Watchdog or Attack Dog?

The media are increasingly feeding the public a diet of news which highlights so-called ‘ethical breaches’ by public figures, particularly politicians. For example, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Australian political standards were subjected to microscopic scrutiny as the activities of leading political figures in a number of states were investigated by royal commissions and other quasi-judicial inquiries. ¹ The reports generally forthcoming from such inquiries frequently paint a bleak picture of elected public officials who use public office for their own or party-political purposes. In some cases, inquiries can result in high-profile political figures being jailed or even being forced from office. Those touched by the inquiries but who remain in office generally have their reputations besmirched.