The ABC has come under fire after its boss and a news presenter spent “a minute and a half” doing a Country Appreciation during a TV interview about a “car accident”.
ABC CEO David Anderson was being interviewed by ABC News senior cultural adviser Miriam Corowa about a review that found racism was endemic at the national broadcaster.
The interview began with Corowa acknowledging his own ancestors, the Bundjalung people of the north coast of New South Wales, and greeting them in the Bundjalung language before also acknowledging that the interview was taking place in Gadigal territory.
In response, Anderson began with an acknowledgment of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation before paying his respects “to the elders past and present.”
2GB Mornings presenter Ben Fordham was stunned by the long prologue.
“It took us a minute and a half of reconnaissance and checking boxes before we could get to the actual interview,” he said Wednesday.
‘Before they could talk like normal human beings do, they had to jump through several obstacles, so this is all part of the problem at ABC.
—And what does the identity of the host have to do with the issue?
The report, which was commissioned in the wake of Stan Grant’s shock resignation from the ABC over claims he received no support while being the target of racist attacks, found that racial discrimination, insults and stereotyping were rife in the organisation.
David Anderson opened the racism review interview with a shout-out to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation before paying his respects “to elders past and present.”
The interview began with Corowa acknowledging his own ancestors, the Bundjalung people of the north coast of New South Wales, before also acknowledging that the interview was taking place in Gadigal country.
Specific details included staff receiving comments about their racial appearance, stereotyping, and being mistaken for another person in a racist manner.
Anderson fully apologized to all ABC employees, past and present, on Tuesday.
“Today I wrote to all staff and expressed that I am deeply sorry for anyone who has experienced racism at ABC because and when it happened,” he told ABC News.
“It shouldn’t have happened, it shouldn’t happen and I’m truly sorry for that experience.”
The ABC boss also issued a warning to staff.
“Anyone who thinks it is okay to display or practice racist behavior, or who believes it can make people feel belittled because of their identity, we will report them and expel them from this organization,” Mr Anderson said.
The report, which was commissioned in the wake of Stan Grant’s shock resignation from the ABC over claims he lacked support while being the target of racist attacks, found that racial discrimination, insults and stereotyping were widespread in the organisation. .
‘You are not welcome here. We are a workplace that values respect and we expect it.’
Fordham commented between playing excerpts from the interview, mocking the time it took Corowa to ask Anderson a question.
“It was hard work: a minute and a half of preamble and identity politics before we could even get to the bottom of it,” Fordham said.
“In 90 seconds it sums up how far they are from the real world.”
The 171-page report was prepared by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke, a Wuthathi, Yadhaighana and Meriam woman.
It received evidence from 120 past and present ABC employees, including Indigenous and CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) employees.
“People who are First Nations and CALD expressed that they do not feel valued in the workplace and symbolically,” the report, titled Listen Loud, Act Strong, stated.
“There is a cultural problem across the organization that allows racism to exist and persist in the ABC, which has caused widespread mistrust in these systems among First Nations and CALD staff.”
Those interviewed said ABC management shows “a lack of shared understanding of racism.”
The ABC said it will implement all 15 recommendations in the report, which it hopes all staff will read.
Other measures include implementing anti-racism training across the ABC, providing pathways for career progression and representation of culturally diverse staff at management level, and the creation of a First Nations Chief Strategy Officer role.
The ABC will also strengthen its response to racist attacks against staff, including from social media, with a process where staff members are urged to immediately report any such attack to a centralised, independent team.
Fordham also recently highlighted the story of a woman who revealed that she was required to participate in a Welcome to Country before each Pilates class.
Triple M producer Loren Barry said she didn’t understand why her workout sessions had to start with the ceremony.
“I’m all for welcoming the country,” he said.
“But I think when you have the same people in classes every day, you’re welcome.”
2GB presenter Ben Fordham was left stunned after hearing their story, arguing they had “lost all meaning”.
“I am convinced that in a few years organizations will abandon this tradition because they have hit it so hard that it has lost all meaning,” he said.