ABC QAnon – Media Watch – Media Watch – Media Watch

And potentially adding to Coalition pressure on the ABC is another story that Four Corners has lined up, which was due to run tonight until management intervened: 

JODIE SPEERS: ABC management has reportedly knocked back an upcoming Four Corners episode by journalist Louise Milligan about the relationship between the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

– Seven Early News, 4 June, 2021

The Sydney Morning Herald broke that news on Thursday and revealed it was MD David Anderson who pulled the plug, suggesting that perhaps he is in control after all. 

Social media immediately lit up with cries of censorship. And on Friday morning Sunrise crossed live to ABC HQ every hour for the latest:

AMBER LAIDLER: The ABC says the story has not been pulled from air and any information to the contrary is misleading …

– Sunrise, Seven Network, 4 June, 2021

That is indeed what the ABC said, first in a public tweet and then in a longer email to ABC staff from David Anderson on Friday, in which Anderson said he had merely delayed the program until his concerns have been answered:

Any suggestion that I “pulled” or “blocked” the program is simply not true. I reviewed the material and made an editorial decision it was not yet ready for broadcast, as any responsible Editor-in-Chief would.

– Email, David Anderson, Managing Director, to ABC staff, 4 June, 2021

So, what do we know?

Well, at the start of the year, Four Corners and reporter Louise Milligan began exploring the relationship between Scott Morrison and a leading Australian supporter of QAnon, the far-right conspiracy cult that believes a cabal of Satanic paedophiles operates at the highest levels of government.

In doing so, the ABC was following up a story that first broke in The Guardian in 2019 which revealed that one of the PM’s friends was a QAnon conspiracy theorist whose wife worked on the PM’s staff.

Later, Crikey named the man as Tim Stewart and characterised him as a “long-time friend” of Scott Morrison whose wife was “best friends” with the PM’s wife Jenny.

And the smoking gun? Crikey noted the PM used the phrase “ritual sexual abuse” in a speech on child abuse, which was cheered by Tim Stewart on Twitter as a reference to the QAnon cause.

Now, as proof of influence over the PM, you may think that is not super strong. And while Milligan is no doubt aiming to firm up any evidence, some in ABC editorial management still regard it as thin. 

David Anderson says he watched a rough cut of the program on Thursday after upward referral from news boss Gaven Morris and told Four Corners he had concerns:

DAVID ANDERSON: As Editor-in-Chief I independently just reviewed that story and wrote a note back suggesting that I felt there was concern about a couple of areas and was looking for other things to be strengthened within the story but otherwise to proceed on …

Senator, if I may, I’ll also see reported today that there is, you know, there seems to be some consternation that there is clash between myself and the Four Corners team. That is incorrect.

– Senate Environment & Communications Legislation Committee, 7 June, 2021

The program is now back on the shelf while work continues.

But in the meanwhile, the genie is out of the bottle.

On Friday, after failing for four weeks to respond to repeated Four Corners inquiries, and after his media chief had rung the ABC’s head of news to inquire about the QAnon program, Scott Morrison got this loaded question at a press conference:

JOURNALIST: Are you concerned the ABC’s involved in so-called vigilante journalism? Were the allegations put to you and what is your connection to the man at the centre of that story?

– ABC News Channel, 4 June, 2021

And the response? Offense that anyone would connect him to QAnon. And this barb aimed at the ABC:

SCOTT MORRISON: It’s also just very disappointing that Four Corners in their inquiries would seek to cast this aspersion not just against me but by members of my own family. I just think that’s really poor form. Thank you very much.

– ABC News Channel, 4 June, 2021

Clearly, another war with the government — and the PM in particular — is the last thing the ABC needs.

But ABC management is saying the program will go to air. What it ends up saying, however, is another matter. 

Stand by for fierce debate inside the ABC and a chorus of criticism — perhaps from both sides — when it does see the light of day.

*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from ABC News can be found here ***