Stan Grant has launched another blistering attack on the ABC, accusing it of “lacking moral courage” in defending him and other Indigenous employees against attacks inside and outside the broadcaster.
The former Q+A presenter once again let loose with ABC management after the Australian newspaper reported on Monday that he allegedly verbally abused a female colleague in the foyer of the national broadcaster’s Sydney headquarters in inner-city Ultimo.
Grant called the report a “slander” and appealed to his former bosses for not defending him, as the ABC was forced to admit they had not begun an investigation into the organization’s culture around racism as promised three months ago .
“In my case, ABC management knew the truth and allowed the Murdoch media to smear me this week and no one raised their voices,” he said. The age.
“They did the same after I was pilloried and my family threatened after the coverage of the King’s coronation.
Former Q+A host (pictured right with wife Tracey Holmes) Stan Grant has found new success with ABC management
“The ABC has admitted its failure, but has done nothing. As I have experienced again, ABC management does not have the moral courage to defend its people when they are the victims of vicious attacks.”
In response to Grant’s allegations of racial abuse, ABC announced on May 21 that it would conduct an investigation into how such matters were handled.
However, ABC executive David Anderson acknowledged on Thursday that the review has yet to get off the ground.
“I hope to be able to reveal some more details about that in the coming weeks,” he said.
An ABC spokesperson said the mandate had not yet been established and the organization was looking for an outside person to chair it.
“This is an important process for the ABC and we want to ensure that the assessment is carried out to the highest standards. The review is open to all former and current employees.
Grant, however, was unimpressed, saying his faith in the organization had been “depleted” and that the problem of the “culturally hostile” environment in the ABC had been “known forever.”
He said a warning about this to News Director Justin Stevens had led to no action, only more talk of “concern” and “concern”.
“I hope what I’ve been through can force a change,” Grant said.
“I hope the ABC realizes it’s not enough just to hire us. They really need to see us. Unfortunately, I wonder if we just keep hoping for change when bitter experience tells us that the ABC is incapable of it.
“Management cannot express ignorance or promise to do better.”
Grant quit his high-profile job hosting the ABC panel discussion show Q+A in May, accusing management of not supporting him amid an outpouring of racist vitriol online.
ABC head of news Justin Stevens speaks at an ABC staff meeting in support of Stan Grant
Grant admitted in a LinkedIn post on Thursday that he had publicly yelled at a colleague in late January, acknowledging that he “should have behaved better,” but also claimed he was targeted in error.
“For the past 24 hours I have been the subject of a media smear campaign,” he said.
“I also saw my former employer, the ABC, again fail to defend me.”
Multiple staff members at ABC’s Ultimo headquarters witnessed Grant’s outburst in January, which resulted in a complaint of bullying a few days later.
Grant described the exchange as an “unfortunate disagreement with a respected colleague.”
“I was in the ABC foyer deep in conversation with a friend and colleague who comforted me about my niece’s sudden death 24 hours earlier,” he said.
“I had also just returned from caring for my elderly, ailing father. I was in an emotionally fragile state.
‘A colleague approached me about what I and the witness experienced as confrontational. Things escalated in ways that were not allowed and things were said that were not acceptable.
“I accept responsibility for this. I should have behaved better.’
The veteran journalist, who stepped down from his high-profile TV role in May, citing racial abuse from online trolls and a perceived inability by ABC bosses to publicly support him, said he should never have come to work that day.
However, Grant felt “obliged” to host Q+A for the first show of 2023 that evening before driving to his family in the run-up to delivering the eulogy at his niece’s funeral.
“This incident has been resolved and there is no finding or sanction against any party. Now I’m being smeared,” he said.
“The ABC has generally failed to tell the truth. Instead, it hides behind bureaucracy. The ABC prepared a statement which I rejected.
“I believe the truth is more important. My family has been the victim of appalling racist abuse and violent threats this year.
“The ABC failed to adequately defend me. In the past year I felt used by the ABC and abused by others. This is destroying my family. I left the ABC because trust has been broken.’
ABC executive David Anderson has admitted that an investigation into racism has yet to begin, despite announcing it three months ago
The native presenter concluded the scathing post by summarizing the incident as “a terrible misunderstanding in an emotionally charged time.”
‘This is the truth. Rate me how you want. We should all be better. We should all expect better from the media. We must all expect the truth.’
Are Question+A And china tonightT The departure followed ABC’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, with Grant hosting a 45-minute panel discussion on the impact of the British colonization of Australia as guests arrived at Westminster Abbey.
Complaints poured in to the ABC about the segment, which the independent ombudsman later said did not violate editorial standards of impartiality.
Grant claimed he was subjected to a “relentless” deluge of racist abuse on the Internet in the days after he pushed him to write a column for ABC announcing his decision to step down.