Ita Buttrose pulls ABC’s Q&A show over ‘call to violence’

ABC dumps from all platforms this week’s Q&A in which panellists appeared to advocate violence.

The ABC has pulled a Q&A episode from all its platforms and investigating whether it breached editorial standards by allowing panellists to apparently advocate violence, arson and extrajudicial killings.

After a flood of complaints about Monday’s program, ABC managing director David Anderson on Thursday conceded “elements” may have been “offensive”.

"When I talk about imaginary violence against men, everyone’s like, 'Oh, my God! Mona wants us to kill men,' and I’m just asking you to imagine a scenario that is the daily reality for women everywhere."@monaeltahawy #QandA pic.twitter.com/T0JEjxegXn

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) November 6, 2019

“Q&A has always sought to tackle difficult issues and present challenging and thought-provoking content,” Mr Anderson said.

“However, I can understand why some viewers found elements of this episode confronting or offensive.

Can aggression and violence be a better option than assertiveness and strong arguments to effect change? #QandA pic.twitter.com/YnL2fxpQns

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) November 4, 2019

“We have received audience complaints about the program, are assessing the concerns raised and will investigate whether the program met the ABC’s editorial standards.”

The investigation comes as Hamish Macdonald was announced on Thursday as the new host of Q&A. Macdonald’s appointment was foreshadowed last month by The Diary.

ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose backed Mr Anderson's decision to investigate the program, saying it would be removed from all ABC platforms.

"I agree with David's statement, which I've discussed with him,” Ms Buttrose told The Australian. "We can't do much more than issue the statement that we have, and we won't be repeating the program. The plan is to take it off."

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the while the ABC had editorial independence, he believed the investigation was “appropriate”, given the “significant community concern” generated.

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority may investigate if the ABC is as seen as failing to respond adequately.

“The ACMA has received 53 complaints about Monday night’s episode of Q&A,” a spokesman said. “Under the co-regulatory system, the ACMA refers complainants to the broadcaster in the first instance.

“If the complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or is not satisfied with the response, they may bring their complaint to the ACMA.”

The show, condemned by Liberal Senator Eric Abetz as “utterly irresponsible”, included a comment by Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy, who appeared to suggest killing rapists might be needed to prevent rape.

How do we get institutions to acknowledge racism, and who should be held accountable for Indigenous deaths in custody? #QandA pic.twitter.com/HYHblN0Uum

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) November 6, 2019

“How many rapists must we kill – not the state, because I disagree with the death penalty and I want to get rid of incarceration?” Eltahawy said, in response to a question about when violence was justified.

“I want women themselves…As a woman, I’m asking: How many rapists must we kill until men stop raping us?”

Host Fran Kelly, criticised by Senator Abetz for not immediately repudiating the panellists’ comments, did question Eltahawy as to whether she was “promoting violence”.

Indigenous screenwriter Nayuka Gorrie told the show violence was “okay” in the context of the oppression of Aboriginal people and declared she looked forward to people “burning stuff”.

“I wonder what kind of tipping point in Australia is going to be, when people start burning stuff – I look forward to it,” she said.

Aborigines had “tried for 230 plus years to appeal to the colonisers’ sense of morality” to no avail. “So I think violence is okay because if someone is trying to kill you, there’s no amount of ‘Oh, but I’m really clever, I’m really articulate’ … no amount of that will save you, so let’s burn stuff,” Gorrie said.

Senator Abetz welcomed the investigation but said it underlined a “cultural problem with the ABC”. “The average Australian would be horrified at the suggestion that violence might be an appropriate course of action in relation to political matters, yet not one of the chosen panel were of that (anti-violence) view,” he said. “How do they choose such a panel?”

Mr Anderson said the offending episode, presented in conjunction with The Wheeler Centre’s feminist ideas festival, ‘Broadside’, and was intended to be “challenging”.

“The intention of the program was to present challenging ideas from high-profile feminists whose expertise ranges across ageism, disability, Indigenous and domestic violence issues,” he said.

“The ABC acknowledges that the program was provocative in regard to the language used and some of the views presented.”