"The ABC has very rigorous editorial processes to guide us on being fair and balanced in our content and we always do our best to meet those expectations."
So says the ABC.
Now it may be that ABC South East believed it was being “fair & balanced” when it once again poked John Barilaro with a pointy stick last Friday morning over the never-ending Brumby saga. Indeed, the ABC presenter went out of her way to claim that she was trying very hard to be impartial
Of course, the problem the ABC has is that it has “form”, in that it routinely demonstrates that it is not “fair & balanced” in its behaviour in communicating with the community.
In the case of the latest nonsense over the Brumby issue, the ABC’s little world had “lit-up” over news that the Deputy Premier & Member for Monaro had requested a new survey of Brumby numbers in Kosciuoszko National Park ahead of the planned cull of horses in the park.
But many in the community think that the ABC simply uses the Brumby issue as a political “stalking horse” or excuse to have a crack at poor John.
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, John is one of those characters who people just love or hate, with no in-between. Fortunately he appears to be blessed with the skin of an elephant.
But let’s look at other examples.
The Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association (BVRRA) has been consistently denied the right of reply to criticisms levelled against it during ABC South East Radio broadcasts.
More recently, ABC Radio South East repeatedly editorialised in favour of the federal government’s COVID 19 app, notwithstanding serious questions raised over its integrity.
Some believe that the ABC displayed the same lack of balance over the fluoridation issue that pitted a significant section of the community against council & NSW Health not so long ago.
ABC South East has been accused of bias against candidates for all elections, including the current Eden-Monaro by-election, repeatedly stating that there are only three candidates (Labor, Liberal & Country Party) when there are at least eight candidates that the association is aware of.
And while the ABC falls-over itself to offer air time to the candidates of the major parties, it consistently fails to offer the same opportunity to the rest. A deliberate & conscious act of bias & certainly a deliberate action to deny the residents of Eden-Monaro a “fair & balanced” opportunity to assess the candidates.
It was three years ago during the deepening crisis around the behaviour of the Southern NSW Local Health District Board in victimising Dr Chris Phoon that the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance, called-on the Minister for Health to dismiss the board & appoint an Administrator.
ABC South East immediately condemned Mr Constance for his action, citing his call as “extreme” & defending the behaviour of the board. The BVSRRA maintains that the ABC was not in a position to make that judgement & that its behaviour in attacking Mr Constance was reckless & irresponsible, but certainly not “fair & balanced”.
And finally, in one of the more dishonest episodes involving the community being misled, the
ABC’s
Dr Karl was recently found to have
broadcast false claims in respect of 5G technology in what seems to be a deliberate effort to downplay concerns over the possible negative health impact of that technology on the community.
The BVSRRA believes that there is more than ample evidence the demonstrates that ABC South East Radio is partisan & routinely acts to present a less than “fair & balanced” position on issues of importance to the community & in doing so fails to meet its own editorial standards.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au