Concerns have been raised regarding a potential story on climate protests that the ABC’s Four Corners program is currently in the process of developing.
After issuing a brief statement on 2 August in response to numerous media inquiries, the ABC also commenced an examination of the circumstances surrounding its filming of the attempted protest outside the residence of Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill, including the lead up to and recording of events that transpired. As the story has not been published, the examination does not fall within the remit of the ABC Ombudsman.
The examination has been conducted as quickly as possible to establish what occurred and address concerns raised. The ABC does not generally comment on stories that are in the early stages of development, as is common across all organisations conducting investigative journalism. However, the ABC respects that it is important in this instance to provide further context on the story as well as information from its examination into the matter.
The Four Corners story, still early in development and subject to change, seeks to focus on climate protests in Australia and the response by government, police and business. The intended topic of the story at this stage is to examine changes and amendments to anti-protest laws around the country and how they are being enforced. The program also seeks to critically examine the tactics by protest groups.
Based on the information reviewed, the proposed action by the protestors was in the planning prior to any contact with the ABC Four Corners team. The ABC’s team understood that it would be a non-violent protest action, and they maintain that they did not have prior knowledge of the address for the protest until the relevant morning.
It is understood the protestors intended to record themselves during the planned protest and then distribute their own footage to media after the protest. The ABC team maintains it did not collude with or encourage the protestors. The planned protest did not eventuate because the protestors were arrested by police who were already at the location on arrival.
The information provided does not indicate the Four Corners team crossed onto private property. The team also followed the direction of police, moving further back onto the road and later across the road. The team’s interactions with the protestors were at all times as journalistic observers, not participants.
The review does indicate the team did have some awareness of what was planned. To that extent, the element of the previous statement issued by the ABC concerning knowledge of what specific actions might occur prior to the event did not reflect all relevant information subsequently available and was incorrect. We will be investigating how this inaccuracy arose further to ensure this does not happen again.
The ABC’s approach to filming protests, or any activity by others which could involve misconduct by a third party, is guided by newsworthiness and journalistic principles. Immersive style documentary programs have been a part of public interest journalism programs on the ABC and on other broadcasters, for decades. Filming protests in that manner does not equate to endorsement of the activities.
In this particular instance, any airing of ABC footage on an ABC platform would not occur until a much later date, if at all, and only after it had been through significant prepublication editorial processes. That would include dealing with concerns over whether material identifies private addresses, noting that ABC News was not the publisher of recent images of Ms O’Neill’s property available in other media.
The ABC has robust editorial policies, consistent with best practice, that already seek to strike a balance between protecting public interest journalism, privacy of individuals, and appropriately addressing controversial, sensitive, and legal matters. A strict rule of no reporting or recording of controversial matters would inevitably have prevented many important stories, from the ABC and other media organisations, from being published.
As a result of recent events, the ABC will be reviewing and if necessary, updating its editorial guidance about when mandatory upward referral is needed to appropriate senior management.
The ABC Four Corners team will continue to develop this story in the public interest. It will continue to be produced and completed as per the ABC’s rigorous processes, complying with ABC Editorial Policies and the highest standards of editorial judgement before any publication.
