Ben Butler, Journalist

The Age, Fairfax Media ASX:FXJ, Jan 4, 2011

Ben Butler, Australia’s Worst Journalist in 2009 is again, nay still, Australia’s Worst Journalist.

How Paul Ramadge, The Age’s Editor-in-Chief, can allow every article written by this misleading and deceptive employee go to print, when its major aim is to try to cause unwarranted damage to a company and people even remotely related to it.

It is impossible to believe that Butler so lacks intelligence and understanding of basic financial matters, that the inevitable conclusion is that his sole aim is to cause mischief and demean specific targets.

His article in The Age, 4 January 2011 “Allied: precarious” is an example of disgraceful journalism. He admits that the medical centres associated with Allied are owned by different companies. He goes on to say that financial reports have valued the business at $200 million. He fails to mention the well publicised report from USB that Allied is the best run group of medical centres in Australia, and should be a target of one of the bigger players. The company “Allied” to which he refers with quotes from an auditor, is nowhere in the article related to the business, and to imply that the medical centre business is precarious is malicious, disgraceful, mischievous, misleading and deceptive.

He goes on to canvass Dr. Geoffrey Edelsten’s lack of formal connection with this business, and quote past events, but only refer incompletely to the matter. He knows, or should know, that a Supreme Court Judge has found that Edelsten’s conviction was wrongful as the jury was misdirected, and there was absence of evidence to support a conviction. He also knew that the title “Dr” for a medical practitioner (and other healthcare professionals) are honorary titles, but the award of a Ph.D., LL.D, DBA etc. carries with it a formal recognition of the title “Dr.”.

Paul Ramadge, it is up to you to terminate this poor excuse for a financial journalist, whose sole aim is to cause harm.