Scott Morrison ‘offended’ ABC’s Four Corners would link his family to QAnon

Scott Morrison says he is deeply offended Four Corners would attempt to link him and his family to Qanon conspiracy theorists.

ABC managing director David Anderson refused to approve the Four Corners program. Picture: Nikki Short

Scott Morrison says he is deeply offended that the ABC’s Four Corners would attempt to link him and his family to Qanon conspiracy theorists.

The Four Corners story by reporter Louise Milligan was slated to air next Monday. But ABC managing editor David Anderson refused to approve the program after it was “upwardly referred” to him by news director Gaven Morris, according to a report in Nine newspapers on Thursday.

The episode was due to investigate links between Mr Morrison and a man who promotes the Qanon conspiracy theory – which claims the world is controlled by a cabal of peadophiles connected to Hollywood and the US Democratic Party.

Mr Morrison said the mooted Four Corners project was “poor form”.

“I find it deeply offensive that there would be any suggestion that I would have any involvement or support for such a dangerous organisation. I clearly do not,” Mr Morrison said.

“It is also disappointing that Four Corners would seek to cast this aspersion, not just against me but by members of my own family. I just think that is really poor form.”

Louise Milligan. Picture: David Geraghty

Episode delayed

The Four Corners episode has been delayed by ABC managing director David Anderson on the grounds it failed to meet “editorial and legal requirements”.

The timing of Mr Anderson’s decision is noteworthy — he is due to appear before Senate Estimates next Monday to face further questions about the defamation case brought by Industry Minister Christian Porter against the ABC.

The defamation case, which dealt with the ABC’s publication of historical rape allegations against Mr Porter, is expected to be discontinued after the parties agreed to terms on Monday.

But as The Australian has reported, tensions between Mr Porter and the ABC were further inflamed when Milligan and Four Corners executive producer Sally Neighbour posted comments about the legal matter on Twitter before the judge presiding over the case had considered consent orders.

Sally Neighbour

The Australian reported that Mr Anderson subsequently approached Mr Porter on Monday afternoon to express his regret over the ill-timed social media activity of the two senior journalists.

When Mr Anderson fronts the parliamentary committee next week, it is expected that he will be quizzed on the amount of taxpayer money paid by the ABC to Mr Porter as part of the settlement of the case.

On Thursday, a spokeswoman for the ABC denied the claim in the Nine newspapers that the Four Corners story had been “pulled” from broadcast.

“Any suggestion to the contrary is misleading and mischievous,” the spokeswoman said.

“All ABC content is subject to the same rigorous editorial decision-making processes before being published.

“The decision to publish is only made once all requirements, including editorial and legal requirements, have been met and it is appropriate to do so.”