‘She looked like a kangaroo in the headlights’: Minister forced into embarrassing backtrack
Ray Hadley has seen plenty of cringe-worthy interviews in his time, but a minister’s “trainwreck” talk this week on Sky News was particularly painful.
Victoria’s Transport Minister Jacinta Allan has been forced into an embarrassing backtrack, after banning Sky News from being played in train stations.
The decision came after the network aired an interview with far-right figure Blair Cottrell, with Ms Allan saying “hatred and racism have no place on our screens”.
I’ve directed @MetroTrains to remove @skynewsaustralia from all CBD station screens. Hatred and racism have no place on our screens or in our community. #springst
— Jacinta Allan (@JacintaAllanMP) August 8, 2018
But it appears the minister has missed a major detail.
The controversial interview wasn’t even played on train station screens. Only regular news bulletins and weather updates are played on the platforms.
And the gap in her knowledge was sensationally called out live on-air by Sky News reporters David Speers and Laura Jayes.
Victoria’s Public Transport Minister @JacintaAllanMP: I am aware that longer-form interviews do not screen on the Sky News service provided to @metrotrains. The advice I had was that the interview was screened.
MORE: https://t.co/jTJuRZu8uk #newsday pic.twitter.com/2JsMe4IhiR
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 9, 2018
“I’ve got to say it was a trainwreck,” Ray says.
“Not because of David or Laura, but because of the minister, Jacinta Allan, being the least informed minister I’ve seen recently interviewed anywhere.”
Speaking with Sky News Editor David Speers, Ray says she “looked like a kangaroo in the headlights” when her error was called out.
Ray is questioning whether a censorship attempt is on the horizon, as a new deal between Sky and regional free-to-air station WIN Television emerges.
“Given that they have an election in November, I’d hate to think she’s trying to censor, not just what she does on railway platforms, but also what the WIN network do on free-to-air.”
Click PLAY below to hear Ray interview Sky’s David Speers
Image: Twitter/@SkyNewsAust