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Stan Grant has hit back angrily at a news report that claimed he had been the subject of an investigation into an alleged bullying incident involving a senior colleague at the ABC earlier this year, and criticised the public broadcaster for failing to defend him.
In a post on LinkedIn, Grant wrote he had, over the past 24 hours, “been the subject of a smear campaign by media. I have also seen my former employer the ABC fail again to defend me.”
The latest flashpoint has seen Stan Grant defend himself against News Corp attacks while lashing out at the ABC. Credit: ABC
Claiming “what journalists owe the public is the truth,” Grant wrote, “here it is”.
His post was a response to a report published by The Australian on Monday night which alleged Grant had “erupted in a lengthy, expletive-laden tirade” against a senior female member of the ABC’s staff at the organisation’s Ultimo headquarters in Sydney in January.
The incident allegedly occurred on the day Q+A returned for the year, with Grant hosting.
Citing documents obtained under Freedom of Information, The Australian said it was “not suggesting Grant committed any wrongdoing, only that a complaint was lodged and investigated”.
On Tuesday evening, Grant shared his side of the matter.
“Earlier this year I was involved in an unfortunate disagreement with a respected colleague,” he wrote. “I was deep in conversation in the ABC foyer with a friend and colleague who was consoling me over the sudden death of my niece 24 hours earlier. I had also just returned from caring for my elderly ailing father. I was in an emotionally fragile state.
“A colleague approached me in what I and the witness felt was a confrontational manner. Things escalated in a way they should not and things were said that were not acceptable. I accept responsibility for this. I should have behaved better.
“In hindsight I should not have been at work, but I felt an obligation to host Q+A before driving to be with my family and deliver the eulogy at my niece’s funeral.”
Grant’s contribution to the coronation coverage drew considerable criticism.Credit: Jim Pavlidis
Grant added that the incident had been resolved with “no finding or sanction against any party”. But, without naming The Australian, which has been a frequent critic of the multi-award-winning journalist, he said, “Now I am being smeared”.
Grant revealed last week that he had resigned from the ABC weeks ago, and had joined The Constructive Institute, a Danish foundation dedicated to trying to improve the standard of public discourse by eschewing confrontation and inflammatory rhetoric.
The move came after he had accused the ABC of not doing enough to defend him after racist attacks over his commentary during the coronation of King Charles III in May.
On Tuesday, he was again critical of his former employer.
“The ABC typically has failed to tell the truth,” he wrote. “Instead it is hiding behind bureaucracy. The ABC crafted a statement which I rejected. I believe the truth is more important.
“My family this year has been subject to horrendous racial abuse and violent threat. The ABC failed to adequately defend me. This past year I have felt used by the ABC and abused by others. This is destroying my family.
“I left the ABC because trust is broken. I left the media because I don’t believe it serves us well. It divides and it doesn’t care who it hurts. It is toxic. I have been part of the problem for too long. I am so sorry my colleague has been dragged into this. No one deserves this.
“This was an awful misunderstanding at an emotionally fraught time. This is the truth. Judge me how you wish. We should all be better. We should all expect better from the media. We should all expect the truth.”
Contact the author at [email protected], follow him on Facebook at karlquinnjournalist and on Twitter @karlkwin, and read more of his work here.
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