ABC’s attack on Neville Wran ‘not fair’, says former SMH editor

The ABC breached its editorial policies to be ‘accurate’, ‘fair’ and ‘honest’ when it claimed Nev­ille Wran was corruptly linked to underworld boss Abe Saffron, says Milton Cockburn.

Former Sydney Morning Herald editor Milton Cockburn.

The ABC breached its editorial policies to be “accurate”, “fair” and “honest” when it claimed Nev­ille Wran was corruptly linked to underworld boss Abe Saffron, according to a complaint made by former editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, Milton Cockburn.

The detailed formal complaint made to the ABC last month savages the journalistic integrity and credibility of the ABC’s Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire documentary that alleged Wran was “very pally” with Saffron and orchestrated for the Luna Park lease to go to his front company.

“No credible evidence was produced to justify either allegation,” Cockburn wrote. “The program, in broadcasting these claims without corroboration, breached the ABC‘s editorial policies, specifically 2.1 (accuracy) … and 5.3 (fair and honest dealing). These allegations would not have been broadcast without corroboration if Wran was alive. The fact that he is dead means there should have been an even greater effort ‘to provide a fair opportunity to respond’.”

The documentary, prin­cipally reported by Caro Meldrum-Hanna, relied on an unproven claim by Rosemary Opitz, a Saffron employee, that the former premier had regular drinks with the organised crime figure. ABC guidelines say “multiple sources” are required to support serious “political or controversial matters of public importance” to ensure reporting is accurate. “How credible is it that the premier of NSW would attend functions with a gangster in an environment where he could be witnessed by many others?” Mr Cockburn, a former adviser to Wran, wrote.

“For an ABC journalist to make ‘reasonable efforts to ensure material facts are accurate’ surely requires corrobor­ation by at least one independent, trustworthy source. That obligation does not cease because a person is dead and unable to sue.”

Cockburn further argued the ABC’s claim that Wran was behind the ghost train fire cover-up and orchestrated for Saffron to win the tender for Luna Park through a disguised corporate vehicle was not substantiated.

The ABC claimed it had “confirmed” Wran conspired with High Court judge Lionel Murphy and solicitor Morgan Ryan to ensure Saffron won the Luna Park lease. An interview with former policeman Paul Egge, who was involved in an illegal wire-tapping operation, was relied upon to support this claim.

Cockburn’s complaint notes the Egge claim was found by the parliamentary commission of inquiry into Murphy and an earlier Stewart royal commission into wire-tapping not be supported by any recording or transcript.

His complaint comes after The Australian reported former government architect Andrew Andersons, on the 1980 tender selection committee for Luna Park, said the ABC misrepresented him in the documentary.

The ABC said Cockburn’s complaint would be considered in the usual manner.