Media Watch refused to explore claims ABC ‘covered up’ Myf Warhurst’s starring role in feud
ABC star Myf Warhurst’s fence-feuding neighbour’s plea that Media Watch investigate claims of a ‘cover-up’ involving the Spicks and Specks star fell on deaf ears. WATCH the confronting videos.
The ABC’s Media Watch program refused to investigate allegations the public broadcaster covered up star presenter Myf Warhurst’s leading role in a heated suburban feud while allegedly launching a “one-sided” journalistic “hit job” on her neighbour.
The startling revelation comes as the ABC continues to face accusations it breached its editorial guidelines and wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars after publishing a brutal take-down of Warhurst’s next-door neighbour, Karla Martinez, on its website last May.
Although Ms Martinez was pictured and repeatedly named in the withering article, the ABC censored the identities of both Warhurst – best known for her recurring role on the ABC’s music/comedy quiz show Spicks and Specks – and her then-boyfriend, Brian Steendyk.
Ms Martinez revealed she contacted Media Watch – “exposing conflicts of interest, journalistic deceit, misrepresentation, manipulation and plagiarism” – about the article “out of desperation” late last year.
Although one of the program’s staff members had previously been keen to discuss the article with her, she said she was told the show was no longer “interested” in exploring the matter.
The mother of three told The Australian she was now preparing to sue the ABC for damages and lodge a writ in the Supreme Court, claiming her life and architectural career had been left in ruins after it published the withering article on its news website last May.
“I’ve faced a lot of tough things in my life – I came to Australia as a refugee from El Salvador in 1990 and had to work hard for everything I’ve got,” she said.
“But what I’ve gone through with the ABC is worse than anything else I have experienced – they’ve ruined my life while protecting their own employee, and they’re refusing to take any responsibility for it whatsoever.
“I called and spoke to a producer at Media Watch about my treatment at the hands of the ABC and everything I had been through last December.
“But they said they weren’t interested in having a look at it. I was very surprised.”
It is understood she spoke with Media Watch after former host Paul Barry farewelled the program on December 2 last year and before incoming presenter Linton Besser started on the program.
Media Watch executive producer Mario Christodoulou said the program never shied away from a story and had a well-documented history of investigating the public broadcaster.
“At Media Watch, we’re grateful for our very loyal audience who routinely send us tips. Many don’t make it into the program for very legitimate reasons,” Mr Christodoulou said.
“No one can accuse Media Watch of not biting the hand that feeds, and as our history shows, we are not shy about investigating the ABC and its staff (even when they might work down the hallway).”
Ms Martinez said the neighbourhood drama erupted not long after Warhurst moved in next-door in North Warrandyte, on Melbourne’s northeastern outskirts, three years ago.
Although the new neighbours initially got along, a heated argument broke out after Warhurst’s then boyfriend, Mr Steendyk, started tearing down a disputed stretch of dividing fence with “a chainsaw and grinder” on December 28, 2022.
The ugly row soon descended into rival calls to triple-0 pleading for police intervention and allegations Ms Martinez had hit Mr Steendyk on the head with a length of agricultural pipe during the argument, a claim she has always denied.
The explosive encounter was captured on mobile phone vision and police body-worn camera footage – obtained by The Australian – as officers from nearby Eltham police station worked to defuse the volatile situation.
An ongoing dispute then continued to wage over a new concrete wall Ms Martinez was building along their shared property line, with the ABC covering the long-running fracas last May in the story published on its news website and social media.
Even though the story quoted Mr Steendyk’s extensive police statement accusing Ms Martinez of assault, he was not named in the article and was simply identified as a “neighbour”.
Despite Warhurst’s central role in the dispute, the fact she had personally requested police intervention after calling triple-0 and was recorded having extensive conversation with the local officers on police body-worn camera, she was only obliquely referred to as a “ABC contractor” the unnamed neighbour was living with.
Ms Martinez has accused the ABC of wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars pursuing the story, and demanded Warhurst be “stood down without pay” pending a full investigation into the broadcaster’s article.
Warhurst has vehemently refuted any suggestion she played any role in the conception or production of the ABC story, or that she provided any photographs, insisting she had never wanted details of the dispute to be made public.
“Myf Warhurst was unaware of the May 2024 article’s existence until a friend brought it to her attention after it was published,” her agent said in a statement.
“She had no involvement in its publication and has wished at all times for this matter to remain private.
“We cannot comment on Mr Steendyk’s behalf.”
Mr Steendyk on Thursday backed up Warhurst’s statement, telling The Australian his former partner played no role in the ABC’s coverage of the dispute, but declining to reveal whether he had been the source of the story.
“Myf was inside at the time and had nothing to do with the incident nor the article,” he said in a text message.
“It is unfortunate that Karla Martinez seems to think that (allegedly) threatening people legally and physically is OK.
“The ABC article was balanced and I understand that Karla Martinez refused to comment or be interviewed.”
Mr Steendyk did not respond when asked whether he thought it was fair Ms Martinez had been identified in the article when both his identity and that of Warhurst had been censored – nor whether their names had been removed at his request.
The article was eventually removed from the ABC’s news websites – on a no-admissions basis – after Mr Martinez raised the issue with broadcaster’s chairman, Kim Williams, last November, but he refused to meet with her on a “without prejudice” basis to discuss the matter.
The ABC has not explained why the story was removed, but a spokesperson said the article had been published in line with editorial guidelines, and maintained Warhurst had not been involved in the publication of the article.
“The ABC is assured it acted appropriately in this matter,” the spokesperson said.
“Myf Warhurst had no involvement in publishing the story. Myf is highly valued by the ABC.”
Ms Martinez filed a defamation writ against the ABC in the Supreme Court on May 5 this year – 12 months to the day the story was published – to reserve her rights, but said she had remained undecided on whether she would pursue the claim.
All that changed when the ABC continued to stonewall her following The Australian’s exposé about the situation this week.
“I’ve received a lot of messages of support but I’ve had zero contact from the ABC at all,” she said.
“We’re putting together a legal team now with a view to taking the next step.”
The ABC declined to comment on Ms Martinez’s impending legal action.
Although Media Watch had refused to investigate her treatment, she revealed Nine’s A Current Affair had been among a number of programs and mastheads now clambering to tell her story.
“All I’ve ever wanted is for the ABC to take some responsibility and show some sympathy for what they’ve done to me,” Ms Martinez said.
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