Pro-Palestine statement on Triple J by hip hop artist Miss Kaninna breached ABC standards, broadcaster finds

The ABC has taken action after a Triple J presenter called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” and used a controversial phrase.

A pro-Palestine outburst on ABC radio has been deleted from online platforms and a staff member has been disciplined after it was deemed the public broadcaster’s standards for impartiality had been breached.

On radio station Triple J, a presenter accused Israel of “genocide” and used the term “from the river to the sea,” a disputed phrase which some see as wanting peace for all the peoples in the region but others interpret as call for the eradication of the state of Israel.

Exacerbating matters, the controversial comments did not go out live but rather the entire show was prerecorded and then broadcast at a later date with the controversial comments left in.

The furore erupted in late November on Triple J’s Hip Hop Show and was subsequently investigated by the ABC ombudsman Fiona Cameron who looks into complaints against the broadcaster.

Tasmanian musician Miss Kaninna aired views on Triple J that fell afoul of the ABC’s editorial guidelines. (Image: Savitri Wendt)

The long running program hasn’t had a permanent host in 2023 and so has been rotating through guest presenters.

On 24 November it was the turn of hip hop artist Miss Kaninna, a Yorta Yorta, Djadja Wurrung, Yirendali and Kalkadoon woman from Tasmania.

Just weeks earlier, Miss Kaninna was crowned as Triple J’s Unearthed artist of the year. On that occasion the ABC said the musician “treats her words as weapons,” and is someone who “speaks out on important issues”.

In her report on the incident, ABC ombudsman Ms Cameron said that during her guest presenting slot, Miss Kaninna played a song from 2011 called Long Live Palestine, by Lowkey.

The host said on air that it was a “very important track” which had come out 12 years previously.

“Yet somehow if you listen to that track every single thing that that brother is talking about you would think that he wrote it yesterday.

“Because 12 years later the genocide, the oppression and the continued hate towards Palestine people on their lands is wild. When is something going to change? When are we going to wake up?

“As an Aboriginal sovereign woman I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters of Palestine. From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free.”

The ABC received 10 complaints over the Triple J broadcast.

The ABC received 10 complaints after the comments went to air.

Ms Cameron said the song choice was “editorially relevant” and so wasn’t being looked into.

She added that Miss Kaninna was engaged on short term basis and so “their command of the ABC’s editorial standards would be limited”.

The host’s comments were also her “personal opinions based on lived experience” and that she was intending to show “solidarity”.

“However, the ABC standards require that all news and information is presented with due impartiality and takes into consideration the nature of the content, likely audience expectations and the contentiousness of the subject matter.

“In this context the comments were not duly impartial,” the ombudsman wrote.

Given Miss Kaninna may not have been across the ABC’s editorial standards, Ms Cameron said it would have been “paramount” for a producer to ensure those standards were met.

If there were any comments that were “likely to cause controversy” a senior manager should have been notified.

“Despite the contentiousness of the content, the producer did not flag the content with station management,” write Ms Cameron.

“If that step had been taken the material would not have gone to air in the form that it did”.

She found the program breached the ABC’s standard for due impartiality.

Triple J has agreed to discipline production staff for not flagging the content, the audio has been deleted from the Triple J website and app and the remaining guest hosted programs on the Hip Hop Show will be axed.

Extra training of ABC staff on impartiality will also take place.

On social media, Miss Kaninna has not addressed the ABC investigation into her comments.

Last month, the ABC’s director of news Justin Stevens hit out at staff who had signed an open letter focused on reporting the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The letter, signed by 53 journalists from various media organisations, called for the avoidance of “both-sidesism,” and increased scrutiny when using Israeli government or military sources.

“As I have said several times recently, maintaining trust and credibility as an ABC staff member means you forego the opportunity to share your opinions about stories on which you report or may be involved in,” said Mr Stevens sent in a message to staff.

“You should not sign any petition that may bring into question your impartiality or that of the ABC’s coverage.”