Tahlea Aualiitia wrong name spelling drama highlights the ABC of agonising at the ABC

The ABC's Tahlea Aualiitia – with her named spelled incorrectly. Source: Twitter

Many of you would know the American television comedy series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” starring Seinfeld-producer Larry David as a hapless version of himself. In one of its funniest episodes, David tries to do his visiting in-laws a favour when an elderly relative of theirs dies suddenly. He arranges for a death notice in the local newspaper, paying tribute to the family’s “beloved aunt”.

The next day he returns home only to find his wife and in-laws glaring at him as he is handed the newspaper. Bewildered, he reads aloud the death notice only to find the publication has made an unfortunate mistake, the ‘a’ in the dictated phrase having been inadvertently replaced with a ‘c’.

“It’s a typo, it’s a typo!” he protests as he is henpecked unmercifully. “I’m just glad you weren’t in charge of the headstone,” screams his father-in-law. That the fault was not his is irrelevant to them; he is simply the whipping boy for their outrage.

Sadly, ABC journalist Tahlea Aualiitia has experienced many of the horrors that result from careless proofreading. Resolving to suffer in silence no longer, the presenter of Pacific Mornings wrote last week of colleagues having spelt her surname wrong on not just one but two occasions.

“Now, I want to be clear that in both instances my colleagues reached out and apologised and I hold no ill feelings towards them,” she wrote, “but these small errors can have big impacts among communities that often don’t see themselves reflected in the media.” As such Aualiitia – which by the way is spelled A-U-A-L-I-I-T-I-A – decided that merely having a word with the two transgressors was insufficient. Instead, in her words, she had to “call out” her employer.

“It’s no coincidence I’m speaking up about this during the latest wave of the Black Lives Matter movement,” she wrote. Yes, we know what you mean, Tahlea. When I saw that horrible footage of life ebbing away from African-American George Floyd as a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled continuously on his neck for eight minutes, my first thought was of your spelling trials and tribulations.

But fear not, Aualiitia has a solution. “Perhaps take inspiration from Maori-Australian artist Kira Puru who wrote a clause in her contract stating that her appearance fee doubles if they misspell her name, after two Australian music festivals spelled her name wrong in promotion material in 2018,” she wrote.

What a great use of public funds that would be. ABC could adjust its payroll system to double the aggrieved party’s fortnightly wage for each spelling violation, which could go at least some way to assuaging their angst. In addition, the organisation could arrange trauma counsellors and sensitivity consultants for those affected.

So eager is Aualiitia to see racism that she seemingly does not realise that everyone, with the possible exception of the Joneses and the Smiths, are used to correcting misspelling of their surname. It is a minor irritation at worst, and courtesy goes both ways. For example, imagine dealing with an overseas-born sales assistant whose English is rudimentary. Do you politely correct them or publicly berate them for the error? If it is the latter, you are an entitled git. Interestingly in 2017 Aualiitia, writing on the same subject, stated “I think I realised my name was ‘different’ when I was about 7-years-old and wanted to be a celebrity”. I think I just realised what the real issue is here.

Remember Aualiitia’s latest article appeared only days after the national broadcaster announced cutbacks in response to the government’s imposing a $83 million indexation freeze. Condemning this decision, ABC chair Ita Buttrose said this was “unsustainable” if the organisation was to maintain essential services. If so, why is it paying the likes of Aualiitia to indulge in self-pity?

Not only that, Buttrose claimed “The ABC has not only helped shape Australia, we are the national voice that unites us”. Let’s examine the various way the ABC helps unites us.

There is British journalist Myriam François, for instance, who last month wrote for the ABC’s Religion and Ethics program about how white people could assist the Black Lives Matter movement. “At a personal level, recognise that the wealth accrued by white households in the UK is invariably tied to a history of exploitation and slavery,” she said. “Consider your contribution to bail money or health insurance for protesters your first step to committing to conversations around reparations.” Feeling united, everyone?

Then there is Monique Ross of RN’s Society and Culture programs, who last fortnight introduced us to the philosophy of American author Elizabeth Gilbert. “It is no longer enough … to not be racist. You have to be ‘actively anti-racist’,” wrote Ross in a favourable appraisal, “and white people have to examine the privilege that comes with the colour of their skin”. In other words, a combination of self-loathing and the “You’re either with us or against us” tactic.

In a similar vein, ABC Religion and Ethics provided a platform last month for two theologians to write about how “white Christians” should respond to the Black Lives Matter movement. “White Christians who condemn today’s protests as violent riots perpetrated by ‘thugs’ and celebrate President Donald Trump’s threat that, ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts,’ indicate that white property, white people, and white power are more valuable to them than black lives,” the authors wrote. “White Christians who silently withhold support from the protests communicate much the same thing.” Just reflect on that. To contemplate disapproving thoughts – even those you keep to yourself – about the burning down of a police station or mass looting or even the murder of fellow citizens by protesters is in effect to uphold white supremacy.

If you are in the mood for self-censoring, I recommend you read journalist Gary Nunn’s guide on words and phrases with racist or sexist origins which ABC ran in May. They include “No can do,” and “Long time no see,” which apparently lampooned poorly-spoken English. Also, for a white person to use the expression “woke’ potentially introduces cultural appropriation, given it is an African American expression. “As with most linguistic conundrums, a good guiding principle here might be: back free speech by avoiding censorship, by all means, but encourage consideration,” writes Nunn. “And always check your privilege.”

Did you ever watch American police dramas and contemplate, in the words of ABC Arts reporter Hannah Reich, that they disproportionately featured “white, male, able-bodied, straight and cis-gendered” characters? Accordingly, ABC has commissioned Mystery Road, an outback police drama about indigenous detective Jay Swan and his white offsider Emma James. In the first series James is “forced to reckon with the guilt of owning land that was also the site of a massacre of Indigenous Australians”.

One of the writers for Mystery Road, Djaru woman Kodie Bedford stated “We as writers do portray cops as heroes. But in the shows I like and the shows I’ve written for, often they [police] have to work outside the system to be heroes — because the system is broken.” It is an assertion that dovetails perfectly with Reich’s seemingly offhand observation “Here and abroad, protesters have called for the dismantling or defunding of the policing and justice systems”.

And yet as recently as yesterday Buttrose was denying accusations the organisation was “too left-leaning,” saying “I think less-than-perfect organisations should stop chucking stones at us.” In her lengthy public statement last week she declared “We know our business and we are determined to honour our commitment to independence,” without even mentioning its statutory Charter. What of her statement that the organisation reflects “who we are collectively”? Sorry Ita Buttrose, but our beloved Aunty passed away long ago.