

Where was this News Media when Australian men and women were asked to fight a war based on completely fictional evidence? Where have they been while vested interests waged a misinformation campaign designed to delay and disrupt any efforts to transition away from a carbon-based energy economy?

Where are they now while state governments are passing laws to make it illegal to gather in groups of 3 or more, or to peacefully protest? What are they doing about laws being passed to prohibit considering carbon emissions during mine approvals?

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Where are the front-page headlines about draconian laws, fact-denying Luddites, mindless war hawks, corrupt officials and parliamentarians?

Why do they insist on continually promoting the misleading and deceptive idea that we are all in imminent danger, that our neighbours can't be trusted or that all strangers are potential terrorists?

Our major media outlets are happy to cover their front pages in hysterical headlines about the most trivial and unimportant issues or to devote hours of conversation and debate about "snow-flake millennials" or complaining minorities. Why do you insist on wasting your energy on such things?

Our News Media plays a critical role in our democracy. It must question and critique our government and institutions.

It must call out their lies, half-truths, misdirections, and non-answers.

It must resist and reject being used as the mouth-piece of Government and the establishment.

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I'm not asking you to be without an agenda. I'm asking you to search for and regain the values of your past. To hold facts as sacrosanct, not to promote opinions as facts. To respect the intelligence of your readers and understand that reasonable people can disagree.

We are not stone-age warring tribes. We are a modern, educated community and we need to know facts and truths so we can make informed and rational decisions about our lives. Stop trying to divide us with petty issues and lies.

Please stand up. Do your bit. We need you.

If you don't do that then the Australia I knew and loved will continue to disappear.

- Scott Etherington