‘Playing politics with disaster:’ ABC forced to apologise to Nats MPs

The ABC has apologised to two Nationals MPs who reacted furiously after a journalist wrongly implied they had abandoned their electorates while “people are dying”.

Nationals MPs Pat Conaghan (far left) and Alison Penfold (right) were falsely accused of abandoning their mid-north coast electorates during the floods of the past few days.

The ABC has apologised to two Nationals MPs who reacted furiously after a journalist wrongly implied they had abandoned their electorates while “people are dying”.

ABC political reporter Claudia Long said on Insiders on Sunday it was “really important” for regional communities to have “a local member who’s there when their electorate is, for example, flooding and people are dying”.

She named Nationals MP Alison Penfold’s prospective seat of Lyne on the Mid-North Coast, where two people died, and Pat Conaghan’s seat of Cowper, where a woman died in her car.

“We’ve seen the Nationals doing … all of this in Canberra,” she said of the recent fallout with the Liberals.

“But I think the important thing is that when you’re in opposition, it’s also still your job to be a local member and represent your communities.”

Ms Penfold and Mr Cowper said they had spent the entire week in their communities, helping to deal with the fallout from the devastating floods.

“I am incredibly disappointed that a journalist from our nation’s broadcaster would see fit to play politics with this disaster,” Ms Penfold said.

Pat Conaghan, the federal Member for Cowper (middle) helping out during the flooding on the mid-north coast. Picture Facebook

She said another ABC journalist had called during the week to put the same allegations to her and she had corrected them.

Ms Long had not spoken to her before appearing on the Sunday morning TV show.

“I have been in my electorate working to support people affected from the Hastings to the Hunter,” Ms Penfold said.

“What has occurred today is yet another example of the ABC’s loss of all objectivity and balance in its reporting.”

Mr Conaghan broke off from hosing out a stranger’s garage to say he had spent the entire week in his electorate helping others.

“I’ve been out in my community every single day making sure that they get the resources that they need,” he said.

Alison Penfold has been in her electorate working to support people affected by the extreme flooding. Picture: Instagram

“I was at briefings multiple times a day during the floods and speaking to my five mayors and three state members.

“The ABC can say whatever they like. They wouldn’t know hardship if it slapped them in the face.”

The ABC issued a correction on Sunday afternoon and apologised to the two MPs.

“On the Insiders episode broadcast on 25 May an ABC panellist made comments inferring two Nationals MPs, Alison Penfold and Pat Conaghan, were not in their electorates during the recent NSW floods,” the public broadcaster said.

“The ABC wishes to clarify that both Penfold and Conaghan spent the week in their electorates and sincerely apologises for the error.

“The comment has been removed from the on-demand version of the program.”