Calls have grown to defund the ABC, while board members have held emergency discussions after a high-profile journalist claimed Australia is a “racist country”.
Laura Tingle, 7.30’s chief political correspondent and elected board member, made the comment at the Sydney Writers Festival on Sunday.
‘We are a racist country, let’s face it. We always have been and it’s very depressing,” he said.
Tingle also took the opportunity to accuse opposition leader Peter Dutton of inciting violence against migrants while also praising the leadership of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The Coalition responded and demanded to know on Monday how Tingle would remain an impartial reporter in the run-up to next year’s federal election.
Some ABC board members were also unhappy with sources claiming that Chairman Kim Williams is considering moving up their next meeting from June to discuss the perceived damage. The Australian reported.
Ordinary Australians have joined the outrage and demanded that the ABC be immediately defunded.
ABC board members have held emergency discussions over the massive backlash to one of its senior reporters claiming Australia is a “racist country”.
Laura Tingle, 7.30’s chief political correspondent and elected board member, made the comment at the Sydney Writers Festival on Sunday (file image)
During Sunday’s panel, Tingle said he couldn’t remember the last time a major party leader was seen “saying…everything that’s wrong in this country is because of immigrants.”
‘(I had) this sudden flash of people turning up to try to rent a property or at an auction and they looked a little bit different – however you define different – (and) that basically he (Dutton) had given them license to be abused and in any circumstance where people feel like they are missing out,” he said.
Tingle accused Dutton of “dog whistling” and said his call to reduce immigration made “no rational sense”.
He also praises the Labor Party, saying: “It’s not just about whether they got rid of Scott Morrison, they’re actually trying to govern, they’re trying to run a government, they’re actually trying to make policy.”
“Whether you think politics is bullshit or not, that’s another issue.”
Critics of Tingle’s comments accused her of not being impartial as a political reporter.
Others called for the ABC to stop receiving taxpayer funds.
‘Who really cares and believes the rubbish being generated by a biased, pro-worker national broadcaster?’ Fair Defund ABC and get rid of them,’ one person wrote on X.
“Laura Tingle does not speak for the majority of Australians… Defund ABC!” said another.
‘Tingle has already spent his time at ABC. ABC is against Australia. Defund it,” wrote another.
Some ABC board members were also unhappy with sources claiming that chairman Kim Williams is considering moving up their next meeting from June to discuss the perceived damage (file image).
Tingle also shared his clear bias against the opposition by criticizing Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton (pictured).
Tingle was appointed to the ABC board as a staff-elected director in 2023 and is required to “act in good faith at all times and in the best interests of ABC.”
In March, Williams shared a strong message saying staff should leave if they breached the national broadcaster’s balance code.
In March, Williams said in a podcast: “If you don’t want to reflect a view that aspires to impartiality, don’t work at the ABC.”
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman described Tingle’s comments about Dutton as “extraordinary and completely indefensible”.
“In addition to her comments about Mr. Dutton, Ms. Tingle has made other statements regarding her views on the Albanian government and the coalition,” he said.
‘While every Australian is entitled to their political opinions, not all Australians are chief political correspondents for the ABC’s 7.30 programme.
“The ABC needs to explain how Ms Tingle’s statements are compatible with her role at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.”
ABC chief executive David Anderson will be questioned about Tingle’s comments on Thursday at the Senate estimates hearing in Canberra.
The ABC declined to comment on the matter on Monday.