ABC’s complaints inquiry details focus of its investigations

The ABC has opened up public submissions into its complaints unit and has released details of what the reviewers will be focusing on.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose set up an independent review into the public broadcaster’s Audience and Consumer Affairs department.

The independent review into the ABC’s complaints department will be examining issues including the procedure for reviewing or appealing an outcome, and the reporting of complaint outcomes both internally and publicly.

The review opened up to the public last week and has asked those making submissions to consider key review themes, including explaining their experience with the complaints unit, what role the board should play in complaints oversight, and whether the public broadcaster has satisfactory editorial policies and a code of practice.

In the issues paper, released on Friday, it confirmed the reviewers had already held initial consultations with current and former ABC staff, ABC board members and external observers both in Australia and overseas.

The paper is giving members of the public until December 17 to make any submissions relating to the ABC’s Audience and Consumer Affairs department, led by Kirstin McLiesh.

The ABC-commissioned inquiry will be conducted by former commonwealth and NSW ombudsman John McMillan and former SBS news and current affairs director Jim Carroll.

The issues paper outlines specific issues which the reviewers are seeking the public’s comments on, including dispute resolution options, remedies that can be granted when a complaint is upheld, the selection and tenure of staff in the ABC complaints unit and the investigative powers of the unit.

In a statement released by ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose after she announced the review last month, she said it would “consider training, remedies and actions taken, resourcing and the handling of other audience responses that may have a bearing on the standards”.

The Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein made a complaint to the ABC about a Q+A episode which aired in May and extensively discussed the Israel-­Palestine conflict.

He said the program failed to have a pro-Israel representative on the panel.

“We will put in a significant submission, we are hopeful this will be a worthwhile inquiry,” Dr Rubenstein said.

“We want to see a proper external independent complaints procedure rather than the current setup which is essentially judge and jury internally, and the final external appeal to ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority).”

The review panel is expected to report back to the ABC board by March.