I’m glad this covers the unacceptable attacks on a journalist doing her job. ‘Tensions rise on coronavirus handling as the media take control of the accountability narrative’ via @TC_Africa https://theconversation.com/tensions-rise-on-coronavirus-handling-as-the-media-take-control-of-the-accountability-narrative-144195?utm_medium=amptwitter&utm_source=twitter

All the public sees is the press conferences. They don’t see the dozens and dozens of unanswered calls and email to government. They don’t hear gov snap at us and say we will get a response to questions in the public interest ‘when you get one. Deal with it’.

Andrews knows he is on public display at these press conferences. He knows by answering every question and by chiding media for talking over each other that’s what the public will see and sympathise with. Unfortunately the public really don’t get how a press conference works.

Every day Andrews says ‘we will come back to you on that’ and well will get you an answer to that’. Awww the public says. He’s so good. Standing there. Answering questions. Reader, he never gets us an answer to that.

For days and days Andrews refused to answer a single question. Hid behind the inquiry. It was disingenuous, he knew it. When former child sex abuse royal commissioner and quarantine inquiry chair Justice Coate confirmed he could answer questions, media asked them. That’s our job.

And @rachelbaxendale is a bloody good reporter doing her job.

I do want to say some of the attacks on and coverage of Andrews in the media has been ridiculous and unacceptable— but that is not what I am talking about here or what this thread is about.

The press conference is not the only place/ forum the media asks the government questions and does not represent the most or even the toughest questions we ask. The public does not seem to realise this. At pressers we demand answers repeatedly to the ones gov refuses to answer