ABC rejects NT minister’s claim over Four Corners

Four Corners has rejected claims by Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles that ABC deliberately delayed its report on the Don Dale abuses to cause maximum damage to his election campaign.

Giles told SKY News yesterday the story, which revealed graphic CCTV footage of the alleged abuse of young boys inside juvenile detention, gave the Labor opposition a “clear advantage”.

He said the ABC report was “outrageous” and had “stirred up racism” in the NT.

“I think Four Corners should be ashamed of what they’ve done,” he said.

“For me to be talking about child protection policies in the lead-up to the territory election is just food for Labor to drive racism at the heart of territory politics, rather than put the interest of the child at the forefront.”

Four Corners producer Sally Neighbour utterly rejected the claim.

Adam Giles' claim is false, outrageous and desperate. @SkyNewsAust @caromeldrum @adamgiles #4Corners #dondale

— Sally Neighbour (@neighbour_s) August 11, 2016

On the night of the ABC broadcast Giles released a statement calling for a royal commission into the incidents, saying he was “shocked and disgusted” by what he had seen.

“A community is judged by the way it treats its children and serious questions were raised by ABC tonight,” he said.

Source: The Guardian