ABC managing director David Anderson has committed to personally review how the Darwin newsroom has managed a conflict of interest concerning Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s wife Kristy O’Brien, following questions by CLP Senator Sam McMahon at Senate Estimates in Canberra.
The integrity of ABC Darwin’s reporting has been called into question with at least three stories written by Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s wife Kristy O’Brien over the last two years flagged as potentially biased and serving Mr Gunner’s political interests.
The Chief Minister’s Office helped arrange for an ABC journalist to deliver a political “morning tea” speaking engagement, sparking fresh concerns over an unresolved conflict of interest at the public broadcaster and how it covers the Gunner Government.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s repeated politicisation of the coronavirus pandemic is the focus of a fresh complaint filed with the ABC after the public broadcaster aired a Labor political ad which is alleged to have breached its editorial policies.
