The ABC’s chief political correspondent insists Australia has an “issue with racism” after it was revealed she had been “counselled” by the broadcaster’s news director over her comments at an event last weekend.
Laura Tingle made controversial comments at the Sydney Writers’ Festival when she was asked to comment on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s policy about migration and the economy, including housing.
“I did indeed make the observation on Sunday that we are a racist country, in the context of a discussion about the political prospects ahead,” she said in a lengthy statement on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t saying every Australian is a racist. But we clearly have an issue with racism.”
She noted some of Mr Dutton’s recent comments when he said “it’s not just housing”.
“People know that if you move suburbs it’s hard to get your kids into school or into childcare,” he said.
“It’s hard to get into a GP because the doctors have closed their books. It’s hard to get elective surgery.
“These factors have all contributed to capacity constraints because of the lack of planning in the migration program.”
He has also said migrants were the cause of “congestion on our roads”.
Ms Tingle said as the alternative prime minister and with an election approaching within a year, Mr Dutton’s comments deserved “rigorous scrutiny and examination”.
“Surveys, including by the ABC, have repeatedly found the majority of Australians of non-European backgrounds reporting experiences of discrimination and racism in their lives, sometimes starting as early as primary school,” she said.
“In my commentary at the ABC, and at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, I expressed my concern at the risks involved in Peter Dutton pressing the hot button of housing and linking it to migration for these reasons.
“Political leaders, by their comments, give licence to others to express opinions they may not otherwise express.
“That does not make them racist.
“But it has real world implications for many Australians.”
In his own a statement, ABC news director Justin Stevens said Ms Tingle’s remarks at the festival “lacked the context, balance and supporting information of her work for the ABC and would not have met the ABC’s editorial standards”.
“Although the remarks were conversational, and not made in her work capacity, the ABC and its employees have unique obligations in the Australian media,” he said.
“Today, she has explained her remarks in more detail to ensure there is a factual record of the relevant context and detail.
“The ABC’s editorial standards serve a vital role. Laura has been reminded of their application at external events as well as in her work and I have counselled her over the remarks.”