‘No moral courage’: Stan Grant blasts ABC
Stan Grant has blasted the ABC over his “bitter experience” while with the organisation, accusing them of failing diverse staff.
The veteran journalist stepped down from hosting duties on the ABC’s Q+A program in May before announcing he was leaving the broadcaster all together two months later.
When announcing his departure and his move into a new role at Monash University, Mr Grant said there was “no bad blood” between him and the organisation, a stance that has since changed.
On Wednesday, Mr Grant posted on LinkdIn a statement criticising the ABC for failing to failing to defend him against “smears” from other media outlets and for not doing enough for First Nations workers and staff of colour.
He has now given an interview to Nine Newspapers, accusing the ABC of not taking the issues of racism that he had raised seriously.
“I have exhausted my trust in the organisation,” he said in the new interview on Thursday.
“The ABC has admitted its failure, but it has done nothing.
“As I have experienced yet again, ABC management does not have the moral courage to defend its people when they are subject to vicious attack.”
Recently reappointed managing director David Andersen has admitted the ABC’s planned racism review is yet to start being announced on May 21.
“I hope to be able to announce some more details about that in the coming weeks,” Mr Anderson told Nine.
Mr Grant was sceptical that the ABC was taking the issue seriously.
“They have known about this problem forever,” he told the paper.
“Just months ago … I warned the head of news, Justin Stevens, that the ABC was a culturally hostile environment for First Nations and people of colour. But we hear all the talk of ‘care’ and ‘concern’ and no action.”
The Wiradjuri man was the subject of racist abuse online throughout his time as the host of Q+A, with backlash him escalating after he discussed republicanism and criticised the monarchy during the ABC’s coverage of King Charles III’s coronation.
Grant said his discussions about the impact of colonisation around the time of the coronation led to an escalation in online abuse.
“Since the King’s coronation, I have seen people in the media lie and distort my words,” he wrote in a column published by the ABC in May.
“They have tried to depict me as hate filled. They have accused me of maligning Australia.”
Mr Grant has joined Monash University to be the director of the new Constructive Institute Asia Pacific.
