In poor taste
THE Defence Department is investigating allegations that television celebrity Tania Zaetta had sex with Australian special forces soldiers during a recent tour of war-ravaged Afghanistan.
So what?
The lady’s behavior isn’t in question; it is the ethics and poor manners of those who reported the alleged incident, with name, to the Defence Minister and those who then released it to the media.
Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin, who travelled on a transport aircraft with Zaetta and Anderson during the tour, has demanded an explanation from Mr Fitzgibbon.
He says;
DEFENCE Minister Joel Fitzgibbon must apologise for the “gross” and “extraordinary” invasion of entertainer Tania Zaetta’s privacy after claims she had sex with Australian troops reached the media.I agree and wait with baited breath for Fitzgibbon to make amends to the lady in question. I watched the Australian Story on ABC and was moved by these young guys and girls doing their bit for the morale of the troops. Conversely, I noted in the show that there were entertainers who declined to volunteer to join the entertainers for ideological reasons. If there is any naming to be done then maybe we could have the names of these bastards who have insulted our troops rather than naming of someone involved in a rumour. UPDATE: This entire event happened on Fitzgibbon’s shift but when called to task and asked for answers he has this to say in a Defence Media email release;
The Opposition Spokesman for Defence Senator Nick Minchin’s attempts to play politics with what at this stage is an allegation only has dragged the state of the Liberal Party to new lows.Nick is not ‘playing politics’ with the allegation; he is questioning the release of the details of the allegation to the media. Just answer the questions, Minister. He goes on to make sure we know it’s not his fault;
The Minister has formally asked Defence for a review of the process which determines how ‘Hot Issues Briefs’ are generated and how widely they are distributed. He has also asked what measures are in place to test the necessity of using names in such briefs. Further, the Minister has directed that an inquiry be held into how this particular Brief came to be made public.I look forward to the answers.
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If there’s no fuel in this fire, Zanetta should sue the Dept for defamation. Along with the carrion at Today Tonight.
I watched both the Australian Story episodes and was struck by the professionalism, pride and humanity of our people, we get to see so few images and stories about them and the work they are doing.
They clearly had a great effect on the artists who volunteered to take the risk of death or injury to travel to Iraq and Afghanistan.
It was that effect which impressed me the most – many negative ignorant stereotypes about service men and women (and aging rock stars) were dismantled by the program, it’s such a pity the good press has been ruined by some gossip mongering cock sucker in Defense.
I’m incensed some twit decided a ‘Hot Issues Brief’ was a fitting organ to dispense such trivial gossip – I hope he or she is weeded out and sacked.
I hope Tania Zaetta and Angry Anderson understand the guys and girls overseas (and at home) will be as pissed off as they are and that other entertainers don’t cancel any future plans for similar trips as a result.
I’d go if I could sing, play an instrument or be even slightly funny on purpose.
P.S. Angry Anderson and the stand up guy who’ve made several trips deserve a ‘gong’ or two.
Perhaps the ‘great librarian’ could recognize their service in the Queens list.
KevGillett:
First.
This is absolutely none of my business – and I did not ask to be told about it!
I do not give a flying fxxk if the lady is a Vestal Virgin or if she rooted the entire ADF – except that if she was defamed, she deserves to hang, draw and quarter whatever silly little boys titillated themselves by running around telling tales – whether true or false.
Second.
Telling this story is a sure-fire way of defeating the so-called “Taliban” and any other baddies, isn’t it?
Yeah. I can see the brilliant tactic right now.
Announce some sort of juicy scandal – whether it really happened or not – in English [of course!] then sit back and watch them all rush out of the hills and re-entrants, frightened out of their wits, cleared weapons without magazines held high over their heads, demanding their surrender be accepted immediately, promising to return to their families and to never take up arms again.
Why didn’t someone think of it before?
Ditto all of the above.
As for Fitzgibbon trying to unoad this onto Minchin: stand by for alot more of this from our new lords and masters.
Cheers,
Bruce
It was a fantastic show alright.
Over two nights, AND shown on the ABC!
EVERYONE commented on the PROFESSIONALISM of our military.
But we can’t have that can we?
Enter the scandal……… real or imagined, it doesn’t matter, we must replace that feel good feeling that our military are actually doing some good stuff in places we have never heard of before.
I question why we haven’t been given ANY information about what our military is doing. Is it because everything is going to plan and that there are no negatives to report?
So let’s invent one……….
Bastards!
I was disappointed that the rubbish about Tanya Zaetta was reported.
She’s an adult and deserves privacy.
I’m with the hanging, drawing and quartering of the fool who started this.
I saw the Australian Story and for once, a tick for the ABC.
I got to meet and know Tania when she was sharing her flat with some one within my family
in Melbourne,South Yarra in the early 90’s
She was flying up to Sydney to co host some game show and needed a reliable flat mate to be
round when she was away.
She was delightful girl with her head screwed on well. I have absolutely no doubt that this
story was either spite/jealousy from some one within the group, which I doubt, but more likely
from Kevin’s spin team to deflect from the total screw up they are making of being in
government. Either way it was disgrace to let this find it’s way into the media.
And if perchance it were true it would be a nice last memory for some poor digger if he met an IED
GOD BLESS THEM ALL THOSE WHO SERVE AND THOSE WHO KEEP THE TROOPS SPIRITS UP