A far-left news website has been plunged into fresh controversy after one of its top columnists was reportedly fired for sending a controversial text about sexual assault to an ABC radio show.
Crikey ‘general correspondent’ Guy Rundle reportedly texted Radio National’s ‘Breakfast’ show about a segment on the rise in sexual crime to say it was because “Every touch is now a sexual assault.”
Host Patricia Karvelas read the text on air Thursday morning while telling listeners that it was written by Rundle.
“It’s because every groping is now a sexual assault and people don’t believe in the policies,” she quoted, before adding: “Wow, that’s pretty amazing… I have to say I’m a little surprised.”
The text was supposedly sent. in response to a segment about the rise in sexual assault crimes in queensland including an interview with Queensland Sexual Assault Network boss Angela Lynch.
ABC CEO David Anderson was reportedly so outraged by the piece that he raised it with Crikey editor Eric Beecher and chief executive Will Hayward.
Anderson reportedly told them that the offensive text was one of dozens of “inflammatory” texts Rundle had sent to the show and Karvelas, but the first she had sent. read the air and identify Rundle.
Controversial journalist Guy Rundle has been sacked from the website Crikey over an offensive tweet he sent to Radio National’s Breakfast Show.
Radio National Breakfast Show presenter Patricia Karvelas read Rundle’s text on air and described it as “pretty amazing”.
On Friday, Private Media chief executive Will Hayward told Guardian Australia they were disgusted by Rundle’s comments and that his work would no longer be published.
“We were shocked to hear the comment made by Guy Rundle about sexual assault on Radio National yesterday morning,” Mr Hayward said.
‘Rundle is a writer with significant talents and a body of insightful and challenging work, but we condemn such comments and our working relationship has become unsustainable.
“Therefore, we will no longer publish your work.”
Rundle was expected to cover next month’s US election for Crikey, but it is understood this will not happen.
Rundle is no stranger to controversy.
Earlier this year, he stated that he would “celebrate” in the streets if terrorists launched a major act of violence against Israel.
Private Media chief executive Will Hayward said the publisher was “horrified” by Rundle’s comments and that his work would no longer be published on the Crikey website.
Rundle wrote a rambling 1,400-word op-ed titled: ‘October 7 was not Israel’s 9/11. But as the destruction of Gaza continues, it will come.”
More than 1,100 Israelis and foreigners, including nearly 700 civilians, were killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
In June last year, Rundle was widely condemned for an opinion piece he wrote about Commonwealth compensation received by Brittany Higgins, who was allegedly sexually assaulted in Parliament in 2019.
Mr Rundle argued Ms Higgins was from a “well-connected network” and believed the Labor Party fast-tracked compensation for its own political purposes.
Crikey removed the article from its website and apologized to readers in a humiliating 180-degree turn.
After this incident, Rundle was not published on Crikey for a long period.
Two months later, the website announced a new set of editorial guidelines and Rundle also returned to writing for the website.
