Letter to ABC's Managing Director, Mark Scott re: Zaky Mallah and the Q&A program

Dear Mr Scott,

I write regarding the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Q&A program which last night provided a platform for Mr Zaky Mallah to air extreme views. In particular, Mr Mallah made the following statement: “The Liberals have just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join ISIL because of ministers like him.”

Given the well-known history of Mr Mallah, his easily accessible social media profile, his history in the courts and his criminal record, I believe the ABC should not have provided a platform for Mr Mallah to air his views on the national broadcaster, in this way.

You would also be aware that Justice Wood in R v Mallah [2005] NSWSC 317, at para 33 found the following:

It does seem to me to have been regrettable that some sections of the media took up the Prisoner as a person of interest, and gave him an entirely undeserved and unnecessary exposure, particularly if it be the fact, as he has claimed, that he was paid for his cooperation.

In light of the above, I believe it is in the public interest for the ABC to be fully transparent regarding the circumstances under which Mr Mallah appeared on Q&A.

I would be grateful if you could immediately release any correspondence between Mr Mallah and the ABC. This would include any emails, phone calls, messages regarding his appearance on the show. This would also include any correspondence between staff at the ABC discussing the appropriateness of Mr Mallah appearing as a guest of Q&A.

I would also be grateful if you would undertake to provide, what procedures the ABC went through in relation to checking Mr Mallah’s background. If there are no procedures for checking the background of questioners or people accessing the audience of Q&A, I would also be grateful to know that.

Finally, I note that the ABC has apologised for the mistake and is undertaking a review. Given this, I would ask that you give immediate consideration to taking Q&A off air until the outcome of that review is finalised.

Given the depth of the reaction to the unfortunate events which occurred last night, it is important for public confidence in the ABC that these matters be addressed quickly.

Once again, it is gravely concerning that the publicly funded broadcaster provided a platform for the airing of such radical and extreme views last night. I am also writing to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Communications in the same terms.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Hawke MP

Federal Member for Mitchell