Age bin

Tony Abbott thinks that "If something is off the record, it in effect doesn't exist and there's nothing wrong with denying something that didn't exist." I’ve heard that logic before, only the other way round; not only is an unofficial announcement officially nonexistent, if it’s an official announcement then what it says must be the case. Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Mikado sets out the logic; “It's like this: When your Majesty says, "Let a thing be done," it's as good as done — practically, it is done — because your Majesty's will is law. Consequently, why not say so?” Let’s face it, that’s been the nature of most announcements of Howard government achievements over the last term. Howard announces that the government’s going to win in Iraq/solve the Aboriginal question/defeat the terrorists/lower interest rates/reform IR, and everybody reports it as if it’s actually happened.