ABC slams ‘despicable’ racist comments targeted at Tony Armstrong

The ABC has been forced to issue a statement defending Tony Armstrong after the presenter was the target of racial abuse on social media.

Barely 24 hours after the national broadcaster released the findings of an independent review looking at the systems and processes in support of staff who have experienced racism, ABC director Justin Stevens issued a new statement on Wednesday in defense of Armstrong.

The Gold Logie nominated presenter, who will wrap up with ABC News Breakfast this Friday, took to social media on Wednesday morning sharing comments on racial abuse aimed at him on social media, which led to a new statement from Stevens.

“I am dismayed that within 24 hours of that important report I’m issuing a statement to publicly call out more racist abuse by members of the public directed at one of the ABC’s highly valued staff members, who also happens to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander,” Stevens said.