News & Media

The ABC’s managing director has vowed to make “relevant changes” after admitting the airing of a skit involving a violent, sexualised attack on Australian businesswoman Gina Rinehart was “wrong”.

Anticipation is growing of further upheaval at the ABC after it finally apologised to Mrs Rinehart on Thursday and its high-profile investigations boss departed amid a growing scandal at the flagship Four Corners program.

Facing legal threats from Hancock Prospecting, ABC chief Hugh Marks finally apologised to Mrs Rinehart — 25 days after airing the controversial remarks by contestant Kate McGuinness, pictured, on the Race Around The World show.

Mr Marks said the depiction of Mrs Rinehart in the film titled A Very Relaxing Video, which aired during the July 12 episode, was “not fair” and fell short of “community expectations”.

McGuinness’ four-minute clip, which aired last month, ended with the voiceover message: “When the revolution comes, will you hide under the bed or will you know exactly how to shove a stick right up Gina Rinehart’s butthole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, to make one big sausage roll to make something out of nothing.”

ABC Ombudsman Fiona Cameron found it did not breach editorial standards, insisting it was “satirical and exaggerated commentary”.

However, Mr Marks said the piece failed to meet “community expectations”.

Gavin Fang, pictured above with Mr Marks, the ABC’s editorial director, is responsible for setting, interpreting, and enforcing the editorial policies and standards that the ABC Ombudsman evaluates.

Mr Marks has since vowed to review whether guidance in ABC’s editorial policies “adequately reflects current community expectations”.

“I think the ABC has to hold itself to a higher standard. I think it’s really important we make that change,” he said.

“It’s also important that we acknowledge we got this wrong, that we issue the apology, and we make the relevant changes so that it doesn’t happen again.”

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie slammed the “ridiculous” time it took the ABC to apologise.

“It was appalling. It should never have been put to air,” she told News24.

“I hope something’s been done in the back room to make sure the editors don’t allow this to happen again because that was a political hit job, not a gendered one.”

High-profile ABC reporters took to social media to pay tribute to their departing head of investigations and current affairs boss Jo Puccini, who quit in the wake of controversies surrounding axed Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal.

Stories titled Cocaine Highway, Meth Highway and Remy Was 12 When She Became A Drug Dealer, have also been pulled by the broadcaster.

Allegations emerged that a source being interviewed in Four Corners episodes was the same person, but using different names while their face was obscured by a mask. The ABC said the action had been “taken following concerns identified about the veracity of sources used in the three programs”.

The former bikie turned reporter was sacked by the ABC in May, following an internal investigation into his podcast appearance with former underworld figure Ryan Naumenko last year.

Four Corners journalist Louise Milligan, who had her personal legal costs of almost $200,000 covered by the Australian taxpayer after she was sued by Liberal MP Andrew Laming for a series of 2021 tweets, was among those lauding Puccini.