Email encourages ABC’s past and present staff to assist with review into racism claims

Media Diversity Australia has urged past and present ABC staff to take a part in the broadcaster’s review into allegations of racism.

Indigenous lawyer Dr Terri Janke is heading up the ABC’s racism review..

An email call-out has been sent to both past and present ABC employees, encouraging them to come forward and assist the broadcaster’s racism review 10 months after it was first ­announced.

Correspondence from Media Diversity Australia, an organisation established to represent diversity in the media industry, has been circulating among both current and former staff in recent days, informing them that the ABC is conducting an external racism review.

The email correspondence, shared with The Australian, urges people to come forward and share their stories and make sure their experiences are heard.

“Media Diversity Australia invites any current or former ABC staff members (including casual) who have witnessed or experienced racism to participate in the external racism review currently co-ordinated by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke,” the correspondence says.

“We understand it may be difficult to share sensitive experiences. In such a critical time for journalists of colour, it’s important for these experiences to be shared and heard.”

Media Diversity Australia was contacted by The Australian about the correspondence but did not respond.

It was reported last month that the ABC’s racism review, headed by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke, a Wuthathi, Yadhaighana and Meriam woman, had not started consulted despite being announced nine months earlier.

The review was set up amid the fallout over contentious comments made by former Q+A host and Indigenous presenter Stan Grant during the ABC’s coverage of King Charles III’s coronation in May last year.

He departed the broadcaster in August.

Grant, a Wiradjuri, Gurrawin and Dharawal man, claimed the taxpayer-funded broadcaster failed to support him after the coronation and he said he was the target of online abuse.

Consultation for the racism review will take place in March, and “results will be made entirely anonymously”, according to Media Diversity Australia.

“Your insights could help create a more inclusive and equitable workplace for current and future employees from racially and culturally marginalised backgrounds,” the email said.

Indigenous businessman Warren Mundine was critical of the long time it had taken to get the racism review up and running and said it should have been done by now.