Cumberland Council blasts Channel 9 journalist Lana Murphy over abortion post

A Sydney councillor “disgusted” about a journalist’s post at an abortion rally wants tougher action to be imposed on her - and insists the issue has a place in local government.

Cumberland Council wants Nine News journalist Lana Murphy to deliver a stronger apology over her post at a pro-choice rally and wants the network to impose tougher action on her after its “patronising’’ apology.

On July 2 the reporter shared a post on Instagram of her with a sign that said “Mary (The Virgin) should’ve had an abortion” after a protester handed it to her while she was covering a Melbourne pro-choice rally following the Roe v Wade decision in the US.

The network issued an apology after it “caused offence to some members of the community”.

“The journalist did not mean to cause any offence, but has been counselled on why the post was not appropriate. 9 News apologises to anyone offended by the post.

“We respect all sides of this sensitive issue and pride ourselves on reporting with impartiality.’’

Ms Murphy’s statement said: “The words on the sign and my subsequent posting of that image on my personal social media account has caused offence to some in the religious community.

Channel 9 reporter Lana Murphy reporting from a pro-choice rally in Melbourne on Saturday, July 2, 2022. Source: Nine News

“This was not my intention, and I wholeheartedly apologise to those that were hurt. I acknowledge that in my professional role, it was not the appropriate time to appear to have chosen any side.”

On Wednesday night, the council unanimously agreed to approach Channel 9 and Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland asking that the matter be thoroughly reviewed.

It also wants “appropriate action” to be taken to “rectify and ease the distress, hurt and offence caused to millions of Australians, many whom reside in the Cumberland LGA”.

Independent councillor Joseph Rahme, a devout Catholic, raised the matter.

“The cornerstone of Christianity is Jesus Christ so this post suggests that Mary should have killed Jesus before he even had a chance to roam this earth,’’ he said.

“This to me is disgusting and, quite frankly, infuriates me.’’

Cumberland councillor Joseph Rahme is outraged about the reporter’s actions. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Cr Rahme rejected Channel 9’s “well scripted and soft apology’’ that the journalist had been counselled about how her actions could have been offensive.

“Quite frankly, that statement from Channel 9 is patronising and condescending as Channel 9 is taking us for fools,’’ he said.

“Why and how a professional journalist needs to be counselled to understand that these actions are offensive is an insult to our intelligence.

“Channel 9 only responded when pressure was put on them and their switchboard was inundated with calls.’’

He said he did not wish Ms Murphy to be sacked but wanted a proper apology.

“I remind you that high profile individuals in society have been stood down from their professions and doing what they love for a lot less and for offending a lot smaller segment of society,’’ he said.

“Regardless if you agree with abortion or not, or whether you have religious beliefs or not, an image like this offends 2.4 billion Christians and 1.8 billion Muslims.

“We owe it to the majority of our LGA to represent our constituents and voice our anger and disgust as a council.’’

Our Local Community councillor Steve Christou, who also raised the motion, said several residents complained to him about the post and did not want Ms Murphy to be sacked.

He said she should receive a “thorough education of what it means to offend people of faith and how deep-seated religion is in our community’’.

Resident Rose D’Costa told the council Channel 9 should get the reporter to interview religious leaders and philosophers about what the world would be like without Jesus and write an article about her findings.

“I don’t know what influence you have over that network,’’ she told the council.

“Whatever it is, I wanted to voice my concerns. I might add, a lot of people agree with my suggestion so I’m not alone.’’

A Channel 9 spokesman declined to comment on the council’s actions but reissued the apology from the network and Ms Murphy after the controversial post.

After the meeting, Cr Rahme insisted that countless residents had approached him complaining about the controversy and 40 were in the public gallery on Wednesday night.

He acknowledged that while abortion was not a local government issue, the council had raised other international matters such as acknowledging the war in Ukraine and Afghanistan, and constituents turned to councillors to give them a voice.

“We’re actively responsible for constituents and a lot of the time, if constituents are offended, they don’t have a way to vent their frustrations and they talk to their councillors,’’ he said.

“So while the rule book doesn’t say it’s in our remit ... people don’t differentiate between local, state and federal issues.

“I’ve had a lot of Islamic people contact me as well.’’

More than 53,608 people - 22.8 per cent of Cumberland’s population - follow Islam while 50,219 are Catholic (21.3 per cent).

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Originally published as Cumberland Council blasts Channel 9 journalist Lana Murphy over abortion post