“The only countries persisting with a Covid elimination strategy are islands and dictatorships,” he wrote. “We are now both.”
Uhlmann lashes ‘boilerplate lefties’Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann is up to mischief again. Six months ago, he caused a firestorm among the Twitterati when he dubbed them “sewer rats” for their role in championing explosive rape allegations against Christian Porter.
But last week, Uhlmann had the media’s Twitter faithful even more agitated, if that were possible, after writing a provocative column for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that lashed Australia’s lockdown obsession. But it was his claim a progressive media “cheer squad” played a leading role in “imprisoning” entire states that got perhaps the most attention.
When we reached him last week, Uhlmann was unapologetic, accusing some media outlets of perpetuating “boilerplate leftie outrage”. He even had a wry nod to the #IStandWithDan movement that has loudly supported Daniel Andrews. “If I’m trending on Twitter, it’s not people saying #IStandWithChris,” he told Diary.
Nine Political Editor Chris Uhlmann. Picture: Kym Smith
In a column brimming with memorable lines, Uhlmann’s column claimed Australia’s “pursuit of the fool’s errand of Covid Zero has seen us level every liberty, destroy educations and livelihoods and shut ourselves off from the world”.
“The only countries persisting with a Covid elimination strategy are islands and dictatorships,” he wrote. “We are now both.”
Uhlmann also laid out his take on the current dystopian world of Australia, one where, he wrote, “freedoms are not rights, but gifts bestowed by premiers”, and where “the majority have learned to love Big Brother and hate dissenters”.
But it was his concerted attack on the progressive media that seemed to prompt the sharpest reaction.
He wrote: “Among the most depressing aspects of this supine acceptance of rank authoritarianism is the role of the media,” he wrote. “Much of it has become a cheer squad for the blunt instrument of lockdowns and a moral hall monitor that polices thought crimes. The same organs that ritually hyperventilate about the detention of asylum seekers are the loudest voices in advocating imprisoning entire states.”
Which media outlets was Uhlmann referring to? The Guardian? Ten’s The Project? Perhaps even some fellow columnists at the Nine papers themselves? When we rang him, he wasn’t about to name names. “They know who they are,” he said. “I’m not interested in having a fight with them. It’s boilerplate leftie outrage.”
But some media progressives were definitely keen for a fight with Uhlmann after his column. Former Age editor and co-founder of the New Daily, Bruce Guthrie, unloaded: “The Nine Network has to decide whether Chris Uhlmann is a reporter or a commentator. Given the strength of his views and how freely they’re expressed, anyone watching his reporting on COVID … will struggle to believe it’s balanced and objective. I know I will.”
Prominent ex-ABC presenter Quentin Dempster posted: “Get a grip Chris Uhlmann … So glad Mr Uhlmann is not running public health.”
Uhlmann is unmoved by the critiques. “They’re entitled to their opinion,” he tells us. “I genuinely accept that mine is a minority opinion. I’m absolutely delighted to be an outlier.”
