Hugh Marks, the managing director of the ABC, has defended journalists Laura Tingle and Sarah Ferguson against what he described as 'unfounded' criticism regarding their coverage of the Bondi terror attack. In a statement on Monday night, Marks expressed sympathy for the Jewish community following the attack that killed 15 people and injured dozens on the first night of Hanukah.
The criticism of Tingle stems from her appearance on a 16 December episode of the ABC's Politics Now podcast, where she stated that the alleged actions of the two gunmen had 'nothing to do with religion'. Marks said the podcast aimed to address issues emerging in the national conversation after the attack, and that Tingle's analysis did not minimise the terrorist nature of the events or the need to combat antisemitism.
Sarah Ferguson faced backlash for an interview with former treasurer Josh Frydenberg on 7.30 on 17 December, in which she questioned whether his criticism of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was motivated by a potential return to politics. Frydenberg responded by saying he was 'deeply offended' by the suggestion. Marks argued that Frydenberg had previously blamed the prime minister for the attacks, making Ferguson's question legitimate.
Liberal senator Sarah Henderson called both Tingle's and Ferguson's remarks 'deeply offensive', while former ABC board member Joe Gersh accused the network of being 'insensitive to the anti-semitic firestorm' in Australia. Marks acknowledged that questions about the media's role are important but stressed that reviews must be 'factual and accurate'.
