Questions on Notice to ABC

Questions on Notice from Senator Ronaldson to the ABC

Use of the terms "terror," "terrorist" and "terrorism"

The ABC has consistently refused to refer to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian terror groups that indiscriminately murder Israeli civilians as "terrorists."   The ABC now has a guideline to that effect.  The ABC’s style guide advises its journalists:

Remember, one person’s ‘terrorist’ is usually someone else’s ‘freedom fighter’. ‘Terrorism’, ‘terrorist’, ‘militant’, ‘gunman’, etc. are all labels. Our reports should rely first on facts, and clear descriptions of events, rather than labels that may seem too extreme or too soft, depending on your point of view.

However, I note that in the coverage of the latest Bali bombing, although mass murder of Israelis is never described as terrorism, other standards apply in our own region.

I wholeheartedly agree that the tragic Bali bombings were terrorism, and those responsible are terrorists.  However, no Palestinian group participating in murder of innocent civilians is described by the ABC as "terrorist" during the same period – instead they are referred to as "militant" or "suicide bombers."  For example:

A. ABC Radio "AM" (Oct. 7) - Peter Cave announced, "Known for its successful recruitment of suicide bombers, the Palestinian militant group, Hamas"

B. ABC Radio "AM" (Oct. 27) - In a report on Islamic Jihad′s suicide bombing in Hadera, which killed five Israelis, Tony Eastley referred to "the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad". Mark Willacy referred to the terrorist responsible as "the bomber" and his terrorist act as "this bombing" and "the Hadera bombing". The words "terrorist" or "terrorism" were not used in the report.

However, the event of the second Bali bombing has seen the almost blanket use of the term "terrorist" (I believe rightly – but in clear breach of the style guide). For example:

C. ABC TV "Midday Report" (Oct. 3) - Former Middle East correspondent Tim Palmer stated that the bombers of the Australian Embassy last year were tracked, "not to known Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists,"

D. ABC TV "News" (Oct. 2) - For several nights after the attack, the ABC′s television coverage was under a graphic headed "Bali Terror". On the first night after the attacks, Kathy Bowlen announced, "Once again Australians have been caught up in a terrorist attack in Bali." Later, she said, "Again, these latest terrorist atrocities have hit where they′ll do the most damage,"

E. ABC TV "Midday Report" (Oct.4) - Roz Childs announced, "Several countries have issued new travel warnings against visiting Bali where fears persist of another terrorist strike to follow up the weekend bombings"She also referred to "Australian tourists fearing further terrorist attacks,"

F. ABC TV "Midday Report" (Oct.7) - Mark Simkin stated, "Bali is the latest terrorist battlefield,"
G. ABC TV "News" (Oct. 8) - Kathy Bowlen announced, "The death toll from the explosions rose to 13 today when a 20 year old Indonesian woman died of injuries suffered in the terrorist attack,"

H.      ABC TV "News" (Oct. 14) - Ian Henderson announced, "Here in Australia, family and friends have buried two victims of the recent terror attack in Bali,"

I.      ABC TV "Media Watch" (Oct 10) - The ABC′s own media watchdog Liz Jackson breached the style guide, saying, "The past week has of course been dominated by the shocking news of a second set of terrorist bombs exploding in Bali,"

J.      ABC TV "7.30 Report" (Oct. 11) - Kerry O′Brien referred to the Hilton Hotel bombing of the late 70s as Australia′s "worst terrorist attack on home soil to date,"

K.      ABC TV "7.30 Report" (Oct 3) - Maxine McKew said the Bali bombings were, "a chilling reminder of October 12, 2002 when, for the first time, terrorism ripped through the heart of Bali′s tourist precincts."  Lisa Millar described the lack of Australians watching the rugby grand final at the rebuilt Paddy′s Bar the night after the bombings as "a graphic illustration of the immediate impact of terrorism,"

L.      ABC TV "7.30 Report" (Oct 3) - Tracy Bowden commenced a report, "As terrorism once again strikes Indonesia" She concluded, "But as police continue their investigation into these latest acts of terrorism"

M.      ABC TV "Lateline" (Oct.4) - Tony Jones noted, "Jihadist extremism has spawned countless suicide terrorists from New York to London, from Baghdad to Bali."

N.      ABC TV "Lateline" (Oct. 3) - Tony Jones announced, "Jemaah Islamiah is the prime suspect in the latest Bali bombings, although experts believe the terror organisation has been radically transformed since the first Bali attack in October 2002. Scores of arrests have seen JI evolve into a more diverse terror network, with its key mastermind Dr Azahari bin Husin apparently operating independently." Margot O′Neill described Dr Azahari bin Husin as JI′s "key terrorist mastermind",

O.      ABC Radio "AM" (Oct. 13) - Peter Cave announced that the people of Bali were feeling "mounting communal anger over repeated terror attacks on their island,"

P.      ABC Radio "AM" (Oct. 3) - On the death of bomb victim Brendan Fitzgerald, Peter Cave said, "It′s the second time that someone from the small South-Western community of Busselton has died in a terrorist attack in Bali"

Q.      ABC Radio "The World Today" (Oct. 4) - Alexandra Kirk reported, "Both the Government and the Opposition want Indonesia to ban the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah"

R.      ABC Radio "The World Today" (Oct. 4) - Tanya Nolan announced that severed heads found at the bomb sites, "are believed to belong to the suicide bombers responsible for Saturday night′s terrorist attacks," and that "Police have been interviewing convicted members of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah,"

S.      ABC Radio "The World Today" (Oct. 3) - Tanya Nolan announced, "As mentioned, Indonesian authorities have their sights firmly on the region′s largest and most sophisticated terrorist organisation Jemaah Islamiah, as being the group most likely to be responsible for the bombings," Introducing a separate story, she said that Australian tourists arriving home form Bali "were clearly shaken by the latest terrorist attacks"

T.      ABC Radio "PM" (Oct. 4) - Mark Colvin announced, "Terrorist attacks used to send shudders through global financial markets, but the latest in Bali has barely caused a ripple,"

U.      ABC Radio "PM" (Oct. 3) - "Blame is already being pointed at the regional terrorist outfit Jemaah Islamiyah," and, "Local businesses now fear that the latest act of terrorism will once again cripple their economy"

Considering these quotes and examples:

1.      Will the ABC please advise in relation to each and every detailed instance of the use of the terms "terror," "terrorist" or "terrorism" above:

i       Was the ABC already aware of the use of that term in that instance?
ii      Was such use of the term a breach of the ABC′s guidelines?
iii     In any case where you advise that use of terms like "terror," "terrorist" or "terrorism" was not a breach of the ABC′s guidelines, please advise what the difference is to acts of murder not referred to as "terror," "terrorist" or "terrorism" above;

iv      What disciplinary action has been taken in respect of any breach; and
v       How such breach was allowed to have occurred.

2.      Does the ABC acknowledge that, in relation to terrorist acts in our region, that the ABC Style guide is consistently not being followed by its journalists?

3.      Does the ABC acknowledge that it consistently uses a different terminology when referring to the murder of Israeli citizens?

4.      Does the ABC acknowledge that in refusing to label Palestinian terror groups as "terrorists" that they are making value judgements - that killing Israelis is somehow less reprehensible than killing others?

5.      Would the ABC categorise either Hamas or Islamic Jihad as "freedom fighters"?
6.      Does the ABC acknowledge palpable bias in relation to its reporting on the Middle East and West Asia?
7.      Does the ABC acknowledge that its guideline on the use of the term "terror," "terrorist" and "terrorism" are out of step with community standards?

8.      How many times have the words "terror," "terrorist" or "terrorism" been used by ABC journalists in the last year?

9.      How many other instances of breaches of the style guide is the ABC aware of during the last year?
10.     In respect of any other breaches of the style guide, what are the details of each breach and any disciplinary action taken on presenters or journalists?

11.     Does the ABC consider the continued use of this guideline as appropriate?