News Corp Is Being Slammed Over A Front Page Image Of The Qld Premier In A Rifle’s Crosshairs
Stay classy, News Corp.
The Sunshine Coast Daily has come in for a barrage of criticism after publishing a front page image of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in the crosshairs of a rifle. You know, journalism!
The paper, which you will be shocked to learn is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, published the image on Monday morning alongside the headline “Anna You’re Next” and a subheading suggesting the Labor Premier was in trouble following her party’s staggering loss at the federal election on Saturday. But the front page has been slammed by politicians as well as social media users for reasons that should be fairly fucking obvious.
charming pic.twitter.com/jCgfw5ym3s
— Susan Metcalfe (@susanamet) May 20, 2019
Nationals MP Darren Chester called it an “appalling editorial decision”, tweeting that “violence against women is a national scourge and suggesting any public figure is in the ‘crosshairs’ is irresponsible and potentially dangerous”.
“It would be easy to make the political point without implied violence,” he wrote. “Please apologise.”
Queensland Minister for Women Di Farmer described the image as “appalling” and told the ABC it encouraged violence against women.
“The image says, shoot this person, you can shoot this person,” she said. “We must show respect and this is anything but, it is taking it past what is appropriate.”
According to the ABC, the Queensland government contacted The Sunshine Coast Daily asking for an apology and for the image to be removed. The paper reportedly refused to do either, replying via email that it was “never our intention” to incite violence.
“What the front page seeks to highlight is the fact that Labor’s poor performance in the federal election in Queensland means the State Government is now in the political sights of the conservative parties in Queensland,” the email read.
“On that basis, we do not intend to pull down the front page from online, nor apologise.”
“But we acknowledge your fear, even if we think it is a bleak outlook on Queenslanders, and will not use the image again in post-election coverage.”
Appalling editorial decision on two levels… violence against women is a national scourge and suggesting any public figure is in the ‘crosshairs’ is irresponsible and potentially dangerous. It would be easy to make the political point without implied violence. Please apologise. pic.twitter.com/nL8FVYTrBr
— Darren Chester MP (@DarrenChesterMP) May 20, 2019
Newspaper editors know that drawing crosshairs on a person these days is absolutely unacceptable. Some idiot made a deliberately provocative choice and should be called out for the fool that he or she is. pic.twitter.com/sfjH3EHn9B
— Brian Mitchell MP (@BrianMitchellMP) May 20, 2019
How is this acceptable? pic.twitter.com/L8umPFjCWi
— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) May 20, 2019
The Queensland government has also lodged an official complaint with the Australian Press Council.