ABC admits ‘error in judgement’ in allowing former terrorism suspect to join Q&A audience

I thought the idea of free speech was to let everyone have a voice. His opinion may not be one that everyone agrees with, however he is a representation of a minority of people who share these views and having him express them may give us a better understanding of where and why these views have come to be.

no. an “error in judgement” is telling your wife you don’t like her new highlights.

this was a screw up of the highest caliber.

Absolutely no need to apologise. Mallah is what he is. The instant revulsion both on air and on social media to his ridiculous statements by muslims and others was far more poignant. He proved himself isolated and reviled in his own community and made a fool of himself yet again. Isn’t that a positive??

Well, we live in Australia, not America. There is no such thing as free speech, there simply isn’t.

Mallah’s case is proof of the failure of the courts and Steve Ciobo’s stance is a positive example of a minister making a correct call regarding citizenship.

The ABC’s error in judgement is that they have played into Abbott’s hands.

This stunt backfired.

@Australian – not so. There is an implied right to free speech in our constitution as handed down by the High Court.

In regards to the comments by Mr Mallah, he didn’t encourage Australian Muslims to join ISIS, he stated that Mr Ciobo’s comments were giving them cause. Now, that’s a ludicrous statement but nowhere near what you’re saying in the article. How about exercising some editorial restraint yourself, Mumbrella?

A total breakdown of standards and control. His tweets about Devine and Panahi should have set off alarm bells at the ABC. What a fiasco, somebody at the ABC needs to pay a price.

Celebrity culture masquerading as participatory democracy.

The chattering classes tweeting at the TV like they’re actually accomplishing something.

George Carlin’s “grand show of democracy” in action…

A complete waste of tax-payers money.

Pour those funds into comedy. They’re the only source of truth these days…

Re Australian – We don’t have legislated free speech like the US, but we still maintain the idea of it. Or should we should only hear the opinions that go with the mainstream views?
He has extreme views, but they didn’t come out of nowhere. He represents the disconnected, angry youth who are sick of seeing their, or their ancestors countries being destroyed. Which still doesn’t make his opinion right, but we shouldn’t stop him from voicing it and having those views as a part of the discussion, as extreme as they are, can be helpful overall.

Obvious attempt by the ABC to embarrass the current government which spectacularly backfired.
I am looking forward to the day, however, when news on Tuesday is actually about news, not what someone said to someone else on Q&A.

Is there no limit to how low this wretched, ethically bankrupt organisation will sink?
It’s time to pull the plug. Not forever, just long enough to make 100% of the staff redundant, then re-employ only those who will comply with the Charter, on commercial terms, and when breaches occur they face serious consequences.

Or, MIke, just privatise it. Then if people want to hear from the likes of the dickwads who were on last night, they can pay for it.

Which goes to tim’s point. In fact, tim, I look forward to the day when there’s no ABC on at all.

Part of the problem was that Ciobo’ didn’t exactly express himself with the poise and eloquence of a minister. His tone was quite provocative and antagonistic. Is it any wonder the elicited response was aggressive?

Why do people hate on the ABC? I cannot fathom why you would hate on an independent broadcaster?

This guy does represent a small minority, and this is how they feel; Evidently!

Rather than being a hand picked 1950’s style Australian audience, the ABC gave us a 2015 audience and good on them for being brave and creating diversity. If you live to the north or east of Sydney, then you may not have ever engaged with young angry subcultures, (other than grommets).

People, this is reality, stop clinging on to the ‘good ole days’ and wake the fck up!

Please also ask yourself why might certain people be so angry. Surely it has nothing to do, whatsoever, with an aggressive foreign policy. Surely not?

Mallah is representative of everything we should not accept in this country. Tweeting “I would pay to see that Minister dumped on ISIS territory in Iraq” does not strengthen his claim of innocence in doing any wrong. Hopefully ASIO are still keeping a very close eye on him.

Kas – Ciobo is entitled to his opinion as is Mallah, under the illusion of free speech of course. No doubt his constituents will make a judgement on whether or not they agree with his points of view.

@1/Well + @9/Well
Agree with views in both your posts.
+1.

Eh? I hope they come for you first

@comment 15 I agree. Hate speech for any side is wrong.

@19 I don’t want anyone to come for me. I do not agree with aggressive, oppressive ideologies. I do value the rounded views, from both sides, that are represented and debated on QandA.

I stand by my comment, which encourages that everyone ask ‘why’ a little more and delve a little deeper into what you might uncover.

Question everything!

Context and POV?

http://www.theguardian.com/com.....to-hear-it

And meanwhile the government rides roughshod over our Constitution, which clearly was drafted by more honourable people than the current rabble we have in Canberra (on both sides of the despatch box).

The legislation proposed to parliament is perilously close to sedition – now THAT would make an interesting legal case.

“Which goes to tim’s point. In fact, tim, I look forward to the day when there’s no ABC on at all.”

Really? Then all we will have is Murdoch. What kind of dream is that?

I have also heard that now the legal system is ‘lefty’, which to me, seems like a cue to dismantle that too.

Are there people who are agitated until we have a good proper dictatorship with ra-ra-ra get-them crack-down-on-those-people, then they relax? Is it surfdom or anxiety for them? I don’t get it. The discourse has gone very aggressive in the last month, where really, before all those flags came out, hardly anyone was going all freaky on ISIS fighters and the like.

It’s like in my otherwise calm internal world, I suddenly MUST create an issue within myself and ramp up fear of these external terrorists and ‘concerns for my safety’, where I am instead more likely to be coward-punched on George Street on any given night. Am I supposed to then nod to Abbott and go “ooo that’s better, here’s a vote” (a random gift to him this vote thing, could have been flowers instead). Is that how the script goes?

#QandA is for Australian citizens to represent Australian views. Not for would-be or wanna-be terrorists to express theirs. I fully support Steve Ciobo’s hardline stance and I’m all for ridding people like Mallah of their privilages. What a d***.

Well said Eric.

It’s the politics of fear that is always trotted out when the polls look bad.

Or it could just be Tone getting an election erection.

Forget about politics for a second and political point scoring. It just seems plain weird to me that any decent Australian would applaud a terrorist sympathiser – the like of which decapitate innocent people in the name of Allah – by argueing for their right to maintain Australain citizenship.

It is worth wondering how the Q&A would have progressed had not Steve Ciobo resorted to school yard snipes about Zaky Mallah. He responded in kind and it all went down hill from there.
It is now all being totally miss represented by people suggesting Mallah is what is has stated he is not. He is has been acquitted of being a terrorist and is opposed to Isis. That does not make him a saint, but he is also not the devil.

He was acquitted of terrorism charges. Punching an ASIO officer is not a terrorist offence.

Just more stupidity and the assholes trying to defend their ABC from the traitors that they are, sell the shit hole and deport the comunists that run it.

Gee, don’t the ABC-types have a real difficulty judging the character of a person?

Men like Mallah are the type who will indoctrinate their kids with their killing hatred, and will physically abuse their wives. You all know that, don’t you? You know that’s what these types of people will do.

Now I thought ABC-types disliked that kind of thing – you know, child abuse and misogyny?
Instead, you hate (with a vengeance) one Tony Abbott who has succeeded in life, with 3 beautiful, well-adjusted daughters, and a loving wife.
Do you people realise how puerile you are?

Nice assumption jumping Crowbar. Pity about the fact free zone.

Lindsay, aren’t you also guilty of making assumptions?

Hang on. I just re-read what Crowbar wrote. Nah, he’s hoisted with his own petard.

No assumptions jumped to on my part The Median Strip. There are opinions mixed with fact, but assumptions? That is an act of assumed fact.

Psst. Lindsay. I was being sarcastic regarding Crowbar’s diatribe and how moderate your comments were.