An internal ABC inquiry has concluded that a Four Corners TV crew did not collude with or encourage Woodside protesters nor did they trespass on the home of CEO Meg O’Neill.
The ABC managing director, David Anderson, said the Four Corners investigation – about climate protests in Australia – would proceed despite the crew being heavily criticised by the fossil fuel company, the Western Australian government and the West Australian newspaper.
The West Australian targeted the ABC and the protesters in front page stories and News Corp outlets have been critical of the ABC for attending the Perth protest.
The protest action by Disrupt Burrup Hub claims Woodside’s operations in the area and its proposed expansion are the biggest new fossil fuel project in the country and could produce billion of tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2070.
Anderson said an earlier response to media queries which stated the crew had no knowledge of what action the protesters would take was incorrect.
“The review does indicate the team did have some awareness of what was planned,” Anderson said. “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.
“It is understood the protesters intended to record themselves during the planned protest and then distribute their own footage to media after the protest.”
Anderson said the team “did not collude with or encourage the protesters” and police were on the spot when they arrived.
“The information provided does not indicate the Four Corners team crossed on to private property,” he said.
Anderson said “immersive-style documentary programs” were a part of public interest journalism and filming protests does not equate to endorsement of the activities.
“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,” he said.
Disrupt Burrup Hub’s media adviser, Jesse Noakes, who was taken into police custody alongside the protesters, said there was no intention of entering O’Neill’s house and that no one’s safety was under threat.
“At no point was the safety or security of Ms O’Neill or anyone else under threat from one 19-year-old with a spray can,” Noakes said in a statement on Thursday.
The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom and the media union have defended the crew for undertaking normal journalistic practice.
