Racist Prime Minister of Oz sinks to new Low - National Social Equality/Unity

Jones was found to be in breach of the broadcasting code for referring to Middle Eastern youth as “scum” and “rapists” and contrasting the “Anglo-Saxon” community as somehow morally superior – the toilet-loitering, sexual deviant broadcaster obviously hasn’t passed any mirrors lately! Ultra-conservative Evangelical and Catholic Christian leaders have not commented on the decision of the regulator (ACMA) to date, however, we expect to hear from all sections of the rabid right before the end of the day.

The message to enterprising and ambitious young (Anglo-Saxon) Australians is threefold, if you wish to succeed then homosexuality, racism, and dubious links with drug running CIA enterprises may be essential for upward social mobility (in a backward society).

The Prime Minister stated plainly that Alan Jones is an “outstanding broadcaster ... I don't think he's a person who encourages prejudice in the Australian community, not for one moment but he is a person who articulates what a lot of people think". The same was said about Pauline Hanson! Jones made his inflammatory comments just prior to the Cronulla race riots, the worst racist outbreak since the turn of the 20th century!

The interesting political aspect to the present embarrassing flurry is the support from the now unashamedly racist John Howard – his advisers and consultants have failed to inform him that 51% of today’s Australian community is not of Anglo-Saxon background! Time for some new demographers in the faltering tower of Australian leadership; Howard could not have made a bigger mistake in an election year. Many European Aussies harbour bitter memories of their treatment in the ‘South Africa’ of the South Pacific.

Howard clearly hasn’t learnt from the failure of his State counterpart in the recent NSW elections. The then leader of the conservatives launched his political campaign from Cronulla Leagues – and look what happened to him! The dotty leader of the opposition, Kevin Dudd, has been handed another gift; with the majority of the population not of Anglo-Saxon background any comments relating to race or any outward support of known racists would be considered politically inept.

We can hardly wait for Howard’s next gaffe or for him to wake up to the fact that his advisers are deliberately undermining his chances at the next Federal election. The writing is on the (toilet) wall, John and Alan!

It hardly does Barra's credibility any favors when in one breath he decries the racists Howard and Jones, and in the next calls Australia a backward society.

Sydney might be backward but you have to live there to think any differently of it.

10 April 2007:

ACMA finds 2GB Sydney breached the code by broadcasting material on Breakfast with Alan Jones that was likely to encourage violence or brutality and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle-Eastern backgrounds on the basis of ethnicity

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found that the licensee of commercial radio service 2GB Sydney, Harbour Radio Pty Ltd, breached the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice 2004 (the code) by broadcasting material that was likely to encourage violence or brutality.

ACMA has also found that the licensee breached the code by broadcasting material that was likely to vilify people of Lebanese background and of Middle-Eastern background on the basis of their ethnicity. While ACMA has found that the material was presented for a purpose in the public interest, being discussion of factors contributing to unrest in the Cronulla area of southern Sydney in December 2005, ACMA was not persuaded that the relevant comments were presented reasonably and in good faith.

The breaches arose from material broadcast during the program Breakfast with Alan Jones between 5 and 9 December 2005.

Clause 1.3(a) of the code provides that a licensee must not broadcast a program which is likely to incite, encourage or present for its own sake violence or brutality.

Clause 1.3(e) of the code provides that a licensee must not broadcast a program which is likely to incite or perpetuate hatred against or vilify any person or group on the basis of a number of attributes, including ethnicity.

During the investigation, the licensee submitted that ACMA's analysis of the code and findings raise significant practical problems for commercial radio licensees, especially those that provide talk-back services. Codes of practice are developed by industry in consultation with ACMA and must have regard to matters set out in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 . The code is due for review in late 2007 and the commercial radio industry and the public will have an opportunity to comment on clauses 1.3(a) and (e) and other provisions of the code at that time.

ACMA notes this is the third time that the licensee has been found in breach of the vilification provision of the code in the last six months for broadcasts that occurred in the past two years. In addition to the breach of clause 1.3(e) in this investigation into Breakfast with Alan Jones, ACMA had also found the licensee to have breached clause 1.3(e) in investigations 1562 ( Your Sydney Weekend ) and 1665 ( The Open-Line Show ).

In light of this, ACMA will now move to pursue significantly heightened compliance measures in relation to the potential for future breaches of clause 1.3(e) by the licensee. ACMA will be writing to Harbour Radio Pty Ltd shortly about the proposed compliance action, details of which will be announced when finalised.

Details of ACMA's analysis of the code provisions and reasons for its findings are set out in Investigation Report No. 1485.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager on (02) 9334 7980.
Backgrounder
Codes of practice

Codes of practice are developed under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the Act) by industry in consultation with ACMA.

The Act states codes may relate to, among other things:

preventing the broadcasting of programs that, in accordance with community standards, are not suitable to be broadcast by that section of the industry.

In developing codes about this matter, community attitudes to the portrayal in programs of matter that is likely to incite or perpetuate hatred against, or vilifies, any person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, sexual preference, age, religion or physical or mental disability are to be taken into account.

ACMA must include a code in the Register of Codes of Practice if a group representing a section of the industry develops a code and ACMA is satisfied that it provides appropriate community safeguards; is endorsed by a majority of the broadcasting service providers in that section of the industry; and the public have been given an adequate opportunity to comment on the code.

ACMA can investigate complaints about compliance with a code that is included in the Register.

The commercial radio code of practice is due to be reviewed in late 2007.
Investigations

ACMA conducts various types of investigations under the Broadcasting Services Act. Investigations under Part 11 of the Act are conducted in response to complaints received by ACMA relating to a possible breach by:

* a licensed broadcaster of the Act, the regulations, a licence condition, a class licence or a code of practice; or
* the ABC or SBS of a code of practice.

If a person wishes to complain about something of concern they have seen or heard on a program broadcast by a radio or TV station, and the matter is covered by a code of practice, the person must, by law, first make a written complaint to the station.

However, if a complaint relates to a matter covered by a licence condition, the person can complain directly to ACMA and need not complain to the station first.

There is a different code of practice for each broadcasting sector, and each code of practice contains a section that explains the complaints process that applies to that sector.

As some codes impose time limits for complaints, it is advisable that persons who wish to make a complaint write to the radio or TV station as soon as possible. For instance, the code of practice that applies to commercial television broadcasters enables them to decide to not respond in writing to complaints that are made more than 30 days after the date of broadcast.

When making a complaint to ACMA, persons should provide a copy of their complaint to the station, a copy of the station's reply if this has been received, and any other relevant correspondence with the station. ACMA takes all complaints seriously (except for those that are frivolous or vexatious or not made in good faith) and acknowledges all complaints in writing.

For qualifying complaint s, ACMA consider s the information provided and offer s the relevant station an opportunity to provide its perspectives. Generally, personal or private information provided in a complaint, including name and address details, are not disclosed to the licensee concerned if it is a licence condition matter. However, as code complaints are first made to a licensee, code complaints are usually made available to the licensee concerned. When all relevant information is available , ACMA assess es the complaint against the relevant licence condition or code of practice . When an investigation is completed, ACMA is required to notify a complainant of the results of an investigation under Part 11 of the Act.

Under the Act, ACMA has discretion whether or not to publish the report of an investigation conducted under Part 11 of the Act. ACMA is not required to publish an investigation report if publication would disclose matter of a confidential character or likely to prejudice the fair trial of a person. If ACMA intends to publish an investigation report that may adversely affect the interests of a person, ACMA must give the person an opportunity to make representations in relation to the matter. ACMA's usual practice is to not provide personal or private information in an investigation report.

(end)

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2007

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