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Issue No. 288 | 04 November 2005 |
Terror Laws
Interview: Public Defender Legal: Craig's Story Unions: Wrong Way, Go Back Industrial: WhatChoice? Politics: Queue Jumping History: Iron Heel Economics: Waging War International: Under Pressure Poetry: Billy Negotiates An AWA Review: A Pertinent Proposition
The Soapbox The Locker Room Culture Parliament
Australia, 2005 Truth in Advertising Investment Advice What a Woman! It's Not Pretty Screwed
Labor Council of NSW |
News Santoro Waves Red Rag
In a Senate Estimates Committee hearing, Queensland Senator Santo Santoro revealed he has a group of 28 people around Australia monitoring the public broadcaster. "I just give you fair warning, there's a whole network of Australians that are monitoring you," Santoro told ABC's Acting Director of Strategy and Communications, Murray Green. Santoro said he had 973 questions to ask the ABC and took issue with the non-appearance of ABC chief Russell Balding. Among the accusations was that the ABC showed disrespect to war veterans because management did not order presenters to wear poppies on Remembrance Day - although presenters did wear rosemary on Anzac Day. "Is it official ABC policy to acknowledge people who lost their lives at Gallipoli, but not on the Somme?" Santo asked. Santoro said his spies send in 15 to 20 tapes a week of ABC radio and television broadcasts which he has transcribed. "The ABC is in denial and refuses to adequately deal with my carefully documented allegations," Santoro said. "The ABC is riddled with bias and mismanagement and I have the conclusive evidence to prove it." To build his case, Santoro has added a poll to his website asking web surfers if ABC journos are left wing, right wing or "fair and balanced". Santoro was forced to retract accusations in the Senate earlier this year of anti-Semitic comments on ABC youth radio station Triple J. "Having reviewed the ABC's answer to that question on notice, and the material on which I based my question, it is clear that I was misinformed." The hearing comes after years of attacks from the Howard Government including funding cuts and political appointments to the board and executive. Former Communications Minister Richard Alston threatened funding cuts in 2003 linked to 68 alleged examples of "biased" reporting of the Iraq War.
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