A week of whistleblowers, Media Watch whispers and wee tips.
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Saturday Jun 29
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This week was all about whistleblowers as Julian Assange walked free and pressure mounted on the prime minister to fix protections after former ATO tax debt collector Richard Boyle lost his court appeal.

Elsewhere we delved into the Defence-Thales scandal, detailed Dai Le's deal, and decided that if we have to hear gossip about a former News Corp editor's urination predilection then you do too.

Plus are Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese out of step with the eSafety commissioner?

We hope you're having a sensational weekend and we'll be back in your inbox on Monday.
Gina Rushton Gina Rushton,
Editor
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‘Fuck Mike Sneesby’: Nine staff incensed at mass job cuts
DAANYAL SAEED

Sources telling Crikey that staff anger is 'white hot'.

(Image: AAP/Joel Carrett)
 
Australia’s media companies seriously complained of blackmail? Give us a break.
BERNARD KEANE

That Seven, Nine and News Corp are claiming they're being blackmailed by Meta is ridiculous, hilarious and deeply hypocritical.

Nine CEO Mike Sneesby, News Corp Australia chair Michael Miller and Seven West CEO Jeffrey Howard (Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)
 
Champagne comedy: Defence and its Thales mates treat taxpayers like mugs
BERNARD KEANE

Defence's staggering display of arrogance and incompetence in awarding a billion-dollar contract is showcased in a new report from the auditor-general.

(Image: Private Media/Zennie)
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Under big-spending Nationals-lite Dutton, where to now for genuine Liberals?
BERNARD KEANE

Are genuine Liberals just in public life so they can expand the size of government? That's their role under Peter Dutton.

Peter Dutton (Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)
 
Piss-based hijinks at News Corp, Tucker Carlson’s victory lap, and how to bake a pie chart
DAANYAL SAEED

When a tipster told us what used to go on at Holt St at the turn of the century, we thought they must have been taking the piss.

Tucker Carlson and Col Allan (Images: AAP/Private Media)
 
What a time to be three-eyed! Labor lets Dutton use nuclear as a flim-flam political culture war
GUY RUNDLE

The Coalition’s nuclear policy may have been the projection of internal politics outwards, but the means of selling it was culture war.

Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese (Images: AAP/Private Media)
 
Richard Boyle’s brave whistleblowing has been vindicated — but Australia will still punish him
KIERAN PENDER

It is hard to imagine whistleblowing more clearly in the public interest.

Whistleblower Richard Boyle on Four Corners in 2018 (Image: ABC)
 
Assange should be welcomed home as a hero who exposed imperialism’s grisly workings
BERNARD KEANE

The WikiLeaks founder briefly offered a world in which power's operations were exposed to sunlight. It didn't last, but his achievements are historic.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, alongside Kevin Rudd, arrives at the US District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan (Image: AAP/Samantha Salamon)
 
What’s the deal with Dai Le?
RACHEL WITHERS

The Fowler MP’s politics leave many scratching their heads. But she's a clear warning to the ALP not to take its working-class heartland for granted.

Dai Le, independent MP for Fowler (Image: Private Media/AAP/Zennie)
 
Macron’s election gambit could land France in deep merde
MEGAN CLEMENT

This weekend, France will vote in the first round of a snap election that could see the country swing hard to the right. How did we get here?

French President Emmanuel Macron (Image: ABACA/Stephane Lemouton)
 
Everything the new Media Watch host shouldn’t be, according to ABC reporters
DAANYAL SAEED

Paul Barry's retirement announcement has sparked rampant debate as to who his successor might be. We asked ABC reporters who they want in the job.

Outgoing Media Watch host Paul Barry (Image: ABC/YouTube)
 
The eSafety commissioner is pushing back on Albo and Dutton’s children social media ban plan
CAM WILSON

Julie Inman Grant has not-so-subtly rebuked the idea of a social media ban for young people, comparing it to banning kids from the water rather than teaching them to swim

Peter Dutton, Julie Inman Grant and Anthony Albanese (Images: AAP)
 
The Nightly set to avoid pain of $100m Seven West job cuts 
DAANYAL SAEED

Kerry Stokes' new digital newspaper darling reportedly won't be affected by looming job losses at Seven West Media.

(Image: AAP/Andrew Henshaw)
 
So Seven got hacked. How can anyone tell?
BERNARD KEANE

Deepfake Elon Musk spruiking a crypto scam on Seven's YouTube channel doesn't represent a marked change from what the network usually offers.

An AI-generated Elon Musk on Network Seven's YouTube (Image: Seven/YouTube)
 
The UK election is imminent — this is what they want what they really really want
GUY RUNDLE

How did the Tories get to this point?

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Image: AAP/Benjamin Cremel)