By Caitlin Fitzsimmons and Calum Jaspan
The ABC has called for Sky News to apologise for a broadcast where the former Liberal senator and MP Bronwyn Bishop accused the public broadcaster of aligning itself to Nazi policies with its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
In a letter sent on Friday to Sky News boss Paul Whittaker, ABC News director Justin Stevens complained about “deeply offensive” comments made by Bishop during her appearance on Sharri Markson’s program on Thursday evening.
Liberal senator Bronwyn Bishop accused the public broadcaster of aligning itself to Nazi policies.
In the segment, Bishop and Markson discuss a story published in this masthead about a staff meeting at the ABC where the broadcaster’s coverage of the Middle East conflict was discussed.
In the Sky News segment, Bishop said the ABC was aligning itself with the policies in place in Germany under the National Socialist Party during World War II, including the elimination of Jews and opposition to the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Israel.
“There’s no two ways about it, it’s in the DNA of socialism. And unfortunately, we have lost any balance in the ABC, any reasonableness for proper debate and for proper balance of justice,” Bishop said on Sky.
Despite the name, most historians regard the National Socialist Party, or Nazis, as a fascist party rather than a socialist party.
Sky News Australia said on Friday evening it had removed the video content containing Bishop’s comments from its YouTube channel and website.
Speaking on Sky News Australia on Friday evening, Bishop addressed her previous night’s comments. “If I offended anyone, I’m sorry. I will remain committed to calling out atrocities and my support for the people of Israel is unwavering.”
In the letter, Stevens said Bishop’s comments were “wrong and deeply offensive” and complained they went unchallenged by the show’s presenter, Markson.
He said the comments and failure to challenge them were not consistent with various industry codes of practice to present material fairly and accurately, and called for an apology.
“It should not need to be pointed out that accusing the ABC of aligning itself with the policies and practices of the Nazis during World War II is deeply offensive,” he wrote.
“These baseless, insulting and inflammatory comments have no place in any mature, responsible discussion about the tragic and confronting events being witnessed in the Middle East.”
He said the ABC has a strong record of covering different perspectives of the conflict following the October 7 attacks fairly and in the interests of all members of the audience.