ABC star under fire over Twitter lists

An ABC news presenter is in hot water over two controversial lists on her personal Twitter account - which some critics claim expose an anti-Labor bias.

A star ABC presenter has come under fire over two controversial lists on her personal Twitter account labelling critics “Labor Trolls/Thugs” and “Lobotomised sh**heads”.

ABC Breakfast News presenter Fauziah Ibrahim’s lists were uncovered on Saturday afternoon, triggering a swift backlash online against the journalist.

Furious social media users who found themselves grouped in the two lists - which were made public on Ms Ibrahim’s account - accused her of displaying anti-Labor bias.

Others questioned whether her account had been hacked. News.com.au has contacted Ms Ibrahim for comment.

“This is a private Twitter account, not an ABC account. We are investigating what has occurred,” an ABC spokeswoman replied after news.com.au asked the government broadcaster whether the lists could be in breach of social media guidelines.

The ABC said it was investigating the matter. Picture: Twitter.

Media commentator Mike Carlton accused the presenter of “trashing the ABC impartially and blowing her own credibility” in a scathing tweet.

Former Labor senator Doug Cameron was also quick to jump on the social media pile-on.

“Thanks to those who alerted me I made the list of ‘lobotomised sh**heads’,” he wrote.

There were plenty of calls online for the presenter to be disciplined.

“If the ABC News has any credibility, they would immediately fire one of their on-air presenters who has compiled a ‘Labor trolls and thugs’ list, or at least take them off air during the election campaign,” one social media user wrote.

But some rushed to the defence of Ms Ibrahim, questioning whether her account was hacked. “Think you’ll find her account’s been hacked. Notice how recent her lists are and how prolific they’re added to vs how prolific she’s tweeted in the past,” one man tweeted.

The ABC published a list of guidelines in August last year for the personal use of social media by its staff.

Earlier this year, ABC managing director David Andersen defended the broadcaster’s new social media policy at a Senate hearing in February.

The lists have now been deleted. Picture: Twitter.

As part of the updated policy, it made clear any staff risked being sacked if they compromised the broadcaster’s independence or brought the ABC into disrepute.

It came after in 2021, when the ABC paid Four Corners reporter Louise Milligan’s personal legal costs of almost $200,000 after she was sued by federal MP Andrew Laming over a series of tweets.

Originally published as ABC star under fire over Twitter lists