ABC pulls corporate tax analysis for failing to meet ‘editorial standards’
The ABC has removed an analysis piece by Emma Alberici which discussed the proposed changes to company tax rates after it failed to meet the national broadcaster’s “editorial standards”.
At the same time, the ABC revised the news story which accompanied Alberici’s opinion piece following criticism from various business commentators and reports of complaints from the Prime Minister’s office about both articles.
On February 14, ABC News online published two stories, one which examined why various Australian companies did not pay corporate tax and the other, an analysis by the ABC’s new chief economics correspondent, Alberici.
The news article by Alberici was not removed, but was amended with extra information and context
The analysis piece claimed one in five of Australia’s top companies had paid zero tax for the past three years, while the news story – which remains on the ABC website – also criticised Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and his company, for not paying tax since 2009. Joyce is a strong supporter of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s proposed plans to cut business tax by 25%.
Alberici’s analysis was criticised by Joyce as “very misleading”, telling the ABC on Thursday his company had not paid company tax because it had not made a profit.
Qantas boss Alan Joyce rejects ABC analysis that the airline has avoided paying corporate tax: "if you don't make the profits, you don't pay the tax" @RNBreakfast @abcnews
— Peter Ryan OAM (@Peter_F_Ryan) February 14, 2018
It was also critiqued by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier in the week, as “one of the most confused and poorly researched articles I’ve seen on this topic”.
Alberici’s article was described as “incredibly misleading” by Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce
The Australia Financial Review’s Rear Window columnist Joe Aston said the article exposed the author’s “innumeracy“, explaining the available data the Australian Taxation Office show that 32 of Australia’s 50 largest companies paid $19.33b in company tax in FY16. He added the other 18 paid nothing due to losing money, or carrying over previous losses.
On February 16, the ABC released a statement, informing readers the analysis has been removed for further review, and the original news story had been updated with information and further context.
“Complaints about the stories have been referred to the independent complaints handling unit Audience & Consumer Affairs, which will examine the editorial issues that have been raised,” the statement said.
“Any suggestion the ABC is responding to outside pressure over these stories is incorrect. They have been subject to the normal ABC editorial processes. The internal review of the stories was begun before any complaints were received by ABC News.”
The points in Emma Alberice’s article about the Government’s proposed $65 billion tax cuts have also been raised by several other economic journalists with her now deleted article recognised as factual by various independent economic experts.
Interestingly, an article by Chris Uhlmann about the causes of the Labor held South Australian black out – which was factually incorrect – remains on the ABC web site. More recently an article again proven to be factually incorrect about Kevin Rudd’s knowledge about safety concerns with ‘Pink Batts’ is also still appearing on the ABC website (albeit with amendments) despite Rudd’s threats of defamation against the ABC.
This is yet another sign of pressure being applied to our Public Broadcaster by our Government as a reaction to their tax cuts policy plans where there is no evidence to support their claims. It is reminiscent of Government’s actions on ABC’s NBN coverage prior to the 2013 Election – & we all now know about the true state of our NBN. These events also play to the commonly held narrative that the ABC has been ‘stacked’ with Liberal Party friendly management and staff who clearly have not stood up to Government pressure.
No matter your politics – every Australian should be concerned with Government interference against editorial coverage which is holding their policies to account.
Emma Alberice’s deleted tax cuts article can be seen on ex NewsCorp executive, senior diplomat & Qantas Chairman, John Menadue’s excellent blog here – https://johnmenadue.com/emma-alberici-theres-no-case-for-a-corporate-tax-cut-when-one-in-five-of-australias-top-companies-dont-pay-it/
Since Alberice’s tax cuts article was taken off the ABC site last Thursday it has experienced what is known as ‘The Streisand Effect’ – where it has been actively shared throughout social and independent media, attracting a larger audience than if it had remained. I’d ask everyone reading this post to also share her article throughout your networks.
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Denise, what is this NBN thing you refer to?
Where we are in Bundanoon, we won’t get FTTP, FTTN, FTTB, HFC or Fixed wireless. But we have been offered a satellite dish (at high cost) with not only very slow speeds but with very restrictive data limits. In essence we’d have to buy several satellite plans given our usage rates, and ‘toggle’ between them.
The Telstra technician that did the site inspection for Fixed Wireless at my neighbour’s place (slightly worse topography so we picked his place) tried his darnedest (towers on the property with relays etc.) but to no avail.
But there is good news. We won’t be forced off ADSL2+ (yet)!
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Hi John
Sorry to hear about your NBN woes – sadly an increasingly common story for many Australians as the realities of the failures of the Governments NBN roll out hit more households.
Let me tell you my NBN story – which is what really put me down the very ugly and alarming rabbit hole of both the NBN & the shameful and damaging state of current politics in Australia.
About 2 years ago I was scrolling through Twitter when I saw a tweet by just made redundant ABC tech journalist, Nick Ross. The tweet said ‘last day at ABC but I can potentially write about the NBN again’.
From here I started researching and basically learned that prior to the 2013 Election, Nick was analysing & reporting on both Labor’s then current 93% fibre NBN & the proposed Liberal’s multi tech mix NBN plan. Long story short Nick was basically gagged from reporting on the Liberal’s obviously far inferior plan based on direct interference by the then Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Many tech journalists from that time also share similar stories where they were pilloried for expressing the truth about the Liberal’s far inferior NBN plan. The results of course are what you – and many Australians – live with today.
Independent site New Matilda, covered Nick Ross’s whole very sorry story here (which includes a transcript from a meeting between Nick and senior ABC management where they were speaking about his editorial coverage) – https://newmatilda.com/2016/01/27/nick-ross-bruce-belsham-abc-false-balance-story-so-far/
With this latest example of Government interference with Alberice’s tax cuts article we are seeing the continuation of a disturbing pattern.
Ex senior ABC journalist Quentin Dempster just published an article where he’s spoken to ABC staff informants. Makes for interesting reading – https://johnmenadue.com/quentin-dempster-has-the-abc-buckled-to-pm-malcolm-turnbull-by-removing-critical-analysis-of-the-claimed-benefits-of-corporate-tax-cuts/
I can’t continue to walk by…
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Time for resurrection of Friends of the ABC.
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I sympathise. We live 8 km line of site from Ballina and 22 km from Lismore and we are saddled with an atrocious satellite internet service – high cost for very limited amounts of data and slow, slow, slow. So much for providing the bush with an nbn that matches metro standards that are reportedly crap anyway.
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