<
https://theconversation.com/the-abcs-racism-review-is-scathing-can-aunty-find-the-strength-of-character-to-properly-address-it-240203>
I am writing this because no one at the ABC — whose producers invited me
onto their coronation coverage as a guest — has uttered one word of public
support. Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or
spoken about me. I don’t hold any individual responsible; this is an
institutional failure.
"These words, written by Stan Grant, who at the time was one of the ABC’s most
high-profile First Nations journalists, catalysed the ABC into commissioning a
review that has now revealed systemic racism across the national broadcaster.
The review was conducted by the Indigenous law firm Terri Janke and Company.
Its report,
Listen Loudly, Act Strongly, sets out failures of culture,
management and senior leadership.
Failures of culture were demonstrated by the prevalence of overt and covert
racism.
A First Nations staff member was asked: “How much of you is Aboriginal? Don’t
worry. You don’t look it.”
Another staff member said:
whenever you raised [racism] with someone, you’d have to be so careful
because if they got upset, you were the one who would get in trouble, you
know, cause you’d be going out and upsetting the nice White people. And
[they would say]: ‘Don’t say that. That’s not what we meant. You’ve got it
all wrong. You’re so sensitive. You’ve overreacted.‘
Failures of management abounded, especially in middle management, where some
were good at handling issues concerning race but most were not.
One staff member said:
there is an overall sense that managers are just not up for the job.
Senior leadership was likewise of uneven quality, although when a staff member
circumvented middle management and went right to the top, the experience was
positive:
I went to see David [managing director Anderson]. He was great. He listened.
It was difficult for him.
The more common experience was reflected in this observation:
As an organisation, they don’t understand they have a structural issue. If
the Managing Director says at Senate Estimates that there isn’t a problem,
then middle management wouldn’t think there is an issue. And we all feel
like we are being gaslighted."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
