Former ABC journalist claims the public broadcaster gagged him to not to upset Malcolm Turnbull

FORMER ABC journalist Nick Ross has spoken out about the public broadcaster, saying he was gagged over the NBN. But is it a case of sour grapes?

‘ABC gagged me to not upset Turnbull’

A FORMER ABC journalist has revealed details about how he was allegedly gagged by the public broadcaster and told not to report on the political fallout over the National Broadband Network because the ABC “didn’t want to upset” Malcolm Turnbull.

Nick Ross left the public broadcaster, which is funded and owned by the government, this week vowing to speak out about how senior management enforced a blackout on the issue.

When asked on Twitter yesterday if he was “gagged”, Ross replied “yes”.

Today, he answered questions from the public in an anticipated Q&A forum on reddit.

“In early March 2013 I was told by a senior ABC manager that ABC management was expecting the Liberals to win the next election and that Malcolm Turnbull would be in charge of the ABC and that they didn’t want to upset him,” he wrote.

Ross said, from that point on, he began documenting everything.

He said, four months before the election, he wrote an article, titled ‘NBN alternative: Is Australia’s copper network fit for purpose?’, which raised questions about the viability of the copper network.

“I was told that ‘there was nothing wrong with the article per se’ but that ‘the NBN was dead and so there’s no point in causing a fuss’,” he wrote.

Ross said he later published the article but “it got buried” and only received genuine traffic on social media.

Ross has always told those who reached out to him that when he left the ABC he would reveal why he suddenly stopped reporting on the NBN.

“I knew when I was told to stop publishing on the NBN (three years ago) that this day would be inevitable,” he said. “It’s been a constant source of amazement that management have acted like people wouldn’t notice me going from full-on NBN coverage to absolute zero and not ask why.

“It’s literally made me ill and I’m still recovering.”

Moar AMA proof for the AMA admins. PS @TwitterAU can I have my Blue Tick back as I need it at the moment, please?! pic.twitter.com/xkYpNzNwEL

— Nick Ross (@NickRossTech) January 14, 2016

Ross was subject to criticism from Media Watch for his lack of reporting on the NBN, and was even avoided by colleagues, he claimed.

“A constant theme at the time was that, having been beaten up by The Australian and Media Watch and not allowed to defend myself, many people (especially colleagues) thought I’d done something wrong (they didn’t hear otherwise) and tended to avoid me.”

“I was incredibly tense and having huge problems sleeping,” he said.

Some have criticised Ross for his lack of impartiality in his role at the ABC.

The tweet that kicked it all off was posted on January 14.

“Mixed emotions here: I’ve left the ABC. Some stuff still falling out but hey, I can potentially write about #NBN again(!)..” he tweeted on Wednesday.

But the public broadcaster denied gagging Ross.

“As our record makes clear, the ABC covers all issues of public importance thoroughly and independently,” it said in a statement published by The Australian before the reddit Q&A.

“The only ‘restrictions’ on the issues the ABC covers and the way we cover them are our Editorial Policies, which set standards for things like accuracy, impartiality and fair dealing. All of our journalism is required to adhere to these standards at all times,” the statement said.

Ross was vague on the Q&A forum on reddit and didn’t name any names, saying he only dealt with one senior manager directly.

“Other names were mentioned by them but I’m not outing them on this forum without legal advice first — they could well have done nothing wrong,” he said.

“The best outcome for me would be for other people to come forward. I can’t and don’t believe I’m the only one (who was being censored). But I also know all too well just what pressure and vindictive methods are used to defend core management ... I’ve got it all documented after all. It’s very unpleasant.”

But there was speculation over his motives, with one reddit user saying: “The more I read this AMA the more I’m thinking this whole thing is a personal vendetta.”

Isn't it possible ex-ABC technology hack now making a lot of noise just isn't very good at keeping his opinions out of his work ...?

— Jason Whittaker (@thetowncrier) January 15, 2016

EVERYONE: please follow @NickRossTech - formerly of the ABC, now speaking out about political gags and interference. #Auspol

— Van Badham (@vanbadham) January 14, 2016

@NickRossTech Can't wait for the AMA. Literally been waiting for someone to take on the history of the NBN

— Harrison Engstrom (@HarrisonTheFan) January 14, 2016

@ScottFitzG not yet. I have high expectations though.

— Nick Ross (@NickRossTech) January 14, 2016

The government’s pursuit of a fibre to the node (FTTN) rollout has proved controversial and received criticism for being shortsighted, slow and obsolete.

Malcolm Turnbull as the then-Communication Minister pushed for a fibre to the node option over a more expensive fibre to the premises (FTTP) option preferred by Labor.

The coalition sought to save money by using the already established copper network of Telstra and run the NBN cables to boxes positioned on street corners, which would then supply internet to local houses.

However, the FTTN option can’t support nearly as much bandwidth and critics say it will be too slow and obsolete. Cost forecasts for the supposedly cheaper option have also blown out and could be $56 billion more than initially expected.

Ross feels like it’s something he could have helped avoid.

“It also hurt that I had huge NBN articles on Copper and Telehealth (over two years’ research for each) that were (near) complete that I couldn’t publish even though the public and politicians REALLY needed to know about them before the election — at least the Libs might change their tune if they knew about the state of the copper, and enormous revolutionary benefits of telehealth,” Ross wrote.

The ABC and Malcolm Turnbull’s office have been contact for comment.