ABC review into Luna Park documentary

An external review will be conducted into the widely criticised documentary on the ghost train fire.

The damage following the ghost train fire at Sydney’s Luna Park in 1979.

The ABC has commissioned an external review into its widely criticised Luna Park ghost train fire documentary that implicated former NSW premier Neville Wran in a cover-up of the police investi­gation, accused him of socialising with Abe Saffron and influencing the tender process for the amusement park.

The ABC board initiated the review following complaints concerning the program by former ABC chairman and managing director David Hill, former NSW premiers Bob Carr and Barrie Unsworth, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and others.

The ABC’s audience and consumer affairs division dismissed a formal complaint by Milton Cockburn, a former editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, and an adviser to Wran, in June. This response, by division head Kirstin McLiesh, is also being reviewed.

ABC managing director David Anderson was instructed to initiate the independent review of the documentary, reported by Caro Meldrum-Hanna and Patrick Begley. It is being undertaken by investigative journalist Chris Masters and Sydney University professor Rodney Tiffen.

The board-ordered review comes after a bruising Senate estimates hearing where editorial director Craig McMurtrie and Mr Anderson were grilled about the attacks on Wran’s character. Sally Jackson, a spokeswoman for the ABC, has repeatedly said the ABC “fully supports” Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire.

In his formal complaint, Mr Cockburn savaged the documentary’s journalistic integrity and credibility, and said it breached ABC editorial policies to be “accurate”, “fair” and “honest” by making unsubstantiated claims about Wran.

The ABC alleged Wran had a social relationship with Saffron, a notorious criminal underworld figure. It relied on Rosemary Opitz, a former Saffron employee, to claim the crime boss and premier were “pally” and had drinks together. No other witness corroborated this.

Former policeman Paul Egge alleged Wran conspired with High Court judge Lionel Murphy to ensure the Luna Park lease went to a Saffron front company, but his claim was found to be without credibility by a royal commission and a parliamentary commission. The ABC did not produce any tapes, transcripts or other police testimony to corroborate this allegation.

The ABC response to Mr Cockburn rejected his complaints made with reference to editorial policies. The ABC insisted the documentary made allegations rather than facts, and it was up to the audience to determine whether they were credible or not. “We are satisfied the program complied with the ABC’s editorial standards for accuracy,” it said.

Mr Hill, who ran the ABC from 1986 to 1995, and previously worked for Wran, said the documentary was “sloppy journalism”, clearly breached editorial policies and should never have been broadcast.

Mr Carr and Mr Unsworth, Wran government ministers, said there was no evidence to support the claim Wran had drinks with Saffron or influenced a tender on his behalf. Mr Turnbull, a business partner of Wran, said the former premier was scrupulous and honest, and he never doubted his integrity.

David Hurley, a former director of corporate affairs for Channel 9, joined with other former Wran advisers Brian Dale and Nigel Stokes, along with Mr Cockburn and Mr Hill, in saying the claims about the former premier had no credibility.

Andrew Andersons, who was on the tender selection committee for Luna Park in 1980, said he told the ABC Wran did not seek to inappropriately influence the tender process and nor was he corrupt, but this was not included.