Olympian Dawn Fraser has lashed out at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling him “spineless” and “vile” for not criticising the ABC over a sketch that depicted a fantasy of violence involving Gina Rinehart.
On social media, Ms Fraser posted on Facebook: “I am sick to my stomach to think we have a government funded network ABC showing vile pieces to air about one of Australia’s greatest supporters Gina Rinehart and our vile Prime Minister has not come out and condemned the content,” Ms Fraser wrote in the post.
“You are a spineless imbecile Albanese and you get more disgusting as the days gone on.
“To let this vile crap on ABC go to air and not come out and say anything against it shows the insipid little degenerate you are.”
Ms Fraser is a friend of Gina Rinehart and they financially support and help to motivate Australia’s swim team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Ms Rinehart has taken legal action against the ABC in relation to the sketch.
The move comes after the national broadcaster reportedly initially refused to apologise for – or remove – a segment that discussed acts of sodomy against the Hancock Prospecting boss.
A legal letter has been sent alleging serious civil law breaches arising from the ‘Race Around the World’ program and its continued availability on the ABC’s digital platforms.
The controversial program featured a French-revolutionary-style depiction of a violent attack on Ms Rinehart.
The segment stated: “Because when the revolution comes will you hide under the bed or will you know exactly how to shove a stick right up Gina Rinehart’s butthole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, to make one big sausage roll to make something out of nothing.”
Despite Hancock Prospecting having sought the removal of the content and an apology a week prior, Hugh Marks, who is the ABC’s MD and Editor-in-Chief, reportedly did not respond.
Instead, the ABC published a statement on behalf of the filmmaker, Kate McGuinness, who they supported.
McGuinness stated: “The sense of humour featured in each of my films on the ‘Race Around the World’ program is farcical. In no way was it my intention to promote violence.
“My writing is cartoonish and always satirical. Unfortunately, jokes do not land with everyone. Its purpose was never to be taken literally. I apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”
Apparently. she believes there is nothing serious about calling for a prominent conservative woman to be sodomised.
Nor does she think that what she has stated in the program might also lead to violence against Ms Rinehart during the supposed “revolution.”
What a sad little woman you are Kate McGuinness if that’s what you really believe!
Meanwhile, the ABC has ducked for cover by referring the matter to their in-house Ombudsman who they claim is “independent” and whose role is to review audience complaints.
They put out a media release stating: “The ABC won’t be commenting further while the review is in progress.”
We will be interested to see what this “independent body” says at the end of its review.
Don’t count on too much!
On Sunday, Labor Health Minister Mark Butler called out the program.
Butler said he had read reports about “the particular passage in it that people are offended by and it’s pretty revolting”.
“It’s not the sort of thing I think we should see on TV, whether it’s News24, a commercial television station, or our public broadcaster,” he told News24.
“Frankly, I understand the ombudsman within the ABC is investigating it. That’s appropriate at an independent public broadcaster.
“But, you know, why do we have to see rubbish like this on our TVs – regardless of who it’s about?
“I have seen coverage of this episode, I understand the person responsible for it has apologised, but, at the end of the day, this sort of material shouldn’t be on our TVs.”
He omitted to say that the “apology” was not made personally to Gina Rinehart.
McGuinness apparently couldn’t bring herself to apologise to a conservative woman.
Perhaps she should re-do the skit replacing Gina Rinehart with Laura Tingle, Leigh Sales or Sarah Ferguson and see what the ABC’s reaction is to that!
It really is time for the ABC to be de-funded and placed on a subscription-only model.
They’ve gone too far on several occasions recently. And their Chairman, Kimberley Lynton Williams, seriously believes they are unbiased. What a clown he is!
What do they sprinkle on their Corn Flakes at the ABC’s Ultimo head office!?
Meanwhile, what will our illustrious leader Anthony Albanese be doing about it?
Most likely he will say – as he always does – that the ABC “is an independent body” – just like its in-house Ombudsman’s office.
He and Kim Williams should open a joke shop in Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. They’d be well at home there!
Thanks to the Daily Telegraph, Facebook and Johannes Leak for his cartoon.
