From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 16 January

An army of Martians, visiting Ballarat as part of a reconnoitre for a proposed imminent invasion of Australia, could be forgiven for thinking public transport is free.

INDEED, it would be unwise for any covert alien agent to be touching their Myki on-and-off on certain bus routes. Such an adherence to proper protocol might prove a sure and certain way of attracting attention, and possibly revealing secret invasion plans!

As Alice would say, “It’s curiouser and curiouser!” Indeed, so much so it has become something of a pastime on certain bus routes.

It is a wonderment that passengers can afford cigarettes, take-away food and the accompanying drinks, mobile telephones, seemingly expensive runners and various other fashion accoutrements, and without which one could not possibly survive, it would not be unreasonable to assume a bus fare is not going to break the bank at Monte Carlo.

Before some readers leap-up onto their hindlegs and starting bleating and castigating, the most vulnerable should be issued, on the strictest of terms and conditions, a permanent free travel pass.

Interestingly, and quite rightly, in Western Australia and United Kingdom, public transport is free for all seniors, pensioners, and concession card holders.

Public transport is the heartbeat of any city, and in an enlightened society it should be free for everyone. People must be able to move around with ease and regularity – which is not simple with Ballarat’s current system which was all but destroyed in the last catastrophic timetable up-grade. Unbelievably, it reduced the number of routes and made travel more difficult for some passengers.

The current location of Centrelink/Medibank requires all those who do not live on bus route 11 to take two buses should they need to visit the headquarters. That is too profoundly stupid.

However, their behaviour is not entirely antisocial. Almost, without fail, all those who are travelling for free and gratis do take the time to shout-out a thank you to the bus drive as they exit on arrival.

That, in itself, is most reassuring!

If you elect to run-off at the mouth like a tap – using a public platform – to slander, defame, and generally denigrating other people, then you should be prepared to put your money where your mouth is!

Having the courage of your own convictions is admirable; however, should the exercise back-fire there is no sound reason the taxpayer should be expected to pay for any breaches of the law.

Louise Milligan is an Australian investigative reporter for the ABC-TV 7.30, and Four Corners, programs; however she is also known for a serious of defamation charges. The most recent proceedings against her were brought in 2021 by the Federal MP, Dr Andrew Laming.

In August 2021, Milligan – supported by the ABC management – agreed to pay Dr Laming $79,000 in damages, $30,000 in legal costs, with other costs around $75,000. The total cost, including all legal fees, could exceed $200,000 of taxpayer money.

Mulligan defamed Dr Laming on her private twitter account. The ABC was not sued, but in a statement the broadcaster said it would pay Milligan’s costs citing “particular” and “exceptional” circumstances, which have not been revealed.

The ABC has an onus of responsibility to protect and support its employees, particularly journalists; however, if employees choose to operate outside of appropriate and clearly-defined parameters they should be left to reap the whirlwind of their transgressions.

Equally, if they choose to pursue recognition following the path of sensationalist journalism, it should be done under the auspices of a media organisation which supports those practices.

The ABC is our national broadcaster. Its raison d’être is unambiguous. There is no place for half-truths and innuendo. Once it was an organisation which did not have an opinion, on anything.

These days, there are some at the ABC who need to learn to control their tongues and moderate their language.

Roland can be contacted via [email protected].