ABC calls out racist abuse targeted towards Indigenous presenter Tony Armstrong

The public broadcaster has issued a statement about racist attacks directed at Indigenous presenter Tony Armstrong just one day after it released its racism review.

The ABC has condemned racist abuse directed at Indigenous presenter Tony Armstrong who was targeted on social media and in the comment sections of news websites just 24 hours after the public broadcaster released its racism review.

On Wednesday ABC news director Justin Stevens issued a statement about abuse Armstrong had received and said he was left “dismayed” by the offensive remarks directed at the 35-year-old TV presenter.

“Tony Armstrong is one of the ABC’s best and most talented presenters,” Stevens said.

“This week he has again been targeted on social media and in public comments on news websites in a despicable way.

“The ABC stands by Tony and will not tolerate any racist abuse.”

ABC presenter Tony Armstrong shared a social media post about abuse he has received. Source: Instagram.

Armstrong shared multiple posts on his Instagram account on Wednesday which included many offensive comments he had received on social media, including via the private messaging function.

The abuse comes just one day after the ABC published its long-awaited racism review which found employees had been subject to systemic racism including racial slurs, receiving comments on food, hair, skin colour, and laughing or teasing people over certain foods they eat and stories being given to white colleagues.

Managing director David Anderson said the 15 recommendations made in the racism review will be accepted in principle including rolling out anti-racism training.

Stevens said the ABC has logged details of the abusive social media posts towards Armstrong and he also criticised the conduct of media outlets.

“This sort of behaviour in the community is often fed by the inflammatory nature of mainstream media coverage,” he said.

“The prominence of stories, tone of headlines and copy, photos run and selection of story angles can foster division and outright hate.”

The ABC would not name websites where offensive comments were published.

Mr Anderson announced a racism review in May last year following the fallout involving former Indigenous ABC host Stan Grant, a Wiradjuri, Dharawal and Gurrawin man, who said he had been subject to “sickening behaviour” over his coverage prior to King Charles III’s coronation.

The 171-page report titled Listen Loudly, Act Strongly, led by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke, a Wuthathi, Yadhaighana and Meriam woman, included 120 participants — 99 internal people and 21 former employees.

ABC's director of news Justin Stevens. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Mr Anderson said on Wednesday he had contacted Grant ahead of the racism review being released.

“I’ve got a great deal of respect for Stan,” he said.

“I simply told Stan this was coming.”

He also said he had apologised to “any and all people who have experienced racist behaviour at the ABC, both current and former staff”.

Mr Anderson, who is departing the public broadcaster in the coming months, said there is an obligation on the ABC to quickly implement changes to stamp out racism.

“What I’m doing before I leave, and I have months to go yet, (is) that we do put in all of these recommendations that we’ve put forward (and) commit to all of it.

“Certainly by the end of the year it will either be done or well underway.”

On Monday night the ABC’s Media Watch program, hosted by Janine Perrett, aired a segment about Armstrong, the sports presenter on the broadcaster’s News Breakfast TV program, and revealed he had been ‘moonlighting’ in an advertising campaign for insurance company NRMA.

The report raised questions about whether he had breached the national broadcaster’s strict rules on external work — under the ABC’s guidelines employees must seek approval before engaging in other work outside their employment.

In the TV segment the ABC confirmed Armstrong did not receive approval by the public broadcaster before doing voiceover work for the insurance giant.

Armstrong last month announced he was quitting News Breakfast and his last show will be this Friday.