Murdoch is the only contemporary figure who can be spoken of in the same breath as the great press barons of yesteryears. Murdoch’s contemporary press barons were bit players by comparison, either because they failed to match his global scope or because they flamed out. But was he good or bad for journalism?
Speaking to voters I have not found hostility but a lack of engagement. In this laidback nation, many Australians resent the toxicity of the referendum debate