Liberal MP complains to ABC managing director about Tony Armstrong’s satire special | Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The opposition has filed a complaint against the ABC over Tony Armstrong’s one-off special targeting colonialism and racism against indigenous Australians.
Shadow communications minister Melissa McIntosh has sent a letter of complaint to ABC chief executive Hugh Marks, demanding a full investigation into Always Was Tonight, a satirical news program that aired on the broadcaster on January 21.
The complaint alleges that the program’s content may have violated ABC’s editorial, broadcast and editorial responsibilities.
“[The ABC] The letter states that as a trusted public institution, it has an important duty to protect our multiculturalism, promote social harmony, and not seek to publish content that divides our nation.
“In light of the horror faced by Australians over the Bondi terrorist attack last month, we can no longer tolerate offensive content that fuels further divisions than ever before.”
According to the public broadcaster’s charter, the ABC must inform and entertain the public, reflect cultural diversity and contribute to a sense of national identity.
There is nothing in the Code that requires the broadcaster to promote social harmony.
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But McIntosh’s complaint says the ABC has a responsibility to editorially justify any content that is likely to harm or offend and must label that content appropriately.
He also said the ABC had a duty of care to minors involved in the commissioning and creation of content.
The complaint focuses on: closing episode of the showwhere children sing a song about the incarceration of Indigenous children.
The song, I Shouldn’t Call This Place Home, is sung by a group of primary school children to the accompaniment of Peter Allen’s I Still Call This Place Home.
The photo shows one of the children in a prison complex wearing a spit hood.
Armstrong introduced the segment as follows: “We have access to almost all of this country. [with the exception of Victoria and the ACT]The age of criminal liability is only 10. This is a crackdown on black children, who are 21 times more likely to go to prison than other children.
“On an average night like tonight in Australia, 35 Indigenous children under the age of 13 will be imprisoned. Our government thinks these children are too young and vulnerable to have a TikTok account, but we are comfortable imprisoning them.”
McIntosh’s complaint said the information that child actors used in the episode would be encouraged and trained to portray such scenes was “grotesque and a clear contravention of the ABC’s Code of Practice”.
On Wednesday the Greens came out in support of Armstrong, describing his program as the ABC’s cutting-edge.
“If we can’t make fun of ourselves and make fun of the exposure of racism through humor, then we’ve really lost the script,” said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Green’s communications spokeswoman.
“If that’s the best the Liberal Party entertainment police can do, it’s no wonder One Nation has surpassed them.”
Civil Liberties Australia said the Liberals should leave comedy to the professionals.
“Every MP, especially ministers, should be advised not to attack Australia’s most trusted institution, the ABC,” said Bill Rowlings, the CLA’s secretary.
“It’s comedy’s job to poke everyone’s nose now and then. I wish Melissa McIntosh and I could see things through Tony Armstrong’s eyes.”
Opposition Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman Kerrynne Liddle told the Guardian she had chosen not to watch the programme.
“Indigenous Australian issues must be treated with the utmost seriousness,” he said. “Nothing about this stuff is funny.”
An ABC spokesperson said Always Was Tonight sought to examine the lived experiences of indigenous Australians through satire, social observation and comedy.
“The program was creative, insightful and sometimes challenging,” the spokesperson told the Guardian.
“It was not intended to divide Indigenous Australians but to highlight their perspectives to contribute to a common understanding.”
ABC said the safety, health and protection of child actors appearing in the series are “taken with the utmost seriousness”.
“Careful and responsible steps have been taken to ensure that children and their guardians are fully informed, supported and protected throughout the production, and a clear duty of care has been adopted at every stage,” the statement said.
“An Indigenous psychologist was present and the shooting was recorded with the NSW Children’s Guardian Office.”
Communications minister Anika Wells has been contacted for comment.
