ABC boss warns staff over social media posts

ABC boss David Anderson has warned staff they risk being sacked for social media posts that compromise the public broadcaster’s independence, with the company updating its employment contracts to make this clear.

High-profile ABC journalists Louise Milligan, Sally Neighbour and Laura Tingle have come under scrutiny for their comments on Twitter in the past year, with Mr Anderson grilled about the rigour of the broadcaster’s social media policies by Coalition senators at consecutive estimates hearings.

The ABC has updated its social media policies for the second time this year.Credit: Christopher Pearce

In an email to staff on Monday, Mr Anderson, the managing director, said staff were legally accountable for their personal social media accounts, but could still face disciplinary conduct under the ABC Code of Conduct for their posts.

“The primary concern is when personal social media activity reflects badly on the ABC’s independence and integrity, or when a poorly judged post or series of posts or ‘likes’ compromises perceptions of the impartiality of someone in an ABC role where maintaining impartiality in the public eye is crucial,” Mr Anderson said in the email.

“So, to protect yourself and the ABC, I offer this simple piece of advice: If you are posting, liking, or sharing something on personal social media that is work-related or about a matter of public controversy – ask yourself if it’s something you would also say, write or share on an ABC platform.”

ABC Managing Director David Anderson has reminded staff they risk being sacked for social media posts that violate the broadcaster’s policies. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Milligan, the ABC’s star investigative reporter at Four Corners, is being sued by Queensland federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming over a tweet alleging he had taken an “upskirting” photo of a woman bending over. Queensland police in April cleared him of any criminal offence in connection with the photo.

The ABC is covering Milligan’s legal costs. But Mr Anderson, in his email, indicated staff would be personally liable for their social media content, saying if they followed his advice “you are far less likely to find yourself in breach of the ABC Code of Conduct or defending a legal claim from a third party at your own personal cost”.

The conduct of ABC staff on Twitter has been a repeated theme at recent Senate estimates hearings, with Mr Anderson last year asked to explain a since-deleted tweet by Tingle, the ABC’s chief political correspondent, that accused the federal government of “ideological bastardry”. In May, Mr Anderson revealed that ABC lawyer Sebastien Maury had resigned over tweets dating back to 2019 calling Prime Minister Scott Morrison “fascist” and an “awful human being”.

In the latest hearing in June, he was questioned about the appropriateness of Neighbour’s conduct in liking a number of Twitter posts that were unflattering to Industry Minister Christian Porter after the broadcaster settled a defamation suit with him. The suit centred on an online article by Milligan covering the existence of a historical rape allegation against Mr Porter, although he was not named. He has strenuously denied the allegation.

Neighbour, the executive producer of Four Corners, oversaw Milligan’s episode “Bursting the Canberra Bubble”, which covered the allegation. The episode was not part of the defamation suit.

In the all-staff email, Mr Anderson said the broadcaster’s social media guidelines had been refreshed - the second time this year - to make clear that breaches could result in termination.

“The consequences of a breach can range from a direction to delete content to rectify the breach through to possible termination of employment. The ABC will be updating its employment contracts to make this clear,” Mr Anderson said.