ABC boss quizzed over veteran broadcaster’s tweet about Barnaby Joyce

The ABC has been asked to explain a veteran broadcaster’s ‘appalling’ and ‘disgusting’ tweet about the deputy prime minister.

The ABC has come under fire over a tweet by a veteran broadcaster likening the deputy prime minister to a pumpkin.

Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson tabled the tweet by senior broadcaster Phillip Adams during a grilling of ABC boss David Anderson at a Senate Estimates hearing on Monday night.

The tweet, posted on November 25, says: “Barnaby Joyce has the head of a Halloween pumpkin wherein the candle of intelligence barely flickers”.

“On what basis is Mr Adams permitted to make that sort of comment on social media?” Senator Henderson asked.

“It is disgusting.”

Barnaby Joyce has the head of a Halloween pumpkin wherein the candle of intelligence barely flickers

— Phillip Adams (@PhillipAdams_1) November 25, 2021

Barnaby Joyce was the subject of the ‘appalling’ tweet. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Anderson said it was the first he had heard of it and he would look at the tweet on notice.

“We’re quite explicit within the (social media) policy about certainly not bringing the ABC into disrepute,” he replied.

“On the face if it, I think we need to look closely at that.”

Senator Henderson, herself a former ABC journalist, complained inappropriate employee tweets were a “systemic problem” the organisation was failing to take seriously.

However, Mr Anderson said most employees abided by the organisation’s social media policy and the ABC was tackling the issue.

“I am not employing people and tasking them to monitor people’s social, personal social media accounts,” he said.

“That is that is not happening. It’s a disproportionate response.”

ABC boss says Senate inquiry into how it handles complaints is ‘problematic’

Mr Anderson also said running a Senate probe into how the public broadcaster handled complaints at the same time an independent investigation was already underway would be “problematic”.

A federal government inquiry into the ABC’s complaints handling process came just weeks after the ABC opened its own inquiry.

Under questioning from Liberal Senator David Van, Mr Anderson said he did not think the ABC was above scrutiny.

“I don’t think we’re above the scrutiny of the Senate committee, but I think trying to run the same inquiry at the same time to deliver an outcome ahead of what the board is doing, and what the board is obligated to do, I think is problematic,” Mr Anderson told the environment and communications legislation committee.

ABC managing director David Anderson said the broadcaster was the most scrutinised media organisation in the country. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Taylor

Its chair, Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg, initiated the inquiry but it was shut down by the Senate after a motion from Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young who, with the support of Labor and independent crossbenchers, voted to suspend it until the ABC completed its own investigation.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose earlier this month labelled the Morrison government’s “parallel” inquiry an act of “political interference” designed to intimidate the public broadcaster.

Mr Anderson on Monday told the committee he agreed with Ms Buttrose about trying to run both inquiries at the same time.

“Anything in tandem delivering before the board’s review, I think, is prejudicial towards the outcome that the board has put in place and is trying to run at the same time,” he said.

“The board has statutory independence that should be observed.”

“So you would have no problem for this committee to run an inquiry into your complaints handling, post that review?” Senator Van asked.

“Post the review? No. I think while we’re running the review, I think that’s a problem,” Mr Anderson said.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose said the government inquiry into the broadcaster’s complaints handling was ‘political interference’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The ABC board in October initiated an independent review of the broadcaster’s complaints systems by former Commonwealth and NSW Ombudsman Professor John McMillan, and former SBS news and current affairs director Jim Carroll.

The broadcaster launched the probe after the system came under scrutiny following this year’s airing of documentaries “Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire” and “Juanita: A Family Mystery”.

The findings are due to be released in April.

Mr Anderson also told the inquiry the ABC budgeted about $7m a year for legal fees.

In addition, it was on the verge of reaching a deal with Facebook after earlier signing a letter of intent, saying the agreement would provide “dozens and dozens of jobs” for regional and rural journalism.

“We haven’t signed the agreement yet - I’m hoping to actually have that signed in the next 48 hours,” Mr Anderson said.

“It is good news.”