ABC managing director David Anderson defends reporter Louise Milligan’s ‘insensitive’ speech

David Anderson says the keynote address at a women’s lawyers event is not the ABC’s legal or editorial responsibility, adding he would be investigating the reporter’s social media use.

ABC managing director David Anderson said the keynote address that reporter Louise Milligan made at a women’s lawyers event is not the legal or editorial responsibility of the public broadcaster but also admitted he hadn’t read the speech.

Mr Anderson told Senate estimates on Tuesday ABC staff are not permitted to bring the public broadcaster into disrepute in their public or private time.

During the hearing, Milligan posted a series of tweets criticising Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson while she was questioning Mr Anderson about her actions. He said he would examine Milligan’s posts.

Mr Anderson was repeatedly questioned about Milligan’s “insensitive” speech given at the ACT Women Lawyers Association gala dinner in Canberra last month.

He said: “There’s nothing that I know of that has brought the ABC into disrepute.”

Mr Anderson said Ms Milligan was paid – not by the ABC – to give the keynote address and the public broadcaster had not received any complaints about her remarks made at the event.

“We don't take responsibility when our people are acting in a personal capacity,” he said.

“We do require that we are … not going to be bringing the ABC into disrepute and they (employees) are abiding by our Code of Conduct and therefore not undermining their ability to do their job.

“We seek those assurances before they do it, that process was followed by Ms Milligan seeking approval in advance.”

During Milligan’s address at the gala event some lawyers claimed they felt under attack and Milligan shamed female barristers and lawyers who ­defended people accused of sexual crimes.

Mr Anderson conceded while he had not personally read the speech an ABC senior editorial manager had.

“There is absolutely no problem with what Ms Milligan said on the day,” he said.

But he also said what ABC employees do outside work, “they are not representing the ABC”.

“My understanding is that speech was given not as a representative of the ABC, but from an individual perspective, so at the moment I do not see that speech has brought the ABC into disrepute,” Mr Anderson said.

ABC reporter Louise Milligan. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The Australian first revealed the fallout from the speech last week and asked for a copy of the transcript or audio but none were forthcoming.

Mr Anderson confirmed he would provide the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee with a copy of Milligan’s speech.

The Australian reported on Monday that ACT Bar Association president Rebecca Curran had been requested by the Bar Council to express concerns aired from the gala event.

In Ms Curran’s letter to the WLA, she said many members who attended the event said they were “deeply offended and distressed” by Milligan’s speech at the function which was held to celebrate the contribution by female lawyers to the profession.

Ms Curran outlined a series of problems with the speech and said: “She seemed to encourage lawyers to run cases in the media, and promoted misconceptions concerning the criminal justice system.”

“Most damaging, her speech was divisive of the community that had gathered to celebrate women in the law.”

Milligan’s series of tweets about Senator Henderson made during the live hearing were also discussed but Mr Anderson said the ABC was not responsible for employees’ use of personal social media accounts.