Fury over ABC delay

An aerial view of the damage following the fire on the Ghost Train ride at Luna Park in 1979. Picture: Fire Australia's First Century Historical

What a difference a month makes. Five weeks ago, the ABC was being lauded for sparking a renewed investigation into Sydney’s notorious Luna Park ghost train fire after airing a big-budget series examining the fatal conflagration. Now, it is being accused of delaying the very police probe it instigated by failing to hand over key evidence it collected while producing the three-part doco, aptly named Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire. Helmed by seasoned ABC reporter Caro Meldrum-Hanna, the series posits the 1979 blaze, which claimed seven lives, was part of an arson plot involving long-dead Sydney underworld figure Abe Saffron, a bikie gang and a web of corrupt coppers and elected officials stretching all the way to then premier Neville Wran. The motive? Securing the prized upcoming tender for the right to operate the money-spinning, harbourside theme park. The NSW Coroner, Teresa O’Sullivan, has revealed she is considering launching a fresh inquest into the disaster off the back of the doco, and three weeks ago ordered the public broadcaster to give all material relating to its investigation — including unedited vision of its interviews — to police so it could be reviewed. Detectives have been so eager to get their hands on the cache, Strewth is told they last week fired off a polite email to the ABC reminding it of the directive but were still “yet to get jack all”. Not everyone within the state’s halls of power has been so patient. Even though the ABC has until Friday to comply, a number of highly placed bureaucrats are so frustrated the broadcaster hasn’t already shared its material, they have been openly attacking its lack of urgency and briefing against the broadcaster. Aunty, meanwhile, can’t figure out what all the fuss is about. An ABC spinner tells Strewth it intends to provide all the material by the proscribed deadline and is simply taking the time to fully consider the order, and supports “further inquiries into the tragic deaths”. 

Birthday bash axed

Fortieth birthdays are unenviable occasions at the best of times and usually best forgotten — but Gareth Ward has more reason than most to hope his passes without consequence. The embattled NSW MP had been busily finalising preparations for a lavish no-expense-spared soiree in tropical Far North Queensland to mark his 40th when news broke last Thursday he was being investigated over accusations he sexually assaulted two men in separate incidents dating back as far as 2013. Ward, who vigorously denies any wrongdoing, has since stepped down from cabinet and removed himself from the Liberal partyroom pending the outcome of the probe. His birthday bash is also expected to be quietly canned. Despite the NSW government spending millions encouraging the state’s residents to holiday at home to support local economies ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, Ward had invited a select circle of political and business acquaintances to attend a ritzy knees-up to celebrate his birthday at the five-star Riley Crystalbrook Resort in Cairns at the end of next month. It’s unclear how much he was going to spend on the festivities but the extensive drinks menus at the getaway’s two in-house bars list only the price of non-alcoholic tipples (never a good sign in Strewth’s experience). Ward wasn’t fielding calls about his party plans — or anything else — at the weekend but let’s hope those who agreed to attend booked fully refundable airfares. 

60 Minutes tell-all

After devoting much of his life to filming exclusive interviews, 60 Minutes shooter Ben Williamson could soon end up on the other side of the camera giving one. The popular Nine staffer was part of the program’s botched Beirut child rescue bid five years ago that saw him and three colleagues banged up in a Lebanese jail for almost a fortnight. Opening up for the first time about the treatment he endured in prison, Williamson this month told Crikey he was separated from his fellow crew members for three days, stripped naked and tortured by guards. Strewth has learned the highly regarded camo — who has been unable to work for the past three years due to recurring panic attacks — has since fielded big-money offers from rival television networks for a “tell-all interview” as well as book and podcast deals. Williamson has been locked in a compensation battle with Nine’s insurer, GIO, over a payout since going off work with PTSD. After he spoke publicly about his struggles, Nine suddenly offered to assist him with his claim and arranged for him to have a mediation session with GIO this week — only for it to be once again postponed. 

Numbers game for Josh

Josh Frydenberg memorised so many numbers for his ABC Insiders appearance on Sunday even Dustin Hoffman’s Rain Man would have been dazzled. Despite undergoing a barrage of questions from host David Speers, the Treasurer managed to rattle off an impressive series of rehearsed figures as he attempted to sell the government’s tax-cut program. “If you don’t go forward with stage three of the tax cuts, someone on $80,000 will be $900 worse off. Someone on $90,000 will be $1020 worse off. Someone on $100,000 will be $1370 worse off. The key point is, and this is really important, David,” he said, “you mentioned someone on $45,000. When stage three of the tax cuts is locked in, they will then be better off by $1080 compared to what they would have been back in ’17-18.” It wasn’t enough to appease the man Paul Keating once labelled “the feral abacus”, with former Liberal opposition leader and shadow Treasurer John Hewson raging on Twitter: “Did you catch Frydenberg … getting hogtied by their own spin on when Govt will cut spending; on inequality, unaffordability and ‘growth dividend’ of Stage 3 tax cuts; on absence of an effective wage policy; and on their quarantine failures.’’ Don’t worry, John, we reckon your feral moniker is safe for now.

White knight to rescue

There’s just no pleasing journos. If no one follows their story, they complain. If the Daily Mail follows their story, they complain even more. Seven years after the London operation brought its unique brand of journalism — and aggressive aggregation model — to our shores, there has been a renewed trend that sees journos “calling out” the Mail’s young reporters on social media for “stealing” content. While Strewth understands Mail staffers are cautioned against engaging with detractors, one cracked at the weekend after Seven News reporter Laura Banks had a go at the Mail’s Alana Mazzoni on Twitter for “ripping off” a court yarn. Mail reporter/white knight Sam McPhee fired back, accusing Banks of grandstanding and encouraging the online bullying of a young, female journalist. Who says chivalry is dead?