Tweeting towards a PR headache

Bob Katter’s Australia Party is barely off the ground but two candidates have knocked off the ballot sheet after highly offensive tweets about homosexuals and halal meat.

Although the tweets are reminiscent of KAP policies, they go beyond the pale of public appropriateness. While Twitter is a handy tool for connecting with your audience (or electorate in this case), it can also be a public relations nightmare.

Author of The Rise of the Fifth Estate: Social Media and Blogging in Australian Politics Greg Jericho joined Angus Randall to navigate the murky PR waters of the twitter-sphere.

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Same faces, different controversies

Adelaide United coach John Kosmina has called it quits after a heated argument with his assistant. Nearing the end of the season, the in-form A-League outfit are surely pondering their future after losing key players and now their coach.

Shane Warne continues to cause a spin in the Cricketing world, criticizing top officials in the national organisation. And also after a month of rebuilding his image, Bernard Tomic has gotten himself into another incident with police involving another high-powered car namely a Ferrari.

Richard Evans joined Angus Randall to elaborate on this heated week in sports.

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Finals Time in Melbourne, Bike Time in Adelaide

Finals action is heating up on Rod Laver Arena with the quarter finals being wrapped up today featuring Roger Federer against French frontrunner Jo Wilfred Tsonga. Another comparably unknown Frenchman Jeremy Chardy takes on the in form Andy Murray. Although their recent contests have been very close, Novak Djokovic and Spaniard David Ferrer are semi-finalists on the other side of the draw.

Likewise in the ladies draw, all top-three seeds (Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams) are in semi-finals action. Sixth seed Li Na however looks set to confuse the mix after defeating fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

The Tour Down under is on a new route today going through Mt Barker, Echunga and Hahndorf to reach Rostrevoir. German Andre Greipel will be hoping to build on his win in Stage 1 on Tuesday.

Richard Evans and Angus Randall compared notes on the Tennis and discussed the lack of Tour Down Under reporting outside of Australia.

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Did Kochie Cross the Line?

Prominent breakfast TV host David Koch has come under fire this week for his comments about breastfeeding suggesting that mothers be more discreet. Blogger and columnist Clementine Ford believes that discomfort around breastfeeding is linked to society sexualising the naked body, even when parts of it are engaged in the natural act of breast feeding.

Has society gone too far in it’s move to cover-up? Clementine joined Angus Randall to discuss this question on Radio Adelaide Breakfast.

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Public Sector Workers Sick of Copping It

The Centrelink queue is not a new phenomenon and frustration is a common experience for many. According to a report by the Australian Public Sector Commission, some people are taking their frustrations to new frightening levels including cyber-bullying. One only needs to look up ‘Centrelink’ on twitter to see some milder examples, but the report indicates many can be rather personal.

Angus Randall spoke with Assitant National Secretary of the Community Public Sector Union Louise Persse about the issue.

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The Tomic Turnaround – Sportswrap with Richard Evans

The Australian Open has kicked off in fine Melbourne fashion this week as the world’s vie for that all-important grand slam trophy. The Aussie contingent started out with sixteen players in the men’s and women’s singles but is now down to 3. Local hopes rest on Queensland’s Sam Stosur, Bernard Tomic and New South Wales’ James Duckworth.

Richard Evans joined Angus Randall to talk Tomic, Tennis, as well as Lance Armstrong’s reported admission to using performance enhancing drugs.

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Producer: Bill Walter

SA Labor Shuffle

The South Australian Labor Party looks to be treating this year like an election year with two high profile resignations shaking up the front bench. Transport Minister Pat Conlon and Health Minister John Hill announced on Tuesday their intention to step down from their key roles to make way for fresh faces.

Professor Clem MacIntyre from the University of Adelaide’s School of History and Politics joined Angus Randall to discuss these developments in what may become a drawn out election campaign.

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2012 Enviro-Wrap (biodegradable wrap)

Environment groups have had a very busy year. They’ve successfully lobbied for action on climate change with the implementation of the carbon tax and the Murray Darling Basin Plan is closer to fruition with more water allocated for South Australia.

Tim Kelly, from Conservation SA, is pretty happy with their achievements this year, but as always believes there is much further to go. He reflected on the year with Angus Randall.

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Sports Wrap ‘n Awards

It’s been a big year for all walks of sport. We’ve had the Olympics, the Rugby World Cup, the Kurt Tippet saga and the trials and tribulations of Bernard Tomic. Obviously that sentence didn’t do the sporting year that was 2012 any justice, but Richard Evans did when he discussed the year with Angus Randall.

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Palestine’s Search for Statehood

The rockets may have fallen silent in Gaza, but things are set to heat up once more in the United Nations as Palestine makes its push towards formalising statehood. They hope to become a non-member state which would put them closer to equal footing with Israel in regards to international rights.

Israel are not supporting this bid, arguing that the move is unilateral and that Palestine should join them at the negotiation table.

Associate Professor Felix Patrikeef from the University of Adelaide joined Angus Randall to discuss this motion at the United Nations, as well as Egypt’s growing diplomatic role in the situation.

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