Terrorism debate timely topic for Geraldine Doogue presentation

Nov 03, 2005

Acclaimed ABC journalist Geraldine Doogue couldn’t have had a more timely topic for her University of Wollongong address last night (2 November).

On a day when Prime Minister John Howard told the nation that Australian intelligence authorities had received a specific terrorist threat which prompted an immediate amendment to the Government’s anti-terrorist legislation, Ms Doogue spoke on the role of the media as peacemakers.

The host of ABC Television’s Compass program and Radio National’s Saturday Breakfast was presenting the annual address at the Graduate School of Business and Professional Development’s Town & Gown function to an audience of Wollongong’s business and civic leaders and university academics.

After a wide-ranging and thought-provoking presentation on the role of the media, Ms Doogue was asked what impact the anti-terror legislation would have on the media’s capacity to report the issues.

While she hadn’t seen the specifics of the legislation, Ms Doogue said she was concerned about Australia “drifting into laws that limit the capacity for good journalism”.

She said while many Australians hadn’t faced up to the nature of the challenges that exist (with the threat of terrorism) the issues needed to be debated through the media.

“It should be debated. The more the community knows, the better the community behaves,” she said. Ms Doogue said the terrorism threat raised the question of whether we should sacrifice freedom of speech for national security.

“It is a difficult moment (for the nation) right where we are now. But we’ve got to be able to ask more questions, not just have the Prime Minister say: ‘Trust me’,” she said.

“Respectful public debate is the life blood of democracy … encouraging accountability and decent behaviour. Good quality journalism that doesn’t dodge difficult areas, but is careful when it goes into them, encourages problem-solving.”

Ms Doogue, who has co-written a soon-to-be-published book on the Islamic faith called Tomorrow’s Islam, said she believed the West was caught in a battle between fundamentalist and moderate Muslims. She said Australia had the opportunity to encourage “a new Islam that is very special” by supporting Australia’s moderate Muslims.

“There is a struggle for power in the world of Islam, and in a sense we (the West) are collateral damage,” Ms Doogue said. “The fundamentalists are making life very difficult for moderates … we need to encourage these people and give them venues and opportunities to talk about moderate Islam.”

Ms Doogue said she believed the role of good journalism was to draw people into the community around them.

”My heroes (in journalism) are those who seek to draw people in by their journalism … and their passion,” she said, citing Andrew Denton as an example.

She said the relationship between the media and modern politics was often “super messy” but was critical of politicians who undermined public faith in the political process.

She expressed disappointment that former Opposition leader Mark Latham had actively discouraged young Australians from engaging in the political process in his recently published memoirs. Ms Doogue said Australia’s democracy needed to be refreshed by engaging our best young talent, and that Mr Latham “would take his comment to his grave”.

Introducing Ms Doogue, Graduate School of Business and Professional Development Head Professor John Glynn said the School had enjoyed a good year, with strong student numbers. It had introduced a number of new programs and short courses in the past year and had plans to expand on that in 2006.