ABC star Leigh Sales instructs staff to maintain that the Uluru statement is a ‘one-page document’ from the heart – while issuing tactics to quell arguments over the extended 26-page version
ABC bosses sent staff a step-by-step guide, written by veteran journalist Leigh Sales, on how to dismiss suggestions. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is not a ‘one page document’.
The former 7:30 presenter, who is now the face of Australian Story, has shared her views on the controversial issue in an email sent to ABC staff by Mark Maley, editor-in-chief of the public service broadcaster, on Thursday.
Sales said a recent example of misinformation is “the claim that the Uluru statement is a 26-page document” – a claim that has led to a public spat between Sky News presenters Peta Credlin and Chris Kenny this week.
“That’s not right,” Leigh tells colleagues The Australian.
“The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a one-page document.”
ABC star Leigh Sales (pictured) has written a step-by-step guide on how to counter the controversial claim that the Uluru Statement from the Heart is 26 pages long instead of just one page
The Uluru Statement of the Heart is the document underlying the Voice to Parliament referendum
Sales then offers a step-by-step approach to refuting the 26-page claim, telling staff “The source of this misinformation is an FOI investigation related to the Uluru statement that yielded 25 pages of minutes of meetings with indigenous communities.”
“These were part of a consultation process that helped draft the final one-page Uluru statement,” Sales wrote.
“Those pages are not part of the final Uluru statement.”
Sales’ intervention comes just days after a bitter dispute over the actual length of the document underlying the Voice to Parliament referendum due to be held later this year has played out in the media.
The vote will decide whether the First Nations people will be enshrined in the constitution and whether a body will be established to inform Parliament about issues facing Indigenous Australians.
Sky News presenter Peta Credlin is at war with fellow Sky presenter Chris Kenny over her claim that the Uluru statement is 26 pages long rather than a single page of 439 words.
Sales encouraged ABC employees to refute claims of ‘bias’ and outlined ways to deal with critics
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has repeatedly said that this proposal fits on one A4 sheet. He held up a piece of paper with the Uluru Declaration in parliament
Credlin was outraged this week that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, put a “false information” label on its 26-page claim, which was allegedly dug up in a freedom of information request.
Kenny called her claim “nonsense.”
Paul Barry, ABC’s own Media Watch host, later intervened and concluded that Meta may have crossed the line and that a “controversial” label would be more appropriate, bringing him into conflict with his colleague Sales.
“The Uluru statement is on one page, but there are many more pages of notes and background – covering things like a treaty and reparations,” Barry said on Media Watch.
“And given that there might be some sense in what Credlin says, we think a controversial label would be more appropriate.”
Sales acknowledged that it could be “intimidating” to defend the view that the Uluru statement is only one page.
But she outlined tactics for dealing with the opposing claim.
“Ms. X, with all due respect I will correct your claim that the Uluru statement is a 26-page document,” Sales wrote.
“It is a one-page document, the remaining 25 pages are minutes collected during a consultation phase and are not part of the final document.”
Sales said ABC staff should encourage interviewees to then “move on…to your next question” and hit back when accused of “bias.”
“The ABC is far from the only organization denouncing the spread of this disinformation,” she wrote.
An ABC spokeswoman told The Australian: “The email to staff speaks for itself and we have nothing further to add.”