Alberici economics report ‘not up to ABC standards’

ABC chief is fielding complaints from government and business leaders over star economics correspondent’s tax coverage.

ABC chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici.

The ABC has removed from its website a piece by star economics correspondent Emma ­Alberici about corporate tax avoidance, admitting it “did not meet ABC editorial standards” as managing director Mich­elle ­Guthrie fielded complaints from government and business leaders accusing the organisation’s business coverage of multiple factual errors.

A government spokesman confirmed officials in the Prime Minister’s and Treasurer’s office had written to Ms Guthrie complaining about errors in an analysis piece by Alberici.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also complained to Ms Guthrie, as did Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott and Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.

“This coverage contains multiple factual errors and misrepresentations in breach of the ABC’s editorial standards. It is neither fair, balanced, accurate nor impartial. It fails to present a balance of views on the corporate tax policy,” Senator Fifield wrote. The stories “display a lack of understanding about the tax system, and … failed to accurately present the facts or range of views on this issue with appropriate ­balance”.

The Weekend Australian understands one complaint includes a 12-point dossier pointing out ­errors in the piece, and includes a complaint Alberici had re­tweeted and liked Bill Shorten’s tweet promoting the piece, which referred to the government’s “$65 billion handout for multi­nationals”.

“Is this appropriate for a ‘fair and balanced’ ABC journalist?” the complaint read.

Qantas, criticised in the articles, said the reporting by the ABC was “an oversimplified analysis” while Ms Westacott told The Project the ABC reports were “quite misleading”.

Alberici said she had worked on the stories for a month and rejected Twitter claims she had sought help from GetUp! or the Australia Institute. “The only error of fact … in the original news story was claiming CSR still had its sugar division,” she said.

“There have been no factual ­errors found in my analysis piece. We are reviewing it to ensure it complies with our editorial standard for analysis writing. Nobody helped me with the piece except (economist) Saul Eslake and Don Hamson (of Plato Investment Management).”

Alberici tweeted after the article was removed: “In 2001 I was a @walkleys finalist for a story on tax minimisation #justsaying”

The ABC said complaints about the stories were referred to the ABC’s independent complaints-handling unit, Audience & Consumer Affairs. “Any suggestion the ABC is responding to outside pressure over these stories is incorrect,” a spokeswoman said.

“They have been subject to the normal ABC editorial processes. The internal review of the stories was begun before any complaints were received by ABC News.”

The ABC said the news story, one of the two published on Wednesday on corporate tax rates, was “updated to add further information and context … The analysis piece did not meet ABC editorial standards and has been removed for further review.”

The coverage was attacked by business journalist Michael West, whose investigations into corporate tax avoidance have been part-funded by GetUp!. “I found the exclusive tag a bit rich given I have written story after story forensically about all these multinational tax avoiders,” he said.

A Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance spokeswoman said the union would not make a comment while ABC internal processes were still under way.

Regulator the Australian Communi­cations and Media Authority can investigate complaints about ABC broadcast stories on questions of accuracy and impartiality but has no remit on online articles.

In 2001 I was a @walkleys finalist for a story on tax minimisation #justsaying

— Emma Alberici (@albericie) February 16, 2018