Stan Grant has launched a scathing attack on the ABC, accusing the broadcaster of ‘not telling the truth’ after it emerged that he was under investigation by management for verbally berating a female colleague for several minutes.
The former Question+A The host posted a lengthy statement on LinkedIn in response to the revelations, admitting he “should have behaved better” but also claiming 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.”
Stan Grant has launched a scathing attack on the ABC, accusing the broadcaster of ‘not telling the truth’ after it emerged he was under investigation by management for allegedly berating a female colleague for several minutes.
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 the 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.
Several staff members at ABC’s Ultimo headquarters witnessed Grant’s outburst in January, which resulted in a complaint of bullying a few days later
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 am 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 that 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 destroys my family. I left the ABC because trust has been broken.’
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 all have to expect the truth. ”
The former Q+A host (pictured with Tracey Holmes) posted a lengthy statement on LinkedIn in response to the revelations, admitting that he “should have behaved better” but also that he had been targeted in error.
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 consequences 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.
My family and I are regularly racially mocked or abused on social media. This is not new. Hardly a week goes by without being racially abused. My wife is being abused because she is married to a Wiradjuri man,” he said.
Mr. Grant wrote that no one at the ABC, “whose producers had invited me as a guest for their coronation coverage,” had “uttered one word of public support” in the aftermath.
“I’m taking my time because we’ve shown again that our history – our hard truth – is too big, too fragile and too precious for the media. The media sees only battle lines, no bridges. It only sees politics,” he wrote.
Director of News, Analysis and Investigations at the ABC, Justin Stevens, later said he was devastated. Grant did not feel supported by the broadcaster, which had previously complained to Twitter about the offensive comments made against their star journalist.
Monash University announced Tuesday that Grant will now assume a role as the inaugural director of the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific.
(Tagstotranslate) DailyMail