Bannerman is extremely reticent to link to other bloggers, primarily due to the less than desirable quality of polemic which ‘partisan hacks’ tend to offer. However, some cases require highlighting, and so, Bannerman says, Thank you, Antony Loewenstein.
Thank you for not being a partisan hack, although Bannerman does often fail to understand your particular bent. Thank you for having the faith of the devout insofar as blogging goes. You’re really a believer, aren’t you. Pity so many, Bannerman included, simply don’t believe as you obviously do. Blogging might just become something worthwhile instead of simply a thing for the stirred of mind to undertake when a particular issue penetrates their piss-off barrier.
Above all, Antony, thank you for highlighting the very worst of Australian blogging….
Tim Blair, one of Australia’s much-read bloggers (and self-described journalist), is equally incapable of explaining any issue without a requisite put-down, smart-arse comment or personal smear.
…. and one individual in particular who Bannerman believes uses the medium truly to his stated aim, portraying what could well be the very best….
In Australia, the Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett runs the country’s finest politician’s blog, writing about parliamentary deliberations and the often-tortuous political process. He told Crikey last September that he wanted his blog to “talk about the substance of issues, rather than feed the notion of politics as sport or something mysterious involving artful strategists using tactics beyond the comprehension of all but the cleverest analysts”. He noted that “the comments I get on my blog from people across the political spectrum are usually of a much higher standard than what I have to listen to in the Senate chamber”.
…. which he does, much to the angst of his political opponents.
Take note, reader. This is a red letter day for the Bannerman. There aren’t many.