‘I did consider that to be a breach of personal use of social media’: ABC boss tells senate estimates
David Anderson admits Milligan breached the ABC’s social media policy, and confirms Norman Swan was counselled over his Shane Warne-Kimberley Kitching comments.
ABC managing director David Anderson has admitted for the first time investigative reporter Louise Milligan breached the public broadcaster’s social media guidelines regarding her defamatory tweets about former federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming.
At senate estimates on Tuesday, Mr Anderson said the tweets by Milligan made last year that falsely accused Dr Laming of upskirting a woman resulted in her “being counselled at that particular time”.
“I did consider that to be a breach of personal use of social media at the time, that matter had been dealt with and Ms Milligan was counselled,” Mr Anderson said.
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson questioned Mr Anderson about the incident and said: “So we now hear for the first time you consider that to be a breach of personal social media guidelines of the ABC on what basis?”
“With regard to undermining one’s ability if you’re an employee to continue to do your job, particularly if you are a journalist, bringing the ABC into disrepute, those are the key themes,” he said.
“Ms Milligan was counselled at the time and that’s the end of the matter.”
Milligan did not apologise after making the defamatory comments on her own Twitter account and the ABC paid her legal bills and damages to Dr Laming with total costs equating to more than $200,000.
Mr Anderson said he was not willing to provide any information relating to the matter due to “confidentiality in relation to people’s employment”.
He said he would seek a public interest immunity claim to prevent him from disclosing any information surrounding the ABC’s handling of the issue.
Dr Swan’s comments ‘incorrect and in error’: Anderson
Mr Anderson also conceded that comments made by Dr Norman Swan about the deaths of cricketing legend Shane Warne and Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching being linked to previous Covid-19 infections were “incorrect and in error”.
Appearing before a senate estimates spillover hearing via video link in Canberra on Tuesday, Mr Anderson said Dr Swan had been “counselled” over the matter.
“They were clearly incorrect, they were in error and Dr Swan has apologised for that,” Mr Anderson told the hearing.
“Certainly Dr Swan was counselled over the matter, he was spoken to about it and he was very regretful he made those comments.”
He said news management spoke to Dr Swan and “he knew he made that mistake” and he was “remorseful”.
“Dr Swan realises that he did provide an opinion that was otherwise not substantiated, that was not in keeping with our editorial standards,” he said.
“He realises that is not to be done and that that was not in keeping with the standards we expect.”
Dr Swan appeared on ABC’s News Breakfast program on November 15 and asserted that the deaths of Warne and the late senator were connected to previous Covid-19 infections.
Kitching never had Covid-19 and Dr Swan apologised to her husband, Andrew Landeryou.
Mr Anderson said Dr Swan had contacted Warne’s manager James Erksine and offered to apologise to the Warne family, however he said Dr Swan did not speak directly to Shane Warne’s family.
Liberal National Party Senator Gerrard Rennick asked Mr Anderson how many staff had been terminated for misconduct after raising the misinformed comments made by Dr Swan.
“And you’ll keep him on?,” Senator Rennick asked.
Mr Anderson replied: “of course.”
Senator Rennick then said: “right, so OK, because you don’t get punished in the ABC or the public service for anything do you really?”
Mr Anderson replied: “Well, that’s not true senator. If people have committed what we would call misconduct and seen to by way of an investigation and there is always a procedural fairness afforded to people, then people do get disciplined when they do something wrong.
“I think disciplining starts at counselling and ends up at termination, so Dr Swan was counselled over that.”
ABC boss defends Karvelas tweet
Mr Anderson has defended a tweet by Radio National breakfast host Patricia Karvelas on the night of the federal election that described the Labor MP Linda Burney, now Indigenous Australians minister, as a “legend”.
Questioned by Senator Henderson, Mr Anderson was asked to explain the post Karvelas made, which included her in a selfie with Ms Burney and the comment: “This woman is a legend and looks like she will be the next Indigenous affairs minister #ulurustatement.”
This woman is a legend and looks like she will be the next Indigenous affairs minister #UluruStatementpic.twitter.com/l0UtPZUjLQ
— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) May 21, 2022
“I would prefer I didn’t know people’s positions on anything that is political but I didn’t see it as something I needed to take action over,” Mr Anderson said.
“If somebody is championing a political party then yes, that’s problematic but I didn’t see it as undermining her ability to be an impartial journalist in to the future.”
He went on to defend the post by the prominent ABC host and said, “I think it suggests she was a fan, I don’t think it suggests there is political bias there at all”.
“I don’t think based on that one tweet Ms Karvelas should be severely reprimanded.”
Mr Anderson also said he did not believe the post was partisan or in favour of the Labor Party.
“I did not see that post as showing absolute bias towards the Labor Party, I didn’t see that...Patricia was there covering the election, was in the room providing the coverage on that particular evening,” he said.
“As long as it’s about an individual and not about a political party, it’s not about their political views, it’s not about their policy, why can’t they exercise their right as a citizen to actually say they like someone.”
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