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Quadrant editor says Manchester blast better targeted at ABC studio

The editor of conservative publication Quadrant has written it would have been preferable had the Manchester bomb exploded in the ABC's Q&A studios.

"Had there been a shred of justice, that blast would have been detonated at an Ultimo TV studio," Quadrant online editor Roger Franklin wrote in an opinion piece on Tuesday night before later editing his rant.

He added: "none of the [Q&A] panel's likely casualties would have represented the slightest reduction in humanity's intelligence, decency, empathy or honesty."

The original Quadrant article, top, was later edited without a note or apology. Picture: Quadrant
The original Quadrant article, top, was later edited without a note or apology. Picture: Quadrant

Franklin labelled Q&A panellist Lawrence Krauss a "filthy liar" for his characterisation of the threat of Islam, and then imagined him being blown up by the terrorist bomb.

"Mind you, as Krauss felt his body being penetrated by the Prophet's shrapnel of nuts, bolts and nails, those goitered eyes might in their last glimmering have caught a glimpse of vindication."

The ABC has called on the journal to remove Roger Franklin's article from its website and apologise. Picture: Facebook
The ABC has called on the journal to remove Roger Franklin's article from its website and apologise. Picture: Facebook


ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has demanded an apology and federal communications minister Mitch Fifield has joined a chorus of condemnation against the publication.

The opinion piece came in the wake of the bomb attack at the Manchester Arena that killed at least 22 people attending an Ariana Grande concert.


Guthrie said the comments were a vicious and offensive attack on the ABC, its staff and program guests.

'None of the panel's likely casualties would have represented the slightest reduction in humanity's intelligence, decency, empathy or honesty,' Frankin wrote. Picture: Facebook
'None of the panel's likely casualties would have represented the slightest reduction in humanity's intelligence, decency, empathy or honesty,' Frankin wrote. Picture: Facebook

She hit back at Quadrant “the leading general intellectual journal of ideas” for its “vicious and offensive attack on the ABC, its staff and its program guests”.

“To take issue with our programming and our content is one thing. But to express the wish that, if there were any justice, the horrific terrorist bombing in Manchester would have taken place in the ABC’s Ultimo studio and killed those assembled there, is a new low in Australian public debate,” she said in a statement.

The article slams US physicist Lawrence Krauss who appeared on the Q&A panel this week. Picture: ABC
The article slams US physicist Lawrence Krauss who appeared on the Q&A panel this week. Picture: ABC

"Like many others, I am appalled at your willingness to turn an act of terrorism in the United Kingdom into a means of making a political point against those you disagree with," she said in a strongly-worded letter to

Guthrie acknowledged the article had been edited, but was angered there was no apology offered to the ABC, and there was no acknowledgement it was amended.

She called on the journal to remove Franklin's article from its website and apologise.

Sydney's ABC studio in Ultimo. Picture: Google Maps
Sydney's ABC studio in Ultimo. Picture: Google Maps

Senator Fifield, appearing before an upper house hearing in Canberra on Wednesday, sided with Ms Guthrie.

"I think this constitutes a new low in Australian public debate," he said.

"We can all disagree with what particular media outlets do and say - that is appropriate in a democracy - but the comments by Quadrant are sick and unhinged."