Australia’s Murdoch media and the Wuhan COVID-19 lab conspiracy theory + How a Bannon-linked conspiracy theory about coronavirus origins landed on Murdoch-owned media

Australia’s Murdoch media and the Wuhan COVID-19 lab conspiracy theory

What they missed:

How a Bannon-linked conspiracy theory about coronavirus origins landed on Murdoch-owned media, including Fox News

A week later, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Media Watch debunked the story with a roundup of reporting on the many holes in Markson’s work. According to its report, GNews was one of the earliest reported adopters of the conspiracy theory based on the discredited 2015 book.

The debunk explained that “a host of China experts say the book is not outlining China’s plans for biowarfare” but rather “it’s looking at defense against Western attacks, which it claims have already started.” Media Watch also noted that the document Markson based her reporting on is a readily available book that can be purchased online.

Australia Sabotaged Its Own Interests in China Relations

Australia Sabotaged Its Own Interests in China Relations

But the consequences will be great. Australia will be needlessly poorer, more isolated from our region, and more dependent on the uncertain protection of faraway Five Eyes friends. Without a dialogue with China, our necessary engagement with our region will be handicapped. Lee Kuan Yew’s friendly warning — “be careful or you will be the poor white trash of Asia” — comes back now to haunt us.