Andrew Bolt: I can’t take the ABC’s apology seriously, and not just because of the delay

The ABC’s disgraceful report on Alice Springs was biased to the point of deception – and it’s clear sidelining contrary views is now standard procedure at the public broadcaster.

The one good thing about the ABC’s apology on Friday for a disgraceful report on Alice Springs is that it came so quickly – by the ABC’s pathetic standards.

The rest tells me the apology is not sincere.

Last Tuesday morning, the ABC’s AM program reported a meeting of 3000 Alice Springs residents frightened by a crime wave from Aboriginal men and children.

It was incendiary. The ABC interviewed only people who blamed whites and claimed the meeting was stuffed with “white supremacists”.

It was clearly the work of an activist. By the time my Sky News show aired that night, I’d found no evidence of “white supremacists” in audio of the meeting.

The Alice Springs town hall meeting that featured on the ABC. Picture: Supplied

I also interviewed the Northern Territory’s shadow attorney general, who had been there and slammed the ABC. By Wednesday, the report had been loudly denounced as fake on 2GB, and by Coalition politicians, the Alice Springs mayor and many locals.

I understand local ABC staff were also appalled by the report, filed by ABC indigenous affairs reporter Carly Williams, who identifies as Aboriginal and has a Twitter feed that leans Left.

Yet it took until Friday evening for the ABC to admit what was obvious on Tuesday morning: its report was biased to the point of deception.

Except the ABC put it mildly: “ABC News apologises to audiences for providing an incomplete picture of the event.”

I can’t take this apology seriously, and not just because of the delay or the PS: “ABC News stands by its journalists covering this story.”

No, “providing an incomplete picture” by sidelining contrary views is now standard procedure for an activist ABC gone rogue.

Tuesday’s Alice Springs report was biased to the point of deception. Picture: AAP

On Labor’s Voice, I cannot think of one ABC reporter who seems against it. But plenty clearly back it, including Williams and her predecessor, Dana Morse. Radio host Patricia Karvelas is a fierce barracker.

Or take Nightlife host Philip Clark, week after week inviting guests to criticise the Liberals’ foot-dragging on the Voice: ABC veteran Barrie Cassidy, former Fairfax journalist Mark Kenny, the Financial Review’s Andrew Tillett.

On last week’s Q&A, same story. Four speakers, including host Stan Grant, were for the Voice. One, Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe, was against only because it wasn’t radical enough. Just one was against dividing us by race – Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie.

The ABC’s coverage of global warming and Cardinal George Pell is exactly the same, because “providing an incomplete picture” is not an aberration but ABC tactic.