ABC managing director David Anderson ordered to explain staff use of social media sites

The ABC has been forced to explain why staff have been able to use their Twitter accounts to tweet anti-Coalition messages that breach the broadcaster’s social media guidelines.

ABC Managing Director David Anderson. Picture: AAP

The ABC has been ordered to resubmit an explanation to a parliamentary committee about whether anti-Coalition tweets posted by staff were in breach of their social media policy.

In a rare move, the Senate environment and communications committee has requested the public broadcaster submit an updated response to a question put to it last year about tweets posted by staff members, including former ABC Sydney breakfast radio host Wendy Harmer and business journalist Alan Kohler.

The committee’s chair, Senator Andrew Bragg, said some ABC staff’s use of social media had been “disgusting at times”, and labelled it as “crazy, unprofessional and partisan behaviour”.

In the original question, Senator Bragg singled out two tweets by Harmer and Kohler and asked whether they met the ABC’s social media policy.

The policy and the ABC’s code of conduct requires that workers must be “conscious of their responsibility to protect the ABC’s reputation, independence, impartiality and integrity” when using personal social media.

Senator Bragg’s two examples of potential breaches included a retweet by Harmer of a post by Greens senator Peter Whish-­Wilson that included an image of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and criticised the Petroleum Exploration Permit 11, known as PEP11.

On October 21 last year he posted: “The LNP has gagged debate on a bill to stop the destructive fossil fuel project #pep 11 despite Scott Morrison and Liberal MPs Lucy Wicks, Jason Falinski, Trent Zimmerman and Dave Sharma having all voiced opposition to the project.”

The second example was a tweet by former prime minister Kevin Rudd that was retweeted by Kohler on October 16: “Murdoch’s Liberal protection racket on vivid display today …

“Tasmania’s Liberals go to lockdown over a single case and Murdoch cheers.

“But in Victoria, Murdoch screeches, “Dan’s Hermit Kingdom”. What liars. Taking us for fools.”

A tweet posted by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that was retweeted by ABC business journalist Alan Kohler.

In its response, the ABC said if a worker breached the code it would be handled with “misconduct provisions”.

But the committee believed the response provided too little detail and agreed that it should be sent back to the ABC for a more detailed answer. In a letter sent to ABC managing director David Anderson this month – and seen by The Australian – the committee requested more information about the ABC’s handling of potential social media breaches.

“The committee has agreed to provide the ABC with an opportunity to submit an updated response to a question on notice,” the letter stated.

“The committee decision was made following the chair’s indication that he does not consider the ABC’s answer … to be satisfactory.”

In the past year the ABC has updated its social media policy multiple times and in August Mr Anderson wrote to all staff about the issue.

“What is separately created and posted on personal social media accounts is editorially and legally the responsibility of the owner of the accounts,” Mr Anderson said.

The updated guidelines stated that staff must not damage the ABC’s reputation for ­impartiality and independence, nor mix the professional and personal in a manner which could bring the ABC into disrepute.

The ABC has been asked to respond by February 3.