Fed" PM lashes murdoch media over attacks on government

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2000
Fed" PM lashes murdoch media over attacks on government

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD has lashed out at the MURDOCH media for the second time
in as many days, taking the Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper to task over a story involving
his son.

Mr HOWARD says a Telegraph story focusing on the attendance of his son at a Sydney
party where a girl was raped and killed is outrageous.

Mr HOWARD has told Melbourne radio 3AW the story scaled the heights as far as personalisation
and the intrusion involved.

He says his son's done nothing wrong and thinks it's appalling.

The prime minister says he's raised the matter with Telegraph editor COL ALLEN at length
in a very controlled but angry fashion.

Yesterday Mr HOWARD attacked RUPERT MURDOCH's national newspaper The Australian for
criticising the government's bailout for workers at National Textiles -- a company chaired
by his brother STAN.

The Prime Minister threatened legal action after the paper's editorial raised the possibility
of government corruption.

Mr HOWARD says it's unwise to speculate on whether the MURDOCH press is at war with
his government due to unhappiness over a recent unfavourable decision on digital television.

AAP RTV rft/as/rt

KEYWORD: MURDOCH HOWARD (CANBERRA)

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