Rescind Rupert Murdoch's Companion of the Order of Australia - he's not worthy
Rescind Rupert Murdoch's Companion of the Order of Australia - he's not worthy
The issue
Keith Rupert Murdoch (known as Rupert) was born into a wealthy newspaper family. His father Keith had been a Senior Executive of Australia's Herald and Weekly Times and in 1952 after his death, Rupert inherited 'The News' in Adelaide
In the 1950s and 60s he had built up his media company by buying other papers in Australia and New Zealand. In 1969 he expanded into the UK and in 1974 he moved to New York City and began his company's growth into a multinational corporation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdoch
In 1984 he received a Companion of the Order of Australia - the highest ranking in the Order of Australia for service to the media, particularly the newspaper publishing industry. Yet the next year in 1985 - he threw away his Australian Citizenship to become a naturalised US Citizen so he could expand into American television, wield political influence in American politics as he was doing in Australia, and to further grow his corporation.
From our Govt Web-site: "The Companion of the Order of Australia is awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or humanity at large"
But was being an ambitious wealthy newspaper owner - who had increased his OWN wealth and power - really an EMINENT achievement of service to Australia OR Humanity - of the 'highest degree'?
How HAD he CONTRIBUTED to a better life for Australians?
Yes he was 'successful' and he donated to charity - but he was also continuing his father's legacy of trying to be a political 'king-maker' by manipulating our politicians and the PEOPLE of Australia just to further his own corporate agenda and ego.
The story of his family's attempts and even at times successful, 'blackmail' of our politicians is nicely summarised here: http://situationtheatre.com/features-2/murdoch-bias-is-hardly-new
Did he really DESERVE a Companion of the Order of Australia for this?
Or was it because 'grateful' Politicians were paying him back for NOT sticking the knife into their backs?
When Rupert Murdoch threw away his Australian Citizenship - I believe his award should have been suspended at the same time. He CHOSE to dump his citizenship because he could NOT buy mass Media and influence in the USA without US Citizenship.
He threw his Australian citizenship away for PROFIT and POWER.
HOW has Rupert Murdoch USED his wealth, power and influence 'in service' to 'humanity at large'?
Since becoming an American Citizen, Murdoch has aligned himself mostly with the Republican Party and has continually used his media platform to influence politics ALL over our world.
Because of his media concentration in Australia, Murdoch believes he is especially able to manipulate the way Australians VOTE - in OUR Country - despite no longer being 'one of us' or living here.
As Executive Chairman of News Corp and Co-Chairman of Fox Corporation, he USES his media monopoly to destabilise the politics in Australia, England AND the United States.
He promotes a very negative form of tribalism attempting to turn sections of society against each other. A divided angry population means that HE and the particular politician he supports at that TIME - WINS.
It means the politicians in Australia, the UK and the USA are MORE interested in what RUPERT WANTS - than what WE the PEOPLE want!
He has so MUCH influence - that a deliberately-timed story published in one of his newspapers or aired on Television can influence a MAJOR election - to the detriment of that country's PEOPLE.
Even now he continues to try to influence and manipulate us by fair means or foul - without ever 'walking in our shoes'.
He wants to shape the WORLD into the way HE thinks it should be run - even if that means catastrophe and even death (Global Warming and Covid19) for everyday people the world over
He uses American and English media AND their politicians:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/why-the-murdochs-backed-donald-trumps-covid-19-denialism/
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/13/farage-trump-and-johnson-grist-to-the-murdoch-mill
He uses Australian media - particularly Sky News/Australian city mast-head news and OUR Politicians:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/world/australia/fires-murdoch-disinformation.html
https://qz.com/741420/rupert-murdochs-influence-in-the-us-could-be-much-worse-just-ask-australians/
https://www.crikey.com.au/2018/10/05/rupert-murdoch-political-meddling/
And if our Politicians try to stand up to him?
And as another smack in the face to Australian citizens - News Corp purchased hundreds of Australia's rural newspapers and used Covid19 as an excuse to shut them down. He will no doubt hang onto the masthead names to STOP communities being able to ever independently resurrect them
Rupert Murdoch cares about POWER - not the LIVES of everyday working Australians. He cares about mining magnates and CORPORATIONS like his own - not those who WORK FOR them, and he cares for PROFIT from advertising revenue and the share price of his companies.
He doesn't even care if our planet will be even be livable for his own children and grand-children - much LESS ours!
So how does HE represent the GOOD things about Australia and OUR people?
We the PEOPLE - actually do ELECT our Governments - even though media, mining and other powerful lobby groups use their funds, OUR funds and OUR Politicians to mould our opinions.
We can CHOOSE to listen to/read Rupert Murdoch's propaganda
We can CHOOSE to decide whether or not his media is acting/reporting in OUR best interests and not his - and so VOTE accordingly to what we research OURSELVES.
We HAVE done it before and hopefully we WILL do it again
We really need to think about whether News Corp and Rupert Murdoch really DESERVES anything FROM us.
In England, communities have caused the CLOSURE of News Corp newspapers when they have realised just how much people have been manipulated and used.
In Australia we tend to be more forgiving - who knows why?
But we SHOULD also be able to CHOOSE whether or not those we once honoured GET to KEEP the highest honors bestowed on them by OUR Country and our PEOPLE - once they SHOW they are actually working AGAINST us - not FOR us.
Especially when he is a FOREIGN citizen!
The Order of Australia is OUR Award - it is not up to Politicians to TELL us who THEY want us to honour.
Rupert Murdoch USES his Companion of the Order of Australia to SHOW the world Australia thought he was a great bloke - but do we - are we PROUD of him?
Does he STILL represent the BEST interests of Australia when he tries to manipulate us and uses his newspapers and media 'shock-jocks' - to anger people and so DIVIDE us? To DIVIDE our society and communities over the world?
I don't believe Rupert Murdoch DESERVES to keep the Companion of the Order of Australia - one our Country's highest HONOURS - BECAUSE not only is he NOT an Australian citizen - his actions, lies and manipulation of millions - are unethical and he dishonours and disparages the once egalitarian values of his country of birth.
He looks down upon our everyday and disadvantaged citizens - he manipulates and intimidates OUR politicians for his OWN wealth and power
If Australians GIVE someone an honour - WE should be able to RESCIND it - if WE believe the person no longer REPRESENTS us or ACTS in OUR best interests!
Even if we DON'T succeed - he and others in the world may get to see a SIZEABLE number of Australians - no longer approve of him - or see him as being worthy of OUR AC Honour.
If Rupert Murdoch CARED about the country of his birth - he'd WANT to help OUR children to live in a safe, SUSTAINABLE, peaceful society..
It appears he DOESN'T..
If you agree - please sign and share this petition..
**He also has a Papal Knighthood - I fail to see how Rupert Murdoch has shown any compassion to those who most need help in our world. But that is up to Catholics and the Vatican. Does great POWER mean you are doing God's work? Or does he just DONATE MILLIONS while actually destroying the PEOPLE of our world's RIGHT to Health, Safety and a SUSTAINABLE, kind world for our children?
2,855
The issue
Keith Rupert Murdoch (known as Rupert) was born into a wealthy newspaper family. His father Keith had been a Senior Executive of Australia's Herald and Weekly Times and in 1952 after his death, Rupert inherited 'The News' in Adelaide
In the 1950s and 60s he had built up his media company by buying other papers in Australia and New Zealand. In 1969 he expanded into the UK and in 1974 he moved to New York City and began his company's growth into a multinational corporation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdoch
In 1984 he received a Companion of the Order of Australia - the highest ranking in the Order of Australia for service to the media, particularly the newspaper publishing industry. Yet the next year in 1985 - he threw away his Australian Citizenship to become a naturalised US Citizen so he could expand into American television, wield political influence in American politics as he was doing in Australia, and to further grow his corporation.
From our Govt Web-site: "The Companion of the Order of Australia is awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or humanity at large"
But was being an ambitious wealthy newspaper owner - who had increased his OWN wealth and power - really an EMINENT achievement of service to Australia OR Humanity - of the 'highest degree'?
How HAD he CONTRIBUTED to a better life for Australians?
Yes he was 'successful' and he donated to charity - but he was also continuing his father's legacy of trying to be a political 'king-maker' by manipulating our politicians and the PEOPLE of Australia just to further his own corporate agenda and ego.
The story of his family's attempts and even at times successful, 'blackmail' of our politicians is nicely summarised here: http://situationtheatre.com/features-2/murdoch-bias-is-hardly-new
Did he really DESERVE a Companion of the Order of Australia for this?
Or was it because 'grateful' Politicians were paying him back for NOT sticking the knife into their backs?
When Rupert Murdoch threw away his Australian Citizenship - I believe his award should have been suspended at the same time. He CHOSE to dump his citizenship because he could NOT buy mass Media and influence in the USA without US Citizenship.
He threw his Australian citizenship away for PROFIT and POWER.
HOW has Rupert Murdoch USED his wealth, power and influence 'in service' to 'humanity at large'?
Since becoming an American Citizen, Murdoch has aligned himself mostly with the Republican Party and has continually used his media platform to influence politics ALL over our world.
Because of his media concentration in Australia, Murdoch believes he is especially able to manipulate the way Australians VOTE - in OUR Country - despite no longer being 'one of us' or living here.
As Executive Chairman of News Corp and Co-Chairman of Fox Corporation, he USES his media monopoly to destabilise the politics in Australia, England AND the United States.
He promotes a very negative form of tribalism attempting to turn sections of society against each other. A divided angry population means that HE and the particular politician he supports at that TIME - WINS.
It means the politicians in Australia, the UK and the USA are MORE interested in what RUPERT WANTS - than what WE the PEOPLE want!
He has so MUCH influence - that a deliberately-timed story published in one of his newspapers or aired on Television can influence a MAJOR election - to the detriment of that country's PEOPLE.
Even now he continues to try to influence and manipulate us by fair means or foul - without ever 'walking in our shoes'.
He wants to shape the WORLD into the way HE thinks it should be run - even if that means catastrophe and even death (Global Warming and Covid19) for everyday people the world over
He uses American and English media AND their politicians:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/why-the-murdochs-backed-donald-trumps-covid-19-denialism/
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/13/farage-trump-and-johnson-grist-to-the-murdoch-mill
He uses Australian media - particularly Sky News/Australian city mast-head news and OUR Politicians:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/world/australia/fires-murdoch-disinformation.html
https://qz.com/741420/rupert-murdochs-influence-in-the-us-could-be-much-worse-just-ask-australians/
https://www.crikey.com.au/2018/10/05/rupert-murdoch-political-meddling/
And if our Politicians try to stand up to him?
And as another smack in the face to Australian citizens - News Corp purchased hundreds of Australia's rural newspapers and used Covid19 as an excuse to shut them down. He will no doubt hang onto the masthead names to STOP communities being able to ever independently resurrect them
Rupert Murdoch cares about POWER - not the LIVES of everyday working Australians. He cares about mining magnates and CORPORATIONS like his own - not those who WORK FOR them, and he cares for PROFIT from advertising revenue and the share price of his companies.
He doesn't even care if our planet will be even be livable for his own children and grand-children - much LESS ours!
So how does HE represent the GOOD things about Australia and OUR people?
We the PEOPLE - actually do ELECT our Governments - even though media, mining and other powerful lobby groups use their funds, OUR funds and OUR Politicians to mould our opinions.
We can CHOOSE to listen to/read Rupert Murdoch's propaganda
We can CHOOSE to decide whether or not his media is acting/reporting in OUR best interests and not his - and so VOTE accordingly to what we research OURSELVES.
We HAVE done it before and hopefully we WILL do it again
We really need to think about whether News Corp and Rupert Murdoch really DESERVES anything FROM us.
In England, communities have caused the CLOSURE of News Corp newspapers when they have realised just how much people have been manipulated and used.
In Australia we tend to be more forgiving - who knows why?
But we SHOULD also be able to CHOOSE whether or not those we once honoured GET to KEEP the highest honors bestowed on them by OUR Country and our PEOPLE - once they SHOW they are actually working AGAINST us - not FOR us.
Especially when he is a FOREIGN citizen!
The Order of Australia is OUR Award - it is not up to Politicians to TELL us who THEY want us to honour.
Rupert Murdoch USES his Companion of the Order of Australia to SHOW the world Australia thought he was a great bloke - but do we - are we PROUD of him?
Does he STILL represent the BEST interests of Australia when he tries to manipulate us and uses his newspapers and media 'shock-jocks' - to anger people and so DIVIDE us? To DIVIDE our society and communities over the world?
I don't believe Rupert Murdoch DESERVES to keep the Companion of the Order of Australia - one our Country's highest HONOURS - BECAUSE not only is he NOT an Australian citizen - his actions, lies and manipulation of millions - are unethical and he dishonours and disparages the once egalitarian values of his country of birth.
He looks down upon our everyday and disadvantaged citizens - he manipulates and intimidates OUR politicians for his OWN wealth and power
If Australians GIVE someone an honour - WE should be able to RESCIND it - if WE believe the person no longer REPRESENTS us or ACTS in OUR best interests!
Even if we DON'T succeed - he and others in the world may get to see a SIZEABLE number of Australians - no longer approve of him - or see him as being worthy of OUR AC Honour.
If Rupert Murdoch CARED about the country of his birth - he'd WANT to help OUR children to live in a safe, SUSTAINABLE, peaceful society..
It appears he DOESN'T..
If you agree - please sign and share this petition..
**He also has a Papal Knighthood - I fail to see how Rupert Murdoch has shown any compassion to those who most need help in our world. But that is up to Catholics and the Vatican. Does great POWER mean you are doing God's work? Or does he just DONATE MILLIONS while actually destroying the PEOPLE of our world's RIGHT to Health, Safety and a SUSTAINABLE, kind world for our children?
2,855
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Petition created on 11 July 2020