The “disconnect” between our politicians and the people is sometimes only exceeded by that between the media and the people.
And the issue of capital punishment, and the imminent execution of a young Australian drug trafficker illustrates that one again…and does so very starkly.
If the media were to be believed, then there is massive, if not almost total, opposition to the hanging of Van Nguyen by the Government of Singapore tomorrow.
Not so. No so in the case of Van Nguyen, and most certainly not so in the matter of the death penalty for serious drug trafficking.
Overnight, a Morgan Poll on the issue of capital punishment generally, and the current case in particular, was issued.
It makes interesting reading. Despite the massive media, political and community campaign to have the execution overturned – and the broadly favourable publicity for Van Nguyen despite the fact he has admitted to trafficking a large quantity of heroin – the nation seems evenly divided on his execution…47 per cent in favour, 46 per cent against.
And the question of executing Australian drug traffickers caught in countries where the death penalty is clearly enforced for drug trafficking, 57 per cent are in favour and 36 per cent against.
Interestingly, the community view on the death penalty for murder is quite significantly against it…more so than in earlier polls.
I raise the polling because I have heard several members of the Canberra press gallery allege widespread community “outrage” at the execution of Van Nguyen.
My own soundings, and the view on talkback radio, has not identified such outrage as being widespread at all.
The media does not have to, and should not generally, reflect the community view. But it should not treat it with contempt.
Yet that is what happened on Monday when Southern Cross Radio?s Canberra bureau head, Alison Carobine, commented on 4BC on calls for the Prime Minister?s Eleven v West Indies match tomorrow to be called off because of the execution in Singapore.
Carobine proffered the view that John Howard would have to seriously consider whether the match should go ahead.
How out of touch can you get. Not only did Howard not even consider the suggestion, the Labor Opposition said he did not need to.
But perhaps Ms Carobine should spend a little more time listening to the views of the Southern Cross network’s listeners. An on line poll initiated by the networks John Laws is running this way – Should the match be called off – THREE per cent; Should it go ahead NINETY SEVEN per cent.
How out of touch is it possible, even in Canberra, to get?
The circumstances of the Van Nguyen case are enough to warrant the death penalty being commuted. But he does not deserve the hero status some are now according him.
Oh, and by the way, there will be an execution of a convicted murderer in the USA around 24 hours after Van Nguyen meets his fate tomorrow.
I wonder whether there will be a protest about that – or the fifty or so other executions carried out in the USA each and every year?