The nation's most popular newspaper the Herald Sun has published an astonishing story of the "close association" between the Seven Network's leading television presenter Naomi Robson and gangster Tony Mokbel.

She angrily denied claims of being supplied cocaine by him. Not many will believe her. She also downplayed their social relationship which the OC understands to have been "torrid" and lasting longer than she told the press. She says she didn't really know who he was and in terms of his real name that is probably true. But did she know what he was?

The Herald Sun revealed:

"So how's Naomi?" Mokbel asks in a taped conversation. "She is all right, she's made -- yeah," replies supergrass.

Urbandictionary.com reveals that "she's made" could mean a wide variety of gangster related things, with the most probable indicating that she received something she wanted.

No prizes for guessing what it was they were referring to. The supply of cocaine.

TESTED

Seven Network insiders tell the OC they are deeply troubled about the allegations. We understand that they are contemplating (depending on how the story plays out) the use of a test of her hair to establish whether she is a cocaine user. These tests can establish use of the drug going back as far as twelve months. Seven should indeed take immediate steps to establish the truth.

There is an astounding degree of hypocrisy when it comes to the use of illicit drugs in the media. Christian Kerr of Crikey even publicly boasted of his cocaine and ecstacy addiction in The Age and it was buried in the story. It has never been mentioned in Crikey that we are aware. Equally many journalists in the mainstream media battle with alcohol abuse and illicit drugs. And like televangelists preaching at the debauchery in the modern world while up to no good themselves, they preach at the community with a false piety that besmirches their craft of speaking truth to power.

Naomi Robson is just doing a job, her defenders say. But the job involves tut-tutting at every perceived wrong-doer that crosses Today Tonight's path. And often times it nails someone very well, in circumstances where it's much deserved. It takes the side of the battler against the big corporate or the uncaring government or the dodgy washing machine mechanic. The people like it, the OC likes it, and it rates very strongly.

The sanctimony that drips off Naomi Robson's broadcast remarks must now be put in context. Like every human, she has human failings. She went out with a gangster, presumably sleeping with him. She took cocaine, presumably supplied by him or one of his offsiders.

The Herald Sun is too polite to say so, but there seems to be little doubt of it.

Seven hope this matter will blow over, but the next time Today Tonight snort patronisingly at one of their targets for being a deadbeat dad, a dole bludger, a loser or a whatever they should perhaps reflect that only those without sin should be in the business of broadcasting the first stone!